as children are young, and unable to exercise their
feet, stockings ought to be used, both in summer and winter; but I
prefer to have them short, unless long ones can be used without garters.
Everything in the shape of a garter or ligature round the limbs, body,
or neck of a child, except a single body-band, already mentioned in
another chapter, ought forever to be banished.

It has often been objected, I know, that stockings will make the feet
tender. But as no child was ever hardened by _continued_ and severe cold
applied to any part of the body, but the contrary, so no one was ever
made more tender by being kept moderately warm. Excess of heat, like
excess of cold, will alike weaken either children or adults; but there
is little danger of heating the feet and legs of infants too much during
the first year of infancy.

It is also said that stockings are apt to receive and retain wet. But as
I shall show in another place that wet clothes should be frequently
changed, this objection would be equally strong against wearing coats
and diapers.

As to shoes, there is some variety of opinion among medical men. A few
hold that they cramp the feet, and prevent children from learning to
walk as early as they otherwise would. If it were best for children
that they should learn to walk as early as possible, the last objection
might have weight. But it seems to me not at all desirable to be in
haste about their walking. Indeed, I greatly prefer to retard their
progress, in this respect, rather than to hasten it.

As to the first objection, that shoes cramp the feet too much, nearly
its whole force turns upon the question whether they are made of proper
materials or not. There is no need of making them of cow-hide, or any
other thick leather. The soles are the most important part. These will
defend the feet against pins, needles, and such other sharp substances
as are usually found on the floor; and the upper part of the shoe, so
long as the wearer remains in the nursery, may be made of the softest
and most yielding material--even of cloth. Infants' shoes should always
be made on two lasts, one for each foot.

The philosopher Locke held, that in order to harden the young, their
shoes ought to be "so that they might leak and let in water, whenever
they came near it." There may be and probably is, no harm in having a
child wet his feet occasionally, provided he is soon supplied with dry
stockings again; but it is hazardous for