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For though the natural spirit of children is happy； the happiness is
a mere impulse and is easily disconcerted。 They are gay without
knowing any very sufficient reason for being so； and when sadness
is； as it were； proposed to them； things fall away from under their
feet； they are helpless and find no stay。 For this reason the
merriest of all children are those； much pitied； who are brought up
neither in a family nor in a public home by paid guardians； but in a
place of charity； rightly named； where impartial； unalterable； and
impersonal devotion has them in hand。 They endure an immeasurable
loss； and are orphans； but they gain in perpetual gaiety； they live
in an unchanging temperature。 The separate nest is nature's； and
the best； but it might be wished that the separate nest were less
subject to moods。 The nurse has her private business； and when it
does not prosper； and when the remote affairs of the governess go
wrong； the child receives the ultimate vibration of the mishap。
The uniformity of infancy passes away long before the age when
children have this indefinite suffering inflicted upon them； and
they have become infinitely various； and feel the consequences of
the cares of their elders in unnumbered degrees。 The most charming
children feel them the most sensibly； and not with resentment but
with sympathy。 It is assuredly in the absence of resentment that
consists the virtue of childhood。 What other thing are we to learn
of them？ Not simplicity； for they are intricate enough。 Not
gratitude； for their usual sincere thanklessness makes half the
pleasure of doing them good。 Not obedience； for the child is born
with the love of liberty。 And as for humility； the boast of a child
is the frankest thing in the world。 A child's natural vanity is not
merely the delight in his own possessions； but the triumph over
others less fortunate。 If this emotion were not so young it would
be exceedingly unamiable。 But the truth must be confessed that
having very quickly learnt the value of comparison and relation； a
child rejoices in the perception that what he has is better than
what his brother has； this comparison is a means of judging his
fortune； after all。 It is true that if his brother showed distress；
he might make haste to offer an exchange。 But the impulse of joy is
candidly egotistic。
It is the sweet and entire forgiveness of children； who ask pity for
their sorrows from those who have caused them； who do not perceive
that they are wronged； who never dream that they are forgiving； and
who make no bargain for apologiesit is this that men and women are
urged to learn of a child。 Graces more confessedly childlike they
make shift to teach themselves。
FAIR AND BROWN
George Eliot； in one of her novels； has a good…natured mother； who
confesses that when she administers justice she is obliged to spare
the offenders who have fair hair； because they look so much more
innocent than the rest。 And if this is the state of maternal
feelings where all are more or less fair； what must be the
miscarriage of justice in countries where a BLOND angel makes his
infrequent visit within the family circle？
In England he is the rule； and supreme as a matter of course。 He is
〃English；〃 and best； as is the early asparagus and the young potato；
according to the happy conviction of the shops。 To say 〃child〃 in
England is to say 〃fair…haired child；〃 even as in Tuscany to say
〃young man〃 is to say 〃tenor。〃 〃I have a little party to…night；
eight or ten tenors； from neighbouring palazzi； to meet my English
friends。〃
But France is a greater enthusiast than our now country。 The
fairness and the golden hair are here so much a matter of orthodoxy；
that they are not always mentioned； they are frequently taken for
granted。 Not so in France； the French go out of their way to make
the exceptional fairness of their children the rule of their
literature。 No French child dare show his face in a bookprose or
poetrywithout blue eyes and fair hair。 It is a thing about which
the French child of real life can hardly escape a certain
sensitiveness。 What； he may ask； is the use of being a dark…haired
child of fact； when all the emotion； all the innocence； all the
romance； are absorbed by the flaxen…haired child of fiction？ How
deplorable that our mothers； the French infants may say； should have
their unattained ideals in the nurseries of the imagination； how
dismal that they should be perpetually disillusioned in the
nurseries of fact！ Is there then no sentiment for us？ they may ask。
Will not convention； which has been forced to restore the advantage
to truth on so many other points； be compelled to yield on this
point also； and reconcile our aunts to the family colouring？
All the schools of literature are in a tale。 The classic masters；
needless to say； do not stoop to the colouring of boys and girls；
but as soon as the Romantiques arise； the cradle is there； and no
soft hair ever in it that is not of some tone of gold； no eyes that
are not blue； and no cheek that is not white and pink as milk and
roses。 Victor Hugo； who discovered the child of modern poetry；
never omits the touch of description； the word BLOND is as
inevitable as any epithet marshalled to attend its noun in a last…
century poet's dictionary。 One would not have it away； one can hear
the caress with which the master pronounces it； 〃making his mouth；〃
as Swift did for his 〃little language。〃 Nor does the customary
adjective fail in later literature。 It was dear to the Realist； and
it is dear to the Symbolist。 The only difference is that in the
French of the Symbolist it precedes the noun。
And yet it is time that the sweetness of the dark child should have
its day。 He is really no less childlike than the other。 There is a
pretty antithesis between the strong effect of his colouring and the
softness of his years and of his months。 The blond human being
man； woman or childhas the beauty of harmony； the hair plays off
from the tones of the flesh； only a few degrees brighter or a few
degrees darker。 Contrast of colour there is； in the blue of the
eyes； and in the red of cheek and lip； but there is no contrast of
tone。 The whole effect is that of much various colour and of equal
tone。 In the dark face there is hardly any colour and an almost
complete opposition of tone。 The complete opposition； of course；
would be black and white； and a beautiful dark child comes near to
this； but for the lovely modifications； the warmth of his white； and
of his black alike； so that the one tone； as well as the other； is
softened towards brown。 It is the beauty of contrast； with a
suggestion of harmonyas it were a beginning of harmonywhich is
infinitely lovely。
Nor is the dark child lacking in variety。 His radiant eyes range
from a brown so bright that it looks golden in the light； to a brown
so dark that it barely defines the pupil。 So is his hair various；
answering the sun with unsuspected touches； not of gold but of
bronze。 And his cheek is not invariably pale。 A dusky rose
sometimes lurks there with such an effect of vitality as you will
hardly get from