Non-Fiction > Books > London, 1887 - Virginibus Puerisque, and other papers

2 28 Child's Play
them to the world in which they dwell. For
other children, they almost invariably show
some intelligent sympathy. " There is a
fine fellow making mud pies," they seem to
say ; " that I can understand, there is some
sense in mud pies." But the doings of their
elders, unless where they are speakingly
picturesque or recommend themselves by the
quality of being easily imitable, they let
them go over their heads (as we say) without
the least regard. If it were not for this
perpetual imitation, we should be tempted
to fancy they despised us outright, or only
considered us in the light of creatures brutally
strong and brutally silly ; among whom they
condescended to dwell in obedience like a
philosopher at a barbarous court. At times,
indeed, they display an arrogance of dis-
regard that is truly staggering. Once, when
I was groaning aloud with physical pain, a
young gentleman came into the room and
nonchalantly inquired if I had seen his bow
and arrow. He made no account of my
groans, which he accepted, as he had to