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eyes of intellect are detained or darkened。
Rational perception； with all its phases of humour； are best
expressed by a child； who has few second thoughts to divide the
image of his momentary feeling。 His simplicity adds much to the
manifestation of his intelligence。 The child is the last and lowest
of rational creatures； for in him the 〃rational soul〃 closes its
long downward flight with the bright final revelation。
He has also the chief beauty of the irrational soul of the mind；
that is； of the lower animalwhich is singleness。 The simplicity；
the integrity； the one thing at a time； of a good animal's eyes is a
great beauty； and is apt to cause us to exaggerate our sense of
their expressiveness。 An animal's eyes； at their best； are very
slightly expressive； languor or alertness； the quick expectation；
even the aloofness of doubt they are able to show； but the showing
is mechanical； the human sentiment of the spectator adds the rest。
All this simplicity the child has； at moments； with the divisions
and delicacies of the rational soul； also。 His looks express the
first； the last； and the clearest humanity。 He is the first by his
youth and the last by his lowliness。 He is the beginning and the
result of the creation of man。
UNDER THE EARLY STARS
Play is not for every hour of the day； or for any hour taken at
random。 There is a tide in the affairs of children。 Civilization
is cruel in sending them to bed at the most stimulating time of
dusk。 Summer dusk； especially； is the frolic moment for children；
baffle them how you may。 They may have been in a pottering mood all
day； intent upon all kinds of close industries； breathing hard over
choppings and poundings。 But when late twilight comes； there comes
also the punctual wildness。 The children will run and pursue； and
laugh for the mere movementit does so jog their spirits。
What remembrances does this imply of the hunt； what of the predatory
dark？ The kitten grows alert at the same hour； and hunts for moths
and crickets in the grass。 It comes like an imp； leaping on all
fours。 The children lie in ambush and fall upon one another in the
mimicry of hunting。
The sudden outbreak of action is complained of as a defiance and a
rebellion。 Their entertainers are tired； and the children are to go
home。 But； with more or less of life and fire； they strike some
blow for liberty。 It may be the impotent revolt of the ineffectual
child； or the stroke of the conqueror； but something； something is
done for freedom under the early stars。
This is not the only time when the energy of children is in conflict
with the weariness of men。 But it is less tolerable that the energy
of men should be at odds with the weariness of children； which
happens at some time of their jaunts together； especially； alas！ in
the jaunts of the poor。
Of games for the summer dusk when it rains； cards are most beloved
by children。 Three tiny girls were to be taught 〃old maid〃 to
beguile the time。 One of them； a nut…brown child of five； was
persuading another to play。 〃Oh come；〃 she said； 〃and play with me
at new maid。〃
The time of falling asleep is a child's immemorial and incalculable
hour。 It is full of traditions； and beset by antique habits。 The
habit of prehistoric races has been cited as the only explanation of
the fixity of some customs in mankind。 But if the enquirers who
appeal to that beginning remembered better their own infancy； they
would seek no further。 See the habits in falling to sleep which
have children in their thralldom。 Try to overcome them in any
child； and his own conviction of their high antiquity weakens your
hand。
Childhood is antiquity； and with the sense of time and the sense of
mystery is connected for ever the hearing of a lullaby。 The French
sleep…song is the most romantic。 There is in it such a sound of
history as must inspire any imaginative child； falling to sleep；
with a sense of the incalculable； and the songs themselves are old。
Le Bon Roi Dagobert has been sung over French cradles since the
legend was fresh。 The nurse knows nothing more sleepy than the tune
and the verse that she herself slept to when a child。 The gaiety of
the thirteenth century； in Le Pont a' Avignon； is put mysteriously
to sleep； away in the tete a tete of child and nurse； in a thousand
little sequestered rooms at night。 Malbrook would be comparatively
modern； were not all things that are sung to a drowsing child as
distant as the day of Abraham。
If English children are not rocked to many such aged lullabies； some
of them are put to sleep to strange cradle…songs。 The affectionate
races that are brought into subjection sing the primitive lullaby to
the white child。 Asiatic voices and African persuade him to sleep
in the tropical night。 His closing eyes are filled with alien
images。
THE MAN WITH TWO HEADS
It is generally understood in the family that the nurse who menaces
a child； whether with the supernatural or with simple sweeps； lions；
or tigersgoes。 The rule is a right one； for the appeal to fear
may possibly hurt a child； nevertheless； it oftener fails to hurt
him。 If he is prone to fears； he will be helpless under their
grasp； without the help of human tales。 The night will threaten
him； the shadow will pursue； the dream will catch him； terror itself
have him by the heart。 And terror； having made his pulses leap；
knows how to use any thought； any shape； any image； to account to
the child's mind for the flight and tempest of his blood。 〃The
child shall not be frightened；〃 decrees ineffectual love； but though
no man make him afraid； he is frightened。 Fear knows him well and
finds him alone。
Such a child is hardly at the mercy of any human rashness and
impatience； nor is the child whose pulses go steadily； and whose
brows are fresh and cool； at their mercy。 This is one of the points
upon which a healthy child resembles the Japanese。 Whatever that
extreme Oriental may be in war and diplomacy； whatever he may be at
London University； or whatever his plans of Empire； in relation to
the unseen world he is a child at play。 He hides himself； he hides
his eyes and pretends to believe that he is hiding； he runs from the
supernatural and laughs for the fun of running。
So did a child； threatened for his unruliness with the revelation of
the man with two heads。 The nurse must have had recourse to this
man under acute provocation。 The boy； who had profited well by
every one of his four long years； and was radiant with the light and
colour of health； refused to be left to compose himself to sleep。
That act is an adult act； learnt in the self…conscious and
deliberate years of later life； when man goes on a mental journey in
search of rest； aware of setting forth。 But the child is pursued
and overtaken by sleep； caught； surprised； and overcome。 He goes no
more to sleep； than he takes a 〃constitutional〃 with his hoop and
hoopstick。 The child amuses himself up to the last of his waking
moments。 Happily； in the search for amusement； he is apt to learn
some habit or to cherish some toy； either of which may betray him
and deliver him up to sleep； the enemy。 What wonder； then； if a
child who knows that everyone in the world desires his peace and
pleasure； should clamour for companionship in the first reluctant
minutes of bed？ This child； being happy； did not weep for what he
wanted； he shouted for it in the rousing tones of his strength。
After many evenings of this he was told that this was precisely the
vociferous kind of wakefulness that might cause the man with two
heads to show himself。
Unable to explain that no child ever goes to sleep； but that sleep；
on the contrary； 〃goes〃 for a child； the little boy yet accepted the
penalty； believed in the man； and kept quiet for a time。
There was indignation in the mother's heart when the child
instructed her as to what might be looked for at his bedside； she
used all her emphasis in assuring him that no man with two heads
would ever trouble those innocent eyes； for there was no such
portent anywhere on earth。 There is no such heart…oppressing task
as the making of these assurances to a child； for whom who knows
what portents are actually in wait！ She found him； however；
cowering with laughter； not with dread； lest the man with two heads
should see or overhear。 The man with two heads had become his play；
and so was perhaps bringing about his sleep by gentler means than
the nurse had intended。 The man was employing the vacant minutes of
the little creature's flight from sleep； called 〃going to sleep〃 in
the inexact language of the old。
Nor would the boy give up his faith with its tremor and private
laughter。 Because a child has a place for everything； this boy had
placed the monstrous man in the ceiling； in a corner of the room
that might be kept out of sight by the bed curtain。 If that corner
were left uncovered； the fear would grow stronger than the fun； 〃the
man would see me；〃 said the little boy。 But let the curtain be in
position； and the child lay alone； hugging the dear belief that the
monster was near。
He was earnest in controversy with his m