242 THE PRINCIPLES OF HEREDITY 



it is. Man, unlike most animals, loves sport even in extreme 

 old age, because even in old age he is somewhat capable of 

 learning. It is a significant fact that the sport that every 

 animal loves and follows in youth is such as exactly fits it 

 for the future business of its life. The kid delights in climb- 

 ing steep places. The kitten goes elaborately into ambush 

 and stalks and pounces just as the old cat does later in life. 

 The puppy sports in quite a different fashion. His play is a 

 pretence at furious pursuit and fighting but only a pretence; 

 his instinct prevents the infliction of injuries on his com- 

 panions. The young monkey delights in climbing trees. 

 His eager curiosity, his very mischievousness, are due to 

 instinct, and are indications of his high powers of making 

 mental acquirements. Similarly games that children delight 

 in are all educational. The very young child is content with 

 play that involves mere "physical" activity. When the 

 baby moves his limbs aimlessly, he is learning to move them 

 purposefully. When he crawls on hands and knees or totters 

 on uncertain feet he is learning to co-ordinate his muscles 

 that he may be active; he is supplying them with the 

 stimulus necessary for growth that he may be strong. The 

 little girl dandles her doll as later she will dandle her baby. 

 The little boy for ever pits his strength and skill against the 

 skill and strength of his childish companions, as later he 

 will pit them against the skill and strength of adult com- 

 petitors and as his savage ancestors pitted them against the 

 competitors and the wild beasts with which they contended. 

 The games of older children especially those of boys almost 

 always involve a contest. Not only do they tend to increase 

 strength and activity, but the intellectual faculties are 

 brought into play and developed. This intellectual element 

 in sport increases as the individual approaches maturity, 

 since long after his body has ceased to grow, his mind is 

 still capable of some increase. After maturity active sports 

 do no more than maintain the previously acquired physical 

 development, or supply temporary additions to it. 



401. Play is in fact educational. Without it the higher 

 animals could not reach their full development ; the stimuli 

 necessary for the growth of their bodies and minds would be 

 lacking. The first and by far the most important part of a 

 child's education, therefore, is achieved by itself through the 

 medium of sport aided by the instincts of imitation and 

 curiosity. On the foundation thus laid it is possible for the 

 parent or teacher to build. Without that foundation all 

 formal education would be impossible; for nothing the parent 



