Annotated and Abridged Artifact

Abridged Text

The idiot wishes for nothing, he wishes only to remain in his vacu-ity. To treat successfully this ill will, [1 »] the physician wills that the idiot should act, and think himself, of himself and finally by himself. The incessant volition of the moral physician [2 »] urges incessantly the idiot out of his idiocy into the sphere of activity, of thinking, of labor, of duty and of affectionate feelings; such is the moral treat-ment. The negative will of the idiot being overcome, scope and encouragement being given to his first indications of active volition, the immoral tendencies of this new power being repressed, his mix-ing with the busy and living word is to be urged on at every opportunity. This moral part of the training is not something separate, but is the necessary attendant; and super-addition upon all the other parts of the training, whether we teach him to read, whether we play with him the childish game, let our will govern his, if we will enough for himself, he shall become willing too.