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THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF MANKIND. [Part III.

destined for any of the trades, should be taught, besides thebranches just mentioned, the elements of mechanics, naturalphilosophy, and chemistry. Girls are to be taught the usefulbranches, and ornamental accomplishments, which befit their sex,circumstances, and expectations in life. Mathematics and theclassical languages must be the pillars of the education of youthsdesigned for the three great learned professions ; and thosewho make general literature and the sciences their profession,must swell their treasures with the contributions of every age,country, and nation.

The parents’ duty of teaching their children, is usually dele-gated to private or public professional instructed, under the gen-eral superintendence of the parents themselves. When investedwith this responsible trust, instructed are in loco parentis (inthe place of the parent) so far as the special object of the trustis concerned ; the parental duty becomes the just measure oftheir duty, and they ought to assume as much of the parentalfeeling and interest as possible. The standard of good conductin a teacher, is the same by which a good, wise, and judiciousparent is guided in the management and instruction of his chil-dren. With this duty, too, the rights of the parents over theirchildren, so far as is necessary to the discharge of the duty, aretransferred to the instructer. The relation of guardian and wardis another substitute for the parental relation, instituted to supplyits place, however imperfectly, in case of the death, insanity, orother disability of one or both parents. In assuming the relation,the guardian undertakes to perform the parental duties, and be-comes invested with the rights of the parents.

It is equally the right and the duty of parents, during theearlier years of their children, to control them, and to subjectthem to discipline within the bounds of a reasonable discretion.The sacred writers consider government among the most indis-pensable duties of parents, and more than one of them has no-ticed the want of it as among the most common causes of theruin of children and the overthrow of families.* The wisest ofmen says, “ He that spareth his rod hateth his son ; but he that

1 Samuel iii. 13; Proverbs xix, 18; xxix. 15.