4 o8 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



throw much light on the sequence and period of development of the 

 several faculties. This knowledge would probably give a foundation 

 for some improvement in our education of young children, and would 

 show us whether the system ought to be followed in all cases. 



I will venture to specify a few points of inquiry which, as it seems 

 to me, possess some scientific interest. For instance, does the educa- 

 tion of the parents influence the mental powers of their children at 

 any age, either at a very early or somewhat more advanced stage? 

 This could perhaps be learned by schoolmasters and mistresses if a 

 large number of children were first classed according to age and their 

 mental attainments, and afterwards in accordance with the education 

 of their parents, as far as this could be discovered. As observation 

 is one of the earliest faculties developed in young children, and as this 

 power would probably be exercised in an equal degree by the children 

 of educated and uneducated persons, it seems not impossible that any 

 transmitted effect from education could be displayed only at a some- 

 what advanced age. It would be desirable to test statistically, in a 

 similar manner, the truth of the oft-repeated statement that coloured 

 children at first learn as quickly as white children, but that they after- 

 wards fall off in progress. If it could be proved that education acts 

 not only on the individual, but, by transmission, on the race, this 

 would be a great encouragement to all working on this all-important 

 subject. It is well known that children sometimes exhibit, at a very 

 early age, strong special tastes, for which no cause can be assigned, 

 although occasionally they may be accounted for by reversion to the 

 taste or occupation of some progenitor; and it would be interesting to 

 learn how far such early tastes are persistent and influence the future 

 career of the individual. In some instances such tastes die away with- 

 out apparently leaving any after effect, but it would be desirable to 

 know how far this is commonly the case, as we should then know 

 whether it were important to direct as far as this is possible the early 

 tastes of our children. It may be more beneficial that a child should 

 follow energetically some pursuit, of however trifling a nature, and 

 thus acquire perseverance, than that he should be turned from it 

 because of no future advantage to him. I will mention one other small 

 point of inquiry in relation to very young children, which may possibly 

 prove important with respect to the origin of language; but it could 

 be investigated only by persons possessing an accurate musical ear. 

 Children, even before they can articulate, express some of their feel- 

 ings and desires by noises uttered in different notes. For instance, 

 they make an interrogative noise, and others of assent and dissent, in 

 different tones; and it would, I think, be worth while to ascertain 

 whether there is any uniformity in different children in the jaitch of 

 their voices under various frames of mind. 



