The times., 1901-05-20
Recent Chiidren,s Books.


The juvenile literature of the last few
years is so markedly inferior TO that
which preceded it that one is moved to
wonder what in the world car be the
matter Its inferiority is especially no
ticeable in one way-its lack of moral
teaching. 1t is not desirable that books
for children should be Sunday-school
books-there has been more of that sort
of fiction shed abroad upon the land
than was at all good-but since the first
twelve years of the life of a human be-
ing are peculiarly susceptible to intiu-
ences good ar bad, it seems as if the
books which the child reads should
have some sort of good influence on its
character.
Leaving out the classics, such as
world-old fairy tales. THE Arabian
Nights Alice in Wonderland" and
"GuIliver," there were three writer's
who gave tone to the literature of this
country some twenty-five years ago,
and it was good, healthy tone. They
were Louisa Alcott, Adeline D. T. Whit
ney. and j. T. Trowbridge. Little
Women" and eve Girls" appealed
mainly to girl audiences. but most of
Miss Alcott's later stories were as ca
gerly read by boys as by girls; and
Trowbridge's innumerable tales were
the special property of boy readers OF
THE Youths Companion" and 81
Nicholas" BY those who are familiar
with these juvenile books it will be re-
membered that there was not one OF the
works of any of these authors which
did not have a moral backbone to it.
Miss AIcott's democracy was rampant
she took particular pains TO condemn
ANYTHING like snobbishness or conceit;
she was almost as good a hater OF the
snob as of the liar, and that is saying
much. Yet she never antagonized the
true aristocrat; she only strove to show
that gentle breeding manifests itself in
gentle behavior, high ideals, tact, ana
courage. and the true democracy which
recognizes character wherever it is
found. Her work was often faulty from
a literary point of view, but the human,
sympathetic quality was always there
In a different fashion Mrs. Whitney has
taught precisely the same thing; andher
books. with their daintiness of wording,
their gentle mysticism and quiet humor,
are still the classics for girls in their
teens. Trowbridge was likewise
thorough democrat; his tales are always
of sturdy, plucky, keen-witted young
sters fighting against odds. Sometimes
it is country sehoolmaster winning his
way with unruly boys; sometimes it is
a family of boys obliged to take care Of
themselves and facing a hostile com
munity; sometimes it is a youngster
with no chance in life, determined to
make something of himself; but in no
case is there a hint that that boy, if he
makes up his mind to be a fine, strong,
true character, cannot be as good as
anybody in the land. Perhaps the best
proof of the possibility Of democracy is
to be found in the literature which was
popular among the children of the sew
enties. There was not an undemocratie
note in it.
That, perhaps. was one reason for its
popularity. Children are natural dem
ocrats. The whole world is interesting
to them In the reaction against de-
mocracy which has been evident in the
last few years, it has become almost
impossible to write stories of child-life.
in harmony with the spirit Of the age,
and acceptable TO the child. To the
student of human nature this is worth
thinking about.