Mellowness comes with age, but a sense of the absurd
does not, and Lord Shaftesbury could not refrain from one of those absurd state- ments or stories which do the cause he loves so much harm. He says there exists in Londou an association of 500 children from six to thirteen who have voluntarily pledged themselves not to work, or sell, or buy on Sunday, and are exceedingly proud of keeping their engagement. We do not doubt that ; children always are proud of doing what their teachers approve ; but suppose they had bound themselves always to play instead of going to Sunday-school, what would Lord Shaftesbury have said ? That the opinion of children of six as to what was good for themselves was of no earthly im- portance, and that they must be made to go. Why is their opinion so important in the one case, and so worthless in the other ?
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