CHANGES OF THE HUMAN BODY. 249 



any particular point, or carry its hand to its mouth. 

 Its bones are soft, and if it were allowed to support 

 itself, its limbs would bend beneath its own weight 

 A great part of its time is passed in sleep, or in 

 satisfying its mere animal wants, and beyond these 

 its feelings seem very limited. Digestion and 

 nutrition are however very active, and the infant 

 grows rapidly. 



A few short years, and what different beings we 

 become! We can talk, run, leap, feed ourselves, 

 and from morning till night are never still. We 

 are now children ; our bones are harder, our mus- 

 cles stronger, and our senses more perfect. We 

 eat frequently, because our bodies are fast increas- 

 ing, and our digestion is active. We have teeth, 

 and our diet is no longer milk and pulpy matter, but 

 consists of various articles, as bread, butter, cheese, 

 fruit, and animal food. We now begin to exercise 

 the mind ; we are taught the names of objects, how 

 to distinguish what is right from what is wrong, 

 and we learn how to be good and obedient. We 

 still, however, require the constant care of our 

 parents, and ought never to be long out of their 

 sight, lest our ignorance and thoughtlessness should 

 lead us into danger. 



Again, a few years pass over us, and we arrive 

 at youth, or boyhood. We are no longer confined 

 to the nursery or playground, nor do we need con- 

 stant care, for we have learnt how to protect our- 

 selves, and know what to avoid. Our bodies are 

 now strong and vigorous. Our bones are almost 



