the children(孩子们)-第4节
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danger； 〃Would it were done。〃 But； meanwhile； the right thing is to put it
to sleep and guard its slumbers。 It will pass。 She sings prophecies to
the child of his hunting； as she sings a song about the robe while she spins；
and a song about bread as she grinds corn。 She bids good speed。
John Evelyn was equally eager； and not so submissive。 His child
〃that pretty person〃 in Jeremy Taylor's letter of condolencewas chiefly
precious to him inasmuch as he was； too soon； a likeness of the man he
never lived to be。 The father； writing with tears when the boy was dead；
says of him： 〃At two and a half years of age he pronounced English；
Latin； and French exactly； and could perfectly read in these three
languages。〃 As he lived precisely five years； all he did was done at that
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little age； and it comprised this： 〃He got by heart almost the entire
vocabulary of Latin and French primitives and words； could make
congruous syntax； turn English into Latin； and vice versa； construe and
prove what he read； and did the government and use of relatives； verbs；
substantives； ellipses； and many figures and tropes； and made a
considerable progress in Comenius's 'Janua；' and had a strong passion for
Greek。〃
Grant that this may be a little abated； because a very serious man is not
to be too much believed when he is describing what he admires； it is the
very fact of his admiration that is so curious a sign of those hasty times。
All being favorable； the child of Evelyn's studious home would have done
all these things in the course of nature within a few years。 It was the fact
that he did them out of the course of nature that was； to Evelyn； so
exquisite。 The course of nature had not any beauty in his eyes。 It might
be borne with for the sake of the end； but it was not admired for the
majesty of its unhasting process。 Jeremy Taylor mourns with him 〃the
strangely hopeful child；〃 whowithout Comenius's 〃Janua〃 and without
congruous syntaxwas fulfilling； had they known it； an appropriate hope；
answering a distinctive prophecy； and crowning and closing a separate
expectation every day of his five years。
Ah！ the word 〃hopeful〃 seems； to us； in this day； a word too flattering
to the estate of man。 They thought their little boy strangely hopeful
because he was so quick on his way to be something else。 They lost the
timely perfection the while they were so intent upon their hopes。 And yet
it is our own modern age that is charged with haste！
It would seem rather as though the world； whatever it shall unlearn；
must rightly learn to confess the passing and irrevocable hour； not
slighting it； or bidding it hasten its work； nor yet hailing it； with Faust；
〃Stay； thou art so fair！〃 Childhood is but change made gay and visible；
and the world has lately been converted to change。
Our fathers valued change for the sake of its results； we value it in the
act。 To us the change is revealed as perpetual； every passage is a goal；
and every goal a passage。 The hours are equal； but some of them wear
apparent wings。
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Tout passe。 Is the fruit for the flower； or the flower for the fruit； or
the fruit for the seeds which it is formed to shelter and contain？ It seems
as though our forefathers had answered this question most arbitrarily as to
the life of man。
All their literature dealing with children is bent upon this haste； this
suppression of the approach to what seemed then the only time of
fulfilment。 The way was without rest to them。 And this because they
had the illusion of a rest to be gained at some later point of this unpausing
life。
Evelyn and his contemporaries dropped the very word child as soon as
might be； if not sooner。 When a poor little boy came to be eight years old
they called him a youth。 The diarist himself had no cause to be proud of
his own early years； for he was so far indulged in idleness by an
〃honoured grandmother〃 that he was 〃not initiated into any rudiments〃 till
he was four years of age。 He seems even to have been a youth of eight
before Latin was seriously begun； but this fact he is evidently； in after
years； with a total lack of a sense of humour； rather ashamed of； and
hardly acknowledges。 It is difficult to imagine what childhood must have
been when nobody； looking on； saw any fun in it； when everything that
was proper to five years old was defect。 A strange good conceit of
themselves and of their own ages had those fathers。
They took their children seriously； without relief。 Evelyn has nothing
to say about his little ones that has a sign of a smile in it。 Twice are
children； not his own； mentioned in his diary。 Once he goes to the
wedding of a maid of five years olda curious thing； but not； evidently； an
occasion of sensibility。 Another time he stands by； in a French hospital；
while a youth of less than nine years of age undergoes a frightful surgical
operation 〃with extraordinary patience。〃 〃The use I made of it was to
give Almighty God hearty thanks that I had not been subject to this
deplorable infirmitie。〃 This is what he says。
See； moreover； how the fashion of hurrying childhood prevailed in
literature； and how it abolished little girls。 It may be that there were in
all ageseven thosecertain few boys who insisted upon being children；
whereas the girls were docile to the adult ideal。 Art； for example； had no
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little girls。 There was always Cupid； and there were the prosperous
urchin…angels of the painters； the one who is hauling up his little brother
by the hand in the 〃Last Communion of St。 Jerome〃 might be called
Tommy。 But there were no 〃little radiant girls。〃 Now and then an
〃Education of the Virgin〃 is the exception； and then it is always a matter of
sewing and reading。 As for the little girl saints； even when they were so
young that their hands； like those of St。 Agnes； slipped through their
fetters； they are always recorded as refusing importunate suitors； which
seems necessary to make them interesting to the mediaeval mind； but mars
them for ours。
So does the hurrying and ignoring of little…girl…childhood somewhat
hamper the delight with which readers of John Evelyn admire his most
admirable Mrs。 Godolphin。 She was Maid of Honour to the Queen in the
Court of Charles II。 She was； as he prettily says； an Arethusa 〃who
passed through all those turbulent waters without so much as the least
stain or tincture in her christall。〃 She held her state with men and maids
for her servants； guided herself by most exact rules； such as that of never
speaking to the King； gave an excellent example and instruction to the
other maids of honour； was 〃severely careful how she might give the least
countenance to that liberty which the gallants there did usually assume；〃
refused the addresses of the 〃greatest persons；〃 and was as famous for her
beauty as for her wit。 One would like to forget the age at which she did
these things。 When she began her service she was eleven。 When she
was making her rule never to speak to the King she was not thirteen。
Marriage was the business of daughters of fourteen and fifteen； and
heroines； therefore； were of those ages。 The poets turned April into May；
and seemed to think that they lent
