the children-第4章

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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　more　sleepy　than　the　tune
and　the　verse　that　she　herself　slept　to　when　a　child。　　The　gaiety　of
the　thirteenth　century；　in　Le　Pont　a'　Avignon；　is　put　mysteriously
to　sleep；　away　in　the　tete　a　tete　of　child　and　nurse；　in　a　thousand
little　sequestered　rooms　at　night。　　Malbrook　would　be　comparatively
modern；　were　not　all　things　that　are　sung　to　a　drowsing　child　as
distant　as　the　day　of　Abraham。

If　English　children　are　not　rocked　to　many　such　aged　lullabies；　some
of　them　are　put　to　sleep　to　strange　cradle…songs。　　The　affectionate
races　that　are　brought　into　subjection　sing　the　primitive　lullaby　to
the　white　child。　　Asiatic　voices　and　African　persuade　him　to　sleep
in　the　tropical　night。　　His　closing　eyes　are　filled　with　alien
images。



THE　MAN　WITH　TWO　HEADS



It　is　generally　understood　in　the　family　that　the　nurse　who　menaces
a　child；　whether　with　the　supernatural　or　with　simple　sweeps；　lions；
or　tigersgoes。　　The　rule　is　a　right　one；　for　the　appeal　to　fear
may　possibly　hurt　a　child；　nevertheless；　it　oftener　fails　to　hurt
him。　　If　he　is　prone　to　fears；　he　will　be　helpless　under　their
grasp；　without　the　help　of　human　tales。　　The　night　will　threaten
him；　the　shadow　will　pursue；　the　dream　will　catch　him；　terror　itself
have　him　by　the　heart。　　And　terror；　having　made　his　pulses　leap；
knows　how　to　use　any　thought；　any　shape；　any　image；　to　account　to
the　child's　mind　for　the　flight　and　tempest　of　his　blood。　　〃The
child　shall　not　be　frightened；〃　decrees　ineffectual　love；　but　though
no　man　make　him　afraid；　he　is　frightened。　　Fear　knows　him　well　and
finds　him　alone。

Such　a　child　is　hardly　at　the　mercy　of　any　human　rashness　and
impatience；　nor　is　the　child　whose　pulses　go　steadily；　and　whose
brows　are　fresh　and　cool；　at　their　mercy。　　This　is　one　of　the　points
upon　which　a　healthy　child　resembles　the　Japanese。　　Whatever　that
extreme　Oriental　may　be　in　war　and　diplomacy；　whatever　he　may　be　at
London　University；　or　whatever　his　plans　of　Empire；　in　relation　to
the　unseen　world　he　is　a　child　at　play。　　He　hides　himself；　he　hides
his　eyes　and　pretends　to　believe　that　he　is　hiding；　he　runs　from　the
supernatural　and　laughs　for　the　fun　of　running。

So　did　a　child；　threatened　for　his　unruliness　with　the　revelation　of
the　man　with　two　heads。　　The　nurse　must　have　had　recourse　to　this
man　under　acute　provocation。　　The　boy；　who　had　profited　well　by
every　one　of　his　four　long　years；　and　was　radiant　with　the　light　and
colour　of　health；　refused　to　be　left　to　compose　himself　to　sleep。
That　act　is　an　adult　act；　learnt　in　the　self…conscious　and
deliberate　years　of　later　life；　when　man　goes　on　a　mental　journey　in
search　of　rest；　aware　of　setting　forth。　　But　the　child　is　pursued
and　overtaken　by　sleep；　caught；　surprised；　and　overcome。　　He　goes　no
more　to　sleep；　than　he　takes　a　〃constitutional〃　with　his　hoop　and
hoopstick。　　The　child　amuses　himself　up　to　the　last　of　his　waking
moments。　　Happily；　in　the　search　for　amusement；　he　is　apt　to　learn
some　habit　or　to　cherish　some　toy；　either　of　which　may　betray　him
and　deliver　him　up　to　sleep；　the　enemy。　　What　wonder；　then；　if　a
child　who　knows　that　everyone　in　the　world　desires　his　peace　and
pleasure；　should　clamour　for　companionship　in　the　first　reluctant
minutes　of　bed？　　This　child；　being　happy；　did　not　weep　for　what　he
wanted；　he　shouted　for　it　in　the　rousing　tones　of　his　strength。
After　many　evenings　of　this　he　was　told　that　this　was　precisely　the
vociferous　kind　of　wakefulness　that　might　cause　the　man　with　two
heads　to　show　himself。

Unable　to　explain　that　no　child　ever　goes　to　sleep；　but　that　sleep；
on　the　contrary；　〃goes〃　for　a　child；　the　little　boy　yet　accepted　the
penalty；　believed　in　the　man；　and　kept　quiet　for　a　time。

There　was　indignation　in　the　mother's　heart　when　the　child
instructed　her　as　to　what　might　be　looked　for　at　his　bedside；　she
used　all　her　emphasis　in　assuring　him　that　no　man　with　two　heads
would　ever　trouble　those　innocent　eyes；　for　there　was　no　such
portent　anywhere　on　earth。　　There　is　no　such　heart…oppressing　task
as　the　making　of　these　assurances　to　a　ch