Matrimony, or, Phrenology and physiology applied to the selection of congenial companions for life : including directions to the married for living affectionately and happily / by O.S. Fowler.

  • Fowler, O. S. (Orson Squire), 1809-1887.
Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Matrimony, or, Phrenology and physiology applied to the selection of congenial companions for life : including directions to the married for living affectionately and happily / by O.S. Fowler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    BTUTY or MOTHERS TO THEIR' OWN CHILDREN. renders children the-richest treasure that parents possess ; an object for which they willingly labour, sacrifice, -and suffer more than for all others. It- sweetens their toils by day, and their watchfulness by flight. Scarcely any loss equals-that of children. But why 1 Let the amount of brain allotted to this faculty, especially in mothers, answer. The primary distinctive function of this organ is Parental Love— attachment to one’s own children ; and the more helpless the child, the more vigorous its action. It also extends to grand-children, and the -children of others; yet its power is far less towards them than towards one’s own children. -None but parents can ever know thegenuinefeel¬ ings of a parent’s heart. Love of children is still further heightened by their being born of a wife, or begotten by a husband, whom we dearly love. Hence children are regarded as “ the dear pledges of connubial love,” because Parental Love is located by the side of Connubial Love ; so that the exercise of either naturally excites that of -the other.* The duties and relations of mothers to their children require a much stronger development of this faculty in woman than in man. Accord¬ ingly, it is much larger in females than in males. This increased size of the organ, and greater power of feeling in woman, and their adapta¬ tion to the far greater demand made upon her by her offspring, not only evince the truth of Phrenology, by showing it to harmonise with nature, but show that upon her devolve more of the nursing, training, and nearly education of children, than upon man. They peculiarly adapt woman to develop the. minds and train the feelings of children ; and hence teachers of. little children should always bq females. Woman’s -delicacy of feeling and quickness of perception; her tenderness and will¬ ingness to do and to suffer^ her intuitive knowledge of the little wants of children; her gentleness and playfulness, peculiarly adapt her to ex¬ pand the tender germ of their intellect; to train their feelings, and to .instil into their susceptible hearts the first principles of moral rectitude; . to cultivate benevolence and piety to develop their affections, and to ■ start the youthful travellers in the paths of virtue and intelligence. The great development of this organ in woman, rendering her prin¬ cipal duty her greatest pleasure, is a beautiful instance of Divine wis¬ dom and benevolence. Butthisdehghtfultaskconcededby all to woman during infancy is too soon wrested from her hands. Mothers should be their, children’s chief instructors. Happy would it be for families, happy for society, if woman were to devote herself more exclusively to these duties. To you, young ladies—ye future mothers of our race, do we look for the faithful performance of this momentous duty. You are to form the intellectual and moral character of our race, and should prepare yourselves accordingly. Is it right, then—does it comport * This analysis renders the inference clear and forcible that parents should .nurse and educate their own children. What end in life is more important ? Is it, not infinitely more so than making of money, or acquiring fame or office? If parents cannot do all they desire, and yet find time to care for and edu- i ate their children, let them hire the other things done, while they themselves, mot oversee, but actually train and educate their own children. If they do not know enough, or if they cannot afford the time, they are bound, by -the most sacred obligations -of our -nature, not to become parents. Getting children nursed out; sending them to school just to be rid of them ; •employing il wet nurses,” and pretending to be too great a lady to nurse or -tend one’s own children, is a breach of nature’s laws, and will inevitably Incur the consequent penalties. Strange.! that mothers will ruin their children, and violate their natures, just to be fashionable. Let those who jpannot get their children taken care of and educated count this their gain, and those who employ low, ignorant, or vicious nurses—a practice as common as it is reprehensible—bear in mind the principle brought to view in the text, and also remember that these grovelling and often immoral associations are sure to pollute their children. But more of this in my work on “ Phre¬ nology applied to Education and Self-Improvement,” in which mothers are presented with a recipe for finding time to educate their own children.