You unruly slacker, you

So Peppa Pig is being removed from social platforms in China because she is too popular with “unruly slackers”.  An excellent move, Gert thinks. She would much prefer children to be reading things like Hannah More’s Cheap Repository Tracts, which teach kiddies that godliness leads to wealth, goodness and happiness, or Mary Collyer’s ‘The History of Miss Polly Friendly’. Polly lies about breaking some china, but admits to it when a servant is blamed. Virtue grows on her and she ends up marrying an alderman and becoming the Lady Mayoress.

But goodness must be pursued for its own sake, not just for the giddy delights of being Lady Mayoress.

How art thou affected, poor Child, in the Reading of this Book? Have you shed ever a tear since you begun reading? Have you been by your self upon your knees; and begging that God would make you like these blessed Children? or are you as you use to be, as careless & foolish and disobedient and wicked as ever?

 (James Janeway’s A token for children: Being an exact account of the conversion, holy and exemplary lives and joyful deaths of several young children.)

Take that, unruly slackers!

 

Image: Wikimedia Commons Woman Teaching Child To Pray