"Metropolitan Police Office,
"New Scotland Yard,
"January 28th, 1902."]




IV

THE BEGINNINGS OF THE MIND AND LANGUAGE


Sec. 1


The newborn child is at first no more than an animal. Indeed, it is
among the lowest and most helpless of all animals, a mere vegetative
lump; assimilation incarnate--wailing. It is for the first day in its
life deaf, it squints blindly at the world, its limbs are beyond its
control, its hands clutch drowningly at anything whatever that drifts
upon this vast sea of being into which it has plunged so amazingly. And
imperceptibly, subtly, so subtly that never at any time can we mark
with certainty the increment of its coming, there creeps into this soft
and claimant little creature a mind, a will, a personality, the
beginning of all that is real and spiritual in man. In a little while
there are eyes full of interest and clutching hands full of purpose,
smiles and frowns, the babbling beginning of expression and affections
and aversions. Before the first year is out there is obedience and
rebellion, choice and self-control, speech has commenced, and the
struggle of the newcomer to stand on his feet in this world of men. The