The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-15
MOTHER GOOSE.

The controversy still seems to go on
regarding the date and nationality of
the author known to many past genera
tions of children as Mother Goose. Let
it go! At whatever conclusion these
higher critics may arrive, it matters not
at all to Mother Gooses readers.
Whether she was a Boston grandma
whether she figured centuries ago in
France as Mere L'Oge. whether she was
a non-existent authority, like Sairey
Camps friend Mrs. Harris. and the
poems attributed to her are only col
lection of old-tim English nursery
rhymes, Mother Goose is here to stay
and all the kings horses and all the
kings men might try in vain to drag
they set about hurrying off Santa Claus
himself into permanent exile.
The good lady's roisom d'etre is given
on the cover of one of the older editions
of her poems:
ga little nonsense now and then,
Is relished by the wisest men,"
And if by wise men, how much more by
unwise children! The writer once knew
a practical couple, devoted to facts and
abjuring fancies, who were for bringing
up their bright little tots after aseverely
practical fashion.
The nursery was supplied with volumes
of positively true stories, and there we're
biographies made easy, and histories
made easy, and everything else that un-
modified practically might suggest as
the proper method of teaching young
ideas how to shoot. To those well.cared-
for children might be applied the quota
ton: eff the greedy little Gradgrinds
grasped for something else, what was it,
for good gracious sake, the greedy little
Gradgrinds grasped for?"
But they did yearn for some thing else,
and when serpent entered this utilitar-
ian Eden in the shape of visitor, col
lege professor, specialized and slightly
bald, who through a waste of interven
ing years had not forgotten single one
of Mother Goose's poems impressed on
his memory in childhood, it soon became
evident that this fobidden fruit was non
sense. 1t was with great satisfaction, at
first that the parents saw sudden friend
ship spring up between their little chill
dren and their learned guest, and they
fondly hoped they might imbibe as much
instruction from his discourse as did
Sanford and Merton from that of Mr..
Day. But, alas for the vanity of human
wishes! When Professor X. should
have been informing the little folks who
had climbed upon his knees, as he sat on
the piazza on those vacation evenings,
just how far away the moon is, and what
is its temperature. he would be pouring
into eager ears such nonsense as
''The man in the moon
Came down too soon
To inquire the way to Norwich -
And yet, after all, the children we're
none the worse for the professors visit.
and perhaps the parents were somewhat
the wiser for it. Nonsense may not be
exactly one of the necessaries of nursery
life, nine out of ten of us recognize it as
a luxury that it is very hard to go with
out. Few hearts there are that do not
respond to the wall of the poetess:
81 felt mother want about the world,
And still went seeking like a bleating
lamb
Left out at night at shutting of the fold,
Women know
The way to rear up children Ito be JUST
They know simple, merry, tender knack
OF tying sashes fitting baby shoes,
And stringing pretty words that make no
sense"
Some humorist tells us that "the
schoolma'am is the stepmother of every.
body's children" Good old nonsensical
Mother Goose is more than this: she ie
a second nursing mother in every house.
hold from which she has not been over.
wisely barred out. and her popularity is
likely to continue until, by some mirac-
ulous happening, old heads shall be
found upon young houlders.-C Christian
Work.