The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-05

The following is an extract from q
lecture on THE Influence of Children, "
delivered in Atlanta, Ga, March IS, by
Kew. DR.. G.. Fl. Roberts, of Pearisburg,
Va:
One OF the greatest contrasts between
the present age and the boosted civiliza-
lest days, is the place accorded to child
hood, None of the great classic writer's
OF the Roman republic or of the age OF
Pericles, in Greece, seem to have esti-
mated the relation of childhood to the
future of the world.
1t Is true that Cornelia, the noble
Roman matron, said Of her children, the
Graceful: These are my jewels," but
she was the exceptionally fond m ther.
In Sparta only sturdy boys were
esteemed of value, and they, because
they would make soldiers, while it was
allowable to put female infants, and the
weak and MANNED to death. This inhu-
man people had q cruel custom of an
nuallv securing their children at the
affairs OF their dieties, and som etimes
died from the barbarous torture.
But happily for the world, better
era has dawned upon it, and now the in
fuence OF childhood is recognized as
one of the strongest agencies to uplift
our race. The greatest men have shown
their greatness by the freshness of their
hearts, manifested by their love OF ohil-
dren.
When Michael Angelo was at the
zenith OF his fame. and popes and en-
perors were willing to pay fabulous
prices for his work, little boy met
him in the street with an old pencil and
piece OF dirty brown paper, and asked
him for picture.
He took the materials, went to the
side of the street, sat down on curb
stone and drew his little admirer a pic
ture. Wellington, the renowned hero
OF Waterloo, once met little boy who
was crying bitterly. He asked what
WAS the matter and the boy said: 1--WE
are going 10 move and 1 don't know
what will become OF my tame toad"
Wellington said: Never mind / will
take care OF your toad" and he kept his
word, and regularly the little boy re-.
ceived letter from the great soldier
stating that the toad was we'll.
Nothing on earth grows so fast as
children.
1t was but yesterday and that lad was
playing with tops, a buoyant boy. He
is man, and gone now. There is no
more childhood for him or for US. Lite
has claimed him. When beginning is
made it is like ravelling stocking;
stitch by stitch gives way till it Ia all
gone. The house has not child in 1t;
there is no more noise in the hall
boys rushing pell nell; it is very
orderly now. There are no skates,
sleds, balls or strings left scattered
about. Things are quiet enough now.
There is no delay for sleepy folks;
there is no longer any task, before
you lie down, OF looking after any
body, or tucking up the bed.clothes.
There are no disputes to settle, no
body to get of to school, no com
plants, no opportunities for impossi-
Bile things, no rips to mend, no fingers
to tie up, no faces to be washed or
collars to be arranged.
There was never such peace In the
house. 1t would sound like music to
have some feet CHATTER down the front
stairs. o, for some children's noiseI
What used to all us that we were hush
ing their loud laugh, checking their
noisy frolic, and reproving their slam
ming and banging the doors
W. WHO'LL OuI AOlB aUOSb WOulQ OILY
lend us an urchin or two, to make little
noise in these premises. God bless the
youngl they will have to live many q
day il they want me to throw a cloud
on their life by telling it Is hard, and
dark, and doleful. 1t is no such thing.
The nephew OF Lord Macauley, the
historian, thus speaks of his love for
children. He was beyond all compar-
ison, the best of playfellows, unrivalled
in the invention Of games, and never
wearied OF repeating them.
He had an inexhaustible repertory
| Of small dramas for the benefit of his
nieces, in which he sustained an end
less variety of parts with a skill that
was at any rate sufficient for his audi
ence. An old friend of the family
writes to my sister, Lady Holland: ~
veil remember that there was one
| never failing game Of building up den
with ne ~spapers behind the sofa, and
of enacting robbers and tigers you
skrieking with terror, but always fas-
| cinated, and begging him to begin
| again; and there was daily recurring
observation from him, that. after all,
children were the only true poets.
| "Macaulay was so devoid of egotism
and exacted SO little Difference and at
tention from those with whom he lived,
that the young people around him were
under an illusion which to this day 1t Is
| pleasant to recall. 1t was long, very
| long, before we guessed that the world