893. The Gospel Missionary. (Bell) ½d.
Keeping up interest in missions.
894. The Coral Magazine. (Wells Gardner, Darton, & Co.) 1d.
On the part of the Church Missionary Society.
PENNY READINGS.
The foremost counsel to be given to those commencing Penny Readings is to beware of exciting an expectation that all readings and recitations shall be comic. It is probable that a considerable proportion of the audience will enjoy what is adventurous or pathetic; but if the lads, whose prime object is to make a noise, once get into the habit of expecting that everything shall be the occasion of laughing, they will consider themselves defrauded by anything else, and spoil all chance of listening. Even if they come in a civilised mood, a little excitement will set them off, and make them unmanageable all the rest of the time, and habits will set in which will drive the readers at last into mere buffoonery. Drollery is quite expedient, but it should be only just at the end, as a bonne bouche, when the uproariousness which it creates can speedily be worked off out of doors, or else a race of young tyrants will be raised up who will effectually prevent taste from being raised among the audience.