Page images
PDF
EPUB

The securing of wholesome food for the family, that important requisite for the preservation of health, is a subject demanding every parents earnest solicitude and best exertion. But it is surely far from prudent management, when the heads of families (especially among working people) lay out their means from day to day in what is called cheap," but too often adulterated, bread; and in paltry modicums of rancid butter, coarse meat, and decaying vegetables; when the proper economizing of their incomes, and the relinquishing of their gin and beer-drinking habits, would place within their reach the means of purchasing, in the best market, an ample supply of wholesome and nutritious food for themselves and children.

And equally to be condemned is the management of those who, for the sake of finery and outward appearances, stint themselves and children of a proper supply of food, and such other necessaries as are essential for the preservation of health.

In dress for the family parents will do well to consult propriety and neatness; rather than the whimsical changes of fashion. The former are generally elegant and becoming, and suitable to all seasons; the latter too frequently a burlesque on form and taste, a flimsy folly, suited only for the fashionable hour, and then cast aside as useless.

Those brought up to observe and follow the extravagances of fashion, have their minds for the most part filled with its follies in place of useful knowledge; have an intense admiration of external glitter-vain aspirations above a useful station—and have too frequently to lament the sacrifice of health from having been its unreflecting victims.

Parents should also learn to perceive that it is by no means prudent management to attend to the mere cheapness

of dress, or other commodities, without due consideration of their quality. And this being somewhat difficult to the young and inexperienced, amidst so much gloss, puffery, and business cant, they will do well to deal with respectable and trustworthy men of business; and to shun those tradesmen, who profess to sell their goods at "cost price," and live by their “tremendous sacrifices;" as well as those shops whose trade is always in "cheap bargains," and fraudulent bankrupts' stocks.

Prudent parents should also avoid that foolish kind of rivalry existing in society, which is not confined to any particular class, but more or less affects all. It is that desire to equal, or outdo, our friends or neighbours in dress, furniture, living, house, equipage and appearances, without due consideration of our own means.

For persons must be exceedingly deficient in wisdom, to allow the folly, ignorance, or extravagance of their neighbours to rule them, as to what is proper and becoming in their household; suitable to their position; or in accordance with their income.

The prudent manager of his household is not to be thus influenced or controlled. He has due consideration for the future wants of his family, as well as for the present; and provides, within his means, all those necessaries and comforts that he thinks will best contribute to their happiness. He will, at all times, avoid extravagance, luxury, and excess, in order to escape the diseases they entail, and the dangerous example they may present to his children. He will scorn to wear dress and ornament, and to sit at a well-supplied table, furnished by creditors whom he has no means of paying; and whose ruin might proceed from such heartless conduct. If his means diminish, he will resolutely resolve to diminish his desires, and

F

at once to restrict his expenditure; and if they increase, he will seek to extend his means of usefulness beyond the limits of his family, and not risk their corruption by luxury and excess.

DUTIES AS DOMESTIC BEINGS.

DUTIES TO OUR CHILDREN.

On

As the character, wisdom, and usefulness of the man, chiefly depend on his training and instruction as a child, few duties are more important than the parental ones. the proper fulfilment of these depend the wealth, knowledge, and happiness of society; from their neglect, poverty, ignorance, vice and crime.

Evidently the first duty parents owe to their children, is to make provision for their essential wants before they come into the world. No parents can be so ignorant as not to know that their helpless children will require, and cannot exist without, food, clothing, fuel and shelter; and knowing this, if they recklessly bring them into existence, without any possible means of providing for them, careless whether they live or die; they will be cruelly base, and neglectful of their first duties.

If, to gratify the lowest propensity, they become instrumental in ushering innocent beings into existence, knowing that they have no prospect of providing for their physical, mental, or moral wants-recklessly relying on the events and probabilities that may occur, or selfishly determined to make society bear the burthen of supporting them, they will show themselves less regardful of their parental duties than the brute; and prove themselves to be mean spirited beings, to cause their offspring to be dependant on the fruits of others labour,

For that neglect, or want of feeling, which consigns their children to the risk of pining in infancy from cold and hunger, or, surviving that, to grow up in rags, filth and ignorance; with no education but that of the street and its daily sounds and sights of vice and profligacy; with craving appetites tempting them to crime, and no restraining influences to curb the will or check desire; those who thus act towards their offspring must be destitute of all affection, of all consideration for their present or future welfare.

And those who, taking advantage of the sympathies of society, and the provision it has made for the aged, orphan and destitute, recklessly bring children into the world to become dependant on daily charity for their subsistence; allowing them to be dragged up by workhouse nurses, and clothed and badged in pauper garbs; prove that they have neither self respect, parental regard, consideration, nor shame, thus to inflict their burthens on society.

But, passing from such unworthy members of the community, those parents who have been mindful of this first great duty, of making wise provision for their children before their entrance into life, have yet further important duties to observe towards them in every successive stage of their existence from infancy to manhood.

In the first place an important duty for the mother is to know something of the nature of the being committed to her care; as she will be mainly responsible for preserving it in health and vigour; for the proper direction of its passions and feelings; for the guidance of its perceptions and the quickening of its reasoning powers; for the forming of its manners, and correcting its disposition; in fact for the formation of its character from infancy to childhood, when the aid of the schoolmaster begins, and helps her to complete the great work; so that the object of their joint

« PreviousContinue »