his? and whence comes it? He sees
neither the fountain from which it springs, nor the banks that confine
it. To him it is an ocean, unfathomable, and without a shore.

To the bounty of its operations he trusts implicitly. The stores of
judgment and knowledge he finds in his father, prompt him to trust it.
In many instances where it appeared at first obscure and enigmatical,
the event has taught him to acknowledge its soundness. The mutinousness
of passion will sometimes excite a child to question the decrees of his
parent; it is very long before his understanding, as such, comes to set
up a separate system, and teaches him to controvert the decisions of his
father.

Perhaps I ought earlier to have stated, that the filial connection we
have here to consider, does not include those melancholy instances where
some woful defect or utter worthlessness in the parent counteracts the
natural course of the affections, but refers only to cases, where the
character of father is on the whole sustained with honour, and the
principle of the connection is left to its true operation. In such cases
the child not only observes for himself the manifestations of wisdom and
goodness in his parent, but is also accustomed to hear well of him
from all around. There is a generous conspiracy in human nature, not to
counteract the honour borne by the offspring to him from whom he sprung,
and the wholsome principle of superiority and dependence which is almost
indispensible between persons of different ages dwelling under the same
roof. And, exclusively of this consideration, the men who are chiefly
seen by the son are his father's friends and associates; and it is the
very bent, and, as it were, law of our nature, that we do not associate
much, but with persons whom we favour, and who are prepared to mention
us with kindness and honour.

Thus every way the child is deeply imbued with veneration for his
parent, and forms the habit of regarding him as his book of wisdom, his
philosopher and guide. He is accustomed to hear him spoken of as a true
friend, an active ally, and a pattern of justice and honour; and he
finds him so. Now these are the true objects of affection,--wisdom and
beneficence; and the human heart loves this beneficence better when it
is exercised towards him who loves, first, because inevitably in
almost all instances we are best pleased with the good that is done to
ourselves, and secondly, because it can scarcely happen but th