the children-第4部分

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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；　with　all　its　phases　of　humour；　are　best
expressed　by　a　child；　who　has　few　second　thoughts　to　divide　the
image　of　his　momentary　feeling。　　His　simplicity　adds　much　to　the
manifestation　of　his　intelligence。　　The　child　is　the　last　and　lowest
of　rational　creatures；　for　in　him　the　〃rational　soul〃　closes　its
long　downward　flight　with　the　bright　final　revelation。

He　has　also　the　chief　beauty　of　the　irrational　soul　of　the　mind；
that　is；　of　the　lower　animalwhich　is　singleness。　　The　simplicity；
the　integrity；　the　one　thing　at　a　time；　of　a　good　animal's　eyes　is　a
great　beauty；　and　is　apt　to　cause　us　to　exaggerate　our　sense　of
their　expressiveness。　　An　animal's　eyes；　at　their　best；　are　very
slightly　expressive；　languor　or　alertness；　the　quick　expectation；
even　the　aloofness　of　doubt　they　are　able　to　show；　but　the　showing
is　mechanical；　the　human　sentiment　of　the　spectator　adds　the　rest。

All　this　simplicity　the　child　has；　at　moments；　with　the　divisions
and　delicacies　of　the　rational　soul；　also。　　His　looks　express　the
first；　the　last；　and　the　clearest　humanity。　　He　is　the　first　by　his
youth　and　the　last　by　his　lowliness。　　He　is　the　beginning　and　the
result　of　the　creation　of　man。



UNDER　THE　EARLY　STARS



Play　is　not　for　every　hour　of　the　day；　or　for　any　hour　taken　at
random。　　There　is　a　tide　in　the　affairs　of　children。　　Civilization
is　cruel　in　sending　them　to　bed　at　the　most　stimulating　time　of
dusk。　　Summer　dusk；　especially；　is　the　frolic　moment　for　children；
baffle　them　how　you　may。　　They　may　have　been　in　a　pottering　mood　all
day；　intent　upon　all　kinds　of　close　industries；　breathing　hard　over
choppings　and　poundings。　　But　when　late　twilight　comes；　there　comes
also　the　punctual　wildness。　　The　children　will　run　and　pursue；　and
laugh　for　the　mere　movementit　does　so　jog　their　spirits。

What　remembrances　does　this　imply　of　the　hunt；　what　of　the　predatory
dark？　　The　kitten　grows　alert　at　the　same　hour；　and　hunts　for　moths
and　crickets　in　the　grass。　　It　comes　like　an　imp；　leaping　on　all
fours。　　The　children　lie　in　ambush　and　fall　upon　one　another　in　the
mimicry　of　hunting。

The　sudden　outbreak　of　action　is　complained　of　as　a　defiance　and　a
rebellion。　　Their　entertainers　are　tired；　and　the　children　are　to　go
home。　　But；　with　more　or　less　of　life　and　fire；　they　strike　some
blow　for　liberty。　　It　may　be　the　impotent　revolt　of　the　ineffectual
child；　or　the　stroke　of　the　conqueror；　but　something；　something　is
done　for　freedom　under　the　early　stars。

This　is　not　the　only　time　when　the　energy　of　children　is　in　conflict
with　the　weariness　of　men。　　But　it　is　less　tolerable　that　the　energy
of　men　should　be　at　odds　with　the　weariness　of　children；　which
happens　at　some　time　of　their　jaunts　together；　especially；　alas！　in
the　jaunts　of　the　poor。

Of　games　for　the　summer　dusk　when　it　rains；　cards　are　most　beloved
by　children。　　Three　tiny　girls　were　to　be　taught　〃old　maid〃　to
beguile　the　time。　　One　of　them；　a　nut…brown　child　of　five；　was
persuading　another　to　play。　　〃Oh　come；〃　she　said；　〃and　play　with　me
at　new　maid。〃

The　time　of　falling　asleep　is　a　child's　immemorial　and　incalculable
hour。　　It　is　full　of　traditions；　and　beset　by　antique　habits。　　The
habit　of　prehistoric　races　has　been　cited　as　the　only　explanation　of
the　fixity　of　some　customs　in　mankind。　　But　if　the　enquirers　who
appeal　to　that　beginning　remembered　better　their　own　infancy；　they
would　seek　no　further。　　See　the　habits　in　falling　to　sleep　which
have　children　in　their　thralldom。　　Try　to　overcome　them　in　any
child；　and　his　own　conviction　of　their　high　antiquity　weakens　your
hand。

Childhood　is　antiquity；　and　with　the　sense　of　time　and　the　sense　of
mystery　is　connected　for　ever　the　hearing　of　a　lullaby。　　The　French
sleep…song　is　the　most　romantic。　　There　is　in　it　such　a　sound　of
history　as　must　inspire　any　imaginative　child；　falling　to　sleep；
with　a　sense　of　the　incalculable；　and　the　songs　themselves　are　old。
Le　Bon　Roi　Dagobert　has　been　sung　over　French　cradles　since　the
legend　was　fresh。　　The　nurse　knows　nothing