Andsinceoursystemisneverthelesstopackthemallintothesamehouseandpretendthattheyarehappy，andthatthisparticularsortofhappinessisthefoundationofvirtue，itisfoundthatindiscussingfamilylifeweneverspeakofactualadultsoractualchildren，orofrealitiesofanysort，butalwaysofidealssuchasTheHome，aMother\'sInfluence，aFather\'sCare，FilialPiety，Duty，Affection，FamilyLife，etc。etc。，whicharenodoubtverycomfortingphrases，butwhichbegthequestionofwhatahomeandamother\'sinfluenceandafather\'scareandsoforthreallycometoinpractice。
Howmanyhoursaweekofthetimewhenhischildrenareoutofbeddoestheordinarybread-winningfatherspendinthecompanyofhischildrenoreveninthesamebuildingwiththem?Thehomemaybeathieves\'kitchen，themotheraprocuress，thefatheraviolentdrunkard；orthemotherandfathermaybefashionablepeoplewhoseetheirchildrenthreeorfourtimesayearduringtheholidays，andthennotoftenerthantheycanhelp，livingmeanwhileindailyandintimatecontactwiththeirvaletsandlady\'s-maids，whoseinfluenceandcareareoftendominantinthehousehold。Affection，asdistinguishedfromsimplekindliness，mayormaynotexist:whenitdoesiteitherdependsonqualitiesinthepartiesthatwouldproduceitequallyiftheywereofnokintooneanother，oritisamoreorlessmorbidsurvivalofthenursingpassion；foraffectionbetweenadultsiftheyarereallyadultinmindandnotmerelygrown-upchildrenandcreaturessorelatively
selfishandcruelaschildrennecessarilyarewithoutknowingitormeaningit，cannotbecallednatural:infacttheevidenceshewsthatitiseasiertolovethecompanyofadogthanofacommonplacechildbetweentheagesofsixandthebeginningsofcontrolledmaturity；forwomenwhocannotbeartobeseparatedfromtheirpetdogssendtheirchildrentoboardingschoolscheerfully。Theymaysayandevenbelievethatinallowingtheirchildrentoleavehometheyaresacrificingthemselvesfortheirchildren\'sgood；butthereareveryfewpetdogswhowouldnotbethebetterforamonthortwospentelsewherethaninalady\'slaporroastingonadrawingroomhearthrug。Besides，toallegethatchildrenarebettercontinuallyawayfromhomeistogiveupthewholepopularsentimentaltheoryofthefamily；yetthedogsarekeptandthechildrenarebanished。
ChildFanciersThereis，however，agooddealofspuriousfamilyaffection。Thereistheclannishnessthatwillmakeadozenbrothersandsisterswhoquarrelfuriouslyamongthemselvescloseuptheirranksandmakecommoncauseagainstabrother-in-laworasister-in-law。Andthereisastrongsenseofpropertyinchildren，whichoftenmakesmothersandfathersbitterlyjealousofallowinganyoneelsetointerferewiththeirchildren
whomtheymaynonethelesstreatverybadly。Andthereisanextremelydangerouscrazeforchildrenwhichleadscertainpeopletoestablishorphanagesandbabyfarmsandschools，seizinganypretextforfillingtheirhouseswithchildrenexactlyassomeeccentricoldladiesandgentlemenfilltheirswithcats。Insuchplacesthechildrenarethevictimsofallthecapricesofdotingaffectionandalltheexcessesoflasciviouscruelty。Yetthepeoplewhohavethismorbidcrazeseldomhaveanydifficultyinfindingvictims。Parentsandguardiansaresoworriedbychildrenandsoanxioustogetridofthemthatanyonewhoiswillingtotakethemofftheirhandsiswelcomedandwhitewashed。TheverypeoplewhoreadwithindignationofSqueersandCreakleinthenovelsofDickensarequitereadytohandovertheirownchildrentoSqueersandCreakle，andtopretendthatSqueersandCreaklearemonstersofthepast。ButreadtheautobiographyofStanleythetraveller，orsitinthecompanyofmentalkingabouttheirschool-days，andyouwillsoonfindthatfiction，whichmust，ifitistobesoldandread，stopshortofbeingpositivelysickening，darenottellthewholetruthaboutthepeopletowhomchildrenarehandedoveroneducationalpretexts。NotverylongagoaschoolmasterinIrelandwasmurderedbyhisboys