The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-26

ward and punish. At the same time II is un-
deniable that there are children who. OF them-
selves, apart from any outside influence,
good or bad. aud apart. also. apparently.
from any inherited tendencies. are easily
frightened. Just as there are others who are
hard TO brighten. This phenomenon is ex-
planned upon the ground that timidity depends
on temperament; and temperament. through
the excitability OF the nerves OF sense and the
capacity Of the central nervous organs, deter
mines substantially whether the Impressions
received by the organs OF sense shall persist
| for long or n short time, and with Intensity
or with less tenacity.
For the purpose Of calculating such varieties
OF aptitude and OF organic memory. DR..
Preyer accepts the four-fold classification
OF temperaments made nearly two thou
sand years ago the different tempera-
ments being classed rs the sangulne. the
cholerc. the melancholy. and the phlegm attic.
| The existence OF one or the other OF these
| temperaments may he dscerned. he snys very
| early In the great majority OF children-in the
second quarter OF the first year. beyond doubt
Nevertheless,e external circumstances may have
much more efGet in childhood than at a later
period In causing the amagamation. 80 to
speak, Of one OF those tenn eraments with an.
other. the result being thst tho one may, to a
greater or less degree, make good what Is
lacking In the other. For this reason the ulti-
mate character Of the mature man can never
be predicted from the behavior OF the child in
the first three yenrs. DIR. Preyer does not deny
that just as the twle Is bent the tree inclines.
but what the book before us is concerne ed with
is the period before the bending. He con-
slders 1t Of practical Importance to know that
the four temperaments which have for long
time Been accepted. without any ones being
able to say why. may be distinguished in
advance quite naturally on physiological
grounds In two OF these temperaments the
excitabillty. and therefore the sensitlveness
to Impressions OF various kinds. is great: in
two Of them 1t is small. Tho first ia the case
with the choleric and the sanguine: the second
with the melancholy and tho rhlegmatic,
Again. the duration Of the after effect OF every
impression. the tenacity with which the
memory Image IL retained. Is in the mel
ancholy and the choleric surprising. the or
ganic change in the brain accom- panyng It
being probably considerable: In the other
two. the sanguine and the phlegmntic. the
after effect Is slight. 1t Is DIR. Preyers convic-
ton that the grounds OF this classification
should be carefully borne in mind in our judg-
ment OF the child no less than in our Judgment
OF the growing youth. in connection with edu-
cation particularly In the forming OF charac-
ter. and 10 instruction. both physical and in
teUectuaL 1t is not indeed. maintained by
III. iTeJoT tHaJ InlB clhSslUchtlOn OIL tempefa-
ments is universally accepted as an estab-
lished physiological truth. Considering the
numerous transitions from one temperament
to another. the connection between them all.
and the difficulty experienced. In spite OF the
perfection attained by the art Of physo-
logical experimentation In maintaining
distinctions in quantity and degree. tho
classification OF temperaments cannot yet
be demonstrated physiologicaly in its
details. IL Dr. Preyer adopts 1t. it is because
he has arrived at it through prolonged obser-
walton OF men in the world. and of little chill
dren In the nursery. lie deems It, at all events.
OF value asa working hypothesis in directing
the earliest training OF the child. 1t is sub
mitted. for instance. that an uncommony
lively child that turns its head at every noise,
moves its eyes restlessly. directs it's attention
now hither. now thither, cries a good deal. and |
when 1t learns to walk does not stay in one |
place more than a few moments-a child. that |
is, OF decidedly sanGuine temperament-ouCh |
to he guarded carefully against unnecessary |
stimulation. 1t should he accustomed to |
moderate light and to stiffness. and. from |
the beginning. should not be noticed by |
members OF its family and by other children |
as much as it's opposite. the child that is slow,
that takes little or no notice OF its surround
inGs. but sleeps much and uninterrupted for
a long tmo-that is to say. the phleg m attic
child. What would. In the case OF the former
OF these children. lead to an aggravation OF its
m obility. to commissions and other disturb
ances Of development is just the thing needed
in the case Of the latter. VIZ. frequent change
in its PLAYS. stimulation ty means OF light and
sound. much cold air and cold water. in order
that It's natural heaviness may be to some ex-
tent combated.
Take next the case OF the choleric child. It
IL pronounced highly i'm 20 rtant for the mother
to know that a boy who. when very young.
without sufficient cause goes into violent flts
OF passion. In which he strikes out with arms
and legs. or stretches himself out rigid and
inflexiblc. and frightens his mother
by a congestion that announces itself with an
alarming flush OF the skin Of the whole scalp.
ought never to be treated with violence or
blows Such child, in tho moment OF ex-
treme rage. should DO left alone. and be oh
served without his knowledge from neigh
boring room. When child. In such a state Of
excitement, gives notice OF the coming on OF
one OF his spells" by shutting his eyes. firmly
squAring" his mouth. and uttering most
screams. the best thing Is
TO leave him at once to himself upon
a blanket on the floor OF the room. Often he
will become quiet In n surprisingly short time
In the absence OF other persons, whereas all
Intended attempts at consolation are likely To
chH Iorln a Iresh outbreak OF passion. A Hnal |
warning on this subject is that sometimes
children by no means disposed TO such abnor-
NAL feats are transformed for the worst by in
faults on the part OF members OF
heir family or OF nurses. For example a child
luietly sleeping Is walked in order TO no fed
DR. Is allowed to cry unlnterruDtedly in tina
night. without being once looked after TO find
out what 10 the matter: or II Is swathed too
light Not only Is the physical development dis
.urbed by such preposteTous treatment but the
character also. which uniolds itself very early.
Is spoiled. Especially is the waking OF young
children denounced by DIR. Preyer as extra
harmful Children wake. after
proper rest on account OF hunger, and almost
Always give notice OF tho fact by their voice.
10 matter what temperance they are OF.
We cannot follow the author OF this treatise
through his account of the awakening OF per-
'eptions and ideas. Of the WILL and OF the
'ower OF speech. We have confined ourselves
% the sensory and temperamentalp phenomena
n the first stage Of infancy. because these are
eldom intelligently observed by mothers, not
ri hat hi mi AL 10 h. |