The infant, who is two months old, will notice a lighted candle; immediately that sense is gratified, it seeks to please another, that of _touch_, and every mother knows, if not prevented, it will put its hand in the flame.

The next effort is to examine other objects: these it will seize if it can, and after having examined one, it will put it aside to observe another.

On its being able to move about, it seeks objects within its reach, and wishing to gratify the sense of taste, applies every thing to the mouth; by this it distinguishes the bitter from the sweet, and on seeing what is sweet a second time, will point to it and wish to obtain it, whilst what is bitter will not be desired.
The _mental_ part of the system should now be adverted to.

Hence it has been well remarked, "From the time that children begin to use their hands, nature directs them to handle every thing over and over, to look at it while they handle it, and to put it into various positions, and at various distances from the eye.

We are apt to excuse this as a childish diversion, because they must be doing something, and have not reason to entertain themselves in a more manly way.