Godwin, William (1756-1836)

An account of the seminary that will be opened on Monday the fourth day of August, at Epsom in Surrey, for the instruction of twelve pupils in the Greek, Latin, French, and English languages.

London

Printed for T. Cadell

1783

Children's "minds, like a sheet of white paper, are susceptible to every impression"

The moment in which the faculty of memory begins to unfold itself, the man begins to exist as a moral being. Not long posterior to this, is the commencement of prescience and foresight. Rousseau has told us, in his animated language, that if a child could escape a whipping, or obtain a paper of sweetmeats, by promising to throw himself out at window tomorrow, the promise would instantly [end page 46] be made. Nothing is more contrary to experience than this. It is true, death, or any such evils, of which he has no clear conception, do not strongly affect him in prospect. But by the view of that which is palpable and striking, he is as much influenced as any man, however extensive his knowledge, however large his experience. It is only by seizing upon the activity and earnestness incident to youthful pursuits, and totally banishing the idea of what is future, that we can destroy its influence. Their minds, like a sheet of white paper, are susceptible to every impression. Their brain, uncrouded with a thousand traces, is a cause, that every impression they receive is strong and durable.
(pp. 46-7)

Writing::White Paper

Searching "like white paper" in ECCO

Godwin, William. An account of the seminary that will be opened on Monday the fourth day of August, at Epsom in Surrey, for the instruction of twelve pupils in the Greek, Latin, French, and English languages. London, 1783. Based on information from English Short Title Catalogue. Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/ECCO

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10/26/2005