In this little-known essay, Arthur Machen shows real compassion for little "slum children," and links their potential enchantment derived from the gift of a doll with the refreshment of soul provided by fine literary art. He shows thus that he perceives a continuity in human development that is of great and permanent importance. He also indirectly brings out the extreme difference between the circumstances of many children of a century and more ago, and our own time, which may offer children a great many passivity-inducing distractions from TV and electronic devices. There's still plenty of reason for concern about the child's imagination, but from a very different direction now.

[darklybrightpress.com]