Many parents, indeed, even compel their children to this vile practice, by barbarously beating them for every little fault hence, on the next offence, the little terrified creature slips out a lie! just to escape the rod. At least, you shall never, from me, have cause to be guilty of so shameful a thing. “No, George, I thank God you do not, my son and I rejoice in the hope you never will.
“Pa, (said George very seriously) do I ever tell lies?” Hard, indeed, would it be to me to give up my son, whose little feet are always so ready to run about with me, and whose fondly looking eyes and sweet prattle make so large a part of my happiness: but still I would give him up, rather than see him a common liar. Oh, George! my son! rather than see you come to this pass, dear as you are to my heart, gladly would I assist to nail you up in your little coffin, and follow you to your grave. “But, Oh! how different, George, is the case with the boy who is so given to lying, that nobody can believe a word he says! He is looked at with aversion wherever he goes, and parents dread to see him come among their children. They are often sending for him, to visit them and receive him, when he comes, with as much joy as if he were a little angel, come to set pretty examples to their children.” O how lovely does such a child appear in the eyes of every body! His parents doat on him his relations glory in him they are constantly praising him to their children, whom they beg to imitate him. I would ride fifty miles, my son, to see the little boy whose heart is so honest, and his lips so pure, that we may depend on every word he says. “Truth, George”‘ (said he) “is the loveliest quality of youth.
Washington with George, to inspire him with an early love of truth.
Never did the wise Ulysses take more pains with his beloved Telemachus, than did Mr. Learn more about Parson Weems Excerpt from The Life of Washington, by Mason Locke Weems (1809) However the cherry tree myth did not appear until the book’s fifth edition, published in 1806.
Mason Locke Weems’ biography, The Life of Washington, was first published in 1800 and was an instant bestseller.
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