CHAP. IV. Cautions concerning Imitation.
THE ignorance of children, whose brain hath as yet taken no impression, and who have no formed habits, is what occasions their pliancy and inclination to imitate all they see. It is therefore a very principal point to set before them none but the best models; no sort of persons should be suffered to come near them, but such as it would be advantageous to copy after. But as it is impossible, notwithstanding all our precaution, but they must see many irregularities, we should teach them timely to remark the faulty behaviour of vicious and irrational people; such whose reputation is irretrievably lost: they should be shewn how deservedly despicable, how miserable they are, who abandon themselves to their passions, and neglect the cultivation of their reason.
By this means we may, without fear of giving them a turn for mockery, form their taste, and inspire a sensibility of whatever is truly graceful. Nay, we need not refrain from general cautions, with relation to some sorts of defects, altho’ there should be a danger, by such proceedings, of giving them an insight into the weaknesses of people to whom they owe respect: for besides that we ought not to hope, nor would it be just, to keep them ignorant of the true maxims relative to those points; so is it the surest way of keeping them in their duty, to instil the notion that they must bear with another’s defects; not even judge of them inconsiderately; that they often appear greater than they really are; that a number of other good qualities atone for them; that, as perfection is not to be found upon earth, we should admire those who have least imperfection: in short, though this species of information ought to be reserved for extremities, nevertheless it is our duty to give the true principles, and to preserve them from imitating indiscriminately whatever evil shall happen to come in sight.
Besides all this, we should discourage them from personating ridiculous people. This turn for comic mockery has something in it low and repugnant to genteel sentiment; besides which, it is much to be feared lest children should catch these manners, because the warmth of their imaginations, the suppleness of their bodies, and their sprightliness together, give them an aptness in taking all sorts of forms for the representing every ridiculous object.
This propensity in children to imitation, produces infinite mischief when they are put into the hands of bad people, and who act with no reserve in their company. But God hath indued them by the same means with a pliableness to whatever is set before them for their good: very often, without speaking, it sufficeth only to make them observe in another the thing we would have them do.
[To be continued.]
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