the children-第3章

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〃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　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。

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　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　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…