le psychology. Let it be remembered that the eminent Professor
Sully considered it in no way derogatory to his philosophical status to
write on the subject of _dolls_. In bi-lingual districts children's
answers would have a special value. Children are everywhere, of course,
more or less bird-witted and inattentive. Here is a story which
illustrates what Latin scholars call _contaminatio_. A teacher had given
a lesson on the geography of Kent, laying special stress on Canterbury,
as giving a title to the Anglican primate, and on Greenwich as the place
through which, on the map, the first meridian is made to pass. At the
close of the lesson, he wished to test the scholars, and asked one of
them what Canterbury was famous for. At once came the glib reply:
"Canterbury is the seat of an _archbishop through whom the first
meridian passes_." The difficulty young pupils have in concentrating
their ideas, is largely accountable for many of the diverting essays we
have all heard and seen. On a recent visit to the romantic shores of
Skye, I was shown the following essay on Water: "Water is a liquid, but
in winter you can slide on it. In all kinds of water, little beasts
occur to a greater or to a less extent. Even a great amount of heat
cannot kill these curious little animals. _Hence some people prefer
spirits._" From the same quarter I procured this nugget on patriotism.
"Patriotism is love of country such as we see in Burns or Sir Walter
Scott. Burns and Sir Walter wrote beautiful lines about their native
land, and thousands of tourists came and circulated their money there.
_It would be telling us_ if writers would imitate these great patriots
in our day." Many of the young scribes on the mainland can also indulge
in a deal of brilliant irrelevancy. One of them being asked to write an
essay on "Rivers," began thus: "_In ancient times, the chief use of
rivers was for the baptizing of converts_." Another, in the course of a
short life of King Alfred, made a strong point of that monarch's
humility, adding, "In order to discover the plans of the Danes, he
demeaned himself so far as to go to their camp _disguised as a poet_."
The annual blue book of the Scotch Education Department used to include
a recreative series of howlers that had been sent up in the various
reports of the Government Inspectors. These tit-bits were well
calculated to keep up the gaiety of nations. Of late years these howlers
have been excised, but if Scotland ha