In this Principle, Charlotte is simply saying that each one of us has a good inclination and a bad inclination.

She points to the various areas where parents need to be watchful. And she shows us ways in which we can help develop the “possibilities for good” in our children as well as diminish the “possibilities for evil.”

Her definitive writing on this Principle is Chapter 3 of Volume 6, A Philosophy of Education. You can download the whole chapter for free as a PDF below.

There are 5 sections in chapter 3:

• Well-Being of Body
• Well-Being of Mind
• Intellectual Appetites
• Misdirected Affections
• Well-Being of Soul

I would also like to point out that over the many years in which I have been homeschooling with the CM method and discussing the Principles with other parents, this Principle always seems to trip people up.

People are usually shocked by it and I’ve consistently seen two different reactions to this Principle, depending on a person’s worldview. But both reactions are incorrect! She isn’t talking about what most people tend to assume she’s talking about!

This is where historical context comes into play when reading Charlotte’s original volumes! This is why we are annotating all of the original volumes – because it’s so important to understand the time and culture in which she lived if you want to understand her writing! 

I discuss the historical context (and more) in the video, so be sure to watch!