They twig soon enough if there is a flaw in our own intention and our own true spontaneity. And they play up to our bit of falsity till there is hell to pay.

“You love mother, don’t you, dear?” — Just a piece of indecent trickery of the spiritual will. The great emotions like love are unspoken. Speaking them is a sign of an indecent bullying will.

“Poor pussy! You must love poor pussy!”

What cant! What sickening cant! An appeal to love based on false pity. That’s the way to inculcate a filthy pharisaic conceit into a child. — If the child ill-treats the cat, say:

“Stop mauling that cat. It’s got its own life to live, so let it live it.” Then if the brat persists, give tit for tat.