oward the light; and, if it comes to them from one
side, unwittingly taking the direction of that side; so that their
faces ought to be carefully turned toward the light, lest they become
squint-eyed, or accustom themselves to look awry. They should, also,
early accustom themselves to darkness, or else they will cry and scream
as soon as they are left in the dark. Food and sleep, if too exactly
proportioned, become necessary to them after the lapse of the same
intervals; and soon the desire arises not from necessity, but from
habit. Or rather, habit adds a new want to those of nature, and this
must be prevented.

The only habit a child should be allowed to form is to contract no
habits whatever. Let him not be carried upon one arm more than upon
another; let him not be accustomed to put forth one hand rather than
the other, or to use it oftener; nor to desire to eat, to sleep, to act
in any way, at regular hours; nor to be unable to stay alone either by
night or by day. Prepare long beforehand for the time when he shall
freely use all his strength. Do this by leaving his body under the
control of its natural bent, by fitting him to be always master of
himself, and to carry out his own will in everything as soon as he has
a will of his own.

Since the only kinds of objects presented to him are likely to make him
either timid or courageous, why should not his education begin before
he speaks or understands? I would habituate him to seeing new objects,
though they be ugly, repulsive, or singular. But let this be by
degrees, and from a distance, until he has become accustomed to them,
and, from seeing them handled by others, shall at last handle them
himself. If during his infancy he has seen without fear frogs,
serpents, crawfishes, he will, when grown up, see without shrinking any
animal that may be shown him. For one who daily sees frightful
objects, there are none such.

All children are afraid of masks. I begin by showing Emile the mask of
a pleasant face. By and by some one puts the mask upon his own face,
so that the child can see it. I begin to laugh; every one else laughs,
and the child with the rest. By degrees I familiarize him with less
comely masks, and finally with really hideous ones. If I have managed
the process well, he will, far from being frightened at the last mask,
laugh at it as he laughed at the first. After that, I shall not fear
his being frightened by any one with a mask.

Whe