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EXCITING THE PASSIONS IN CHILDREN.

1.  CONVERSATION BEFORE CHILDREN.—­The conduct and conversation of adults before children and youth, how often have I blushed with shame, and kindled with indignation at the conversation of parents, and especially of mothers, to their children:  “John, go and kiss Harriet, for she is your sweet-heart.”  Well may shame make him hesitate and hang his head.  “Why, John, I did not think you so great a coward.  Afraid of the girls, are you?  That will never do.  Come, go along, and hug and kiss her.  There, that’s a man.  I guess you will love the girls yet.”  Continually is he teased about the girls and being in love, till he really selects a sweet-heart.

2.  THE LOSS OF MAIDEN PURITY AND NATURAL DELICACY.—­I will not lift the veil, nor expose the conduct of children among themselves.  And all this because adults have filled their heads with those impurities which surfeit their own.  What could more effectually wear off that natural delicacy, that maiden purity and bashfulness, which form the main barriers against the influx of vitiated Amativeness?  How often do those whose modesty has been worn smooth, even take pleasure in thus saying and doing things to raise the blush on the cheek of youth and innocence, merely to witness the effect of this improper illusion upon them; little realizing that they are thereby breaking down the barriers of their virtue, and prematurely kindling the fires of animal passion!

3.  BALLS.  PARTIES AND AMUSEMENTS.—­The entire machinery of balls and parties, of dances and other amusements of young people, tend to excite and inflame this passion.  Thinking it a fine thing to get in love, they court and form attachments long before either their mental or physical powers are matured.  Of course, these young loves, these green-house exotics, must be broken off, and their miserable subjects left burning up with the fierce fires of a flaming passion, which, if left alone, would have slumbered on for years, till they were prepared for its proper management and exercise.

4.  SOWING THE SEEDS FOR FUTURE RUIN.—­Nor is it merely the conversation of adults that does all this mischief; their manners also increase it.  Young men take the hands of girls from six to thirteen years old, kiss them, press them, and play with them so as, in a great variety of ways, to excite their innocent passions, combined, I grant, with friendship and refinement—­for all this is genteely done.  They intend no harm, and parents dream of none:  and yet their embryo love is awakened, to be again still more easily excited.  Maiden ladies, and even married women, often express similar feelings towards lads, not perhaps positively improper in themselves, yet injurious in their ultimate effects.