the children(孩子们)-第5章
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he was four years of age。 He seems even to have been a youth of eight
before Latin was seriously begun； but this fact he is evidently； in after
years； with a total lack of a sense of humour； rather ashamed of； and
hardly acknowledges。 It is difficult to imagine what childhood must have
been when nobody； looking on； saw any fun in it； when everything that
was proper to five years old was defect。 A strange good conceit of
themselves and of their own ages had those fathers。
They took their children seriously； without relief。 Evelyn has nothing
to say about his little ones that has a sign of a smile in it。 Twice are
children； not his own； mentioned in his diary。 Once he goes to the
wedding of a maid of five years olda curious thing； but not； evidently； an
occasion of sensibility。 Another time he stands by； in a French hospital；
while a youth of less than nine years of age undergoes a frightful surgical
operation 〃with extraordinary patience。〃 〃The use I made of it was to
give Almighty God hearty thanks that I had not been subject to this
deplorable infirmitie。〃 This is what he says。
See； moreover； how the fashion of hurrying childhood prevailed in
literature； and how it abolished little girls。 It may be that there were in
all ageseven thosecertain few boys who insisted upon being children；
whereas the girls were docile to the adult ideal。 Art； for example； had no
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little girls。 There was always Cupid； and there were the prosperous
urchin…angels of the painters； the one who is hauling up his little brother
by the hand in the 〃Last Communion of St。 Jerome〃 might be called
Tommy。 But there were no 〃little radiant girls。〃 Now and then an
〃Education of the Virgin〃 is the exception； and then it is always a matter of
sewing and reading。 As for the little girl saints； even when they were so
young that their hands； like those of St。 Agnes； slipped through their
fetters； they are always recorded as refusing importunate suitors； which
seems necessary to make them interesting to the mediaeval mind； but mars
them for ours。
So does the hurrying and ignoring of little…girl…childhood somewhat
hamper the delight with which readers of John Evelyn admire his most
admirable Mrs。 Godolphin。 She was Maid of Honour to the Queen in the
Court of Charles II。 She was； as he prettily says； an Arethusa 〃who
passed through all those turbulent waters without so much as the least
stain or tincture in her christall。〃 She held her state with men and maids
for her servants； guided herself by most exact rules； such as that of never
speaking to the King； gave an excellent example and instruction to the
other maids of honour； was 〃severely careful how she might give the least
countenance to that liberty which the gallants there did usually assume；〃
refused the addresses of the 〃greatest persons；〃 and was as famous for her
beauty as for her wit。 One would like to forget the age at which she did
these things。 When she began her service she was eleven。 When she
was making her rule never to speak to the King she was not thirteen。
Marriage was the business of daughters of fourteen and fifteen； and
heroines； therefore； were of those ages。 The poets turned April into May；
and seemed to think that they lent a grace to the year if they shortened and
abridged the spring of their many songs。 The particular year they sang of
was to be a particularly fine year； as who should say a fine child and
forward； with congruous syntax at two years old； and ellipses； figures； and
tropes。 Even as late as Keats a poet would not have patience with the
process of the seasons； but boasted of untimely flowers。 The 〃musk…
rose〃 is never in fact the child of mid…May； as he has it。
The young women of Addison are nearly fourteen years old。 His fear
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of losing the idea of the bloom of their youth makes him so tamper with
the bloom of their childhood。 The young heiress of seventeen in the
Spectator has looked upon herself as marriageable 〃for the last six years。〃
The famous letter describing the figure； the dance； the wit； the stockings of
the charming Mr。 Shapely is supposed to be written by a girl of thirteen；
〃willing to settle in the world as soon as she can。〃 She adds； 〃I have a
good portion which they cannot hinder me of。〃 This correspondent is
one of 〃the women who seldom ask advice before they have bought their
wedding clothes。〃 There was no sense of childhood in an age that could
think this an opportune pleasantry。
But impatience of the way and the wayfaring was to disappear from a
later centuryan age that has found all things to be on a journey； and all
things complete in their day because it is their day； and has its appointed
end。 It is the tardy conviction of this； rather than a sentiment ready made；
that has caused the childhood of children to seem； at last； something else
than a defect。
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OUT OF TOWN
To be on a villeggiatura with the children is to surprise them in ways
and words not always evident in the London house。 The narrow lodgings
cause you to hear and overhear。 Nothing is more curious to listen to than
a young child's dramatic voice。 The child； being a boy； assumes a deep；
strong； and ultra…masculine note； and a swagger in his walk； and gives
himself the name of the tallest of his father's friends。 The tone is not only
manly； it is a tone of affairs； and withal careless； it is intended to suggest
business； and also the possession of a top…hat and a pipe； and is known in
the family of the child as his 〃official voice。〃 One day it became more
official than ever； and really more masculine than life； and it alternated
with his own tones of three years old。 In these； he asked with humility；
〃Will you let me go to heaven if I'm naughty？ Will you？〃 Then he gave
the reply in the tone of affairs； the official voice at its very best： 〃No；
little boy； I won't！〃 It was evident that the infant was not assuming the
character of his father's tallest friend this time； but had taken a role more
exalted。 His little sister of a year older seemed thoroughly to enjoy the
humour of the situation。 〃Listen to him； mother。 He's trying to talk like
God。 He often does。〃
Bulls are made by a less imaginative child who likes to find some
reason for thingsa girl。 Out at the work of picking blackberries； she
explains； 〃Those rather good ones were all bad； mother； so I ate them。〃
Being afraid of dogs； this little girl of four years old has all ki
