Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-04-20
MIND IN CHILDHOOD.
A MYSTERY WHICH IS BEYOND
 ORDINARY PHILOSOPHY.


 ORDINARY PHILOSOPHY.
 Leading Childish Characteristics-sepsi-
 tivenes. to Impressions-A Period of
 Great Mental Activity = Father and
 Mother-Astonishing Questions.
 Tho late Bronson Alcott had many un- wholesome ideas that made him offensiyely eccentric. but his reverence for children did a great deal to redeem hls character in shaping the character of his daughter, to whom he imparted it. Her best work-and her best is probably the best of it's kinds the result of reverent study of child charac- ter. The subject demands reverence, for it is a true saying of the Romans that the greatest reverence is the due of children The mind in childhood is a riddle-a mystery beyond all our philosophy. We can no more tell when or where it begins than when or where it will end. The new born, sentient being stares with wide open eyes on an un- known world. It is all utter stranger, in a strange country, among multitude of strange things and strange people, It is scarcely doubtful that it begins to learn; that its education begins; that the mind in it begins to develop when the first ray of light strikes its newly opened eyes. The develop ment then is rapid. Every object around it; every word spoken; every gesture becomes a part of it's education. The very tones of the voice, high or low, gentle or harsh, make impressions on the childish mind that are never to be effaced.
 Of all the childish characteristics the most impressive is wonder-wonder at everything; at the trees and flowers, at the clouds the sun, the moon and the stars; and at the liv- ing creatures under them. Children, sup posed to be too young to reason, will spend hours in wondering at the enigmas of nature; in forming theories and attempting to ac- count for things They ask innumerable questions, or rather they will, if they are en- couraged by right answers. A light answer will not satisfy child, but it may and it nearly always does discourage further ques- tions Young children cannot understand flippancy; they have no idea of humor or of double meaning Everything is truth for them until they have learned that lies exist, and even then they are very slow in learning that what seems to be untrue may be all the truth we have on any subject. If any ques- tion they may ask on a subject which is of the deepest significance to them is treated as a commonplace and answered lightly or flip panty, they drew back as from a blow.
 The mind in childhood is sensitive to all impressions peculiarly sensitive to lack of application or to ridicule. It demands sym pathy as we'll as knowledge. There is no commonplace for it. Its world is new, strange and awe inspiring, full of wonders Everything is sublime to it. The religious sense of awe and wonder is keen and active. A child will wonder why the sun rises, why the trees put on their leaves in spring, why the birds build nests, wAy night comes after day. It does not discriminate between sub jects where all seem of equal importance Its mind is growing as the mind of the race grew. Its mental infancy has many points of resemblance to the mental infancy of the race It is deeply religious, full of the faith that is the complement of wonder. This faith, this awe, are part of it's reason, and during its waking hours its reason is inces- sanity active. It is constantly called into play by the new impressions it constantly receives, and so it nearly always happens that child is given its final direction in ife during it's period of greatest mental activity before it is 8 years old.
 Fathers generally know almost nothing of their children because of lack of sympathy with them. The masculine mind in the full grown man is nearly always commonplace It cannot reach the level of the mind of childhood, to which there are no common places. The mothers mind is nearest to that of the child, and on the mother it's education most depends. She succeeds in the measure of her sympathy with it. If she shares it's wondering awe of the many mysteries of the world, and feels the sublime as inherently and unconsciously as the child does; if the world and life have not ceased to be awful to her, she succeeds in the largest measure. If she has reduced everything to common place she will drive the reason of childhood into commonplaceness, from which there will be no after escape for it. The astonishing questions which children ask questions which not infrequently go right to the bottom of the whole mystery of things-are not mere accidents. They are the result of the keen insight of the reason of childhood that goes straight for the truth. They may have cost hours, days, weeks of pondering and thought. It is mistake to answer them lightly; it is a crime to answer them fippantly; for the keenness of the childish reason is easily blunted, its capacity for truth easily lost.
 To retain the mind of childhood through life is happiness that falls to few-the few great genuises. In one way or another the childish reason is lost; the childish faculty of faith, of awe, of appreciation of truth, is blunted in most who live beyond 12 years. We even lose the memory of what we were and so despise the reason of childhood. Women retain it most frequently, and they can, therefore, better understand and sym. pathize with their children.-St. Louis Re publican.
 Napoleon at St. Helena.
 The Listener, years ago, knew 8 sea cap tain, one of that fine type of knights of the sea that has become extinct along with the American carrying trade, who had seer Napoleon at St. Helena. The old captain he was then a young captain-had made in effectual attempts during prolonged stay at the island to see the captive, but in vain The English authorities, who with very goot reason suspected Americans of being and will ing, if not prepared, to spirit Napoleon away l ,.ocol,,folxr doniod tha cantain anv 0Yr0r.