按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
had not spent one hundredth part of the money upon him which he had
lavished upon his own children。 〃It is always the same story；〃 he
would say to himself； 〃the more young people have the more they
want； and the less thanks one gets； I have made a great mistake； I
have been far too lenient with my children； never mind； I have done
my duty by them； and more； if they fail in theirs to me it is a
matter between God and them。 I； at any rate； am guiltless。 Why； I
might have married again and become the father of a second and
perhaps more affectionate family； etc。； etc。〃 He pitied himself for
the expensive education which he was giving his children； he did not
see that the education cost the children far more than it cost him；
inasmuch as it cost them the power of earning their living easily
rather than helped them towards it； and ensured their being at the
mercy of their father for years after they had come to an age when
they should be independent。 A public school education cuts off a
boy's retreat； he can no longer become a labourer or a mechanic； and
these are the only people whose tenure of independence is not
precariouswith the exception of course of those who are born
inheritors of money or who are placed young in some safe and deep
groove。 Mr Pontifex saw nothing of this； all he saw was that he was
spending much more money upon his children than the law would have
compelled him to do； and what more could you have？ Might he not
have apprenticed both his sons to greengrocers？ Might he not even
yet do so to…morrow morning if he were so minded？ The possibility
of this course being adopted was a favourite topic with him when he
was out of temper； true； he never did apprentice either of his sons
to greengrocers； but his boys comparing notes together had sometimes
come to the conclusion that they wished he would。
At other times when not quite well he would have them in for the fun
of shaking his will at them。 He would in his imagination cut them
all out one after another and leave his money to found almshouses；
till at last he was obliged to put them back； so that he might have
the pleasure of cutting them out again the next time he was in a
passion。
Of course if young people allow their conduct to be in any way
influenced by regard to the wills of living persons they are doing
very wrong and must expect to be sufferers in the end； nevertheless
the powers of will…dangling and will…shaking are so liable to abuse
and are continually made so great an engine of torture that I would
pass a law； if I could； to incapacitate any man from making a will
for three months from the date of each offence in either of the
above respects and let the bench of magistrates or judge； before
whom he has been convicted； dispose of his property as they shall
think right and reasonable if he dies during the time that his will…
making power is suspended。
Mr Pontifex would have the boys into the dining…room。 〃My dear
John； my dear Theobald；〃 he would say； 〃look at me。 I began life
with nothing but the clothes with which my father and mother sent me
up to London。 My father gave me ten shillings and my mother five
for pocket money and I thought them munificent。 I never asked my
father for a shilling in the whole course of my life； nor took aught
from him beyond the small sum he used to allow me monthly till I was
in receipt of a salary。 I made my own way and I shall expect my
sons to do the same。 Pray don't take it into your heads that I am
going to wear my life out making money that my sons may spend it for
me。 If you want money you must make it for yourselves as I did； for
I give you my word I will not leave a penny to either of you unless
you show that you deserve it。 Young people seem nowadays to expect
all kinds of luxuries and indulgences which were never heard of when
I was a boy。 Why； my father was a common carpenter； and here you
are both of you at public schools； costing me ever so many hundreds
a year； while I at your age was plodding away behind a desk in my
Uncle Fairlie's counting house。 What should I not have done if I
had had one half of your advantages？ You should become dukes or
found new empires in undiscovered countries； and even then I doubt
whether you would have done proportionately so much as I have done。
No； no； I shall see you through school and college and then； if you
please； you will make your own way in the world。〃
In this manner he would work himself up into such a state of
virtuous indignation that he would sometimes thrash the boys then
and there upon some pretext invented at the moment。
And yet； as children went； the young Pontifexes were fortunate；
there would be ten families of young people worse off for one
better； they ate and drank good wholesome food； slept in comfortable
beds； had the best doctors to attend them when they were ill and the
best education that could be had for money。 The want of fresh air
does not seem much to affect the happiness of children in a London
alley： the greater part of them sing and play as though they were
on a moor in Scotland。 So the absence of a genial mental atmosphere
is not commonly recognised by children who have never known it。
Young people have a marvellous faculty of either dying or adapting
themselves to circumstances。 Even if they are unhappyvery
unhappyit is astonishing how easily they can be prevented from
finding it out； or at any rate from attributing it to any other
cause than their own sinfulness。
To parents who wish to lead a quiet life I would say： Tell your
children that they are very naughtymuch naughtier than most
children。 Point to the young people of some acquaintances as models
of perfection and impress your own children with a deep sense of
their own inferiority。 You carry so many more guns than they do
that they cannot fight you。 This is called moral influence； and it
will enable you to bounce them as much as you please。 They think
you know and they will not have yet caught you lying often enough to
suspect that you are not the unworldly and scrupulously truthful
person which you represent yourself to be； nor yet will they know
how great a coward you are； nor how soon you will run away； if they
fight you with persistency and judgement。 You keep the dice and
throw them both for your children and yourself。 Load them then； for
you can easily manage to stop your children from examining them。
Tell them how singularly indulgent you are； insist on the
incalculable benefit you conferred upon them； firstly in bringing
them into the world at all； but more particularly in bringing them
into it as your own children rather than anyone else's。 Say that
you have their highest interests at stake whenever you are out of
temper and wish to make yourself unpleasant by way of balm to your
soul。 Harp much upon these highest interests。 Feed them
spiritually upon such brimstone and treacle as the late Bishop of
Winchester's Sunday stories。 You hold all the trump cards； or if
you do not you can filch them； if you play them with anything like
judgement you will find yourselves heads of happy； united； God…
fearing families； even as did my