Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-03-05

sure 10 receive, leelS ichoo"ou " VIZ "'
pattering sound of the daring's feet, as they
hurry to receive his kiss, and cures, by mol
sy yame at rolnps, the WEAKNESS and head
ace which he gained IN his intercourse WIN
men.
But it is not only to their parents and near
connexions that children are interesting and
deligbtful they are general favorltes,-and
their caresses are sighted by none but the
stranpe. the affected, or the morose. have
indeed. heard a fine lady declare that she
preferred puppy or kitten to child; and
/ wondered she had not sense enough to con-
ceal her want of womanly feeling; and
know another fair simpleton, who considers
il beneath her to notice those from whom no
intellectual Improvement can be derived, Tor
getting that we have hearts to cultivate as
well as heads. But these are extraordinary
exceptions to general rules, as uncommon or
disgusting as a beard on lady's chln,-or
pipe in her mouth. .,
( Even men may condescend to sport with
children without fear of contempt;-and ior
those who like to shelter themselves under
authority, and cannot venture to be wise ana
happy their own way, we have plenty OF
splendid examples, ancient and modern, nv
ing and dead to adduce which may sanction
love for these pigmy play-thngs. States,
men have romped with them, orators toid
them stories, conquerors submitted 10 tneir
blows, judges, divines, and philosophers, lis-
tened to their pratte, and joined III their
sports.
Notwithstanding the infinite pains taken TO
spoil NATURES lovely works, there is a prlncl-
! pie of resistance, which allows of only par
tial success; aud numbers of sweet children
exist, to delight and soothe, and divert us,
when we are weary or fretted by grown up
people, and to justify all that has been SAID
or written of the charms Of childhood. Per.
| haps only women, their natural nurses and
faithful protectresses, can thoroughly appre-
ciate the attractions Of the first few months
Of human existence. The recumbent posi-
ton, the fragile limbs, the lethargic tastes,
and ungrateful Indifference to notice, OF a
very young infant, render it uninterestlng TO
most gentlemen, except its father; ana ne Is
generally afraid to touch it, for fear OF break
l ing its neck But even in this state mothers,
grand mothers, aunts and nurses, assure you
that strong indications Of sense and genus
may be discerned in the little animal and
have known clatter of surprise and Joy ex-
cited through whole family, and matter al
forded for twenty long letters and innumera-
Bile animated conversations, by some marvel
lous dem monstration Of intellect in creature
in long clothes, who could not hold Its head
straight.
4 But as soon as the baby has acquired firm
ness and loveliness; as soon as 1t smiles at
familiar face, and stares at strange one as
soon as it employs its hands and eyes III con,
stant expeditions of discovery, and crows ana
leaps from the excess of animal contentment;
it becomes an object of undefinable and pow
erful interest TO which all the sympathies OF
our nature attach us--an object at once OF Gu
riosty and tenderness, interesting Us 1t IS IN
its helplessness and innocence.
| Who has not occasionally, when fondilng
an infant, felt oppressed by the weight OF
mystery which hangs over Its tate! feriaps
we hold in our arms an angel, kept but few
months from the heaven in which it is to
spend the rest of an immortal existence; per-
II haps we see the germ of all that is hdeous
| and hateful in opr nature. Thus looked and
Ithus sported, thus calmly slumbered and
| sweetly smiled. the monsters of our race IN
| their days of infancy. Where are the marks
| to distinguish a Nero from Trajan, an Abe!
| from Cain /? But it is not in this spirit that
| it is either wise or happy to contemplate any
thing. Better it is-when we behold the ell
ergy and animation of young children, their
warm affections, their ready, unsusplclous
confidence, their wild unweared glee, their
| mirth so easily excited, their love so easily
won to enjoy unrcstraned the pieasantness
| of Ife's morning; that morning so bright and
! ioyous: and to teach us that nature intended
/ us to be happy, and usually gains her end til
we are old enough to discover how we may
defeat it.
! Little girls are my favorites. Boys, though
| sufficiently interesting and amusing, are ap
| to be infected, rs soon as they assume man
! ly garb, with little of that masculine Vlo
! lence and obstinacy, which, when they gro"
! up. they will call spirit and trmness; and the!
lose, earlier in life, that doclity, tenderness
and ignorance of evil, which are their sister:
! peculiar charms. In all the range OF visible
/ creation, there is to me no object so attrac
tive and delightful as lovely, intelligent
gentle little girl, Of eight or nine years old
This is the point at which may be witnessed
the greatest improvement of intellect compat
ible with that lily.like purity Of mind, t.
which taint is incomprehensible, danger I'M
suspected, and which wants not only the vo
cabulary, but the very idea of sin. Even th'
best and purest Of women would shrink from
displaying her heart to our gaze, while love
" childhood allows us to read its very though
: and fancy.
Children may teach us one blessed, one en-
|, viable art-the art of being easily happy
Kind nature has given to them that usett
power of accommodation to circumstance:
which compensates for so many external dis
advantages-and it is only by njudiciou
: management that it is lost. Give him but
moderate portion Of food and kindness, an
: the peasants child is happier ttan the duke
, free from artificial wants, unassisted by II
+, diligence, all nature ministers to his pleas
. ures: he can carve out felicity from bit I
1 hazel twig, or fish for it successfully in put
t die.
S lie who feels thus, cannot contemplate
llnntnnued the invS and snOrls of ChlldhOOd:-