СНА Р. Х. THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS. TH HE Rights of Parents refult from their du If his children, to form them for a life of usefulness and virtue, to provide for them fituations needful for their fubfiftence and fuited to their circumftances, and to prepare them for thofe fituations; he has a right to fuch authority, and in fupport of that authority to exercife fuch difcipline, as may be neceffary for thefe purposes. The law of nature acknowledges no other foundation of a parent's right over his children, befide his duty towards them (I speak now of fuch rights as may be enforced by coercion). This relation confers no property in their perfons, or natural dominion over them, as is commonly fuppofed. Since it is, in general, neceffary to determine the deftination of children, before they are capable of judging of their own happiness, parents have a right to elect profeffions for them. As the mother herfelf owes obedience to the father, her authority muft fubmit to his. In a competition, therefore, of commands, the father is to be obeyed. In cafe of the death of either, the authority, as well as duty, of both parents devolves upon the furvivor. Thefe rights, always following the duty, belong likewise to guardians; and fo much of them, as is delegated by the parents or guardians, belongs to tutors, fchool-mafters, &c. From this principle, "that the rights of parents "refult from their duty," it follows, that parents have no natural right over the lives of their children, as was abfurdly allowed to Roman fathers; nor any to exercise unprofitable feverities; nor to command the commiffion of crimes: for thefe rights can never be wanted for the purposes of a parent's duty. Nor, for the fame reafon, have parents any right tó fell their children into flavery. Upon which, by the way, we may obferve, that the children of flaves are not, by the law of nature, born flaves; for, as the mafter's right is derived to him through the parent, it can never be greater than the parent's own. Hence alfo it appears, that parents not only pervert, but exceed their juft authority, when they confult their own ambition, intereft, or prejudice, at the manifeft expence of their children's happiness. Of which abufe of parental power, the following are inftances: the fhutting up of daughters and younger fons in nunneries and monafteries, in order to preferve entire the eftate and dignity of the family; or the ufing of any arts, either of kindnefs or unkindnefs, to induce them to make choice of this way of life themselves; or, in countries where the clergy are prohibited from marriage, putting fons into the church for the fame end, who are never likely either to do or receive any good in it, fufficient to compenfate for this facrifice; the urging of children to marriages, from which they are averfe, with the view of exalting or enriching the family, or for the fake of connecting estates, parties, or interefts; or the oppofing of a marriage, in which the child would probably find his happiness, from a motive of pride or avarice, of family hoftility or perfonal pique. CHAP. СНАР. XI. THE DUTY OF CHILDREN. THE duty of Children may be confidered, I. During childhood. II. After they have attained to manhood, but continue in their father's family. III. After they have attained to manhood, and have left their father's family. I. During childhood. Children must be fuppofed to have attained to fome degree of difcretion before they are capable of any duty. There is an interval of eight or nine years, between the dawning and the maturity of reafon, in which it is neceffary to fubject the inclination of children to many reftraints, and direct their application to many employments, of the tendency and ufe of which they cannot judge; for which caufe, the fubmiffion of children during this period must be ready and implicit, with an exception, however, of any manifeft crime, which may be commanded him. II. After they have attained to manhood, but continue in their father's family. If children, when they are grown up, voluntarily continue members of their father's family, they are bound, befide the general duty of gratitude to their parents, to obferve fuch regulations of the family as the father fhall appoint; contribute their labour to its fupport if required; and confine confine themfelves to fuch expences as he shall allow. The obligation would be the fame, if they were admitted into any other family, or received fupport from any other hand. 11. After they have attained to manhood, and have left their father's family. In this ftate of the relation, the duty to parents is fimply the duty of gratitude; not different in kind, from that which we owe to any other benefactor; in degree, juft fo much exceeding other obligations, by how much a parent has been a greater benefactor than any other friend. The fervices and attentions, by which filial gratitude may be teftified, can be comprifed within no enumeration. It will fhew itfelf in compliances with the will of the parents, however contrary to the child's own tafte and judgment, provided it be neither criminal, nor totally inconfiftent with his happiness; in a conftant endeavour to promote their enjoyments, prevent their wishes, and foften their anxieties, in fmall matters as well as in great; in affifting them in their bufinefs; in contributing to their fupport, eafe, or better accommodation, when their circumftances require it; in affording them our company, in preference to more amufing engagements; in waiting upon their fickness or decrepitude; in bearing with the infirmities of their health or temper, with the peevifhnefs and complaints, the unfashionable, negligent, auftere manners, and offenfive habits, which often attend upon advanced years; for where muft old age find indulgence, if it do not meet with it in the piety and partiality of children? The moft ferious contentions between parents and their children, are thofe commonly, which relate to marriage, or to the choice of a profeffion. A parent has, in no cafe, a right to destroy his child's happiness. If it be true therefore, that there there exist such perfonal and exclufive attachments between individuals of different fexes, that the poffeffion of a particular man or woman in marriage be really neceffary to the child's happiness; or if it be true, that an averfion to a particular profeffion may be involuntary and unconquerable; then it will follow, that parents, where this is the cafe, ought not to urge their authority, and that the child is not bound to obey it. The point is, to difcover how far, in any particular inftance, this is the cafe. Whether the fondnefs of lovers ever continues with fuch intensity, and fo long, that the fuccefs of their defires conftitutes, or the difappointment affects, any confiderable portion of their happiness, compared with that of their whole life, it is difficult to determine; but there can be no difficulty in pronouncing, that not one 'half of thofe attachments, which young people conceive with fo much hafte and paffion, are of this fort. I believe it alfo to be true, that there are few averfions to a profeffion which refolution, perfeverance, activity in going about the duty of it, and above all, despair of changing, will not fubdue yet there are fome fuch. Wherefore, a child who refpects his parents' judgment, and is, as he ought to be, tender of their happiness, owes, at leaft, fo much deference to their will, as to try fairly and faithfully, in one cafe, whether time and absence will not quench an affection which they disapprove; and in the other, whether a longer continuance in the profeffion which they have chosen for him may not reconcile him to it. The whole depends upon the experiment being made on the child's part with fincerity, and not merely with a defign of compaffing his purpose at laft, by means of a fimulated and temporary compliance. It is the nature of love and hatred, and of all violent affections, to delude the mind with a perfuafior, S that |