The Dance of Life A Poem, by the author of "Doctor Syntax;%" [i.e. William Combe] Illustrated with coloured engravings, by Thomas Rowlandson |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
 | CHAPTER II. CHILDHOOD. The Dance of Life |  |
BY Locke, or some such man we're told,
That from four months, to four years old,
The ticklish season, e'er the Nurse
To the grave Tutor's sober course,
Her sweet young Master has resign'd,
Is of great import to the mind.
'Tis then to form, on Reason's plan,
The Embryo of the future Man;
To give that shape to Infant thought
Which, when to full perfection brought,
Like the young plant, by cultur'd care,
Is seen th'expected fruit to bear.
'Twere well, if at the cradle's side
Reason were made the Nurse's guide:
For, as the Infant thoughts expand,
The chearful praise, the grave command,
Each word, each act, each look should be
Arrang'd with certain symmetry;
And thus, in order, disunite
Whate'er is wrong, from what is right.
Thus would the ductile mind receive
The Form that wise Instructions give:
For almost e'er the tongue can talk,
Or e'er the struggling feet can walk,
An eager power is ever shewn
To make the wants and wishes known.
To check or grant th'imperfect prayer
Demands the ever patient care;
To quench, at once, the impetuous flame,
That the shrill wailing may proclaim;
With ready soothing to beguile
Its little anger to a smile;
To watch each sudden turn of nature,
And catch each lively change of feature;
To pleasing objects turn the eye,
The ear to sounds of Harmony;
And every active art employ
To keep in flow the stream of Joy;—
Such is, as Reason will agree,
The Wisdom of the Nursery.
That from four months, to four years old,
The ticklish season, e'er the Nurse
To the grave Tutor's sober course,
Her sweet young Master has resign'd,
Is of great import to the mind.
'Tis then to form, on Reason's plan,
The Embryo of the future Man;
To give that shape to Infant thought
Which, when to full perfection brought,
Like the young plant, by cultur'd care,
Is seen th'expected fruit to bear.
'Twere well, if at the cradle's side
Reason were made the Nurse's guide:
53
The chearful praise, the grave command,
Each word, each act, each look should be
Arrang'd with certain symmetry;
And thus, in order, disunite
Whate'er is wrong, from what is right.
Thus would the ductile mind receive
The Form that wise Instructions give:
For almost e'er the tongue can talk,
Or e'er the struggling feet can walk,
An eager power is ever shewn
To make the wants and wishes known.
To check or grant th'imperfect prayer
Demands the ever patient care;
To quench, at once, the impetuous flame,
That the shrill wailing may proclaim;
With ready soothing to beguile
Its little anger to a smile;
To watch each sudden turn of nature,
And catch each lively change of feature;
To pleasing objects turn the eye,
The ear to sounds of Harmony;
54
To keep in flow the stream of Joy;—
Such is, as Reason will agree,
The Wisdom of the Nursery.
| CHAPTER II. CHILDHOOD. The Dance of Life | |