It had never struck her intelligence that boys with such heredity in
them should have been specially influenced and directed from earliest
youth towards ideas of the finest honour and proudest responsibility
in keeping unblemished their ancient name; that all the stupidities
and follies of gambling should have been pointed out to them; that the
certain temptations which are bound to beset the path of those in
their position should have been fully explained to them--all this done
in a simple, common-sense fashion which would convince their
understanding. She had never thought that it would be wise to make
them clearly comprehend why they should try to resist bad habits and
youthful lusts of the flesh--not so much from the point of view that
such things are sins, as because science and experience have shown
that the indulgence in them spoils health and brain and pleasure in
manhood. Boys are creatures full of common sense, and their education
in public schools broadens and helps their understanding of logical
sequences, if only things are explained to them without mystery and
too much spiritual emphasis being put upon them. They so hate being
preached at! No young, growing person in normal animal health and
spirits can be guided and coerced to resist the desires of the body
_solely_ by religious and moral teaching; he must have some definite
reward and gain upon this earth held out to him as well; there must be
some tangible reason for abstinence to convince his imagination and
strengthen his will. And the gain he is offered if he resists certain
temptations is that he will grow strong and powerful, and the better
able, when his judgment is ripe enough to discriminate properly, to
enjoy real pleasures later on. When the adolescent spiritual self
begins to rule him, then the moral point can be more forcibly pressed
home; but it is quite futile while he is at the growing animal stage.
Our good and highly placed mother of whom we are speaking has never
thought of any of these laws of cause and effect, as applied to her
own nearest and dearest, although she is accustomed to think out
schemes for the betterment and development of her Girls' Friendly
societies, or for furthering her husband's political interests in the
country.