their very weakness,
whence comes, at first, their feeling of dependence, springs afterward
the idea of empire, and of commanding others. But as this idea is
awakened less by their own wants, than by the fact that we are serving
them, those moral results whose immediate cause is not in nature, are
here perceived. We therefore see why, even at this early age, it is
important to discern the hidden purpose which dictates the gesture or
the cry.

When the child stretches forth his hand with an effort, but without a
sound, he thinks he can reach some object, because he does not properly
estimate its distance; he is mistaken. But if, while stretching out
his hand, he complains and cries, he is no longer deceived as to the
distance. He is commanding the object to come to him, or is directing
you to bring it to him. In the first case, carry him to the object
slowly, and with short steps; in the second case, do not even appear to
understand him. It is worth while to habituate him early not to
command people, for he is not their master; nor things, for they cannot
understand him. So, when a child wants something he sees, and we mean
to give it to him, it is better to carry him to the object than to
fetch the object to him. From this practice of ours he will learn a
lesson suited to his age, and there is no better way of suggesting this
lesson to him.

Maxims to Keep us True to Nature.

Reason alone teaches us to know good and evil. Conscience, which makes
us love the one and hate the other, is independent of reason, but
cannot grow strong without its aid. Before reaching years of reason,
we do good and evil unconsciously. There is no moral character in our
actions, although there sometimes is in our feeling toward those
actions of others which relate to us. A child likes to disturb
everything he sees; he breaks, he shatters everything within his reach;
he lays hold of a bird just as he would lay hold of a stone, and
strangles it without knowing what he is doing.

Why is this? At first view, philosophy would account for it on the
ground of vices natural to us--pride, the spirit of domination,
self-love, the wickedness of mankind. It would perhaps add, that the
sense of his own weakness makes the child eager to do things requiring
strength, and so prove to himself his own power. But see that old man,
infirm and broken down, whom the cycle of human life brings back to the
weakness of childhood. Not only does h