Master Wilberforce Author:Rita Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. DEVELOPMENT. The Professor's dictum had gone forth, and a watchful household awaited results. How could a child—least of all, a boy—bring itself ... more »up ? The mental and physical development of Master Wilberforce promised interesting consequences. A pictorial alphabet which his mother had presented to him was artfully put in his way, and when he was observed studying it, Nurse Doldrum plumed herself on the fact. She took out her needlework and suggested an explanation of the pretty pictures. Master Wilberforce considered the point for a moment or two, then deposited the book on her lap, planted his legs firmly on the hearthrug, thrust his hands into his pockets, and demanded : " What's ' A' ?" "' A,'" said Nurse Doldrum, glancing at the page, " ' A ' was an Archer and shot—" " Stop," said Master Wilberforce peremptorily. " It's a man in the picture. Why don't you say SO?'" "A man and an archer, my dear," she said persuasively. "' A ' stands for both." " That's silly," he said. " ' A ' is only a letter; one thing can't mean two things. What are letters for?" "To teach you to read—letters make words, you know." " Who made letters ?" was the next query. This was altogether above the head of the poor Bold rum. She had learnt letters and put them together, and had her education conducted on approved National School principles, but how letters came to be letters, and who first thought of reducing the elements of sound into visible form, she could not state with any degree of authority. "Well, well, my dear, what does it matter?" she answered. " Wise people, I suppose, got the notion of making them. There couldn't be no books without letters, you know." Master Wilberforce reflected in silence, then turned to the alphabet once more. " What...« less