The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-03
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Out and About
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Child Life in Colonial Days" a new
volume by Mrs. Alice Morse Earle, has
just appeared from the press of the
Macmillan company Mrs. Earle needs
no introduction to the Worcester read
ing public, and any review of this her
latest book must be in the nature of
description and praise, rather than of
criticism. Mrs. Earle has threshed the
mellow fields Of colonial antiquities in
dustriously for a number of years, and
her contributions to contemporary
knowledge of our forebears on this
hospitable continent are among the
most valuable hat we have.
Granted an interest in the subject,
no book could be more entertaining
or charming than Child Life in Colo
NAL Days" That Earle is an au-
thority on the theme she talks about
goes without saying. Here we have
her in her most delightful mood. And
this impression is, heightened by the
cooperation of the publisher, who has
given an exquisite cover and letter
press illustration that are wholly adj
mirable.
Into every hidden nook of the child life
Of colonial days Mrs. Earle's keen glance
has penetrated. In an Introductory
chapter she treats in general terms of
colonial babyhood, its inconspicuous-
ness, its hazards and restraints 1.-THE
Child Of colonial days was emphatically
TO be seen, not to be heard'-nor was
ne even to be much in evidence to the
eye. He was of as little Importance in
domestic, social or ethical relations as
his childish successor is of great i'm
q no Nj l..
courteous, decorous, nor wise to make
MIN appear Of value or note in his
own eyes or in the eyes of his seniors.
Hence there was none of that ex-
haustive study Of the motives, thoughts
and acts of a child which is now rife -
Children's dress, schools and school
me, women teachers and girl scholars,
hornbook and primer, school books,
penmanship and letters come next.
each subject very interestingly treated.
Little boys Of II wore wigs and LITTLE
girls of wore stays. Long gloves. a
linen mask and a sun bonnet were
Worn jby the girls for the sake Of their
compilations, while their hair was
face.
The chapter on "SchooI-books" is
hIled with curious facts about the
primitive textbooks from which our
grandparents studied while the chap
ters on religious books and story and
picture books are positively pathetic
The most popular and widely read Of
all children's books in New England
was one whose title-page ran as fol-
lows: token for children. being an
exact account Of the conversion. holy
and exemplary lives and joyful deaths
Of several young children, by James
Janeway. To which is added a token
for the children of New England or
some examples of children in whom the
fear Of God was remarkably budding
before they died; in several parts of
New England Preserved and pub-
lished for the encouragement Of pietv
in other children. zone child. two
years old says Mrs. Earle. was able
'savingly to understand the mysteries
of redemption another Of the same
age was a dear lover of faithful min
listers. Anne Greenwich. who died
when five years old. discovered most
astonishingly Of great mysteries; Dam
lei Bradley, who had an impression
and inquisitiyeness Of the state Of souls
after death. when three years old ;
elizabeth Butcher, who, when two and
half years old, as she lay in the era
die. would ask herself the question,