ght principle, which should be the
chief objects of culture and encouragement. Plodding industry is in the
present day at a very high premium in education; but it requires the
leaven of mental energy and genius to make it work well, while it has
been remarked by one whose experience in education is deep and
practical, that "those boys whose names appear most frequently in the
black book of transgression, would sometimes deserve to be also most
commonly recorded, if a book were kept for warm affections and generous
actions."

The most formidable person to meet in society at present, is the mother
of a promising boy, about nine or ten years old; because there is no
possible escape from a volume of anecdotes, and a complete system of
education on the newest principles. The young gentleman has probably
asked leave to bring his books to the breakfast-room,--can scarcely be
torn away from his studies at the dinner-hour,--discards all
toys,--abhors a holiday,--propounds questions of marvellous depth in
politics or mineralogy,--and seems, in short, more fitted to enjoy the
learned meeting at Newcastle, than the exhilarating exercises of the
cricket-ground; but, if the axiom be true, that "a little learning is a
dangerous thing," it has also been proved by frequent, and sometimes by
very melancholy experience, that, for minds not yet expanded to
maturity, a great deal of learning is more dangerous still, and that in
those school-rooms where there has been a society for the suppression of
amusement, the mental energies have suffered, as well as the health.

A prejudice has naturally arisen against giving works of fiction to
children, because their chief interest too often rests on the detection
and punishment of such mean vices as lying and stealing, which are so
frequently and elaborately described, that the way to commit those
crimes is made obvious, while a clever boy thinks he could easily avoid
the oversights by which another has been discovered, and that if he does
not yield to similar temptations, he is a model of virtue and
good-conduct.

In writing for any class of readers, and especially in occupying the
leisure moments of such peculiarly fortunate young persons as have
leisure moments at all, the author feels conscious of a deep
responsibility, for it is at their early age that the seed can best be
sown which shall bear fruit unto eternal life, therefore it is hoped
this volume may be found to inculcate a pleasing a