OF THE INTELLIGENCE OF YOUNG CHILDREN 61 



evolution in the sense of the maneuvers of a troop and revolu- 

 tion in the sense of a grave popular insurrection; in this case 

 the distinction is not so good, as the two words are different 

 without being opposites, and it should be understood that we 

 are asking for oppositions and not simple differences. How- 

 ever, these responses are considered valid. 



IV. Solves the question concerning the president. — 

 Question : "There are three principal differences between a 

 king and a president of the republic. What are they?" They 

 are the following: Royalty is hereditary, it lasts during the 

 life of the monarch, and it confers very great powers ; a 

 president of the republic is elected, his term of office is limited, 

 and his powers are not so great as are those of a king. 



V. Summarizes an observation made by Hervieu. — The 

 following paragraph is read slowly and impressively: We call 

 it the thought of Hervieu ; the thought only is borrowed ; he 

 wrote it in three lines, but his arrangement was not adapted to 

 our needs; we have amplified it to prevent its being retained 

 absolutely by the memory, as it would be in its original brief 

 form. 



Many opinions have been given on the value of life. Some 

 call it good, others call it bad. It would be more just to say, 

 that it is mediocre, for on the one hand our happiness is never 

 so great as we would have it, and on the other hand our 

 misfortunes are never so great as others would have them. It is 

 this mediocrity of life which makes it just, or rather which pre- 

 vents it from being radically unjust. 



Before beginning the reading we tell the subject to listen 

 with care because he will be asked at the close of the reading 

 to repeat the selection. In this manner the test is placed in 

 the field of memory; and those who do not succeed in com- 

 prehending the rather subtle thought of Hervieu, will be 

 spared the embarrassment of feeling that they have betrayed 

 a lack of comprehension ; the failure will be attributed to 



