Neglect and abuse of home-education.

  “Accomplishments have taken virtue’s place,
  And wisdom falls before exterior grace;
  We slight the precious kernel of the stone,
  And toil to polish its rough coat alone. 
  A just deportment, manners graced with ease,
  Elegant phases, and figure formed to please,
  Are qualities that seem to comprehend
  Whatever parents, guardians, schools intend;
  Hence all that interferes, and dares to clash
  With indolence and luxury, is trash!”

Home-education in all its parts is most sadly neglected and abused at the present day.  Many parents think that the office of teacher is not included in the parental character and mission.  The neglect of home-training seems to arise out of an existing-prejudice against it.  Some think that education will unfit their children for industry,—­will make them indolent and proud.  They regard mental culture as an enemy to both industry and virtue.  Strange delusion!  The mind is given to use, not to abuse; and its abuse is no argument against its proper use.  God has given the mind, and intends it to be developed and cultivated.  If, therefore, its training has made it indolent and dissipated, it only proves its education to be spurious.  You might, by a parity of reasoning, blindfold the eye that it might not he covetous, or tie up the hand lest it pick a man’s pocket, or hobble the feet lest they run into evil ways, as to keep the mind in ignorance lest it become wicked.

Besides, we find more real indolence and wickedness among the ignorant than among the educated; for man will be educated in something.  If you do not educate your child in the truths of nature and religion, be assured he will become trained in falsehood and in the ways of Satan.  “Uneducated mind is uneducated vice.”  A proper education is a divine alchemy which turns all the baser parts of man’s nature into gold.  Without it all is discord and darkness within and without.  Besides, ignorance leads to misery because it leads to wickedness.  Dr. Johnson was once asked, “Who is the most miserable man?” He replied, “That man who cannot read on a rainy day!” It has well been said by Edmund Burke that “Education is the cheap defense of nations.”  Why?  Because it prevents vice, poverty, misery, and relieves the state of the support of paupers and criminals.  “A good education,” says Miss Sedgwick, “is a young man’s best capital.”  Says Governor Everett to parents, “Sow the seed of instruction in your son’s and daughter’s minds.  It will flourish when that over-arching heaven shall pass away like a scroll, and the eternal sun which lightens it, shall set in blood.”  Says the Rev. Robert Hall, “I am persuaded that the extreme profligacy, improvidence, and misery, which are so prevalent among the laboring classes in many countries, are chiefly to be ascribed to the want of education.”