542 ON THE EDUU`ATLON OF YOUTH. The indulgence of a nice appetite in children, is not only the reason why they are so often sick, but at the same time it makes them so hurnourous and squeamish, that they can scarcely he persuaded to swallow a medicine which is Lfecessary for their, recovery: What a long, tedious and tiresome business is it to wait on some children whole hours together, while all the soft persuasions and flatteries Of a' mother cannot prevail with theta to take a nauseous spoonful, or a bitter bolus, though their life may seem to depend on it ? They have been taught to make an idol of their taste, and even in the view and peril of death, they can hardly be persuaded to affront their idol, and displease their palate with a draught, or even a pill, which disgusts it. There are other appetites (if I, may so call them) beside that of the taste, which children are ready to indulge too far, if not limited and corrected by the wisdom of their parents. Their eyes are never satisfied with seeing, nor their ears with bearing. Some young persons cannot hear of a fine show but they must needs see it ; nor can they be told of a concert of music, but they must needs hear it, though it creates an expence beyond their circumstances, and may, endanger their health or their virtue. I confess freely, that I would recommend the sight of un- common things in, nature or art, in government civil or military, to the curiosity of youth. If some strange wild beasts and birds are to be shown, if lions and eagles, ostriches and elephants, pe- licans or rhinoceroses, are brought into our land, if an ingenious model of Solomon's temple, or some nice and admirable clock- work, engines, or moving pictures, &c. be made a spectacle to the ingenious if a king be crowned, or a public triumph pro- ceed through the streets ; when an army is reviewed by a prince, when an ambassador makes a public entry, or when there is a public trial of criminals before a judge, I will readily allow these sights are worthy of the attendance of the younger parts of man- kind ; once at least, where it may be done with safety, and with- out too great hazard or ex pence. Most of these are things which are not often repeated; and it is fit that the curiosity of the eyes should be so far gratified, as to give people once in their lives an opportunity of knowing what these things are, that their minds. may be furnished with useful ideas of the world of nature or art, and with some notion of the great and uncommon scenes and appearances of the civil life. But for children to haunt every; public spectacle, to attend with constancy every lord mayor's . show, to seize every opportunity of repeating these sights; suffer- ing nothing to escape them that may please their senses, and this too often without any regard to their religion, their virtue, or their health, this is a vanity which ought to be restrained by those
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