the children-第5章

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portent　anywhere　on　earth。　　There　is　no　such　heart…oppressing　task
as　the　making　of　these　assurances　to　a　child；　for　whom　who　knows
what　portents　are　actually　in　wait！　　She　found　him；　however；
cowering　with　laughter；　not　with　dread；　lest　the　man　with　two　heads
should　see　or　overhear。　　The　man　with　two　heads　had　become　his　play；
and　so　was　perhaps　bringing　about　his　sleep　by　gentler　means　than
the　nurse　had　intended。　　The　man　was　employing　the　vacant　minutes　of
the　little　creature's　flight　from　sleep；　called　〃going　to　sleep〃　in
the　inexact　language　of　the　old。

Nor　would　the　boy　give　up　his　faith　with　its　tremor　and　private
laughter。　　Because　a　child　has　a　place　for　everything；　this　boy　had
placed　the　monstrous　man　in　the　ceiling；　in　a　corner　of　the　room
that　might　be　kept　out　of　sight　by　the　bed　curtain。　　If　that　corner
were　left　uncovered；　the　fear　would　grow　stronger　than　the　fun；　〃the
man　would　see　me；〃　said　the　little　boy。　　But　let　the　curtain　be　in
position；　and　the　child　lay　alone；　hugging　the　dear　belief　that　the
monster　was　near。

He　was　earnest　in　controversy　with　his　mother　as　to　the　existence　of
his　man。　　The　man　was　there；　for　he　had　been　told　so；　and　he　was
there　to　wait　for　〃naughty　boys；〃　said　the　child；　with　cheerful
self…condemnation。　　The　little　boy's　voice　was　somewhat　hushed；
because　of　the　four　ears　of　the　listener；　but　it　did　not　falter；
except　when　his　mother's　arguments　against　the　existence　of　the　man
seemed　to　him　cogent　and　likely　to　gain　the　day。　　Then　for　the　first
time　the　boy　was　a　little　downcast；　and　the　light　of　mystery　became
dimmer　in　his　gay　eyes。



CHILDREN　IN　BURLESQUE



Derision；　which　is　so　great　a　part　of　human　comedy；　has　not　spared
the　humours　of　children。　　Yet　they　are　fitter　subjects　for　any　other
kind　of　jesting。　　In　the　first　place　they　are　quite　defenceless；　but
besides　and　before　this；　it　might　have　been　supposed　that　nothing　in
a　child　could　provoke　the　equal　passion　of　scorn。　　Between　confessed
unequals　scorn　is　not　even　suggested。　　Its　derisive　proclamation　of
inequality　has　no　sting　and　no　meaning　where　inequality　is　natural
and　manifest。

Children　rouse　the　laughter　of　men　and　women；　but　in　all　that
laughter　the　tone　of　derision　is　more　strange　a　discord　than　the
tone　of　anger　would　be；　or　the　tone　of　theological　anger　and　menace。
These；　little　children　have　had　to　bear　in　their　day；　but　in　the
grim　and　serious　moodsnot　in　the　playof　their　elders。　　The
wonder　is　that　children　should　ever　have　been　burlesqued；　or　held　to
be　fit　subjects　for　irony。

Whether　the　thing　has　been　done　anywhere　out　of　England；　in　any
form；　might　be　a　point　for　enquiry。　　It　would　seem；　at　a　glance；
that　English　art　and　literature　are　quite　alone　in　this　incredible
manner　of　sport。

And　even　here；　too；　the　thing　that　is　laughed　at　in　a　child　is
probably　always　a　mere　reflection　of　the　parents'　vulgarity。　　None
the　less　it　is　an　unintelligible　thing　that　even　the　rankest
vulgarity　of　father　or　mother　should　be　resented；　in　the　child；　with
the　implacable　resentment　of　derision。

John　Leech　used　the　caricature　of　a　baby　for　the　purposes　of　a　scorn
that　was　not　angry；　but　familiar。　　It　is　true　that　the　poor　child
had　first　been　burlesqued　by　the　unchildish　aspect　imposed　upon　him
by　his　dress；　which　presented　him；　without　the　beauties　of　art　or
nature；　to　all　the　unnatural　ironies。　　Leech　did　but　finish　him　in
the　same　spirit；　with　dots　for　the　childish　eyes；　and　a　certain　form
of　face　which　is　best　described　as　a　fat　square　containing　two
circlesthe　inordinate　cheeks　of　that　ignominious　baby。　　That　is
the　child　as　Punch　in　Leech's　day　preserved　him；　the　latest　figure
of　the　then　prevailing　domestic　raillery　of　the　domestic。

In　like　manner　did　Thackeray　and　Dickens；　despite　all　their
sentiment。　　Children　were　made　to　serve　both　the　sentiment　and　the
irony　between　which　those　two　writers；　alike　in　this；　stood　double…
minded。　　Thackeray；　writing　of　his　snobs；　wreaks　himself　upon　a
child；　there　is　no　worse　snob　than　his　snob…child。　　There　are　snob…
children　not　only　in　the　book　dedicated　to　their　parents；　but　in
nearly　all　his　novels。　　There　is　a　female　snob…child　in　〃Lovel　the
Widower；〃　who　may　be　taken　as　a　type；　and　there　are　snob…children　at
frequent　intervals　in　〃Philip。〃　　It　is　not　certain　that　Thackeray
intended　the　children　of　Pendennis　himself　to　be　innocent　and
exempt。

In　one　of　Dickens's　early　sketches　there　is　a　plot　amongst　the
humorous　dramatis　personae；　to　avenge　themselves　on　a　little　boy　for
the　lack　of　tact　whereby　his　parents　have　brought　him　with　them　to　a
party　on　the　river。　　The　principal　humorist　frightens　the　child　into
convulsions。　　The　incident　is　the　success　of　the　day；　and　is
obviously　intended　to　have　some　kind　of　reflex　action　in　amusing　the
reader。　　In　Dickens's　maturer　books　the　burlesque　little　girl
imitates　her　mother's　illusory　fainting…fits。

Our　glimpses　of　children　in　the　fugitive　pages　of　that　day　are
grotesque。　　A　little　girl　in　Punch　improves　on　the　talk　of　her　dowdy
mother　with　the　maids。　　An　inordinate　baby　stares；　a　little　boy
flies；　hideous；　from　some　hideous　terror。



AUTHORSHIP



Authorship　prevails　in　nurseriesat　least　in　some　nurseries。　　In
many　it　is　probably　a　fitful　game；　and　since　the　days　of　the　Brontes
there　has　not　been　a　large　family　without　its　magazine。　　The　weak
point　of　all　this　literature　is　its　commonplace。　　The　child's　effort
is　to　write　something　as　much　like　as　possible　to　the　tedious　books
that　are　read　to　him；　he　is　apt　to　be　fluent　and　foolish。　　If　a
child　simple　enough　to　imitate　were　also　simple　enough　not　to
imitate　he　might　write　nursery　magazines　that　would　not　bore　us。

As　it　is；　there　is　sometimes　nothing　but　the　fresh　and　courageous
spelling　to　make　his　stories　go。　　〃He；〃　however；　is　hardly　the
pronoun。　　The　girls　are　the　more　active　authors；　and　the　more
prosaic。　　What　they　would　write　had　they　never　read　things　written
for　them　by　the　dull；　it　is　not　possible　to　know。　　What　they　do
write　is　thisto　take　a　passage：　　〃Poor　Mrs。　Bald　（that　was　her
name）　thought　she　would　never　get　to　the　wood　where　her　aunt　lived；
she　got　down　and　pulled　the　donky　on　by　the　bridal　。　。　。　Alas！　her
troubles　were　not　over　yet；　the　donky　would　not　go　where　she　wanted
it；　instead　of　turning　down　Rose　Lane　it　went　down　another；　which
although　Mrs。　Bald　did　not　know　it　led　to　a　very　deep　and　dangerous
pond。　　The　donky　ran　into　the　pond　and　Mrs。　Bald　was　dround。〃

To　give　a　prosperous　look　to　the　magazine　containing　the　serial
story　just　quoted；　a　few　pages　of　mixed　advertisements　are
laboriously　written　out：　　〃The　Imatation　of　Christ　is　the　best　book
in　all　the　world。〃　　〃Read　Thompson's　poetry　and　you　are　in　a　world
of　delight。〃　　〃Barrat's　ginger　beer　is　the　only　ginger　beer　to
drink。〃　　〃The　place　for　a　ice。〃　　Under　the　indefinite　heading　〃A
Article；〃　readers　are　told　〃that　they　are　liable　to　read　the　paper
for　nothing。〃

A　still　younger　hand　contributes　a　short　story　in　which　the　hero
returns　to　his　home　after　a　report　of　his　death　had　been　believed　by
his　wife　and　family。　　The　last　sentence　is　worth　quoting：　　〃We　will
now；〃　says　the　author；　〃leave　Mrs。　White　and　her　two　children　to
enjoy　the　sudden　appearance　of　Mr。　White。〃

Here　is　an　editorial　announcement：　　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　every
week　at　the　end　of　the　paper　there　will　be　a　little　article　on　the
habits　of　the　paper。〃

On　the　whole；　authorship　does　not　seem　to　foster　the　quality　of
imagination。　　Convention；　during　certain　early　years；　may　be　a　very
strong　motivenot　so　much　with　children　brought　up　strictly　within
its　limits；　perhaps；　as　with　those　who　have　had　an　exceptional
freedom。　　Against　this；　as　a　kind　of　childish　bohemianism；　there　is；
in　one　phase　of　childhood；　a　strong　reaction。　　To　one　child；　brought
up　internationally；　and　with　somewhat　too　much　liberty　amongst
peasant　play…mates　and　their　games；　in　many　dialects；　eagerness　to
become　like　〃other　people；〃　and　even　like　the　other　people　of　quite
inferior　fiction；　grew　to　be　almost　a　passion。　　The　desire　was　in
time　out…grown；　but　it　cost　the　girl　some　years　of　her　simplicity。
The　style　is　not　always　the　child。



LETTERS



The　letter　exacted　from　a　child　is　usually　a　letter　of　thanks；
somebody　has　sent　him　a　box　of　chocolates。　　The　thanks　tend　to
stiffen　a　child's　style；　but　in　any　case　a　letter　is　the　occasion　of
a　sudden　self…consciousness；　newer　to　a　child　than　his　elders　know。
They　speak　prose　and　know　it。　　But　a　young　child　possesses　his　words
by　a　different　tenure；　he　is　not　aware　of　the　spelt　and　written
aspect　of　the　things　he　says　every　day；　he　does　not　dwell　upon　the
sound　of　them。　　He　is　so　little　taken　by　the　kind　and　character　of
any　word　that　he　catches　the　first　that　comes　at　random。　　A　little
child　to　whom　a　peach　was　first　revealed；　whispered　to　his　mother；
〃I　like　that　kind　of　turnip。〃　　Compelled　to　write　a　letter；　the
child　finds　the　word　of　daily　life　suddenly　a　stranger。

The　fresher　the　mind　the　duller　the　sentence；　and　the　younger　the
fingers　the　older；　more　wrinkled；　and　more　sidling　the　handwriting。
Dickens；　who　used　his　eyes；　remarked　the　contrast。　　The　hand　of　a
child　and　his　face　are　full　of　rounds；　but　his　written　O　is
tottering　and　haggard。

His　phrases　are　ceremonious　without　the　dignity　of　ceremony。　　The
child　chatters　because　he　wants　his　companion　to　hear；　but　there　is
no　inspiration　in　the　act　of　writing　to　a　distant　aunt　about　whom　he
probably　has　some　grotesque　impression　because　he　cannot　think　of
anyone；　however　vague　and　forgotten；　without　a　mental　image。　　As
like　as　not　he　pictures　all　his　relatives　at　a　distance　with　their
eyes　shut。　　No　boy　wants　to　write　familiar　things　to　a　forgotten
aunt　with　her　eyes　shut。　　His　thoughtless　elders　require　him　not
only　to　write　to　her　under　these　discouragements；　but　to　write　to
her　in　an　artless　and　childlike　fashion。

The　child　is　unwieldy　of　thought；　besides。　　He　cannot　send　the
conventional　messages　but　he　loses　his　way　among　the　few　pronouns：
〃I　send　them　their　love；〃　〃They　sent　me　my　love；〃　〃I　kissed　their
hand　to　me。〃　　If　he　is　stopped　and　told　to　get　the　words　right；　he
has　to　make　a　long　effort。　　His　precedent　might　be　cited　to　excuse
every　politician　who　cannot　remember　whether　he　began　his　sentence
with　〃people〃　in　the　singular　or　the　plural；　and　who　finishes　it
otherwise　than　as　he　began　it。　　Points　of　grammar　that　are　purely
points　of　logic　baffle　a　child　completely。　　He　is　as　unready　in　the
thought　needed　for　these　as　he　is　in　the　use　of　his　senses。

It　is　not　truethough　it　is　generally　saidthat　a　young　child's
senses　are　quick。　　This　is　one　of　the　unverified　ideas　that　commend
themselves；　one　knows　not　why。　　We　have　had　experiments　to　compare
the　relative　quickness　of　perception　proved　by　men　and　women。　　The
same　experiments　with　children　would　give　curious　results；　but　they
can　hardly；　perhaps；　be　made；　because　the　children　would　be　not　only
slow　to　perceive　but　slow　to　announce　the　perception；　so　the　moment
would　go　by；　and　the　game　be　lost。　　Not　even　amateur　conjuring　does
so　baffle　the　slow　turning　of　a　child's　mind　as　does　a　little
intricac