Question

Read the excerpt below and answer the question.

Answer 1

Correct answer: mischievous waste, in accusing others or tormenting harmless animals.

Explanations: this is an excerpt from Rousseau’s “The Confessions”, which develops the author’s personal philosophies. Rousseau was one of the most representative philosophers of Illuminism.

Answer 2

Answer:

The answer is indeed:

I had the faults common to my age, was talkative, a glutton, and sometimes a liar, … but I never took delight in mischievous waste, in accusing others, or tormenting harmless animals.

Explanation:

Confessions is an autobiographic book by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a Genevan writer and philosopher. In the book, Rousseau tells the story of his life up to the age of 53. Confessions was only published four years after the philosopher's death.

In paragraph 18, Rousseau gives a brief account of his infancy, how he was raised, how rigid his father was, how well-behaved he was. It is interesting to note, however, that right after saying he never took delight in mischievous waste, Rousseau tells the story of a mischievous action he once did - peeing into someone's kettle:

If this poor lad was neglected, it was quite different with his brother, for the children of a king could not be treated with more attention and tenderness than were bestowed on my infancy, being the darling of the family; and what is rather uncommon, though treated as a beloved, never a spoiled child; was never permitted, while under paternal inspection, to play in the street with other children; never had any occasion to contradict or indulge those fantastical humors which are usually attributed to nature, but are in reality the effects of an injudicious education. I had the faults common to my age, was talkative, a glutton, and sometimes a liar; made no scruple of stealing sweetmeats, fruits, or, indeed, any kind of eatables; but never took delight in mischievous waste, in accusing others, or tormenting harmless animals. I recollect, indeed, that one day, while Madam Clot, a neighbor of ours, was gone to church, I made water in her kettle; the remembrance even now makes me smile, for Madam Clot (though, if you please, a good sort of creature) was one of the most tedious grumbling old women I ever knew. Thus have I given a brief, but faithful, history of my childish transgressions.