PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

236 Dut! of Parmts.
ploded superstitipn. Now, even a child is not to be
imposed upon by such mockery. He ~ees through
the grimace of this counterfeited concern for virtue.
He discovers that his parent is acting a p"!rt; and
receives his admonitions as he would hear the same
maxims from the mouth of a player. And when
once this opinion has taken possession of the child' 5
mind, it has a fatal effect upon the parent's influence
in all subjects; even in those, in which he himseif
may be sincere and convinced. \Vherea~ a si.
lent, but observable regard to the duties of religion,
in the flarent's own behaviour, will take a sure aIld
graduafhold of the cHid's disposition, much beyond
formal reproofs and chi dings, which, being -gener.
ally prompted by some present provocation, discover
more of anger than of principle, and are always
received with a temporary alienation and disgust.
A good parent's first care is to be virtuous himself;
his second, to make his virtues as easy and tngagiag
to thorae about him, as their nature win ad.
mit. Virtue itself offends, when coupled with for.
bidding manners. And . som~ virtues may be urged
to such excess, or brought forward so unseasonably,
as to· discourage and repel those, who observe and
who,are acted upon by them, inst~ad of exciting an
inclination to imitate and adopt them. Young
minds are particularly liable to these unfortunate
impressions. For instance, if a fathe"'s economy degenerate
into a minute and te3.iing parsimonY7 it is
odds but that the son, who has suift:red under it, set
out a sworn enemy to all rules Df order and frugal.
ity. If a father's piety be morose ~ rigorous, and
tinged with melancholy, perpetually breaking ill upon
the recreation of his family, and surfeiting them
with the language of religion upon all occasions,
there is danger lest the son carry from home with
him a settled prejudice against seriousness and rel;g.
ion, as inconsistent with every plan of a pleasurable
life ; and turn out, when he mixes with the world,
a character of levity or dissoluteneS$.