from their parents.  I have known repeated instances of this kind.  Many little ones, when they first come to our schools, make use of dreadful expressions, and when told that it is wrong, will say that they did not know it was so; others, with the greatest simplicity, have declared, that they had heard their fathers or mothers say the same words.  Hence I have had much difficulty in persuading them that it was wrong, for they very naturally thought, that if their parents made use of such language, they might do the same.  How great is the necessity of good example; and did parents generally consider how apt children are to receive impressions, and to become imitators, both in their words and actions, they would be more cautious than they are.  There are many parents who make use of very bad expressions themselves, who would correct their children for using the same;—­as a proof of this, I will mention one circumstance, out of many others, that took place in the school I superintended many years since.  We had a little girl there, five years old, who was so fond of the school, that she frequently stopped after the usual hours to play with my children and some others who chose to stay in the play-ground.  Many of them would stop till eight or nine o’clock at night, to which I had no objection, provided their parents approved of it, and they did not get into mischief; it being desirable to keep them out of the streets as much as possible.  It happened, however, one day, that some of the children, offended this child, and she called them by dreadful names, such as I cannot repeat; and, of course, the others were terrified, and told me of them immediately.  I was soon satisfied that the child was ignorant of the meaning of what she said, for, as an excuse for her conduct, she declared that she heard her father and mother use the same words.  I told the child, that notwithstanding her parents might have done so, it was very wicked, and that I could not let her stay another time to play, if ever she did so again.  Having sent for the mother, I informed her of the expressions the child had used, but did not tell her what she had mentioned relative to her parents, for if I had, she would have beaten her most unmercifully.  The mother, after having heard me relate the circumstance, immediately flew into a passion with the child, and declared, that she would “skin her alive,” (this was her expression,) and I had much difficulty to restrain her from correcting the child in the school.  Having pacified her a little, I inquired where the child could have heard such wicked expressions.  She said she could not tell.  I then told her, I hoped the child did not learn them of her, or her father.  To this she made no answer, but I could perceive that she stood self-convicted, and having said what I conceived necessary upon the occasion, I dismissed her, observing that it was useless for ladies and gentlemen to establish schools for the education of the infant poor, if the parents did not assist by setting them a good example.