their experience. Pelby forgets how other people's children once
annoyed him, and Mr. and Mrs. Little seem to be entirely unconscious
that their paragon was very much like all other little boys when he
was only about two or three years old. For my part, I think we
should be careful not to let our children trespass upon visitors.
None can feel the same interest in them that we do, or exercise the
same forbearance towards their faults. Faults they all have, which
need especial care in their correction; and these should be suffered
to appear as rarely as possible under circumstances which prevent a
salutary check being placed upon them. For this reason, you know, we
have made it a matter of concert not to let our children, while, too
young to understand something of propriety, be present, but for a
very short time, when we had company. The moment they become rude or
too familiar, they were quietly taken from the room."

"Yes; and knowing as I do," said Mrs. Manly, "how very restless some
children with active minds are, I am never disposed to look with
unfavourable eyes upon any, even when wild, turbulent, and heedless.
They act as they feel; and so far as evil affections show
themselves, we know they are inherited, and that it is not in the
power of the child to remove them. We should then be moved, it seems
to me, with a purer affection for them; with something of pity mixed
with our love, and, instead of suffering their wrong actions to
repulse us, we should draw towards them with a desire to teach them
what is wrong, and impart to them some power to overcome evil."

"If all thought as you, Mary," said Mr. Manly, as they gained their
own doors, "we should hear no one railing out against other people's
children, while he indulged his own. A fault too common with most
parents."