KIDD’S OWN JOURNAL. 

covered in the child. Thus mind and body 
seem intimately and mysteriously connected 
with each other. Time is requisite to ripen 
the former, and to.strengthen the latter. 
Mimicry and curiosity are strongly exhi- 
bited in the habits of children. The imita- 
tive faculty is developed before articulation 
is perfect; and it might make a stoic 
smile to observe the puny but ardent efforts 
of an infant, to imitate any manual manceuvre 
it beholds while throned on the nurse’s arms. 
When the infant has grown into the child, 
mimicry becomes stronger than ever. What 
presumption does a little rogue display on 
a rocking-horse! He has seen a picture 
of Wellington on his charger—and why 
should he not sit like him, when straddling 
on a painted piece of wood? Papa plays a 
popular air, to please his son, on the flute. 
Just leave that son, who is barely two feet 
high, in the room; and you will presently 
hear him sputtering away, and imitating 
“Pop goes the Weazel”’ in most laborious 
squeaks. 
If there be any danger in imitating its 
elders, it generally happens that the child 
is the more anxious for rivalship. Nothing 
but the actual endurance of some pain or 
punishment will vanquish its self-will. What 
a grand sight itis toseea “GREAT BOY” 
divide a pop-gun stick into two parts by one 
eut! The child must mimic him. He 
obtains the knife and the stick—and chops 
half a finger off. But ere this, papa has 
displayed a pistol. What an admirable— 
what a delicious trick it will be, if his son 
(affectionately christened ‘“ Sly- boots”) can 
pop one of those “funny things,” the pistols! 
If papa has any brains, he will lock his 
pistols up, or he may be saluted with a 
leaden pill in his stomach on some inauspi- 
cious morning; or perhaps see his “darling 
William” meditating over ‘‘dear Emily,” to 
whom he has unfortunately paid a similar 
compliment. 
Of childish curiosity, what might not be 
written! And how they puzzle us, too! 
They cannot see, in their innocence, why 
certain questions should not be asked; 
whilst WE, in our craftiness, see every reason 
why they should not be answered. The 
child “smells a rat,’’ and soon becomes as 
“cunning” as weare. Children, now-a-days, 
are tutored in deception from their very 
cradle; and are industriously taught that 
‘‘inmnocence” is a vice. When WE were 
young, we were told that we were “no- 
body.” We believed it. Tell our children 
this, now / 
But curiosity, which is so strongly exem- 
plified in children, ought rather to be en- 
couraged than punished. Sometimes, it must 
be granted, curiosity leads to burnt thumbs, 
frizzled hair, and wet shoes. But, against 

all this, we may balance the daily improve- 
ment it occasions. It is highly interesting 
to watch a child anatomise a toy, push his 
pin-fingers into a flower, or examine the 
inside of a box of bells. How eagerly he 
scrutinises a stray button! How rapturously 
he unravels the wiry entrails of a pad, and 
(barbarous little knave !) dissects the villain- 
ous wasp that has just stung him! But, if 
you wish to feed his curiosity to the utmost 
—if you do not regard a few pounds for 
enjoying the spectacle—give the child your 
watch, and tell him to serve it as he pleases. 
What a cunning spark will dance in his eyes 
at the sight of it! see with what joy he puts 
it to his ear—tick !—tick !—tick !—uncom- 
monly strange! Where does that “tick” 
come from?, Presently, you will observe 
him in great trouble to uncover the lid—’tis 
done! | See what rapture plays over the 
child’s countenance, now the inside of the 
watch is bared to his view! His gaze of 
surprise would puzzle any painter of the day 
to represent it on his canvass. But,as I said 
before, you must not wonder if your watch 
is presently anatomised ! 
Fox gave an exquisite sample of his 
benevolent mind, when he quoted to Dr. 
Parr, who frowned away two children from 
their innocent gambols— 
“Bit puer es; nec te quicquam nisi ludere oportet; 
Lude; decent annos mollia regna tuosque.” 
It is no wonder that Fox felt a passing 
pleasure in observing a couple of urchins 
engaged, heart and soul, at play. In truth 
it 7s a pretty spectacle. Indeed, we may get 
a glimpse of the future man by marking the 
child when he trundles his hoop, or giggles 
at a game at puss in the corner. ‘The fear- 
less tone of joy, the giddy laugh which 
hurries away on the breeze, or the undisguised 
frown of displeasure, and the clinched hand 
upraised—all are characteristics by which a 
spectator may venture to determine how the 
man would act; what energies he will reveal 
in pleasure or in woe. 
It is a good omen, when a child plays with 
spirit and venturesome vigor. He will here- 
aiter enter into the game of life with as much 
earnestness as he engages in a game of 
marbles. We all remember how a celebrated 
Grecian, when a boy, threw himself before 
an approaching wagon rather than have the 
marbles disturbed in the “pound.” The 
same dauntlessness marked his career to the 
grave. On this account, it is injudicious in 
parents to birch their children for mishaps 
which take place in the heat of play. They 
should not regard a few uncrowned hats, 
unseated trousers, or rent  pin-befores. 
Children ought not to be brought up as if 
they were made of plaster-of- Paris, or as if 
a winter’s gust would blow them to pieces. 
Let them be permitted to climb, ride, swim, 

