The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Captives, by Erasmus W. Jones

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Title: The Young Captives
A Story of Judah and Babylon

Author: Erasmus W. Jones

Release Date: June 30, 2004 [EBook #12792]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG CAPTIVES ***

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THE YOUNG CAPTIVES

A Story of Judah and Babylon

By ERASMUS W. JONES

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1907

PREFACE.

This volume is the fruit of my leisure hours; and those hours in the life
of a pastor are not very abundant. That the story has suffered from this,
I do not believe. Whatever its defects may be, they are not owing to "the
pressure of other duties." So, dear reader, if this little work proves a
failure, let not that deep calamity be attributed to any lack but the
lack of ability in the author.

The semi-fictitious style of the writing, while displeasing to some, will
be well-pleasing to others. "What I have written I have written;" perhaps
in a way peculiar to myself. I know of some who could write charming
books on this subject in a very different and perhaps a far superior
style; but these I dare not try to imitate. I must write in my own way.
It may be inferior to the way of others; but then it is much better to
move around on your own limbs, even if they are rather "short metre,"
than to parade abroad on stilts in mid-air.

In the colloquies, I have not thought it best to follow strictly the
Oriental style. However pleasing this might have been to some, I am well
persuaded that it could not meet the approbation of the generality of
readers; and as the great design of the work is to bear with weight upon
some of the corrupt usages and wicked policies of the present day, I
thought it advisable to shape the phraseology in conformity with modern
usages.

In the prosecution of this work, I have consulted the following
authorities: Josephus, Rollins' "Ancient History," Smith's "Sacred
Annals," "Daniel, a Model for Young Men," by Dr. Scott, Clarke's,
Henry's, Scott's, and Benson's Commentaries; with some other smaller
works.

In following the "Youths of Judah" through their various trials, at home
and in a