1387.d.32.

Η ΤΩΝ ΠΑΙΔΩΝ ΑΓΩΓΗ

BEING A

COLLECTION OF LETTERS,

ON

EARLY EDUCATION,

AND ITS INFLUENCE

IN THE

PREVENTION OF CRIME.

Μοχθος μεν τολιγος, το δε μυρίον αυτικό ονειαρ
Γινεί επιφροσυνης αει πεφυλαγμένῳ ανδρι.

Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem
Testa diu.

By T. FORSTER, MB. FRAS FLS., HON. M. MED. CHIR. S. CORRESPONDING
MEMB. OF THE ACAD. SCIENCES PHIL., CORR. MEMB. OP
THE ACADEMIE ROYALE etc.

HONORARY FOREIGN SECRETARY OF THE ANIMALS FRIEND SOCIETY.

Second Edition.

LONDON

Published by SHERWOOD and BOWYER Strand, and at the
Albion Library, N.° 37, on the Dyver, BRUGES.

PREFACE.

At
every period of the world, as far back
as history written or traditional enables us to look
into past ages, and thence to trace the progress
of the human understanding, as society advances,
down to our days, we find a popular complaint
of the badness of the times, of the corrupt state
of public morals and of the frightful prevalence of
crime. If we begin at the earliest period and
descend through each succeeding century to our
own, we find the same lamentation in every age
and country. There are always croakers too
who on a grand scale cry out ;

Aetas parentum pejor avis tulit
Nos nequiores mox daturos
Progeniem vitiosiorem.

And while the exact historian finds the same crimes in every age, modified only by circumstances; while the speculative philosopher contents himself with referring all to the hidden source of evil in general; the practical political œconomist seeks for the remedy in various schemes, and proposes endless plans for bettering the condition of the people, which fail, one after the other, and leave society just where it was, the prey of enormous public delinquency.

If we believe what we read in the daily newspapers, crime must be rather on the encrease in England, and cannot be much lessened anywhere. It is therefore evident that the plans hitherto adopted for the amelioration of society have failed.

It appears to me that, as far as

it goes, the method of education used by the

Jesuits is the best which has yet been acted on. But independant of the fact that few persons, in proportion to the whole mass, can avail themselves of this advantageous schooling, there are moreover many things to be done which have hitherto been over

III

looked, before we can expect much improvement in the functions of this branch of moral science.

Phrenology has added prodigiously to our means of education, in enabling us to discover the natural propensities of children by indubitable outward signs. But this study has also led to the knowledge of another fact of parellel importance, namely that the character may be so materially altered for better or worse, in early life, by precept, and above all by example, that the very organization itself shall undergo changes in its essential nature.

Deeply impressed with this important fact, I sought for those general faults of education which, by corrupting children, tended to demoralize society. And I found the most influential to be the one which has been the most generally overlooked, namely the vitiating power of early scenes of cruelty to animals on the young mind; which by exciting the worst passions of our nature, actually prepare young persons for the commission of those appalling offenses that endanger the peace and security of society. I therefore