The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-08-03
THE BA1BLE or ISs.5NTy FULL OF
Esff4 saaz5s5 A. HNSL. 2 etszs

f~stsFs AoAsN AyA~s
Dean MADAM: In response to your
wish, I have much pleasure in express
ing the interest Which Ifeel in your pro-
posed investigation on the mental and
bodily development Of infants. Very
little is at present accurately known on
this subject, and I believe that isolated
observation will add but little to our
knowledge; whereas tabulated results
from very large number Of observa-
tions, systematically made, weuld prob
ably throw much light ON the sequence
and period of development of The several
faculties.
This knowledge would probably give
foundation for some improvement in
our education of young children, and
would show us whether the same system
ought to be followed in all cases.
l will venture to specify a few points
OF inquiry which, as itssrems to me, pos
-sess some scientific d serest. For in-
stance, does the education of the parents
influence the mental powers OF their
children at any age, either at very
early or somewhat more-advanced stage?
This could, perhaps, be learned by
schoolmasters or mistresses, if large
number of children were first classed
according to age and their mental attain
ments, and afterward in accordance with
the education Of their parents, as far as
this could be discovered.
AS observation is one Of the earliest
faculties developed in young children,
andas this power would probably be ex-
ercised in an equal degree by the chill
dren ofeducated and uneducated persons,
it seems xot impossible that any trans
mitted effect from education could be
displayed only at a somewhat advanced
age. It would be desirable to test sta
tistically IN similar manner the truth
Of the often-repeated statement that
colored children at first learn as quickly
as white children, but that they after
ward fall off in progress. If it could be
proved that education acts not only on
the individual, but by transmission on
the race, this would be great encour-
agement to all working on this all-im-
portant subject .....r... e..
It is we'll known that children some-
times exhibit at very early age strong
special tastes, for which no cause can
be assigned, although occasionally they
may be accounted for by reyersion to
the taste or occupation Of some progen-
itor; and it would be interesting to
learn how far such early tastes are per-
sistent and influence the future career
of the individual. In some instances
such tastes die away without apparently
leaving any after effect but it would be
desirable to know how far this is COM
monty the case, as we should then know
whether it were important to direct, as
far as this is possible, the early tastes of
our children. 1t may be more beneficial
that child should follow energetically
some pursuit, of however triAing O ma
tire, and thus acquire perseverance,
than that he should bo turned from
it, because of no future advantage
to him. I will mention one other small
point of inquiry in relation to very young
children, which may possibly prove i'm
portant with respect to the origin of
language; but it could be investigated
only by persons possessing an accurate
musical ear. Children, even before
they can articulate, express some Of
their feelings and desires by noises in
different notes. For instance, they
make an interrogative noise, and others of
assent and dissent in different tones; and
it would, think, be worth while to as
certain whether there is any uniformity
in different children III the pitch of their
voices under various frames of mind.
s.. -.t.. CHARLES DARWIN. o
KENT, July 10, 1881 ....-.
Letter from Charles DarWi1a of En-