The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-05-25

land" is interesting but not always
accurate. I know of no history more
reliable and at the same time thor
oughly enjoyable than Green's. "a
Short History of the English Peo-
ple."
This last mentioned book is of
course more suitable for older chill
dren than for the very young, but I
would remind you that books read
aloud to the little ones are well un-
derstood when half the meaning
might be lost if left to the childish
perusal. 1t is well worth mothers
time to devote at least an hour every
day to reading to her children. "Hig-
ginson's Young Folks History of the
United States" is excellent. Charlotte
Yonge has written we'll on ancient
and modern history. All children
like to travel with Tom Knox and
older ones appreciate Bayard Taylor.
The explorations of Stanley, Liv
ingstone, ,and other travellers ARE read
with eager interest. There is one
class of reading that is too often ne
elected in the child's curriculum,
that is biology. Let us teach the
children that all life, however lowly,
is sacred and of the highest import
ance. From experience know how
much humanity is inculcated by such
lessons, and how marvellous seems to
them the lowly bug or plant, too
wonderful to be thoughtlessly crushed
under foot. There are good books to
help children in this great study of
life. Let me particularly speak of
"Science Ladders" by HI. D'Anvers.
There are six books bound in one vol
ume. The first treating of "Land
and Water" is an illustrated Geo.
graphical reader, the second book is
on early Explorations" and the
third, fourth, fifth and sixth are a
series of illustrated Natural History
readers on Vegetable Life" GLOW
erless Plants" "Water Animals" and
"Armor Wearers." These books are
expressed in simple language and
contain many illustrations. Young
children cannot fail to enjoy them.
would also heartily recommend
Arabella Buckley's admirable books
on Life and Her Children" THE
Fairyland Of Science" and THE
Great Backboned Family Eliza
Youmans, in her first book of botany
most pleasantly introduces child to
the knowledge of, and love of plants.
They can learn much of geology from
the little books of Alpheus Hyatt.
Certain little books published by A.
Flanagan, of Chicago, as aids to
teachers, are very interesting to chill
dren. will mention Nature Myths,
and Fables, old Greek Neurological
Tales, told in simple language. Name
less Stories, on insects, plants and
common things. Hints on the Study
of Hiawatha and Stories of Morse
Gods and Heroes.
These books are sure to amuse and
instruct children. 1t is most impor-
tant to introduce children at an early
age to the classics of literature, an
cient and modern.
The elevating influence of poetry
| cannot be over estimated. l would
urge upon mothers the reading aloud
to the little ones from our best poets
in preference to the doggerel rhymes
which are SO often given them. This
weak diet often units the childish
mind for anything stronger and l
feel sure its evil influence remains for
long time. Children are fonder
than we think of grown-up reading.
l know little girl who after she was
put to bed at night would sit up
eagerly listening to Vanity Fair or
Ruskin's Essays. We cannot begin
too early to cultivate in the child a
love for the true and the beautiful.
Much in Longfellow, Whittier,
Bryant, Hawthorne, Tennyson and
Wordsworth is suitable for young
children and this desire for the best
literature remains with them through
life. My children at the age of ten
and six years have quite an acquaint-
ance with, and real love for good
poetry. Macaulay's Lays of Ancient
Rome are very inspiring and boys
and girls alike are thrilled by the
stirring poem of Horatius at the
Bridge. All children should be fa-
miliar with "Hiawatha" "Evangeline"
"Snow Bound" "The Lady of the
Lake" and the shorter poems of these
writer's.
do not mean to convey the idea
that children should not be encour-
aged to read themselves, but child
| should gain its first knowledge and de-