ebody and her sunburnt child"--which would probably bring tears to
the present writer's eyes today, although he has not seen the book
since he was ten years of age.

It may be that every mature reader will miss from the list some book
or books of that precious childish literature which once throve and
flourished behind school desks. They were books founded partly on
famous history, as that of Baron Trenck and his escapes from prison,
Rinaldo Rinaldini, and The Three Spaniards. I am told that children do
not now find them in a pedlar's pack as we once found them,
accompanied by buns and peddled like them at recess time. Even if we
should find them both in such a place, they might have no such flavor
for us now. It is something if the flowers of American gossip are
retained in similar stories, even if their atmosphere is retreating
from all the hills. It is enough to know that we have for all our
children the works of Louisa Alcott and Susan Coolidge; that they (p. xv)
have Aldrich's Story of a Bad Boy and Mrs. Dodge's Hans Brinker and
Miss Hale's Peterkin Papers and The William Henry Letters by Mrs.
Diaz. We need not complain so long as our children can look
inexhaustively across the ocean for Andrew Lang's latest fairy-book
and Grimm's Household Stories as introduced to a new immortality by
John Ruskin.
THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON.
CAMBRIDGE, MASS., _January 4, 1909_.

_APPRECIATIONS_ (p. xvii)

I think your selections very carefully made and well adapted to
children who have books at home and mothers who read them.... With
many congratulations on the excellence of your book, both in form and
substance, believe me yours sincerely,
CAROLINE M. HEWINS.
_Hartford Public Library._

You do not owe me any thanks for my little assistance, for you have
given me quite as much as I have given you. It is more stimulating
than you can believe to discuss the subject with one whose point of
view is not that of the librarian. You must not call yourself an
amateur, however, for you are an expert on children's books. I have
gained a great many ideas from you, and have enjoyed comparing notes
with you immensely.
Sincerely yours,
CLARA W. HUNT.
_Brooklyn Public Library._

I am sending back your book with my notes and sugge