The argument is an unanswerable one: "All children
of respectable famihes have been submitted to strict
correction and discipline since the world began, and
most of them have turned out passably well; therefore,
if we leave off the discipUne our children will grow up
sluggards and shirkers." It may be respectfully
pointed out that there is a flaw in the logic, since prac-
tically no children have ever been allowed to grow up
without any form of discipHne save the society and
example of their parents, so as to see what sort of little
monsters they would turn out. Such approaches as
have been made to this natural and imregulated
method of nurture have turned out exceedingly well,
but they have only been approaches, so heavy hangs
the dread of authority over us all. Our brains know
better, but we are morally certain in our livers that
they would grow up forgers and highwaymen — if
not actually crosseyed and humpbacked.
