be no arguing with Mr. Tappan.

Shortly before Anthony Seagrave died he had written to his old friend
Tappan:

"If I live, I shall see to it that my grandchildren know nothing of
the fortune awaiting them until they become of age--which will be
after I am ended. Meanwhile, plain food and clothing, wholesome home
seclusion from the promiscuity of modern child life, and an
exhaustive education in every grace, fashion, and accomplishment of
body and intellect is the training I propose for the development in
them of the only thing in the world worth cultivating--unterrified
individualism.

"The ignorance which characterises the conduct of modern institutes
of education reduces us all to one mindless level, reproducing _ad
nauseam_ what is known as 'average citizens.' This nation is
already crawling with them; art, religion, letters, government,
business, human ideals remain embryonic because the 'average
citizen' can conceive nothing higher, can comprehend nothing loftier
even when the few who have escaped the deadly levelling grind of
modern methods of education attempt to teach the masses to think for
themselves.

"That is bad enough in itself--but add to cut-and-dried pedagogy the
outrageous liberty which modern pupils are permitted in school and
college, and add to that the unheard-of luxury in which they
live--and the result is stupidity and utter ruin.

"My babies must have discipline, system, frugality, and leisure for
individual development drilled into them. I do not wish them to be
ignorant of one single modern grace and accomplishment; mind and
body must be trained together like a pair of Morgan colts.

"But I will not have them victims of pedagogy; I will not have them
masters of their time and money until they are of age; I will not
permit them to choose companions or pursuits for their leisure until
they are fitted to do so.

"If there is in them, latent, any propensity toward viciousness--any
unawakened desire for that which has been my failing--hard work from
dawn till dark is the antidote. An exhausted child is beyond
temptation.

"If I pass forward, Tappan, before you--and it is likely because I
am twenty years older and I have lived unwisely--I shall arrange
matters in such shape that you can carry out something of what I
have tried to begin, far bet