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130 FIRESIDE EDUCATION. |
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grew mutually captious, and at last censorious. The result was, that, while the two families maintained an ostensible friendship, there was underneath this disguise a real hatred of each other. Thus a mother's selfish and unreasonable indulgence of a whim sowed discord among her children, and entailed misery upon her descendants. Nor is this a solitary instance. Parents seem peculiarly exposed to this error in the administration of family government. Let them be on their guard. Let them treat their several children with an even hand, and. if they wish peace in their family, discourage uncles and aunts, grandmothers and grandfathers, from selecting one of their children as a special favorite. Such things seldom come to good. If the pet gets at length some niggard legacy as a token of regard, it is usually bought too dear, even if it do not bring a curse on the recipient. If indeed it should seem a benefit to him on whom it is bestowed, the jealous envy excited in the other members of the family, and the consequent alienation of good will, are poorly compensated by it. Such partialities on the part of rich relations are often wholly selfish, and should be rather shunned than coveted by parents. Their children can do without lega- |
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