would be the increase of their moral influence over their children, extending in all probability to the end of life.
I can not help again observing here, that there are few things in this world over which one feels more inclined to lament, than the total waste of good feeling—the utter failure of the best motives from the want of a little knowledge, or a little forethought, as to the surest means of carrying them into effect. That it is peculiarly the lot of woman to wear herself out in this fruitless expenditure, has been said and sung by many a feeling writer, and by none more sweetly than our own lamented poetess:—
"Her lot is on you—silent tears to weep, |
But why is it so? For no other reason than because woman considers it more beautiful to feel than to think. And so perhaps it is. Yet that she should think sufficiently to make her feelings tell upon the welfare of the beings whose happiness she has so much at heart, is the very point which, in looking upon the world, we long to urge upon women in general, and especially upon mothers.
Among the elements of human character most justly valued in society, and especially in the home circle, are gratitude and generosity. It would seem that the former of these might naturally grow out of the situation of a young child dependant upon others for the supply of every want and the gratification of every wish. We see, however, that this is far from being the case; for those very children who are the most unsparingly indulged, are generally the most ungrateful. Indeed, how should they be otherwise? Indulgence does not make them happy; and we find, throughout the world, that gratitude is not proportioned to the bestowment of favors, but to the benefit we are sensible of deriving from them. It is well, however, to begin by instilling ideas of gratitude, if not actual sensations, whenever a child is the subject of kindness from a friend. Children should never be allowed to forget who gave them any of their toys, who took them to
