The stolid, dull child exhibits less of fancy and imagination than his keen bright companion and therefore is less frequently engaged in the numberless activities prompted by imagination, which require supervision. His very stolidity keeps him out of many acts termed “mischief” and therefore he is more easily “managed” in the sense that he does not require such continuous oversight and direction. The stolid one must be set going by being told how, what, and when to play, while the imaginative one, without aid, conjures up many fanciful dramas in which he plays the leading rôle and thus occupies the years of infancy. These figments of the brain give rise to stories and fanciful tales which are called “lies” by adults who fail to understand their psychology. These are of sufficient importance to warrant their discussion in a separate chapter of this volume. It is during this period that the mother, with her Heaven-sent gift of love, sympathy, tenderness, and insight into the soul of childhood, is the effective teacher. Coming home one evening, I found a neighbor’s son of six years sitting on his front steps awaiting his mother’s return. He was sobbing to himself. I approached him and inquired, “Well, Robbie! What’s the matter?” He replied, through a mist of tears, “I fell down and bumped my head.” “Does it hurt you?” I continued, in my helpless way, unable to fathom the soul-depths of his disaster. “No,” was the response, “it don’t hurt, but I want muvver so I can cry in her arms, an’ it will be well.” He needed first aid to his feelings--not to his body--and only mother with her infinite love, sympathy, and understanding could apply it. With a deep consciousness of the limitations of his sex, the author withdrew to await the balm of mother-love--that unfailing remedy for the physical and mental hurts of childhood. Blest hour of childhood! then, and then alone, Dance we the revels close round pleasure’s throne, Quaff the bright nectar from her fountain-springs, And laugh beneath the rainbow of her wings. Oh! time of promise, hope and innocence, Of trust, and love, and happy ignorance! Whose every dream is heaven, in whose fair joy, Experience has thrown no black alloy. --THOUGHTS OF A RECLUSE. At the age of eight or nine, when the child emerges from infancy into early boyhood, he begins gradually and imperfectly to leave behind the characteristics of childhood and, with the development of his mental and physical processes, he acquires the distinguishing traits of the individualistic period.