CHILDREN AND CONFESSION. [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sut,—I can fully endorse what you say about the folly of insisting on confession as a regular practice for children. When we were small our governess held those views, and the state of things they led to was curious. When anything wrong was done we were all three punished till somebody confessed. I was generally the sinner, and never dreamt of confessing, and my sisters were far too honourable to tell of me, so matters stood at a deadlock until my younger sister hit on the expedient of confessing my crimes in her own person, bursting into wild tears of rage at her own weakness. This was taken for penitence, and we were all forgiven at once. My elder sister remembers listening with astonishment the first time Margaret confessed a crime of mine ; but chil- dren say little to their elders, and we were all very small. The plan worked well; Margaret confessed things wholesale after that whenever it was necessary, and always wept pro- fusely over them. Of course I became a more and more hardened villain,—but the grown-up world was peaceful awl satisfied.—I am, Sir, Sec., L. G. W.
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