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even losing his reputation for taking a very proper view of his parental
duties。 And at least it was not a trivial view； nor an ill meant one。 It
was much more respectable than the general consensus of opinion that if a
school teacher can devise a question a child cannot answer； or overhear it
calling omega omeega； he or she may beat the child viciously。 Only； the
cruelty must be whitewashed by a moral excuse； and a pretence of
reluctance。 It must be for the child's good。 The assailant must say
〃This hurts me more than it hurts you。〃 There must be hypocrisy as well as
cruelty。 The injury to the child would be far less if the voluptuary said
frankly 〃I beat you because I like beating you； and I shall do it whenever I
can contrive an excuse for it。〃 But to represent this detestable lust to the
child as Divine wrath； and the cruelty as the beneficent act of God； which
is exactly what all our floggers do； is to add to the torture of the body； out
of which the flogger at least gets some pleasure； the maiming and blinding
of the child's soul； which can bring nothing but horror to anyone。
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A TREATISE ON PARENTS AND CHILDREN
The Manufacture of Monsters
This industry is by no means peculiar to China。 The Chinese （they
say） make physical monsters。 We revile them for it and proceed to make
moral monsters of our own children。 The most excusable parents are
those who try to correct their own faults in their offspring。 The parent
who says to his child： 〃I am one of the successes of the Almighty：
therefore imitate me in every particular or I will have the skin off your
back〃 （a quite common attitude） is a much more absurd figure than the
man who； with a pipe in his mouth； thrashes his boy for smoking。 If you
must hold yourself up to your children as an object lesson （which is not at
all necessary）； hold yourself up as a warning and not as an example。 But
you had much better let the child's character alone。 If you once allow
yourself to regard a child as so much material for you to manufacture into
any shape that happens to suit your fancy you are defeating the experiment
of the Life Force。 You are assuming that the child does not know its own
business； and that you do。 In this you are sure to be wrong： the child
feels the drive of the Life Force （often called the Will of God）； and you
cannot feel it for him。 Handel's parents no doubt thought they knew
better than their child when they tried to prevent his becoming a musician。
They would have been equally wrong and equally unsuccessful if they had
tried to prevent the child becoming a great rascal had its genius lain in that
direction。 Handel would have been Handel； and Napoleon and Peter of
Russia _them_selves in spite of all the parents in creation； because； as
often happens； they were stronger than their parents。 But this does not
happen always。 Most children can be； and many are； hopelessly warped
and wasted by parents who are ignorant and silly enough to suppose that
they know what a human being ought to be； and who stick at nothing in
their determination to force their children into their moulds。 Every child
has a right to its own bent。 It has a right to be a Plymouth Brother though
its parents be convinced atheists。 It has a right to dislike its mother or
father or sister or brother or uncle or aunt if they are antipathetic to it。 It
has a right to find its own way and go its own way； whether that way
seems wise or foolish to others； exactly as an adult has。 It has a right to
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A TREATISE ON PARENTS AND CHILDREN
privacy as to its own doings and its own affairs as much as if it were its
own father。
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A TREATISE ON PARENTS AND CHILDREN
Small and Large Families
These rights have now become more important than they used to be；
because the modern practice of limiting families enables them to be more
effectually violated。 In a family of ten； eight； six； or even four children；
the rights of the younger ones to a great extent take care of themselves and
of the rights of the elder ones too。 Two adult parents； in spite of a house
to keep and an income to earn； can still interfere to a disastrous extent with
the rights and liberties of one child。 But by the time a fourth child has
arrived； they are not only outnumbered two to one； but are getting tired of
the thankless and mischievous job of bringing up their children in the way
they think they should go。 The old observation that members of large
families get on in the world holds good because in large families it is
impossible for each child to receive what schoolmasters call 〃individual
attention。〃 The children may receive a good deal of individual attention
from one another in the shape of outspoken reproach； ruthless ridicule； and
violent resistance to their attempts at aggression； but the parental despots
are compelled by the multitude of their subjects to resort to political rather
than personal rule； and to spread their attempts at moral monster…making
over so many children； that each child has enough freedom； and enough
sport in the prophylactic process of laughing at its elders behind their
backs； to escape with much less damage than the single child。 In a large
school the system may be bad； but the personal influence of the head
master has to be exerted； when it is exerted at all； in a public way； because
he has little more power of working on the affections of the individual
scholar in the intimate way that； for example； the mother of a single child
can； than the prime minister has of working on the affections of any
individual voter。
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A TREATISE ON PARENTS AND CHILDREN
Children as Nuisances
Experienced parents； when children's rights are preached to them； very
naturally ask whether children are to be allowed to do what they li