Book contents
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- VOL I Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- VOL II Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- LETTER I The Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER II The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER III The Baron to the Viscount
- LETTER IV The Baron to the Viscount
- LETTER V The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER VI The Viscountess's Answer
- LETTER VII The Baroness's Answer
- LETTER VIII The Baron to the Viscount
- LETTER IX Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER X The Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XI The Copy of Mons. de Lagaraye's Letter to Porphiry
- LETTER XII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XIII Madame d' Ostalis to the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER XIV The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XV The Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XVI The Baroness's Answer
- LETTER XVII Madame d' Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER XVIII The Baroness's Answer
- LETTER XIX The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XX The Chevalier Herbain to the Baroness
- LETTER XXI Madame d' Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER XXII The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXIII The Baroness to Madame d' Ostalis
- LETTER XXIV Mons. d' Aimeri to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXV Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER XXVI Mons. d' Aimeri to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXVII The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXVIII Madame de Germeuil to Madame de Valcy
- LETTER XXIX Madame de Valcy to Madame de Germeuil
- LETTER XXX Madame d’ Almane to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXXI Mons. de Lagaraye to Porphiry
- LETTER XXXII The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXXIII The same to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXXIV The same to the same
- LETTER XXXV The Baron to Mons. d’ Aimeri
- LETTER XXXVI The Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XXXVII Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER XXXVIII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXXIX The same to the same
- LETTER XL The Baron to Mons. d’ Aimeri
- LETTER XLI The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XLII The Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XLIII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XLIV Madame d’ Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER XLV Mons. d’ Aimeri to the Baron
- LETTER XLVI The Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER XLVII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- VOL III ADELAIDE AND THEODORE
- Course of Reading pursued by Adelaide, from the Age of six Years, to Twenty-two
- Index
- Endnotes
LETTER XVIII - The Baroness's Answer
from VOL II - Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- VOL I Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- VOL II Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- LETTER I The Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER II The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER III The Baron to the Viscount
- LETTER IV The Baron to the Viscount
- LETTER V The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER VI The Viscountess's Answer
- LETTER VII The Baroness's Answer
- LETTER VIII The Baron to the Viscount
- LETTER IX Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER X The Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XI The Copy of Mons. de Lagaraye's Letter to Porphiry
- LETTER XII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XIII Madame d' Ostalis to the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER XIV The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XV The Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XVI The Baroness's Answer
- LETTER XVII Madame d' Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER XVIII The Baroness's Answer
- LETTER XIX The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XX The Chevalier Herbain to the Baroness
- LETTER XXI Madame d' Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER XXII The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXIII The Baroness to Madame d' Ostalis
- LETTER XXIV Mons. d' Aimeri to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXV Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER XXVI Mons. d' Aimeri to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXVII The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXVIII Madame de Germeuil to Madame de Valcy
- LETTER XXIX Madame de Valcy to Madame de Germeuil
- LETTER XXX Madame d’ Almane to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXXI Mons. de Lagaraye to Porphiry
- LETTER XXXII The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER XXXIII The same to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXXIV The same to the same
- LETTER XXXV The Baron to Mons. d’ Aimeri
- LETTER XXXVI The Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XXXVII Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER XXXVIII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXXIX The same to the same
- LETTER XL The Baron to Mons. d’ Aimeri
- LETTER XLI The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XLII The Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XLIII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XLIV Madame d’ Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER XLV Mons. d’ Aimeri to the Baron
- LETTER XLVI The Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER XLVII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- VOL III ADELAIDE AND THEODORE
- Course of Reading pursued by Adelaide, from the Age of six Years, to Twenty-two
- Index
- Endnotes
Summary
Ishall be at Paris within three weeks, my dear child; and I write by this courier to inform the Viscountess of my intentions of travelling into Italy this spring. I beg you to wait on her and explain my reasons, for it is impossible to make her comprehend them by letter. Let us now talk of your children. Use your utmost endeavours to correct Seraphina of that frolicksomeness and spirit, which may so easily degenerate into downright malice.
Montaigne has said, ‘and what father is so foolish to take as a good omen, his son's striking a servant or peasant, who does not defend himself. This is the real seed and root of cruelty, tyranny, and treason.’ Rousseau, in the first volume of his Emilius, makes a similar observation; ‘if a child dares give a serious blow to any one, be it a servant, or any very inferior person, make them return his blows with interest.’ I have seen simple governesses animate the fury of a child, encourage it to fight, suffer themselves to be beat, and laugh at its weak blows, without thinking that they were so many bruises in the little fury's intention; and that he who strikes in his childhood will grow up an assassin. Therefore punish Seraphina severely for the very first malicious act; be particularly careful never to laugh at any of her tricks, or repeat them sportively before her; for self-love is more powerful than the fear of punishment. The pleasure of amusing others, and of being talked of, will make her brave all the chastisements in the world. It is of great importance to convince children, that what is bad is hateful, and can only inspire disdain. But when you punish, and at the same time laugh at their fault, they may reasonably believe there are deceitful vices, which can even contribute to make persons liked.
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- Adelaide and Theodoreby Stephanie-Felicite De Genlis, pp. 222 - 224Publisher: Pickering & ChattoFirst published in: 2014