of the
child. But as children differ so greatly in capacity, it should be
understood that in this respect the arrangement is only approximate.
The endeavor has been made to choose those fairy tales which are most
free from horrible happenings, and to omit all writings which tolerate
unkindness to animals. Humorous books are designated by a star and the
few sad ones by a circle.

The prices given are the same as those in the publishers' catalogues;
booksellers' prices are often less.

My thanks are extended to those publishers who have time and again
courteously provided the facilities for the examination of their
publications.

Miss Annie Carroll Moore, of the New York Public Library, was kind
enough to read for me the notes and comments. I wish most gratefully
to acknowledge the generous assistance given me by Miss Hewins, of (p. x)
the Hartford Public Library, Miss Hunt, of the Brooklyn Public
Library, and Miss Jordan, of the Boston Public Library, who examined
the List, and suggested some changes and a few additions. Their
approbation is elsewhere expressed.
GERTRUDE WELD ARNOLD.
NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY.

_A MOTHER'S LIST_ (p. xi)

It is said, in that earliest collection of English proverbs which was
made by John Heywood, more than three hundred years ago, that
"Children must learn to creep before they can go." This little book
for which I am asked to write a brief preface is, so far as I can find
out, the first consistent effort yet made towards teaching children to
read on John Heywood's principle. It is safe to say that it is
destined to carry light and joy into multitudes of households. It is
based upon methods such as I vaguely sighed after, nearly fifty years
ago, when I was writing in the _North American Review_ for January,
1866, a paper entitled Children's Books of the Year. The essay was
written by request of Professor Charles Eliot Norton, then the editor
of that periodical, and I can now see how immensely I should have been
relieved by a book just like this Mother's List, a device such as
nobody in that day had the wisdom and faithful industry to put
together.

In glancing over the books discussed in that early paper of mine, it
is curious to see how the very titles of some of the most prominent
have now disappeared from sight. Where are the Little Prudy books (p. xii)
which once headed the list? Where