the children(孩子们)-第13章
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his effect upon the world； not much of the effect of the world upon him。
Yet he is compelled to endure the reflex results； at least； of all that pleases；
distresses； or oppresses the world。 That he should be obliged to suffer the
moods of men is a more important thing than that men should be amused
by his moods。 If he is saddened； that is certainly much more than that his
elders should be gladdened。 It is doubtless hardly possible that children
should go altogether free of human affairs。 They might； in mere justice；
be spared the burden they bear ignorantly and simply when it is laid upon
them； of such events and ill fortunes as may trouble our peace； but they
cannot easily be spared the hearing of a disturbed voice or the sight of an
altered face。 Alas！ they are made to feel money… matters； and even this is
not the worst。 There are unconfessed worldliness； piques； and rivalries；
of which they do not know the names； but which change the faces where
they look for smiles。 To such alterations children are sensitive even
when they seem least accessible to the commands； the warnings； the
threats； or the counsels of elders。 Of all these they may be gaily
independent； and yet may droop when their defied tyrants are dejected。
For though the natural spirit of children is happy； the happiness is a
mere impulse and is easily disconcerted。 They are gay without knowing
any very sufficient reason for being so； and when sadness is； as it were；
proposed to them； things fall away from under their feet； they are helpless
and find no stay。 For this reason the merriest of all children are those；
much pitied； who are brought up neither in a family nor in a public home
by paid guardians； but in a place of charity； rightly named； where impartial；
unalterable； and impersonal devotion has them in hand。 They endure an
immeasurable loss； and are orphans； but they gain in perpetual gaiety； they
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THE CHILDREN
live in an unchanging temperature。 The separate nest is nature's； and the
best； but it might be wished that the separate nest were less subject to
moods。 The nurse has her private business； and when it does not prosper；
and when the remote affairs of the governess go wrong； the child receives
the ultimate vibration of the mishap。
The uniformity of infancy passes away long before the age when
children have this indefinite suffering inflicted upon them； and they have
become infinitely various； and feel the consequences of the cares of their
elders in unnumbered degrees。 The most charming children feel them the
most sensibly； and not with resentment but with sympathy。 It is assuredly
in the absence of resentment that consists the virtue of childhood。 What
other thing are we to learn of them？ Not simplicity； for they are intricate
enough。 Not gratitude； for their usual sincere thanklessness makes half
the pleasure of doing them good。 Not obedience； for the child is born
with the love of liberty。 And as for humility； the boast of a child is the
frankest thing in the world。 A child's natural vanity is not merely the
delight in his own possessions； but the triumph over others less fortunate。
If this emotion were not so young it would be exceedingly unamiable。
But the truth must be confessed that having very quickly learnt the value
of comparison and relation； a child rejoices in the perception that what he
has is better than what his brother has； this comparison is a means of
judging his fortune； after all。 It is true that if his brother showed distress；
he might make haste to offer an exchange。 But the impulse of joy is
candidly egotistic。
It is the sweet and entire forgiveness of children； who ask pity for their
sorrows from those who have caused them； who do not perceive that they
are wronged； who never dream that they are forgiving； and who make no
bargain for apologiesit is this that men and women are urged to learn of a
child。 Graces more confessedly childlike they make shift to teach
themselves。
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THE CHILDREN
FAIR AND BROWN
George Eliot； in one of her novels； has a good…natured mother； who
confesses that when she administers justice she is obliged to spare the
offenders who have fair hair； because they look so much more innocent
than the rest。 And if this is the state of maternal feelings where all are
more or less fair； what must be the miscarriage of justice in countries
where a BLOND angel makes his infrequent visit within the family circle？
In England he is the rule； and supreme as a matter of course。 He is
〃English；〃 and best； as is the early asparagus and the young potato；
according to the happy conviction of the shops。 To say 〃child〃 in
England is to say 〃fair…haired child；〃 even as in Tuscany to say 〃young
man〃 is to say 〃tenor。〃 〃I have a little party to…night； eight or ten tenors；
from neighbouring palazzi； to meet my English friends。〃
But France is a greater enthusiast than our now country。 The fairness
and the golden hair are here so much a matter of orthodoxy； that they are
not always mentioned； they are frequently taken for granted。 Not so in
France； the French go out of their way to make the exceptional fairness of
their children the rule of their literature。 No French child dare show his
face in a bookprose or poetrywithout blue eyes and fair hair。 It is a
thing about which the French child of real life can hardly escape a certain
sensitiveness。 What； he may ask； is the use of being a dark…haired child
of fact； when all the emotion； all the innocence； all the romance； are
absorbed by the flaxen…haired child of fiction？ How deplorable that our
mothers； the French infants may say； should have their unattained ideals in
the nurseries of the imagination； how dismal that they should be
perpetually disillusioned in the nurseries of fact！ Is there then no
sentiment for us？ they may ask。 Will not convention； which has been
forced to restore the advantage to truth on so many other points； be
compelled to yield on this point also； and reconcile our aunts to the family
colouring？
All the schools of literature are in a tale。 The classic masters；
needless to say； do not stoop to the colouring of boys and girls； but as soon
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as the Romantiques arise； the cradle is there； and no soft hair ever in it that
is not of some tone of gold； no eyes that are not blue； and no cheek that is
not white and pink as milk and roses。 Victor Hugo； who discovered the
child of modern poetry； never omits the touch of description； the word
BLOND is as inevitable as any epithet marshalled to attend its noun in a
last… century poet's dictionary。 One would not have
