{"id":"01KG8AKDA4SAR321AWFRKJZCNV","cid":"bafkreifszbynglhn4gag547bl5dkhxrnsspw2s4ed3stdlazbz2mvzdpyq","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":5604,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:57.722Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 7","source_file":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","start_line":5526,"text":"to 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\n\"Come, come, this talk is getting too horticultural and beautiful\r\naltogether. Cut it short, cut it short!\"\r\n\r\n\"Respected sir,\" with a rustily martial sort of gesture, like a decayed\r\ncorporal's, \"when deploying into the field of discourse the vanguard of\r\nan important argument, much more in evolving the grand central forces of\r\na new philosophy of boys, as I may say, surely you will kindly allow\r\nscope adequate to the movement in hand, small and humble in its way as\r\nthat movement may be. Is it worth my while to go on, respected sir?\"\r\n\r\n\"Yes, stop flunkying and go on.\"\r\n\r\nThus encouraged, again the philosopher with the brass-plate proceeded:\r\n\r\n\"Supposing, sir, that worthy gentleman (in such terms, to an applicant\r\nfor service, we allude to some patron we chance to have in our eye),\r\nsupposing, respected sir, that worthy gentleman, Adam, to have been\r\ndropped overnight in Eden, as a calf in the pasture; supposing that,\r\nsir--then how could even the learned serpent himself have foreknown that\r\nsuch a downy-chinned little innocent would eventually rival the goat in\r\na beard? Sir, wise as the serpent was, that eventuality would have been\r\nentirely hidden from his wisdom.\"\r\n\r\n\"I don't know about that. The devil is very sagacious. To judge by the\r\nevent, he appears to have understood man better even than the Being who\r\nmade him.\"\r\n\r\n\"For God's sake, don't say that, sir! To the point. Can it now with\r\nfairness be denied that, in his beard, the man-child prospectively\r\npossesses an appendix, not less imposing than patriarchal; and for this\r\ngoodly beard, should we not by generous anticipation give the man-child,\r\neven in his cradle, credit? Should we not now, sir? respectfully I put\r\nit.\"\r\n\r\n\"Yes, if like pig-weed he mows it down soon as it shoots,\" porcinely\r\nrubbing his stubble-chin against his coon-skins.\r\n\r\n\"I have hinted at the analogy,\" continued the other, calmly disregardful\r\nof the digression; \"now to apply it. Suppose a boy evince no noble\r\nquality. Then generously give him credit for his prospective one. Don't\r\nyou see? So we say to our patrons when they would fain return a boy upon\r\nus as unworthy: 'Madam, or sir, (as the case may be) has this boy a\r\nbeard?' 'No.' 'Has he, we respectfully ask, as yet, evinced any noble\r\nquality?' 'No, indeed.' 'Then, madam, or sir, take him back, we humbly\r\nbeseech; and keep him till that same noble quality sprouts; for, have\r\nconfidence, it, like the beard, is in him.'\"\r\n\r\n\"Very fine theory,\" scornfully exclaimed the bachelor, yet in secret,\r\nperhaps, not entirely undisturbed by these strange new views of the\r\nmatter; \"but what trust is to be placed in it?\"\r\n\r\n\"The trust of perfect confidence, sir. To proceed. Once more, if you\r\nplease, regard the man-child.\"\r\n\r\n\"Hold!\" paw-like thrusting put his bearskin arm, \"don't intrude that\r\nman-child upon me too often. He who loves not bread, dotes not on\r\ndough. As little of your man-child as your logical arrangements will\r\nadmit.\"\r\n\r\n\"Anew regard the man-child,\" with inspired intrepidity repeated he with\r\nthe brass-plate, \"in the perspective of his developments, I mean. At\r\nfirst the man-child has no teeth, but about the sixth month--am I right,\r\nsir?\"\r\n\r\n\"Don't know anything about it.\"\r\n\r\n\"To proceed then: though at first deficient in teeth, about the sixth\r\nmonth the man-child begins to put forth in that particular. And sweet\r\nthose tender little puttings-forth are.\"\r\n\r\n\"Very, but blown out of his mouth directly, worthless enough.\"\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 7"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJM4RS4GSX8JEXTB47AGF","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKD9Y80EZH2ARWCJETSC5","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKDA4SPS0E35PWDMNCNK6","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:03.396Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:10.323Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}