WELLINGTON TABLE TALK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1798, 22 August 1906, Page 23

WELLINGTON TABLE TALK.

SOME THINGS OF THE PAST.

(BY "EBIE.”)

Simple children may well be reckoned as things past and gone. _ Tins is speaking generally and collectively. It is consoling that there are still tfinne exceptions to those who are in the majority. Scientists are quite satisfied that in the process of evolution we have quite outgrown mentally the people of past times. This may account for the fact that our babies show intelligence at a very much earlier stage than in former times. This leads up to the reason why we are beset on all sides with infant prodigies. The days are gene when simple, truthful little ones will do art they are bid. eat what is put before them, or wear the garments provided. T'ny r’jtes will argue, and protest, and even show fight upon these matters. Mothers frequently have neither time or strength for this incessant warfare, and these small militants often come out conquerors on this account-. Consequently tlioV get unsuitable food and injurious concessions of various sorts, which all go to make them grow into the ‘'modern child.” A -clean pinny used to be simply a clean pinny, and it was donned almost unconsciously. Nowit is a garment to bo severely regarded as to colour, texture, and shape. If it failu to come up to the required -standard. it is eeornfully rejected. \ ory youthful sticklers for etiquette are constantly making difficulties for their elders. A lady of the world, aged G years, lately refused to dance with a littlo boy “because we have not been introduced!” It is most pitiful . tor a little one to have had ite happy childish freedom and innocence wiped out by such early knowledge of subjects so unsuitable for its age. It .scorns a logical conclusion that if there are few, if any, simple-minded children growing up, we'can’t expect other than a crop of self-flocking artificial men and women in the future. Earliest impressions are the most indelible; consequently no future education or “finishing schools’’ can over ta-ke out the kink which tluvie children ar© given almost before they' -can read. The wrong doing of mothers in “’another story,” and is too many-sided to write of here, though cause and effect cannot be far apart. SIMPLE LIVING. It is banal to remark much upon this subject. Everyone knows that as a race w r e all live art expensively and luxuriously an wo can. Simple furniture, simple food, simple dress, simple habits, are entirely out of fashion. It is sadly to be deplored, as it means to a pitiful extent that thrift, content, and thriving have gone out of fashion too. SIMPLE EDUCATION. The craze for cramming children with -such a wide variety of subjects is having a most detrimental effect. If it is necessary to have such an absurdly lengthy syllabus in schools it should be competent for parents to choose from the array of subjects' those they consider most likely to be useful to their children, taking into confederation the circumstances of their lives. .This of course does not apply to the three R’s and ordinary foundation subjects. The practice is, for the poor child, no matter what “state of life it has pleased Providenoo to call it” into, to be steadily “put at” everything there is going. Very occasionally a rara avis arises with an exceptional brain, who can absorb and stow away all it is taught. The multitude can’t do this, and they get hopelessly befogged with smatterings of every sort, and much valuable time and strength is wasted. A simple, thorough education upon useful necessary subjects, would make a far better coming generation than we are producing. SIMPLE BELIEFS. Theological and scientific students have evolved such a net work of theories regarding the beliefs that we have unhesitatingly pinned out faith to all our lives, that the mere modern woman absolutely does not know where she is. It may he wise and right to dig into these abstruse questions in our honest endeavour to try to be orthodox. Unfortunately the results are frequently .>• disastrous. Having neither time or opportunity or education to study, wo have to take for granted all w© are told about these revelations of science. Many prophets arise. It seems safer to stick to the truth of our early teaching, as failing that we are “all at sea,” and may find ourselves without any belief at all. The “Higher Criticism” may be a joy and delight to theologians, but it is grievously upsetting to tho common herd who can only know it by small instalments. SIMPLE PLEASURES. Again wo have to begin with childhood'. Excitement and pleasure is so jtfuoh tho daily experience of children fiow-a-(lays that parents find it hard » to keep til cun contented without it. i jpartien, balk*, tram expeditions, cirtnigeg* theatre. 1 !, afternoon teas, all

conio into their lives in quick succession when an even quiet existence would make them grow better in mind, and stronger in body. One lias only to look on at the beautifully preparedfor “At Homes,” and the daintly-spread suppers for card or musical parties to realise how very far wo have travelled from simplicity in our entertaining. Tho holidays at the sea have been completely metanvorpliGeed, the coot lias quadrupled, and pleasure has run in the opposite direction. We are nothing if not careful of detail, and this, practically expressed, means the best and most fashionable of everything for fear of “losing caste.” This carte fetieh is tho hobgoblin of this century, and many are ruined by it. Simplicity is the exception and not the rule in our pleasures.