Tuesday, July 13, 2010

'To Apply What I Already Know'


I have been reading a new book I purchased on our trip to Virginia, and yes, another book on Gen. Robert E. Lee. This one is entitled Life and Letters of Gen. Robert Edward Lee by Dr. John William Jones, who also wrote Christ in the Camp. I have barely started and it has already had several good quotes that I want to share, but don't want to ruin the book if anyone were to read it! This quote is from a letter Captain Robert E. Lee wrote to his wife on October 16, 1837 from St. Louis, Missouri, where he had been stationed while in charge of a corps of engineers. It is a excellent letter, dealing with the raising of one of their children. With our first little one on the way, this chapter has been very interesting, getting a glimpse of how the Lee's raised their children.

Lee writes: "Our dear little boy seems to have among his friends the reputation of being hard to manage, - a distinction not at all desirable, as it indicates self-will and obstinacy. Perhaps these are qualities which he really possesses, and he may have a better right to them than I am willing to acknowledge; but it is our duty, if possible, to counteract them and assist him to bring them under his control. I have endeavored in my intercourse with him, to require nothing but what was in my opinion necessary or proper, and to explain to him temperately its propriety, at a time when he could listen to my arguments, and not at the moment of his being vexed and his little faculties warped by passion. I have also tried to show him that I was firm in my demands, and constant in their enforcement, and that he must comply with them; and I let him see that I look to their execution in order to relieve him, as much as possible, from the temptation to break them. Since my efforts have been so unsuccessful, I fear I have altogether failed in accomplishing my purpose, but I hope to be able to profit by my experience. You must assist me in my attempts and we must endeavor to combine the mildness and forbearance of the mother with the sternness and, perhaps, unreasonableness of the father. This is a subject on which I think much, though M- may blame me for not reading more. I am ready to acknowledge the good advice contained in the text books, and believe that I see the merit of their reasoning generally; but what I want to learn is to apply what I already know. I pray God to watch over and direct our efforts in guarding our dear little son that we may bring him up in the way he should go."

No comments: