Closely connected with the same principle poetry that approves itself to the ears of youth of objectivity is the unconscious pleasure that is seldom of a complex kind. Deep it may be children imbibe from the beauties of nature.-indeed, it can scarcely be too deep-proviAn extensive landscape is not appreciated ded only it be simple. The taste for melody perhaps by young children, nor the dimensions comes before that of harmony. For this reaof an enormous building. Their horizon is son Shakspeare is seldom a favorite with boys; too contracted. They are absorbed in a won- unless it be for the interest of his story. His dering contemplation of the objects nearest to exuberant and many-sided imagination conthe eye; but with this limitation, their enjoy- tinually leads him, as it were, into intricate ment of Nature is something inexpressible, and complicated "fugues,"-true to life and the more rapturous, that it is unconscious, and nature, he blends into one rich harmony the undisturbed by any abstract speculations about most apparently discordant tones; and it is the beautiful or the picturesque. Like the an- this Variety in Unity that especially marks his cient Greeks, those children of nature, they universal genius. But boys prefer the passionseem aware of the pervading tone, whatever ate and flowing strains of poets like Byron, it may be, of the landscape, of the delicious Moore, and Scott. Even Milton, for this realanguors of summer, or the bright crispness son, finds more admirers at an early age than of a frosty winter's day. The details, too, Shakspeare. they perceive singly and separately; but, like the Greeks, they seem to be devoid of that analytic sense of the composition of the various features of the scene, which is so prominent a feature in modern descriptive poetry, especially in that of the Lake school.

The taste for comedy, at least in a finished form, is of later date. It implies familiarity with the follies and foibles of the world; it suits the pococurantism of manhood better than an enthusiastic and reverent age; it belongs to a habit of mind critical rather than creative. How very early in life an unconscious sense It is quite true that boys, especially schoolof poetry begins to manifest itself, is obvious boys, have a very lively sense of what is ridicto all who are conversant with the sayings and ulous, and still more of what is ludicrous. No doings of children; and close observers know sobriquets elaborated in after life by the ingewell how rich a treasure of real poetic mate- nuity of party warfare, hit the mark so well as rial lies formless and unnoticed in the depths those in vogue at school,-launched by the of a child's heart. A few years pass on, and careless hand and forged in an instant by the the tendency begins to show itself in overt ready wit and happy versatility of boys. But acts. In the pages of a school magazine, how-notwithstanding all this playful humor, the ever trashy and ambitious the prose may be, other element preponderates below the surthe poetry is often really beautiful.* But the

The following simple and original lines, for instance, taken out of a School Magazine of less than ordinary merit, must be allowed to contain elements of real poetry:

With walls of stone it is circled round,

And the blackened waters gleam below,
The depths of its bosom none can sound,
And the springs of its pure stream none can
know.

It seeks no friend in weal or woe,

In its cavernous home it delights to dwell;
It loves not the haunts where others go,
But it loves the sweet calm of its lonely cell.

It loves not the regions of social mirth,
It loves not the objects of earthly love,
But it looks unmoved from the depths of earth,
On the wondrous things in the heaven above.

The cord must be good, and stout, and long,
That would dare to enter its lonely cell;

face. Thus Dickens is generally a greater fa-
vorite with boys than Thackeray. Tears, it
is said, come before laughter; and Wordsworth
has well described this inclination of youth to
the mournful muse, Melpomene:—

"In youth we love the darksome lawn,
Brushed by the owlet's wing;
Then twilight is preferred to dawn,
And autumn to the spring.

Sad fancies we do then affect,
In luxury of disrespect
To our own prodigal excess
Of too familiar happiness."

of this objectivity remains to be noticed, as it One more aspect-a very important oneaffects the religious state of children. Belief with them is not what Mr. Carlyle reprobates

The pail must be honest, and sound, and strong, as a "sham" belief; it is not a belief that they

That would win the sweets of the lonely well.

There is a well in the heart of man,

And its waters are sweet and hard to win, The walls around it many may scan,

But few can attain to the thoughts within.

The springs of its waters none may know,

They are hidden in the depths of the inmost will;

And none can say whence its feelings flow,
Or trace back the thoughts which its caverns
fill.

Oh, he must be honest, and stout, and true,
That would probe the depths of his mother's
heart;

For long is the way he must labor through,
Who wishes to touch its nobler part.

believe. As far as it goes, it is very real in- must come, for educated minds at least, when deed. But the child's idea of a future state- they cannot conscientiously evade the arduous in this point again he resembles the Greeks of duty of examining and pronouncing for themold-is rather a continuation of the happy selves. But it is foolish to anticipate premahome in which he lives, than a new heaven turely this painful responsibility. and a new earth. He cannot conceive it Again, children, like some of the most inotherwise-and why should he? Through telligent among domesticated brute creatures, the operation of the same cause, it is merci- have a quick and intuitive sense of character. fully ordained, that his mind is easily diverted They are skilful to read its hieroglyphics in from a morbid scrutiny into its own faults, and the look, voice, manner, and general appearthus disencumbered of the heavy burden that ance. They feel themselves unaccountably would otherwise impede the onward course. attracted or repelled by the different persons Perhaps this consideration tends to explain, with whom they are brought into contact; and what has been called,* in one of the little these prepossessions seldom prove mistaken. books mentioned above, "an inscrutable mys- They are great hero-worshippers. Virtue to tery in boyhood;" the rapid facility with them is no lifeless abstraction-no "bona res” which the sorrows of repentance are effaced-nor yet a frigid and decorous personificaby returning lightness of heart. The delibe- tion. To find a way into their hearts, she rate propension of manhood, once perverted must appear like the gods of Homer, in the from its proper objects, needs a hard and real flesh and blood of some great and good bitter struggle before it can be restored to man. As soon as they begin to be initiated them again. "If the light that is in thee be into the busy controversies of the political darkness, how great is that darkness?" But, world, they become violent partisans. With while the ruling faculty, the reason is less ca- the party, to which they are attached, resides pable of withstanding the rude caprice of the all right and goodness: out of its pale all are undisciplined passions, there is more hope, and aliens and foes. Castles in the air, beautiful less bitterness of remorse. and unsubstantial, "rise like an exhalation;" Another characteristic of the young-one or "like the airy fabric of a dream," doomed, which they have in common with the fair sex alas, "to melt away before the light of com-is the personal aspect in which they regard mon day." Cherished theories of Utopian things; the disposition to refer everything to perfection, and the eager pursuit of unattainathe person from whom it proceeds, or to whom ble ends, lure on the willing dupe; until, as it belongs, and to judge of it accordingly. years pass away, tired of the hopeless chase, Principles and opinions are invested by them he learns to understand that to strive after with the associations belonging to the persons good, rather than to attain it, is the portion who support or impugn them. The personal allotted to man by God in this life. authority of the teacher, his claims to affection It may be added, that children are little, if or respect, have more efficacy with them than at all, affected by worldly considerations in the independent evidence of what he incul- choosing their friends. Rank and riches are cates. Nor can it be regretted, that their nothing to them, in comparison with real perreason, immature at present and ill-prepared sonal attractions. Tufthunting, or flunkeyto enter into the strife of opinions, should be ism," as it is now called, too often the bane of naturally disposed to attach itself to the guides, society, among the grown-up children of the placed within reach by Providence, and to world, is almost, if not utterly, unknown at submit to them almost implicitly. A time school. Prowess at cricket or football-feats of bodily strength and activity-deeds of "pluck" and hardihood-the value of qualifications like these may be overrated at school; but, after all, the higher excellencies of generosity, kindliness, and candor, never fail to be appreciated there. The self-aggrandizing spirit, which torments men in after years with a constant anxiety to form "good connections," and so to rise one step higher in the social scale, may sometimes intrude itself even into College life, and interfere, more or less, with the sincerity of its intercourse; but is powerless to infuse its base alloy into the genuine affection of early friendship.

The passage is so beautiful, that we cannot refrain from quoting it entire:"Truly it is a mystery, that strange privilege which boyhood alone seems to possess of being at once sinful and light-hearted. It is, as it were, the mingling of the pure and the impure in the same cup, without the whole draught becoming polluted. In after years guilt has it moments of wild and feverish delight: but boys, and boys alone can sin, and be sorry for a while, and then fling aside all thought of it, and feel as though they had never sinned at all. In infancy the consciousness of sin is a thing unknown, in manhood it prosses on the heart like an ever-present burden; but in boyhood it is like an April cloud, which flits over the landscape, darkening it for a while, and then passing away altogether, and leaving it as bright as ever. Of all the mysteries of boyhood this is perhaps the most inscrutable."-Charlton School, or the Cherry Stones.

66

Children, it has been said, by no less an authority than Johnson, are naturally cruel. But, despite the weight of so great a name, a charge like this will not need much refutation

but remained with him to the last. The greatest events of history, the fate of dynasties and nations, the master-works of art, the grandest discoveries that have signalized the march of mankind on the highroad of civilization, might thus be found to issue from some "child's

among those who have studied the ways of East, or mused on the daring and successful boys. Very heedless of consequences they enterprise of merchant princes in the Indies, often are- and scarcely familiar enough with and the result has been a life of commercial pain and suffering by their own experience to speculation. In a third the seeds of military glo estimate rightly what they are inflicting; but ry have been sown by reading of Knight or they must be acquitted of anything like inten- Paladin, and in due time they have borne tional or deliberate cruelty. Their "love of fruit. Sir Walter Scott is an instance. The mischief" is in the main an experimentalizing tales and legends that pleased his childish curiosity. Another accusation brought against fancy, though thrust aside for a time by less them-it occurs in a book full of thoughtful palatable occupations, never lost their charm, advice on the subject of education, " Early Influences," by Mrs. Montgomery-is, that they are not naturally truthful. It might have been supposed, that, if anywhere, truth would delight to dwell in so pure an abode as the breast of little children. It would be difficult to connect the idea of falsity with their artless sim- book." plicity. The fact is, they have a strong innate And yet it is often deemed an easy and sense of the badness of a lie: but the timidity trivial thing to write for children. Just as any and shrinking from pain inseparable from a feeble poetaster fancies himself equal to trans tender age, easily avail to overpower the lating into verse the most beautiful of all poenatural propensity to truth. Thus an appear- try, the Psalms of David, so it is often supance of insincerity is produced. A similar posed that any one can write books for chil explanation might be applied to the national dren. Books about children it is comparatively character of the Italians and Hindoos. Re-easy to write: but it is not so easy to peneserved, except to the few who understand them, children are very liable to sudden gusts of changefulness, but they are not often deceitful nor untrue.

trate the secret of youthful sympathies, to captivate them and hold them fast. It is not for every harper, says the Welsh proverb, to play upon the harp of many strings. As it is, while The peculiarities of the mysterious stage of "books for children" are innumerable, the human life which we have been contemplating number of really good works of this sortthus show that it is almost impossible to over- skilfully adapted to meet the wants of their rate the importance of children's books. So happy thoughtless life, is small indeed. Childsubtle and imperceptible is the influence of ex- hood to many persons is a sealed book, and ternal circumstances on the inner life- -so remains so always. The result of such mismysteriously are the links in the chain of pro- taken efforts is too often a nondescript book, gression inter-dependent, that scarcely the full, perhaps, of seasonable advice for those autobiographer himself can say positively how that have charge of children, or a dull digest far the color of his whole life betrays the dye of "useful knowledge," unfit for youth or manfirst imparted to it in the incidental associa- hood either, which lacks the power to catch tions of childhood, and ever afterwards re- the wandering attention of the young, and to tained. But the coral bed is day by day ac- blend itself with their peculiar intellectual life, quiring bulk and coherence, while the waters and so falls cold and flat on their listless pass idly to and fro above the invisible work- ears. men of the deep. What now appears so in- It follows, from what has been already said significant will one day rise solid and compact on the characteristics of children, that it is a above the surface-perchance a gallant ves- great mistake to take pains to write down to sel shall founder there; perchance it shall be- the supposed level of their capacities. The come a very fertile land. So it is with the fact is, that most children, if not all, are very hidden growth of character. Nature supplies fond of pondering within themselves the deepthe raw material-the innate taste and capaci- est and most awful subjects. The guesses of ty. This or that book, accidentally encoun- intuition not unfrequently hit the truth, just tered perhaps, and devoured with the keen- as a woman is generally right until she begins ness of a youthful appetite, serves to kindle to give her reasons. So it is often with chil the slumbering energies with a Promethean dren. The wonders of the natural world—of spark. The gallant sailor may receive the earth and sea and sky-nay, even the myste first impulse that launches him on his perilous rious questions,* which all the acquired knowland glorious career from the fabled adventures of Crusoe, or the graphic narratives of Anson an avowed infidel myself, any solid difficulties I never gathered from infidel writers, when and Drake and Byron, which he read when a which were not brought to my mind by a very boy. The young imagination of another has young child of my own. Why was sin permitfeasted over the tales of Bagdad and Balsora, ted?", "What a very small world this is to be on luscious descriptions of the treasures of the saved by the incarnation and death of the Son of

God!"

"Who can believe that so few will be saved?"-Remains of Rev. R. Cecil.

edge of manhood is incompetent to answer petual explanations are not only unnecessary satisfactorily, of fate, freewill, sin, happiness, for them, but wearisome and distasteful. They eternity; infinite and perplexing questions of this kind:

Blank misgivings of a creature Moving about in worlds not realized

gain more real and lasting instruction from partial glimpses,-half revealing, half suggesting, gradually leading onwards to truth in its fulness, not exposing it all at once, supplying the mind meanwhile with abundant food for meditation, than by the uninviting glare of a complete illumination.

have a strange fascination for children. We do not mean to say that it is well to indulge It is a drawback from the great merit of the proneness towards such speculations unre- the late Mrs. Sherwood's style of writing for servedly. But the mere fact that children find children, that she too much seeks to lower pleasure in them, shows an extent of rational things to the supposed tenuity of their uncuriosity and sympathy larger than is usually derstandings, by way of making_everything imputed to their age. Those who have for- quite plain and easy for them. But they do gotten their own childhood, and who do not not love so meagre a diet for their imaginacare to study the ways of boys, do not know tion and dawning reason. The Athenian phiwhat profound aspirations are often at work losopher, of whom it has been truly said that within their little heads. In the infancy of he taught the world as one would a little child, Greek philosophy, when the Ionian mind, in- well knew the magic power that resides in a quisitive and inexperienced as that of a child, teaching suggestive rather than exhaustive, in first essayed to construct a system of the uni- which truth is implied rather than expressed. verse, it plunged into every department of A proverb in use among his own countrymen philosophy, material, moral, metaphysical, at had told him that "half is more than the once, and mingled all together in a grotesque whole." And if we look for guidance to theological confusion. A similar process is the highest example of instruction-one greatoften going on in children. There is scarcely er and holier than Socrates or any human any height or depth in thought out of the teacher-we cannot fail to observe how conreach of their curious inquiries. In experience and method, of course they are deficient. But the reason, as distinguished by Kant and Coleridge from the understanding, already asserts its unity with that of the great human family. Such aspirations are not easily appeased with vapid and minute trivialities, either about the physical or moral world, with the dry common-places of Frank and Rosamond, or even the more interesting discussions in Sandford and Merton.

tent he was that his words should remain only understood in part for a while, until the growing capacity of his hearers should enlarge itself to the measure of their full significancy.

We are not concerned in these remarks with the particular theological tendency of Mrs. Sherwood's books, or indeed of any of the others now under review. But it must be allowed even by her greatest admirers, that the too familiar mention of holy names and holy things is not without danger;—a danger, Most persons can testify, from their own either of offending the instinctive reverence introspection, that the first and earliest æsthe- of childhood, or of encouraging a superficial tic sensations are often more true than those and unreal use of religious phrases. Another that come afterwards; often more true, in a objection that may perhaps be made to some general sense, as being more accordant to of Mrs. Sherwood's books, is, that they do not the laws of ideal beauty; always more true, allow sufficient scope to that deference for as indicative of the inborn taste. This may personal authority which is so strong in the be, and not seldom is, crushed and hidden af- young. We have already remarked that chilterwards under a thick crust of artificial lik-dren are naturally disposed to receive undisings and dislikings, the results of ill-regulated putingly the teaching which proceeds from reflection or of undue dependance on author- what they regard as good authority. The ity. The canons of some particular school, tone of assertion, the unhesitating tone of or the fashion of the day, exact a forced hom- strong belief, has more weight with them than age for a time. In some cases the genial in- the most ingenious argumentative discussion. stincts re-assert their rights at last, and are It seems intended by nature that it should be recognized with joy as legitimate princes re- so; and for obvious reasons. Now, this habit turned from unjust banishment. In this way of mind evidently requires dogmatic rather children are generally very good judges than controversial writing. But after all, we whether a book is written in good taste or bad. must add, that some of these books by Mrs. They have a great deal of reverence and reserve, and a wondering admiration of everything remarkable. As soon as it is laid bare * On the same grounds may be defended the by a thorough explanation and stripped of all do not as yet understand. The seed rests in the practice of teaching children by rote what they its mystery, it loses interest for them. Per-soil and springs up in due season.

men of the fault under consideration in its most naked and unattractive form.

Sherwood are among the most popular of | Brooch, and the Fairy Bower, by a lady. They books for children. They are too well known are among the most interesting books about to require any particular description. The children to be met with: the characters are most pleasant early associations of many gather skilfully drawn, by no means of a commonround the Fairchild Family. The happy and place order, yet not too peculiar; they abound thorough English home there revealed the in acute and wise suggestions on the culture quiet pictures of rural English scenery and of of children; altogether there is more piquancy the pleasant town of Reading-the evenings about them than is usual in such books. But, in the Primrose Meadow, and the stories of for all this, they would not do for children; Mrs. Howard, and little Marten, and the fair they are too argumentative, too much addicted Henrie, who was trained to love God among to the dissection of motives and impulses for the valleys of the Waldenses, are full of ge- them. Godfrey Davenant, by the Rev. W. nial goodness and active fancy. Heygate, not only at college, where the bleThe last fault alleged against Mrs. Sher-mish is perhaps more pardonable, but even at wood must be objected to the well-known and school, is so didactic-at least his friends are beautifully written tales by the authoress of and withal so prosy, as to present a speciAmy Herbert. Of all the graceful stories from the pen of this lady, Amy Herbert appears to have the most admirers. Nor is it strange that From reasons already stated, it may be inso amiable a picture of childhood should make ferred, that an indirect mode of teaching is to itself a favorite with all who take any pleasure be preferred for children-we mean the emin the contemplation of youth and innocence. bodiment of abstract truth into narrative. Its truthfulness also in the delineation of child- Such a mode of writing wins its way more ish character, imparts to it the charm of real- easily into the understanding-quickens the ity; not truthfulness merely of general out- attention-inspires the feelings is retained lines, but a close fidelity to nature in the nicer more lastingly-gives more exercise to the details of word and manner. But Amy Her- imagination. Nature significantly points in bert fails to realize the beau ideal of a child's this direction, by the eager appetite for picbook. It offers a delightful employment of tures and stories which she has implanted in leisure time for older persons; full of interest- children. In reading Esop's Fables children ing and instructive hints on the best way of often omit the "moral." But it does not follow, training the unformed character, of pruning therefore, that they lose point of the story. its evil tendencies, and of fostering into ripe Their sympathies are enlisted on the right maturity its budding traits of goodness; but side; and the readiness of childhood to idenin youthful hands there would be cause for tify itself with the personages in the story apprehension, lest it should encourage a pre- seldom fails to make the suitable application. cocious and unhealthy spirit of self-conscious- The lesson conveyed penetrates deeper into ness. The later tales of the same series- their nature by being received thus unconGertrude, and still more Margaret Percival-sciously: it becomes an integral part of the (which, moreover, are hardly of the class of character by absorption-it acts more efficachildren's books), are even more pronounced ciously than it would, if administered like a in this feature, and also in the prominence dose of medicine, a dry sermon after an entergiven to controversial theology. It may be taining narrative. The quiet and gradual doubted whether it is good for readers of any operation of air, and diet, and exercise is alage to receive their impressions on difficult ways preferable to artificial remedies. In the questions through the medium, necessarily a way of exercise, it is well known that the alcolored one, of imaginary dialogues and ficti- ternate tension and relaxation of the various tious characters. Polemical disputations, ques-muscles in a game-cricket, for example, or tionable in any work of fiction, whatever be tennis-while the mind is too much engaged the banner displayed, are so unmistakably out in the amusement to be conscious of the exerof place in a book intended for children-it is cise, is more conducive to health than a periso palpably injudicious and wrong thus to odical walk taken deliberately for health's darken the serene heaven of a child's belief, sake. The analogy is obvious. Ballad poetry that we need not insist on their impropriety is invariably the kind of poetry that comfor the young. mends itself to the infancy and youth of a The principle of addressing the faculty of people; it appeals to their senses; it supplies reasoning, as yet very imperfectly developed in them with living realities, not impossible ideas; children, to the undue neglect of their affec-it ministers to their desire of adventure and tions and imagination, is an offence of frequent romance. Example is better than precept, esoccurrence, and apt to obtrude itself even into pecially for children. Besides the advantages works of considerable merit. There are two to which we have alluded, as attendant on books of the same sort as Amy Herbert, but such a mode of teaching, it must be allowed, published previously, we believe, the Lost even by the sternest utilitarian, to be no small