CLEVER BLUNDERS. [To THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin, — You have
sometimes inserted the answers of children at examinations in the Spectator, but I do not remember seeing any showing unaided intellectual activity.
I had a young delicate boy at my school who, though not allowed to take part in the usual work, sat in the schoolroom during the lessons of various teachers. When examination time came, and he heard the questions read out, he said he was quite sure he could answer them. Papers were put before him.
The result was as follows :—
"Q.—What is evaporation ? A.--If you get a little box and put a thimble fool of air in it, what happens ? Dus it go together like a peas of wood ? It goes all over the box and trios to get out, what is this ? It is Evaporation ! "Q.—Why should we often let fresh air into our rooms ? A.—If we did not we should get our beds all grime and nasty, but if we let fresh air in our beds, it makes them fresh, and then they are made up again ! "Q.—Give an account of Columbus. A.—Columbus was a very good man, and he wanted to discover America, he and his men found it a very nice place, and some of them are there to this very day ! " Q.—Description of the Battle of Waterloo. A.—The battle of Waterloo was fort about 20 mils from Brusle, it raind all night befer ; the Battle began at about ha! past 11. The French were drown up on a rag, and the Engles on annother, there was a small hollow between. All the gone of both sides were wet, and they could not get the cartrages out. The French kept a carg on all day, but the Engles made squers and sterd the charg, until they saw the caps of the pruschen trops. The French were compleatly roted. It was very hard for the Engles to stan the carg all day and not move. The battle was fort in 1815."
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