Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson

The child with his sweet pranks, the fool of his senses, commanded by every sight and sound, without any power to compare and rank his sensations, abandoned to a whistle or a painted chip, to a lead dragoon, or a gingerbread dog, individualizing everything, generalizing nothing, delighted with every new thing, lies down at night overpowered by the fatigue, which this day of continual pretty madness has incurred. But Nature has answered her purpose with the curly, dimpled lunatic. She has tasked every faculty, and has secured the symmetrical growth of the bodily frame, by all these attitudes and exertions --an end of the first importance, which could not be trusted to any care less perfect than her own.

Summary

This quote highlights the innocent and untouched nature of a child's experiences and perceptions. The child is portrayed as being fully engrossed in small joys and simple pleasures, without the ability to compare or analyze them. Their senses are easily captivated by even the smallest things, providing a constant source of amusement. As a result, the child revives his energy through sleep, as the exhilarating experiences of each day have exhausted him. Nature, in its wisdom, has made sure that a child's physical development is shaped by these curious and active explorations, emphasizing the significance of their uninhibited and carefree nature.