What thinks the teacher of such riches, what the librarian with her catalogue number? A book is a fact, nay, a friend, a dream. Is there not a creed for us all in the wisdom of that crazy man? Here was one with clear vision, to whom fact was as nothing before the essential of one’s nature—a prophet, a seer, one to whom the tragedy of growing up had been no tragedy, but whose memory of childhood had produced a chastening effect upon his manhood. Are we surprised to find him adding:
“I give to good fathers and mothers, in trust for their children, all good little words of praise and encouragement, and all quaint pet names and endearments, and I charge said parents to use them justly and generously, as the needs of their children may require.”
And so, we ask, more especially the parent than the librarian, is there not excitement in the very drawing out from a child his heart’s desire? Imperative it is in all cases that book-buying should not be a lottery, but more persistently apparent does it become that a child’s one individual book upon the Christmas-tree or for a birthday should not represent a grown-up’s after-thought.
Bibliographical Note
The articles referred to in this chapter are:
Burton, Richard—Literature for Children. No. Amer. 167:278 (Sept., 1898).
Children’s Books—[From the Quarterly Review.] Liv. Age, 2:1–12 (Aug. 10, 1841).
Thwing, Charles F.—Significant Ignorance About the Bible as Shown Among College Students of Both Sexes. Century, 60:123–128 (May, 1900).
FOOTNOTES
[1] Mr. Jenks, besides editing for St. Nicholas Magazine during many years a unique department known as “Books and Reading,” has written widely on the subject of juvenile literature. See his “The Modern Child as a Reader.” The Book-buyer, August, 1901, p. 17.