{"id":"01KG8AKD9Y80EZH2ARWCJETSC5","cid":"bafkreigcxmrjfw2ecjhpyzk3vmpznvbgkmvdgmywayyajfmf42z2aif55e","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":5532,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:57.722Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 6","source_file":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","start_line":5463,"text":"\"Sir,\" lowly replied the other, still forbearing like an old lawyer\r\nbadgered in court, or else like a good-hearted simpleton, the butt of\r\nmischievous wags, \"Sir, since you come back to the point, will you allow\r\nme, in my small, quiet way, to submit to you certain small, quiet views\r\nof the subject in hand?\"\r\n\r\n\"Oh, yes!\" with insulting indifference, rubbing his chin and looking the\r\nother way. \"Oh, yes; go on.\"\r\n\r\n\"Well, then, respected sir,\" continued the other, now assuming as\r\ngenteel an attitude as the irritating set of his pinched five-dollar\r\nsuit would permit; \"well, then, sir, the peculiar principles, the\r\nstrictly philosophical principles, I may say,\" guardedly rising in\r\ndignity, as he guardedly rose on his toes, \"upon which our office is\r\nfounded, has led me and my associates, in our small, quiet way, to a\r\ncareful analytical study of man, conducted, too, on a quiet theory, and\r\nwith an unobtrusive aim wholly our own. That theory I will not now at\r\nlarge set forth. But some of the discoveries resulting from it, I will,\r\nby your permission, very briefly mention; such of them, I mean, as refer\r\nto the state of boyhood scientifically viewed.\"\r\n\r\n\"Then you have studied the thing? expressly studied boys, eh? Why didn't\r\nyou out with that before?\"\r\n\r\n\"Sir, in my small business way, I have not conversed with so many\r\nmasters, gentlemen masters, for nothing. I have been taught that in this\r\nworld there is a precedence of opinions as well as of persons. You have\r\nkindly given me your views, I am now, with modesty, about to give you\r\nmine.\"\r\n\r\n\"Stop flunkying--go on.\"\r\n\r\n\"In the first place, sir, our theory teaches us to proceed by analogy\r\nfrom the physical to the moral. Are we right there, sir? Now, sir, take\r\na young boy, a young male infant rather, a man-child in short--what sir,\r\nI respectfully ask, do you in the first place remark?\"\r\n\r\n\"A rascal, sir! present and prospective, a rascal!\"\r\n\r\n\"Sir, if passion is to invade, surely science must evacuate. May I\r\nproceed? Well, then, what, in the first place, in a general view, do you\r\nremark, respected sir, in that male baby or man-child?\"\r\n\r\nThe bachelor privily growled, but this time, upon the whole, better\r\ngoverned himself than before, though not, indeed, to the degree of\r\nthinking it prudent to risk an articulate response.\r\n\r\n\"What do you remark? I respectfully repeat.\" But, as no answer came,\r\nonly the low, half-suppressed growl, as of Bruin in a hollow trunk, the\r\nquestioner continued: \"Well, sir, if you will permit me, in my small\r\nway, to speak for you, you remark, respected sir, an incipient creation;\r\nloose sort of sketchy thing; a little preliminary rag-paper study, or\r\ncareless cartoon, so to speak, of a man. The idea, you see, respected\r\nsir, is there; but, as yet, wants filling out. In a word, respected sir,\r\nthe man-child is at present but little, every way; I don't pretend to\r\ndeny it; but, then, he _promises_ well, does he not? Yes, promises very\r\nwell indeed, I may say. (So, too, we say to our patrons in reference to\r\nsome noble little youngster objected to for being a _dwarf_.) But, to\r\nadvance one step further,\" extending his thread-bare leg, as he drew a\r\npace nearer, \"we must now drop the figure of the rag-paper cartoon, and\r\nborrow one--to use presently, when wanted--from the horticultural\r\nkingdom. Some bud, lily-bud, if you please. Now, such points as the\r\nnew-born man-child has--as yet not all that could be desired, I am free\r\nto confess--still, such as they are, there they are, and palpable as\r\nthose of an adult. But we stop not here,\" taking another step. \"The\r\nman-child not only possesses these present points, small though they\r\nare, but, likewise--now our horticultural image comes into play--like\r\nthe bud of the lily, he contains concealed rudiments of others; that\r\nis, points at present invisible, with beauties at present dormant.\"\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 6"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJM4RS4GSX8JEXTB47AGF","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKDA4R9894APG4TPXTGNM","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKDA4SAR321AWFRKJZCNV","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:03.390Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:09.977Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}