The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-01-15
Infant PrecOcity.


unfortunate nurses and governesses, but
also their parents, with rod OF iron. a. IL
were; but nowhere else are children al
lowed To assert such claims upon public
attention as In the United States OF Ameri-
ca; nowhere are parents so anxious 10
have their little ones recognized as menu
bcrs OF community-membcrs having all
the rights of elder people and the eNcep-
tional ones of childhood besides. a
European mother may be quite as much.
perhaps more. absorbed In her offspring
than an American matron, but the former
seldom seeks TO impress upon strangers
a belief that her devotion is called forth by
such unusual qualities in the child as de-
mand Difference from every body. lis
charm to her is simply that it is her own !;
and though she will like YOU all the better
II you show admiration for and pleasure
i'm her darling, she does not claim
for ii rs much attention and the
same in degree as You would
bcstow on some important parsonage.
In short. though everywhere you shall
find persons-all whose geese are swans
nowhere are precocious children, infant
prodigies, 20 much in vogue $50 To put III
rs among us Americans. OF adults-mcn
and women of genius. or say OF superior
partS-America can show a fair proper
ton and hold her own--not more but in
the matter of juvenile smartness she over
tops creation. Nor is this assertion 10 be
taken as either iocular or hyperbolical /; il
is strictly true that there are many more
brilliant children here than in the old
world; but what of that, since they DO not
fulfill their early promise? Without refer
ence TO the dislike of foreigners for the
pert smartness of young America, there
is another sense i'm which il is high
time to consider this matter. Let any
one so disposed count up the number
of little ones within range Of observation
or recollection, whose fond friends
had counted OH them "a coming
lights. but who are either prematurely
dead or their wondcrous light has paled
into obscurity "a they come TO stand In
the full morning of active life-even as
the stars grows dim and fade away in day
light.
We Just now assume 20 be fond of sci
ence. talk wisely concerning nature :
laws. especially such a are at conyen-
lent distance and don't infringe upon our
selves but we light shy of many phy-i-
illogical truth Of nature. among which j.
that embodied in the old aphorism. "SOon
ripe. soon rotten" Far be il from me TO
growl at the little ones. the bright
little ones. | have no cynical dislike
of them--I even sympathze in par
ent's pride; but in the interest Of
these infants. ! say 10 parental pride.
and fain would say it forcibiy. Forbear.'
you are running. destroying, the object on
which you build such high hopes" HUI
manity is not legitimate subject for hot
house forcing; il arrives NJ its best strength
and most desirable development only in
it, natural element. and by natural stages
OF rather slow growth.
Ii much more frequently happens that
a somewhat dull child. or one that has
shown merely kind of quiet common
sense, comes by and by 10 the front on
the great stage of human affairs. than
Otherwise. The vivaciOus. sparkling. me-
teoric style OF infancy seems usually 10
burn itself out; and its ashes till either
an cary grave. the dropping form OF an
Invalid, or that OF some ully-flashlng,
but on the whole incompetent. sample of
mediocrity. There are exceptions 10 all
rules. but this is the rule with regard 10
the growth of intellect, not 10 say genius.
and both these are more likely 10 be de-
veloped BY the exigencies and hard knocks
OF actual life. as nature prepares the way.
than by The pampering and forcing oi
early stimulation. Just observe little
one whose parents glory i'm its precoc-
ity. how the lights and shade ot color and
expression chase each other over the
mobile features; how he eyes glow and
the nervous system of the excitable. min
iature candidate for public applause is
upon the strain when or wherever il feels
itself to be ON exhibition. Almost super
human must such a child be il its self.
consciousness do not soon make il an
object of censure. if not of dislike, 10
everybody except it, doting friends, some
who would win favor with these. or per-
chance passing stranger attracted for a
moment. But this Is not the worst OF
II, that eagerness for notice. for admira-
ton, Is fever hurrying on the life-cur-
rents with an unwholesOme. an ex-
hausting impulse. In past times people
used TO push and ply their promising in
fants with book-lore: this j. not now the
fashion. il is not school-bOoks nor school
masNr> that nowadays sap the life of little
Dombeys lit il excitement. not work. that.
especially among US. does the mischief.
Parents Of America. for the true love
which you bear your children, a love
which lies deeper than your foolish pride
in them. cease To exhibit them cease to
excite them to premature action. Don't
send TO the papers the productions of
your thrce-year-olds-no. nor If your ten
ycar-olds. Don't be anxious. even though
they may be musical prodigics, and their
efforts might perhaps be of pecunary
value TO you. TO bring them upon the
boards and before the footlights. lest your
souls De narrowed as was that Of the
father of the poor little martyr who. but
few months since, cried with his expir.
ing breath, " Merciful God. make room
for "A little fellow in heayenr
But. YOU will say. these prccocious chill
drcn exist. and what is to be done about
il? Done about ity All. there j. just the
rub; and the very best thing that can be
done in this case is to do nothing, posi-
lively nothing but leave the little crea-
lures TO exist and 10 grow physically in
the quietest manner possible. Ii has
been well said that It is not work. but
worry, that kills; this is true of adults,
and Ii Is equally true that not action.
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