because they were shut up in
that place, and didn't like it."

L---- (a boy between 3 and 4 years) was standing before a grate with
coals in it, which were not lighted; his mother said to him, "What is
the use of coals?"

_L----._ "To put in your grate."

_Mother._ "Why are they put there?"

_L----._ "To make fire."

_Mother._ "How do they make fire?"

_L----._ "Fire is brought to them."

_Mother._ "How is fire brought to them?"

_L----._ "Fire is brought to them upon a candle and put to them."

L----, a little while afterwards, asked leave to light a candle, and
when a bit of paper was given to him for that purpose, said, "But,
mother, may I take some light out of your fire to put to it?"

This boy had more exact ideas of property than Prometheus had.

Z----, when she was between five and six, said, "Water keeps things
alive, and eating keeps alive children."

_Z----_ (same age) meddling with a fly, said, "she did not hurt it."
"Were you ever a fly?" said her mother. "Not _that I know of_,"
answered the child.

_Z----'s_ father sent her into a room where there were some knives and
forks. "If you meddle with them," said he, "you may cut yourself."

_Z----._ "I won't cut myself."

_Father._ "Can you be sure of that?"

_Z----._ "No, but I can take care."

_Father._ "But if you should cut yourself, would it do you any good?"

_Z----._ "No--Yes."

_Father._ "What good?"

_Z----._ "Not to do so another time."

---- (same age.) Z----'s mother said to her, "Will you give me some of
your fat cheeks?"

_Z----._ "No, I cannot, it would hurt me."

_Mother._ "But if it would not hurt you, would you give me some?"

_Z----._ "No, it would make two holes in my cheeks that would be
disagreeable."

A sentimental mother would, perhaps, have been displeased with the
simple answers of this little girl. (Vide Sympathy and Sensibility.)

The following memorandums of Mrs. H----E----'s (dated 1779) have been
of great use to us in our chapter upon Toys.

"The playthings of children should be calculated to fix their
attention, that they may not get a habit of doing any thing in a
listless manner.

"There are periods as long as two or three months at a time, in the
lives of young children, when their bodies appear remarkably active
and vigorous, and their minds dull and inanimate; they are at these
times incapable of comprehending any new ideas, and forgetful of those
they have already received. When this dis