THE NEGLECT OF VIRTUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9173, 1 October 1888, Page 3

THE NEGLECT OF VIRTUE.

TO THE EDITOR. >• Sib, —There is much that is praiseworthy in the remarks of Mr. Hexiot at the Educational Conference. It is necessary that the young be taught industry, arts, and sciences—the means of acquiring a livelihood. It is still more necessary that they be taught virtue. Socrates affirmed that no man knowing the good willingly seeks that which is evil; if ho does wrong, it is through mistaking the evil for the good, that is through ignorance, the remedy for which is right teaching. Can it be said that our youth are taught virtue . either in the public schools or elsewhere ? I speak not of mere individuals but of society at large. Education with some appears to be nothing higher than a roadway leading to the " almighty dollar." ' This is pure egotism. In this place dwell, neither humanity, patriotism, love of justice, or any of. the other virtues. As in .an uncultivated garden weeds grow in the place of flowers, so in society is vice usurping the place of virtue. How unjust, therefore, must society be to its youth in neglecting to teach them virtue, v. hich of all things is most necessary for them to know. Aristotle, although he differed from the deductions of Socrates, pointed out the necessity of right habits of conduct. Here again society is guilty of a great error towards its youth, a great part of whom are allowed to pursue habits essentially evil. Any reflecting mind must perceive that modern society is following in the footsteps of Greece and Rome, not as they appeared in the zenith of their glory, but in their decadence. In their former state their youth were carefully trained, both bodily and mentally, so as to become of the greatest advantage to the State ; nor was this an involuntary surrender of self for the public good. In the fall of those ancient States luxury, avarice, and the kindred vices usurped the place of selfdenial, honour, and virtue. History repeats itself. The present state of European society is but the great- drama played over again. Let us for a moment, at least in imagination if we cannot in reality, become believers in the Pythagorean doctrine 1 of the pre-existence of spirits. Behold , in yonder heavens spirits anxious to < take upon themselves mortal tabernacles, , yet viewing the world with dread ( and loathing, breathing, perchance, prayers { that it may become purer before they come f to dwell upon lb. Ave hear of earthquakes J in divers places, of great and disastrous c floods, and of other calamitous evolutions s of nature, unprecedented at least for many j centuries in the force and frequency of their ( occurrence. Why those stupendous anna- r ments both by land and by sea, far out- j weighing anything both in the unparalleled y multitude of men and in the deadly charac-

ter of weapons ployed that the world haa : ; 'yet seen ; portending, with unerring fate, '•> war, pestilence, and famine? The harvesti is ripe ; the ' sickle is gleaming in' the air. When have pasted away those nations wha now pollute the earth upon their ruins will [ arise a society whose youth will not rebuke either their, parents or' the -Sbate,'for neglecting to teach what above all things else it is essential to know.—l am, &c.,; 1 •* ;;' • v - '..' ■ Emsssts. ;