272 EDUCATION. 



They are, without metaphor, the little children of Nature, the 

 nurslings of Providence, aspiring towards the light in order to act 

 and think ; stumbling now, they by Degrees shall advance much 

 further. 



" pauvre enfantelet ! du fil de tes pensees 

 L'echevelot n'est encore debrouille." 



Poor feeble child ! not yet of thy thought's thread 

 Is the entangled skein unravelled. 



Souls of children, in truth, but far gentler, more resigned, more 

 patient than those of human children. See with what silent good 

 humour most of them (like the horse) support blows, and wounds, 

 and ill-treatment ! They all know how to endure disease and suffer 

 death. They retire apart, surround themselves with silence, and lie 

 down in concealment ; this gentle patience often supplies them with 

 the most efficacious remedies. If not, they accept their destiny, and 

 pass away as if they slept. 



Can they love as deeply as we love ? How shall we doubt it, 

 when we see the most timid suddenly become heroic in defence of 

 their young and their family ? The devotedness of the man who 

 braves death for his children you will see exemplified every day in 

 the martin, which not only resists the eagle, but pursues him with 

 heroical ardour. 



Would you wish to observe two things wonderfully analogous ? 

 Watch on the one side the woman's delight at the first step of her 

 infant, and on the other the swallow at the first flight of her little 

 nursling. 



You see in both the same anxiety, the same encouragements, 

 examples, and counsels, the same pretended security and lurking fear, 

 the trembling "Take courage, nothing is more easy;" — in truth, the 

 two mothers are inwardly shivering. 



The lessons are curious. The mother raises herself on her wings; 

 the fledgling regards her intently, and also raises himself a little ; 

 then you see her hovering — he looks, he stirs his wings. All this 



