Chapter 6 new passion (2)

This is not an unpleasant theory.I'm more willing to accept it than the so-called "scientific evidence"-the scientific theory that our ancestors are monkeys who are good at climbing trees and eating bedbugs.Even so, it is far removed from the issues I intend to discuss at the moment.Judge Methuen himself is in the process of writing a book on the subject, and this is a limited edition of two copies, signed copies printed on Japanese imitation vellum. I own one of these, and Methuen himself has the other. Book. The impression I made on Uncle Cephas must have been good, because when my next birthday came, it was accompanied by a book from Uncle Cephas—My The Third Love: The Brothers Grimm [The Brothers Grimm, Jacob Ludwig Karl Green (1785-1863) and his younger brother William Karl Green (1786-1859), both German philologists Author, folk writer and fairy tale writer, has collected and published many folk legends and fairy tales. ]'s "Family Stories Collection".Through the close study of this immortal book, I developed a passion for fairy tales and folklore.As I grew older, my enthusiasm not only did not decrease, but continued to increase.Even now, I still rejoice over a good fairy tale.For Lange [Andrew Lange (1844-1912), a British writer and anthropologist, collected and published a large number of fairy tales. ] and Jacob, I am grateful for the books of fairy tales and folktales they have translated and compiled, a boon to me and to other English-speaking readers.Baring Gould [Sabine Baring Gould (1834-1924), British writer and folk writer. ] and Mrs. Wilde [Mrs. Wilde, namely Jane Speranza (1823-1896), wife of Oscar Wilde. ] have completed their noble works in the same field.The handwriting of the former had interested me peculiarly, not to mention his profound knowledge of subjects which particularly pleased me.Gould had a peculiar literary touch which imbued his work with an elegance that is indescribable but pleasant and convincing.

I am such a lover of fairy tales and such a faithful believer that I once organized an association for the dissemination of fairy tales.At the first plenary meeting of the association, we made a resolution to solemnly request the Board of Education: Take mathematics from the public school curriculum and replace it with a four-year fairy tale writing class, and then, if the students ask, you can also Theology and folklore are offered as graduate courses.We rented and furnished several large houses, and at first the business seemed to prosper until the second month's rent was due.By this time we discovered that the treasury was empty, and with that discovery the Association was brought to an end, and, without any tangible result, except the purchase of many sofas and chairs - both of which Judge Methuen and myself Out of pocket.

Nevertheless, I contend (Judge Mayhew signed off on this proposition): that we must do everything in our power to expand the influence of fairy tales in our country.We become too practical, and our lust for material possessions kills all other considerations.Innocent children no longer take pleasure in soothing fairy tales featuring giants, ogres, witches and fairies.Their hungry and sensible minds were filled with gory tales--stories of the chase and killing of innocent animals, of war, of murder, and of nonsense (of which, One hero is rich, while the others are poor).The youth of today, before they leave their infancy, are made to believe that the noblest object of life is to acquire, acquire, and acquire, the constant acquisition of earthly material wealth.Fairy tales were banned because—as greedy parents asserted—they would make the young impractical.

A corollary of this deplorable social condition (as I have observed, and Judge Methuen has observed), is that the human eye, both in its physical size and in its field of vision, Gradually shrinks and slowly loses its luster.Human imagination is a gift from God. Whatever you take away from a person, you will also dry up his eyes.So beautiful is the eye, so noble is the purpose it serves, and it is always ready to convey such expressions as tenderness, pity, love, concern, sympathy, dignity, and all noble emotions and noble inspirations.In this metaphor it gazes upon the everlasting watchfulness of God and recognizes the most poetic expression of the highest human wisdom.

My nephew Timothy has three children, two boys and a girl.Among them, the older boy and girl have a pair of small black eyes.They lack imagination like napkins necessarily lack red blood cells.They kept their change in a piggy bank, and they won all the pinballs and rock throws from the kids next door.They neither believe in Santa Claus nor fairies or witches.They understand that two nickels are a dime, and they believe in the golden rule: only give because there is something in return.The other boy (his name was Matthew, after me) had large, round, dark blue eyes, expressive and full of emotion, with a strong and active imagination.

Matthew has an insatiable appetite for fairy tales, and how much the dear little one loves Santa Claus!Even at night he could see, he would not go to bed in the dark, he could understand the talk of birds and crickets, the faint song of the evening wind and the whisper of leaves rustling.Wherever Matthew went, he saw beautiful pictures and heard sweet music: to his sensitive mind, everything in the world spoke its wisdom and its poetry.God, how much I love this kid.He will never suffer hunger.I will give him a handsome share of what I own!I assure you that the following testamentary sums, which Judge Methuen has recently drawn up for me, will give to the best happiness of this dear little fellow:

"One. To my beloved grandnephew and namesake Matthew, I dedicate (in addition to the estates, stocks, bonds and cash bequeathed to him as stated above) the two mahogany bookcases numbered 11 and 13 and Its contents, viz., volumes of fairy tales and folk tales of all nations, and dictionaries and other literature on ghosts, magic, myths, witchcraft, and similar subjects, bequeathed and bestowed upon him, his heirs, and his assignees forever."