Child is the Father of Man Essay

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    Child Is the Father of Man EssayROHIT AGARWAL

    This Wordsworth statement perhaps means that the qualities exhibited by a child will deepenand appear in a marked form when the child grows up into a man. By observing and studying the

    behaviour, the inclinations, the preferences, the prejudices and the tendencies of child we canform an idea as to what sort of man he will develop into.

    One's childhood, therefore, may be taken as forming the basis of one's manhood. It is in thissense that the child has been called the father of man.

    The statement carries much sense. The biographies of several great men show that theircharacter and achievements had appeared in their early childhood. An average child with noremarkable qualities will rarely develop into a remarkable man but a child with striking qualitieswill grow into one.

    Napoleon in his childhood used to 'play' fighting and had great enthusiasm for mock-warfare.Later on, as everyone knows, he distinguished himself as one of the greatest military geniuses of

    the world. His childhood, therefore, showed unmistakable signs of the direction his mindsubsequently took. Similarly, David Lingstone used to play exploring when he was still a boy.

    Eventually he became one of the greatest explorers of the world. He penetrated into the thick,unexplored forests of Africa and discovered regions unvisited before. Father Damien evidenced aremarkable tenderness of heart as the distress of lepers. Florence Nightingale gave, early in herlife, indications of her future course of life. Macaulay, as a love for words, later grew into a greatwriter.

    Shivaji, who as a child was fond of listening to stories of valour and heroism, grew up into awarrior himself. Similarly, Clive and Nelson gave evidence in their boyhood of qualities whichcharacterised them later as men. Examples are many.

    It seems that the statement is true. Sometimes, no doubt, inborn talent may be suppressedthrough total neglect or misdirected training. Then the child may not get an opportunity todevelop its natural bent of mind, but in the long run, native talent or aptitude for a particularwork will definitely emerge and the man will achieve distinction in the sphere to which heproperly belongs.

    The parents should carefully watch the child and note his leanings so that if it displays a keenpreference for a particular branch of knowledge, an inclination towards religion, an irrepressibleintellectual curiosity, etc., they can, according, train and help it in growing to its natural bent ofmind and temperament.