Character and Conduct – 10 December – A Happy Childhood

A HAPPY childhood is one of the best gifts that parents have it in their power to bestow;  second only to implanting the habit of obedience which puts the child in training for the habit of obeying himself, later on.

Diana Tempest, MARY CHOLMONDELEY

THE main duty of those who care for the young is to secure their wholesome, their entire growth;  for health is just the development of the whole nature in its due sequences and proportions:  first the blade – then the ear – then, and not till then, the full corn in the ear;  and thus, as Dr. Temple wisely says, ‘not to forget wisdom in teaching knowledge’ If the blade be forced, and usurp the capital it inherits;  if it be robbed by you, its guardian, of its birthright, or squandered like a spendthrift, then there is not any ear, much less any corn;  if the blade be blasted or dwarfed in our haste and greed for the full shock and its price, we spoil all three.   It is not easy to keep this always before one’s mind, that the young ‘idea’ is in a young body, and that healthy growth and harmless passing of the time are more to be cared for than what is vainly called accomplishment.

Dr. JOHN BROWN

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These quotes are from ‘Character and Conduct’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing them here is that readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.