The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-25
Child-Worship.

Perhaps in no respect does the Christmas
of today contrast more strongly with the
Christmas of the last generation, than in the
increased elaboration bestowed upon every,
thing intended for the delectation OF the
Young A writer in the London Spectator
discusses this circumstance at some length
and deplores the growing tendency towards
what he terms child-worship. He cites Che
Christmas books for children that are now
being poured out of the preSS-rhymes' PIC
lures, fairy tales, books OF games DOCKS VI
adventures, boys magazines, girls maya
zines, science made easy, poetry made clilu-
like the grotesque old ballads revived "lIh
humorous caricatures, trausatlons from the
German, elaborately illustrated by French
artists, &C., &C He says: Everything that
"the highest and subtlest refinement can
"nvcnt is prepared at the demand OF elderly
"rclatives anxious and ready TO purchase all
"those inventions in large quantities at law
"ish expense, and pour them into the laps OF
"the children whom they most do propl-
"tiate." While he grimly criticlses "the
"horribe and prohigate profusion OF energy
land invention " in providing amusement ior
children; and while he almost cruelty declares
that "thcir pleasures ate far too numerous
"and elaborate, land that there should I've Il
''sterncr and more healthy fruSality III
ministering to them, he sryet manliests
through all his thrusts real sympathy wllh
the Young. He doubts if the Asiatlc luxury
of their modern playrooms and playIhihss
is as satisfactory to them as simplicity "ouio
he. He has seen ga wooden doll with one
EARN give vast deal more pleasure thah
"winking wax creature that ii.ns on wheels
land emits sort of squeaking apology ior
"the word mamma" He has no faith IN
"thc voluptuous era for children" He says:
"a few nursery rhymes, few good old larry
tales, a wooden donkey with panniers to take 70
bed, a box of bricks, whip, and, in good time
a ball of string and knife, are all the play
things q child needs, and quite enough II hif
invention Is to have the least play. Load him
with elaborate ingenuities, with pictures so gooc
that You feel bound to explain their hnel
touches, with tales OF character where oil the
illnesses of nature and circumstance are care
fully attended to, with ballads Of humor nun
drcd times as fine and elaborate as he can take
in. and YOU overload him and leave no room foi
the elastic power of invention and imagination
which is the best of all amusemcnts for him.
He continues:
"a bare rugged and almost grotcsquc sim
plcty of material is, we are dirposed to main
tain, the best possible food for ninety-nint
children out of hundred"
He doubts if "the children OF to-day vii
"evcr feel towards the elaborate and admi
CRADLE works for their amusements hall tho
"yearnings Of tender remembrance which we
"lavish on the wooden moral tales. gro
"tesque as gargoyles, which we so eagerly
consumed in our childish days" He CON
cludCs:
1.-THE era of elaborate sugar-pums and hlgf
art for children is certainly not one that pro
duces the most vigorous and eager minds
The worship of children is throwing us all into
the shade Let us put them down for the fl
turc. Il will do both us and them good