But order must be kept by the child, not only unconsciously, but intentionally.  Order is the child of reason, and in turn cultivates the intellectual principle.  To bring out order on the physical plane, the Kindergarten makes it a serious purpose to organize romping, and set it to music, which cultivates the physical nature also.  Romping is the ecstasy of the body, and we shall find that in proportion as children tend to be violent they are vigorous in body.  There is always morbid weakness of some kind where there is no instinct for hard play; and it begins to be the common sense that energetic physical activity must not be repressed, but favored.  Some plan of play prevents the little creatures from hurting each other, and fancy naturally furnishes the plan,—­the mind unfolding itself in fancies, which are easily quickened and led in harmless directions by an adult of any resource.  Those who have not imagination themselves must seek the aid of the Kindergarten guides, where will be found arranged to music the labors of the peasant, and cooper, and sawyer, the wind-mill, the watermill, the weather-vane, the clock, the pigeon-house, the hares, the bees, and the cuckoo.  Children delight to personate animals, and a fine genius could not better employ itself than in inventing a great many more plays, setting them to rhythmical words, describing what is to be done.  Every variety of bodily exercise might be made and kept within the bounds of order and beauty by plays involving the motions of different animals and machines of industry.  Kindergarten plays are easy intellectual exercises; for to do anything whatever with a thought beforehand develops the mind or quickens the intelligence; and thought of this kind does not try intellect, or check physical development, which last must never be sacrificed in the process of education.

There are enough instances of marvellous acquisition in infancy to show that imbibing with the mind is as natural as with the body, if suitable beverage is put to the lips; but in most cases the mind’s power is balanced by instincts of body, which should have priority, if they cannot certainly be in full harmony.  The mind can afford to wait for the maturing of the body, for it survives the body; while the body cannot afford to wait for the mind, but is irretrievably stunted, if the nervous energy is not free to stimulate its special organs at least equally with those of the mind.

It is not, however, necessary to sacrifice the culture of either mind or body, but to harmonize them.  They can and ought to grow together.  They mutually help each other.

Doctor Dio Lewis’s “Free Exercises” are also suitable to the Kindergarten, and may be taken in short lessons of a quarter of an hour, or even of ten minutes.  Children are fond of precision also, and it will be found that they like the teaching best, when they are made to do the exercises exactly right, and in perfect time to the music.