25 AUGUST 1928, Page 12

* * * The urban mind is probably the greatest

danger of modern civilization ; but these London children are marvellously quick-witted, friendly, and even observant compared with the country children, who are for the most part mute and shy. The flaw in their knowledge of the world is that they regard everything as artificial. Many of them do not dis- tinguish at all between wild and garden flowers. They think the willow-herb by the brook belongs to someone and was planted by someone. One small girl accused her com- panion of theft because she picked a dandelion in a field lent as a playground. " He'll be after you," she said, jerking a thumb towards the owner who leant with benevolent smile on the top rail of the gate.