Emile shall learn a trade.  “An honest trade, at least,” you say.  What do you mean by honest?  Is not every useful trade honest?  I would not make an embroiderer, a gilder, a polisher of him, like Locke’s young gentleman.  Neither would I make him a musician, an actor, or an author.[Footnote:  You are an author yourself, you will reply.  Yes, for my sins; and my ill deeds, which I think I have fully expiated, are no reason why others should be like me.  I do not write to excuse my faults, but to prevent my readers from copying them.] With the exception of these and others like them, let him choose his own trade, I do not mean to interfere with his choice.  I would rather have him a shoemaker than a poet, I would rather he paved streets than painted flowers on china.  “But,” you will say, “policemen, spies, and hangmen are useful people.”  There would be no use for them if it were not for the government.  But let that pass.  I was wrong.  It is not enough to choose an honest trade, it must be a trade which does not develop detestable qualities in the mind, qualities incompatible with humanity.  To return to our original expression, “Let us choose an honest trade,” but let us remember there can be no honesty without usefulness.

A famous writer of this century, whose books are full of great schemes and narrow views, was under a vow, like the other priests of his communion, not to take a wife.  Finding himself more scrupulous than others with regard to his neighbour’s wife, he decided, so they say, to employ pretty servants, and so did his best to repair the wrong done to the race by his rash promise.  He thought it the duty of a citizen to breed children for the state, and he made his children artisans.  As soon as they were old enough they were taught whatever trade they chose; only idle or useless trades were excluded, such as that of the wigmaker who is never necessary, and may any day cease to be required, so long as nature does not get tired of providing us with hair.

This spirit shall guide our choice of trade for Emile, or rather, not our choice but his; for the maxims he has imbibed make him despise useless things, and he will never be content to waste his time on vain labours; his trade must be of use to Robinson on his island.

When we review with the child the productions of art and nature, when we stimulate his curiosity and follow its lead, we have great opportunities of studying his tastes and inclinations, and perceiving the first spark of genius, if he has any decided talent in any direction.  You must, however, be on your guard against the common error which mistakes the effects of environment for the ardour of genius, or imagines there is a decided bent towards any one of the arts, when there is nothing more than that spirit of emulation, common to men and monkeys, which impels them instinctively to do what they see others doing, without knowing why.  The world is full of artisans, and still