These eccentricities and their possible consequences, these danger signals and handicaps, form in the main the subject-matter of the pages that follow. Desiring the book to be helpful to as many people as possible, I have been careful to avoid writing in any technical scientific way, and have tried to be simple and concrete. For this reason many illustrative cases from real life are given, my belief being that I could thus present most convincingly the truly remarkable facts with which the successive chapters have to deal. The result, I sincerely trust, will be to contribute in some degree to save children from the handicaps in question, and to assist adults now afflicted with any of these handicaps to overcome them. In large part, this book has already appeared in the columns of several magazines. To the editors of these magazines--_The Century Magazine_, _Good Housekeeping Magazine_, _McClure's Magazine_, _Harper's Bazar_, _Every Week_, and _The Mother's Magazine_--I owe grateful acknowledgment for the opportunity to acquaint their readers with the discoveries and theories herein set forth. I am also under a debt of gratitude to numerous psychological and medical friends for advice and information. And, as in the case of all my previous books, I am particularly indebted to my wife for inspiration, encouragement, and innumerable helpful suggestions. H. ADDINGTON BRUCE. Cambridge, Massachusetts, _July_, 1917. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PREFACE v I MENTAL BACKWARDNESS 3 II THE ONLY CHILD 37 III THE CHILD WHO SULKS 63 IV JEALOUSY 99 V SELFISHNESS 131 VI BASHFULNESS AND INDECISION 165 VII STAMMERING 207 VIII FAIRY TALES THAT HANDICAP 243 IX "NIGHT TERRORS" 271 X IN CONCLUSION 303 INDEX 307 MENTAL BACKWARDNESS I MENTAL BACKWARDNESS Once upon a time, not many years ago, a distinguished French psychologist paid a visit to a Parisian public school. It was accounted an excellent school, and its principal beamed with pardonable pride when the visiting psychologist, Doctor Alfred Binet, explained that he would like to see the pupils at work. Forthwith his desire was granted, and for a time he attentively followed the exercises of a class of forty children. He said little by way of comment, until, toward the close of the lesson-hour, he abruptly inquired: "Which of these pupils do you consider the most intelligent?" "That boy yonder," the master answered, nodding toward a pleasant-faced youngster who was diligently reading his book. "And, pray, how old is he?" "He is twelve." "That, I suppose, is the average age for the class?"