the children-第4节

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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　a　grace　to　the　year　if
they　shortened　and　abridged　the　spring　of　their　many　songs。　　The
particular　year　they　sang　of　was　to　be　a　particularly　fine　year；　as
who　should　say　a　fine　child　and　forward；　with　congruous　syntax　at
two　years　old；　and　ellipses；　figures；　and　tropes。　　Even　as　late　as
Keats　a　poet　would　not　have　patience　with　the　process　of　the
seasons；　but　boasted　of　untimely　flowers。　　The　〃musk…rose〃　is　never
in　fact　the　child　of　mid…May；　as　he　has　it。

The　young　women　of　Addison　are　nearly　fourteen　years　old。　　His　fear
of　losing　the　idea　of　the　bloom　of　their　youth　makes　him　so　tamper
with　the　bloom　of　their　childhood。　　The　young　heiress　of　seventeen
in　the　Spectator　has　looked　upon　herself　as　marriageable　〃for　the
last　six　years。〃　　The　famous　letter　describing　the　figure；　the
dance；　the　wit；　the　stockings　of　the　charming　Mr。　Shapely　is
supposed　to　be　written　by　a　girl　of　thirteen；　〃willing　to　settle　in
the　world　as　soon　as　she　can。〃　　She　adds；　〃I　have　a　good　portion
which　they　cannot　hinder　me　of。〃　　This　correspondent　is　one　of　〃the
women　who　seldom　ask　advice　before　they　have　bought　their　wedding
clothes。〃　　There　was　no　sense　of　childhood　in　an　age　that　could
think　this　an　opportune　pleasantry。

But　impatience　of　the　way　and　the　wayfaring　was　to　disappear　from　a
later　centuryan　age　that　has　found　all　things　to　be　on　a　journey；
and　all　things　complete　in　their　day　because　it　is　their　day；　and
has　its　appointed　end。　　It　is　the　tardy　conviction　of　this；　rather
than　a　sentiment　ready　made；　that　has　caused　the　childhood　of
children　to　seem；　at　last；　something　else　than　a　defect。



OUT　OF　TOWN



To　be　on　a　villeggiatura　with　the　children　is　to　surprise　them　in
ways　and　words　not　always　evident　in　the　London　house。　　The　narrow
lodgings　cause　you　to　hear　and　overhear。　　Nothing　is　more　curious　to
listen　to　than　a　young　child's　dramatic　voice。　　The　child；　being　a
boy；　assumes　a　deep；　strong；　and　ultra…masculine　note；　and　a　swagger
in　his　walk；　and　gives　himself　the　name　of　the　tallest　of　his
father's　friends。　　The　tone　is　not　only　manly；　it　is　a　tone　of
affairs；　and　withal　careless；　it　is　intended　to　suggest　business；
and　also　the　possession　of　a　top…hat　and　a　pipe；　and　is　known　in　the
family　of　the　child　as　his　〃official　voice。〃　　One　day　it　became　more
official　than　ever；　and　really　more　masculine　than　life；　and　it
alternated　with　his　own　tones　of　three　years　old。　　In　these；　he
asked　with　humility；　〃Will　you　let　me　go　to　heaven　if　I'm　naughty？
Will　you？〃　　Then　he　gave　the　reply　in　the　tone　of　affairs；　the
official　voice　at　its　very　best：　　〃No；　little　boy；　I　won't！〃　　It　was
evident　that　the　infant　was　not　assuming　the　character　of　his
father's　tallest　friend　this　time；　but　had　taken　a　role　more
exalted。　　His　little　sister　of　a　year　older　seemed　thoroughly　to
enjoy　the　humour　of　the　situation。　　〃Listen　to　him；　mother。　　He's
trying　to　talk　like　God。　　He　often　does。〃

Bulls　are　made　by　a　less　imaginative　child　who　likes　to　find　some
reason　for　thingsa　girl。　　Out　at　the　work　of　picking　blackberries；
she　explains；　〃Those　rather　good　ones　were　all　bad；　mother；　so　I　ate
them。〃　　Being　afraid　of　dogs；　this　little　girl　of　four　years　old　has
all　kinds　of　dodges　to　disguise　her　fear；　which　she　has　evidently
resolved　to　keep　to　herself。　　She　will　set　up　a　sudden　song　to
distract　attention　from　the　fact　that　she　is　placing　herself　out　of
the　dog's　way；　and　she　will　pretend　to　turn　to　gather　a　flower；
while　she　watches　the　creature　out　of　sight。　　On　the　other　hand；
prudence　in　regard　to　carts　and　bicycles　is　openly　displayed；　and
the　infants　are　zealous　to　warn　one　another。　　A　rider　and　his　horse
are　called　briefly　〃a　norseback。〃

Children；　who　see　more　things　than　they　have　names　for；　show　a　fine
courage　in　taking　any　words　that　seem　likely　to　serve　them；　without
wasting　time　in　asking　for　the　word　in　use。　　This　enterprise　is　most
active　at　three　and　four　years；　when　children　have　more　than　they
can　say。　　So　a　child　of　those　years　running　to　pick　up　horse…
chestnuts；　for　him　a　new　species；　calls　after　his　mother　a　full
description　of　what　he　has　found；　naming　the　things　indifferently
〃dough…nuts〃　and　〃cocoa…nuts。〃　　And　another；　having　an　anecdote　to
tell　concerning　the　Thames　and　a　little　brook　that　joins　it　near　the
house；　calls　the　first　the　〃front…sea〃　and　the　second　the　〃back…
sea。〃　　There　is　no　intention　of　taking　liberties　with　the　names　of
thingsonly　a　cheerful　resolve　to　go　on　in　spite　of　obstacles。　　It
is　such　a　spirit　of　liberty　as　most　of　us　have　felt　when　we　have
dreamt　of　improvising　a　song　or　improvising　a　dance。　　The　child
improvises　with　such　means　as　he　has。

This　is；　of　course；　at　the　very　early　ages。　　A　little　laterat
eight　or　ninethere　is　a　very　clear…headed　sense　of　the　value　of
words。　　So　that　a　little　girl　of　that　age；　told　that　she　may　buy
some　fruit；　and　wishing　to　know　her　limits　in　spending；　asks；　〃What
mustn't　it　be　more　than？〃　　For　a　child；　who　has　not　the　word
〃maximum〃　at　hand；　nothing　could　be　more　precise　and　concise。　　Still
later；　there　is　a　sweet　brevity　that　looks　almost　like　conscious
expression；　as　when　a　boy　writes　from　his　first　boarding　school：
〃Whenever　I　can't　stop　laughing　I　have　only　to　think　of　home。〃

Infinitely　different　as　children　are；　they　differ　in　nothing　more
than　in　the　degree　of　generosity。　　The　most　sensitive　of　children　is
a　little　gay　girl　whose　feelings　are　hurt　with　the　greatest
facility；　and　who　seems；　indeed；　to　have　the　susceptibilty　of　other
ages　as　well　as　of　her　ownfor　instance；　she　cannot　endure　without
a　flush　of　pain　to　hear　herself　called　fat。　　But　she　always　brings
her　little　wound　to　him　who　has　wounded　her。　　The　first　confidant
she　seeks　is　the　offender。　　If　you　have　laughed　at　her　she　will　not
hide　her　tears　elsewhere　than　on　your　shoulder。　　She　confesses　by
her　exquisite　action　at　one　her　poor　vanity　and　her　humility

The　worst　of　children　in　the　country　is　their　inveterate　impulse　to
use　death　as　their　toy。　　Immediately　on　their　discovery　of　some
pretty　insect；　one　tender　child　calls　to　the　other　〃Dead　it。〃

Children　do　not　look　at　the　sky　unless　it　is　suggested　to　them　to　do
so。　　When　the　sun　dips　to　the　narrow　horizon　of　their　stature；　and
comes　to　the　level　of　their　eyes；　even　then　they　are　not　greatly
interested。　　Enormous　clouds；　erect；　with　the　sun　behind；　do　not
gain　their　eyes。　　What　is　of　annual　interest　is　the　dark。　　Having
fallen　asleep　all　the　summer　by　daylight；　and　having　awakened　after
sunrise；　children　find　a　stimulus　of　fun　and　fear　in　the　autumn
darkness　outside　the　windows。　　There　is　a　frolic　with　the　unknown
blackness；　with　the　reflections；　and　with　the　country　night。



EXPRESSION



Strange　to　say；　the　eyes　of　children；　whose　minds　are　so　small；
express　intelligence　better　than　do　the　greater　number　of　adult
eyes。　　David　Garrick's　were　evidently　unpreoccupied；　like　theirs。
The　look　of　intelligence　is　outwardfrankly　directed　upon　external
things；　it　is　observant；　and　therefore　mobile　without　inner
restlessness。　　For　restless　eyes　are　the　least　observant　of　all
they　move　by　a　kind　of　distraction。　　The　looks　of　observant　eyes；
moving　with　the　living　things　they　keep　in　sight；　have　many　pauses
as　well　as　flights。　　This　is　the　action　of　intelligence；　whereas　the
eyes　of　intellect　are　detained　or　darkened。

Rational　perception；　w