The New York herald., 1873-12-20
CHRISTMAS TOYS.
Treble-Headed Dolls and Cows
That May Be MIXED.
WHAT SCIENCE HAS DONE FOR T0YDOM.
Where to Purchase, How to Purchase
ra and What to Purchase.

Pope. The modern child Is critical and analytic.
Young America is fastidious and exIgeant, apt to
look askant at the pretty tnings provided Tor him
and to turn up his nose If they do not exactly cor
respond to the taste which his years OF infancy
have educated, or, shall we say, pampered 1t
was Mr.. Chadband, We believe, who expatated
upon the advantages Of being ''soaring human
boy,n born under the light OF Christian teachings
but we do not remember ever to have heard pull
piteer claim that one OF the benefits accrung to
the juvenile Christian was that OF receiving gifts
during the holiday week which closes the year.
Be 1t our privilege to supply this omission. And
since we have assumed a monitory strain we ask
permission TO remind our young readers how
thankful they ought TO be for not having come into
the world 80 or 40 centuries ago, not only without
any HERALD to instruct parents and guardians
where to look for paythings but without any
playtnings to look for. 1t belongs to modern
genius 10 perfect the toy The few relics of infancy
that have been found at Pompe ana Hercua-
neum reduce US to state of compassion for the
P0mpeiian and Herculaneum infants The little
trinkets we make OF lava nowadays are worth all
the toys buried beneath 1t centuries ago. We sus-
pect the children OF the past were educated In
severer school than those OF the present. Perhaps
the reason Isaac submitted so meekly to be made
q burnt sacrifice was because no remembrance OF.
drums and wooden soldiers sweetened the flial
sentiment. home without toys is like plum
pudding void Of raisins. There is fraudulcncy In
the very idea and the child brought up under it feels
obscurely but strongly that heis wronged. You can
not eradicate the toy instinct from the child mind.
BY virtue Of it he creates mimic world which re-
nects the real one. The practical and serious side
OF life is maged in the fancied and imaginative
one. With his box OF 5uding-blocks the embryo
architect erects in miniature the palace which ID
to amaze q town or continent O score OF years
hence. The maternal sentiment Is the one
usually developed in little girls Their dolls
have every attribute OF the human infant
with which the liveliest imagination, informed by
such sentiment, can supply them; are afflicted
with mysterious attacks OF measles ana whOOping
cough, are sent to bed for mlsbehavior and Kept
on severe diets OF bread and water; are dressed
for balls and parties, and are sometimes cung to
with profounder affection than real mothers feel
for their actual children. And when wooden SOL
hiers not supplied to the one sex OF childhood
and dolls to the other infant Invention inevitably
sets to work and supplies ITSELF The boy takes
more direct method and organizes his comrades
into militia company, and every rag-bag supplies
the little girls-those little mothers OF humanity
with an infant family. The Importance. therefore,
OF the toy realm cannot be disputed. And the only
question that remains Is what toys to select.
Perhaps the children are almost as good Judges
OF this as any one can be. They have the advan-
tage OF knowing what they like, and there are
sufiicent number Of exceptions to that spirit OF
juvenile criticism to which reference was made
at the beginning OF this article 70 make the sats-
lying Of these demands frequently pleasant task
1t is well to remark, however, that there are few
or NO very striking novelties. Are we coming
10 the bottom OF toy invention : About
two centuries ago Philippe Camuz made for Louis
Quatorze toy chariot and team OF horses which
pranced around the table as If IL turn
pike, and were esteemed almost miraculous.
D'Alembert, in his Encyclopedia Methodiquc,n
gives q description Of toy flute player in
vented by Jacques de vaucanson, and ex-
hibited in Paris in 1888. Maelzel, the in
ventOr OF the metronome, exhibited In
Vienna, in 1909, wonderful toy trumpeter; vau-
canson produced diminutive duck which not only
ate and drank, but digested. Bienlat, in 1746
constructed a set OF toy soldiers who enacted the
"Bombardment OF Antwerp and the assault on
Bergen-op-Zoom - and in 1850, jeweler at Bou-
lOgne gave to the world marvellous toy necro-
mancer, who performed remarkable feats OF pres
tidigtation, and marionette flute player which
discoursed very deectable music. But these ex-
ceptionable instances OF the toy-maker's SUBJ
creative genius, these graceful Frankensteins OF
the tantoccini world rather reveal to us the capa
bities Of the art than become repTeseR ative It,
They were evoked for the delight OF princes or for
particular occasions. 10 understand what modern
toys are, direct inspection Of the stores alone Is
necessary. In the category
the dignity and respectabity OF science underlie
30 many OF the neat and beautiful little playthings
on view. The range OF prices Is from SO cents TO
$500, 80 tnat the hint that every taste can be
suited acquires IN this instance particular iOrce.
The greatest novelty Is the new patent game en-
titled ''kri kak,n whose etymology we leave TO tie
OneOurth the size Of an ordinary billiard table, OF
which u y modiicaton, M and Lea can be Joined n BY
means OF d lever knob at one end Of the board,
and roll OBVIOUSLY through forest OF small pins
what the cigarette is to the cigar, or what the ice
known as Roman punch Is to punches Of more
liquid character Anothef tn edoy m1eey ~ 'Ie lewe,
on frame and reveals its ever. changing
contents like 1QWer Of flame opening and
Then there are complete sets OF Punch and
Judy figures, elegantly carved and handsomely
dressed new Oriental G puzzle; our OLD imend
the chameleon top, just imported; the prismatic
se 99oy !op very eeaaslia nsn G the he Egsp
@ ar e neM DnSSe Gowe caSa q
blowing bubble within bubble, like a dream
within dream; the anamorphoses or enchanted
crystal; the anorthoscope. or magic DISC which Is
extremely amusing. and some very elegant model
the very beautiful and interesting little toys which
arm and one Of the most accomplished prestidigi.
tateurs in this country, has on hand. The magic
burning globe, the gold FISH and water trick, the
aerial treasury the magic pistol, the mex
haustible bottle. the Davenport cabinet, the
disappearing and reappearing glass OF water,
card, the mysterious glass and the coin,
tho changing plate. the bottle and colors
the magic laundress bottle, the plume
and enchanted case, are all extremely
clever and moderate in price. The toy called the
wonderful negro ls new; the negro's head Is
capitatcd. Among other fresh inventions are the
drums for the hat; the ball, ring and rod; ine en-
Chantcd aviary, the fairy star the vase anu carus,
the electric bell, the growth OF flowers, the bcll,
clock and stand; and a new conjuring table.
worked by electricity. We trust II is not ASIDE rom
the purpose to mention lhat MIR. George Hartz Ia
perlecting an Illusion over which he has been
1aboring for months and which is intended for
public display. All that we can say with certainty
rs that IL is conceived on scientific principles, and
that the grace, beauty and finish OF the toys and
tricks TO which ausion has already been maze,
furnish reason IQr anficinaiinr ihni his