a quaint doll is treasured as having been
the plaything of more than one generation, especially so the old wooden
Dutch dolls, strong and lasting, which have in some instances been
handed on as playthings, almost as family heirlooms.

The most famous collection of dolls played with by one child, and yet
dressed to cover almost every period of English history--a veritable
history of costume--is that famous collection in the London Museum,
consisting of dolls dressed by and for the late Queen Victoria, who,
doubtless, had unique opportunities of copying correctly the costumes of
the Court, and of others less high in social status, during the reigns
of the English sovereigns who had preceded her.

Few, if any, can hope to possess such a representative collection; there
are many who can find, however, curiously dressed dolls which are very
helpful in learning something of local costumes and useful instructors
in research after the habits and occupations of people who may have
lived in places and districts little known to the present generation.

Some children's toys are much older than they appear at first sight to
be, for many very similar playthings were found in the playrooms of boys
and girls who lived two thousand years ago. There are the dolls and
quaint little figures played with by Greek and Roman children. Among the
more familiar objects were little wooden tortoises, ducks, and pigs.
Some were cleverly carved out of wood, and the arms and legs of dolls
moved, much the same as the Dutch dolls of later days. Those children
had chariots and horses of metal much the same as children have leaden
soldiers now. They trundled hoops of bronze, in some of them bells being
placed in the centre, ringing as they ran along. Some of the toys of
these little Roman and Greek maidens and youths were very elaborate, and
must have belonged to the children of the wealthy, who, like modern
parents, gave presents to them on "name" days.

Toys have always served the double purpose of amusement and education.
Years before kindergarten methods were adopted--although unknown,
probably, to parents--scientific and philosophic toys were doing good
work, and driving home elementary truths. There were curious cylindrical
mirrors, the inevitable kaleidoscope, and the water imps, an amusing
toy, for the imps, inserted in a bowl or bottle of water, bobbed about
in a curious way when the india-rubber cap which covered the neck was
pressed and man