Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1828-07-25
nan, and can therefore have no instructor like wo


man.
And. when we come to answer the next ques-
ton, who have really devoted their best talents
and most anxious to the education of children
who have written the best books for and about chill
dren we are thankful again can answer, Wo-
men. Thirty years ago, (if we had been in exis-
tence then) we could not have answered thus
We should have been compelled to say There are
no books for children: these important members Of
the human family are destitute this immensely
valuable, and infinitely fertile field, lies neglected,
and runs to waste. No seed has been sown there
for the propitious skies to mature the grain has
yet to be deposited the weeds yet to be eradi-
Gated both man and woman pass it by, and take
their abour to other places. and think not Of re-
deeming it, nor know that by care and culture it
may be made to blossom like the rose, and fill the
| earth with its fruits. This we should at that time
have been obliged to say. But can say,
that those whose part and province it was to do this
work, have done it, and have done it well. We
can point to the names Of Barbould and Edgeworth,
Taylor and Holland, and confidently ask, where
there worthier. Men talk of eras in literature.
The Of the two first named of those ladies, the
era ofthe Hymns for Children and the Parents
! Assistant, was golden era, pure and bright and
full OF riches, and deserving rank among the most
glorious dates of Improvement. Since that time
laborers have been fast coming into the same field,
and have worked WELL though we must still say,
that those who Came first worked best. Our own
| Countrywomen have been neither tardy in advancing
to this delightful task NOR Inefficient in their services
We believe that the best chdren's books which
we have, and we have many which are excellent
are the composition Of females and if we felt our
selves at liberty to do SO, we could repeat an hon
CRADLE, and ny no means scanty list of the name:
of those who have earned something better thar
|
and hearts of our children Those who are con
scous that they belong to the catalogue, have little
to ask Of fame, and certainly nothing to receive
from it half so valuable as that which they already
possess, the CALCULATIONS ofther own hearts
The department of juvenile literature, then, i
almost entirely in female hands. Long may it re
main there Long, for the interests of virtue, ant
the Improvement of our kind, may it be in the hear
: of woman to nurture the growth, and watch owe
and direct the early puttings-orth of youthful intel
lect and feeling. While she retains the office, S
delightful in itself, and so grave and momentous
its ends, and even adds TO its beautiful dignity b
the graceful and etfecual manner in which she ha
hitherto performed its duties, she inspires us wit
: an Admiraton-of deeper and more lasting, an
we must also believe, more fattering character
than was the most glowing and romantic love of tn
days of chivary. Talk not to us of chvalry, III
less it be IN poetry and with the usual latitude an
license of poetry. In truth, and in prose, the mo
refined devotion of knighhood and chvalry is +
, more to be compared, in purity and elevation
the sentiments which female excellence now con
mands, than are those far ones who then preside
ut the great duels which we read of under the POT
:. tcal name of tournaments, and who by their pr
scnce and plaudits animated the egazed and cour
y slaughter which was raging and struggling benea
them, to be compared TO the females of our ow
~ time, who, as beautiful nc doubt, and as accor
ID pshed they, find in their more appropriate priv
' lege and pleasure to stimulate the fresh powers
4 childhood to the competitions of knowledg
d, and virtue, and TO hold out the need of appr
nj baton 10 the exertons of innocent and ingenuo
St minds.