Bisbee daily review., 1904-04-06
And God be good to all"

ors have come Whittier, Longfellew, Emerson, Holmes. Lowell and other
 N. T. poets and writers. By the fairy tales, the child was taught old, home bred virtues that he would do well to
 remember in later life. He was en-
 couraged 10 do the errand quickly and
 to speak respectfully to all-especial- ly the aged (else toads and snakes might fan from his lips). He was
 taught obedience, perseverance, truth fullness, and reverence for the power above that seems in these day Of doubt
 and irreverenoe, as sweet as a breath from the Balm-of-Gilead trees that
 stood about so many of the old N. E homes.
 Following no chronological order, let
 us now consider Poor Richards Al manac." When B. Franklin and H.
 Meredith set up their new printing of flee, they must have an almanac in or der to make the venture a success in those days. The work was engaged
 from one Thomas Godfrey, whose family rented the upper room of the
 building. Mrs. Godfrey, being about
 building. Mrs Godfrey, being of a match aking turn of mind, thought it would be advisable to bring about union between the prosperous young printer and a marriageable relative. In due course of time, an engagement was announced but the prudent prin- ter who in his book advised Nicer take wife till you have a house (and fire) to put her in, demanded as a dowry with his bride. money enough to liquidate the debt on his printing office This was refused, and after some further negotiations, Franklin was forbidden the house. This was the death blow of the Almanac as far as the Godfrey's were concerned. But Franklin was not crushed either by the loss of his book or his lady love, and proceeded to write his own almanac. This was the only book of the period that deviated from the pu- ritanical order by introducing wit and humor in the form of anecdote and poem. He conceived the idea of in- trodGcing proveTbial sayings for the instruction Of the common people, in- educating industry and frugality, for as he says, It is hard for an empty sack to stand on end" He did not originate all the sayings, for he him self tells us that they are the accum- ulated wisdom of many ages and na- uons. For 25 years he compiled and printed this almanac In the last is sue, he gives a rehash of all the prov erbs in the form of an harangue by a wise old man attending an auction. ] This has been published the world over, l might almost say in every | language; for 70 editions have been 1 published in English, 56 in French, l II in German and ' in Italian. 1t has been translated into Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Welsh, Polish, Russian. Bo- hemian, Dutch, Chinese, Nn5vIu Greek and Phonetic writing It has been printed at least 400 times, and is still as popular as ever Can any book, except the Book of Books have had so wide an opportunity U shaping 1 character?
 With the overflow of literature to- | day, it is hard for us to realize what | an important factor the New England | Primer was in educating the people l in 1890, the year in which it was first | published It has been called the l Little Bible Of New England" and | truly to modern eyes it reads | strangely HebTaic In prose as bare of poetry as the white-wash of their churches, in poetry as rough and | stern as their storm-torn coast, in l pictures as crude as their own glacial l smcthered boulders, the children were | led till they were stirred np nightly | to seek God, Ginn & Co. in the Fore word" of their latest reprint say, l 'TFhe N. F. Primer was one of the i greatest books ever published ItI went through innumerable editions. is reflected in a marvellous way, the l spirit Of the age that produced it, and 1 contributed perhaps more than any other book except the Bible, to the
 'alding of those sturdy generations that gave to America it's liberty and !, it's institutions" The first notice we have of the book was printed in an Al l manac the following year It says There is now in press, and will be- 1 come suddenly e1tant, a second edi- ton of the N. E. Primer enlarged, to which is added more directions for spelling, the prayer of King Edward the VI, and verses made by MT. l Rogers the martyr and left as a leg acy to his children" For more than | a century this was the only juvenile l book, and children of larger growth turned to its pages for entertainment | and instruction, reading it's message, with aching eyes no doubt, by the ft- fui glare of pine knot. The pref l ace by John Rogers reads in pas az | follows: Give ear, my children, to my words |