New-York daily tribune., 1845-02-05

There ~ no branch OF literature that better de-
serves cultivation, and none that 20 little obtains
IT irpm worthy hands as this Of Children's books.
IL requires a peculiar developmeat Of tho genius
ard sympa,hies, rare among the men Of fictitious
life, who arc no, men enough u revive, with
force and beauty, the thoughts and scenes OF
chiidhood.
i, is all idle 10 ,alk bahy-ta with malce
prepense, and to give shallow accounts Of deep
things, tainking thereby to interest the child -
He does not ike TO to too much puzzled, but /,
is simplicity he wants and not stiffness. We
fancy. their angels, who are always waiting IN
the courts of our Fathes smile, somewhat sadly,
a, the ignorance Of those who would feed them
on milk and water too long, and think it would
be quito az well TO give them stone.
Trots 10 100 much among US Of the French
way Of pai,aing of false accounts OF things On
children 20 do them good, and showing nature to
them III u magic lantern, ''put.fied Tor the use
Of childhood" ard telling stories OF good little
girls, and sweet iitia grls or brave little boys;
Oh all so good. or SO bad and, above all 80
J hule, and every Thing abou, them 50 little -
Children, accustomed to move in full-sized apart
men,s, and converse with full grown men end
women, 60 not need SO much OF this baby-house
style in their literature. They like, or would
hike, If they could get them, better things much
Better. They hike the :" Arabian Nights" and
"Pllgrim's Progress" and Bunyan'a En-
blerns," and Shakespeare, and the " Had" and
i Odyssey" ct least. they used TO ike them; ;
and if they do not now, it is because their taste
has bsen injured By 50 many sugar pums. The
I books tha, were written in the childhood Of
nations suit an uacorupt childhood now. They
are simple, picturesque. robust. Their moral is
not forced, nor is the truth voiled with a we'll
meant but cure to. fail, hypocrisy. Sometimes
hrcy and intellect. These, also, the child needs,
INST ps tho infant necda to stretch its LIMBS, and
grasp at objects 1t cannot hold. We have become
20 fund of The moral that VIC Jorge, the nature in
phich i, must find its root; so fond Of instruc-
den that we forget development
Where ballads. legends, and f.iry-tales are
noai, he morality is heart felt; if instructive,
it 10 from The healthy common sense of man.
hind, aud not for the convenience Of nursery
rule, nor The "pcace of schools and fimilies."
O that winter! freezing, snow-aden winter,
shich slowly ushered in our eighth birth day
I Thcrc, in the lonely farmhouse, tho days work
/ lors, and the bright wood fire a in low, we
/ rere permitted to slide back the panel of the
I cupboard in the wall; most fascinating object
sin in our eyes, with which no stateiest allowed
| fhssry can vie; and there saw, neatly ranged
On its two shelves, not, praised be our natal star
Peter Parlcy nor "A history Of the good little
soy that never took any thing that did not be-
kns to him !" but-the "Spsc,ator," " Telcma,
au Goldsmi,h's Animated Nature" and the
sIEsd.n
Fosns Of gods and heroes more distinctly seen
nd with eyes of lcarer love then than now =
ou, true Uncls, Sir Roger dc Coverley, and We,
hir realms Of Natures history whose pictures
N .ormenssd all grown persons TO illustrate
saa more kuowledge-stiil more, how we b!ess
he chance that gave 10 us your great realities
shich bic has daily helped us-heps us still, to
aisrpsct. instead Of thin and baseless tictions
hal would, all this time, have hampsred us al
Aoagh only with cobwebs.
Children need some childish talk, some child.
"A play, some childish books. But thcr also
&sd, and need more, difficulties 10 overcome,
ssd sense Of the vast mysteries which the pro-
Eess Of their inielngehcs shsli aid them to un
eavel. Tbs sense ii naturally their delight, as
FSs their rclgiW, and ii must not 90 dulled by
fsfnature explanations, nor subtcnugeS OF any
Ind. There mas been too much Of Tins lately.
Miss Ed6cwJ nth ,s an excellent writer for
sidIen. She 10 child herself as she writes,
Tsed anew by her own genius. 1t is no, by
aaa,os but by Reproducing childhood that the
Rer becomes it's corapsnion. Then. indeed,
rhave something especially good, for
/. Like wine, well-kep' and long;
Rsacy, nor harsh, nor strong;
1 Nith each succeeding year IL qaafi' d
/ A richer, purer, n,sliower drGusnt.'
Mos Edgworihs grown people 1--we naturally
a,s the cs,ldrrn; tacy de- no, talk 70 them con-
sassls about angels. OF flo"crs, or blue inland,
d about the ,hiLgs that interest themselves
nay DO no: force them forward nor keep them
ksk The relations are simple and honorable; !;
u ages IN tho family ,eem at homo under one
Ei and sheltered BY one care.
sTas Juvenile Miscellany" formerly pub
ished BY Mrs. Child, was much end deservcdly
sszsened By children. II was a healthy. cheer
'fa natural and entertaining companion 10 them.
sTae Child's Friend" is edited by Mrs Fol
Ia, lady admired and loved by large circle
| Z p.nonsl friends, best known 10 the pubic at
az. By memoir OF her husband worthy in its
has Of the beauty of its subject. No task could
ssN been moro difficult few have been fulfilled
ssA such dclicscy.--we think this penodica'
~ children il, in some degree, obnoxious To the
essu,s Of soo monotonously tender manner
"a t,o constant attention 10 the moral lnies.
'ass We should prefer larger propornon OF
.s asaa Of nsiaral or human history, and that
'a'y should speak for ,hemselves. There are
ssay good things in the work, and 1T 10 ca!ca-
"a ~