“Those for whom they are designed will not need an explanation; and others will not regard it. The mother, who is surrounded by smiling prattlers, will enter with spirit into my first Dialogues: will declare that they are such as she has wished for a thousand times; and that she esteems herself obliged to me, for having condescended to march in shackles, for the sake of keeping pace with her infant; she will be aware of some difficulty in the task; she will (to pursue the metaphor) allow that it is not easy to move gracefully, when we shorten our steps to those of a child. She will, therefore, pardon such inaccuracies as arise from the necessity of confining the language to short words.
“For the rest, I am persuaded (from experience and the remarks of the most judicious mothers) that a book of this kind will be acceptable.
“The mother who herself watches the dawn of reason in her babe; who teaches him the first rudiments of knowledge; who infuses the first ideas in his mind; will approve my Cobwebs. She will, if she be desirous of bringing her little darling forward; (and where it can be done with ease and satisfaction, who is not?) she will be aware of the consequence of the first lessons, where nothing meets the eye of the learner but objects with which he is already familiar; nothing arises to his mind, but subjects with which he begins to be acquainted; sentiments level to his capacity, explained in words which are suited to his progress.
“Such is the Cobwebs designed to be; if such it be, it will meet the smile of Mothers. It was written to please a set of children dear to the writer; and it did please them; and in the hope that it may be agreeable to other little people, it is given to the public.”
TO MY LITTLE READERS.
My Dears:
Do not imagine that, like a great spider, I will give you a hard gripe, and infuse venom to blow you up. No; I mean to catch you gently, whisper in your ear,
Be good, and you will be beloved,
Be good, and you will be happy,