“Boys [should be] inured from childhood to trifling risks and slight dangers of every possible description, such as tumbling into ponds and off of trees, etc., in order to strengthen their nervous system…. They ought to practise leaping off heights into deep water. They ought never to hesitate to cross a stream over a narrow unsafe plank for fear of a ducking. They ought never to decline to climb up a tree, to pull fruit merely because there is a possibility of their falling off and breaking their necks. I firmly believe that boys were intended to encounter all kinds of risks, in order to prepare them to meet and grapple with risks and dangers incident to man’s career with cool, cautious self-possession…”
Quote by R. M. Ballantyne
Author
R. M. Ballantyne
R. M. Ballantyne was a Scottish author known for his adventure novels aimed at young readers. Born on April 24, 1825, in Edinburgh, Scotland, he passed away on February 8, 1894. His works, rich in exploration, survival, and the struggle for survival in extreme environments, have left a lasting impression on both children and adults. more
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