The Rosamond tales; sixteen short stories intended for children

Front matter

Class 7. J

Book i^T? 33 $

CopightN" “Ra

Introduction

Scientists claim that they have learned just how long a child may confine his mind to any one thing which he is doing without dangerous results. They tell us that after making twenty-five thousand tests, the best educators in America have clearly demonstrated that the length of time a child six years of age can concentrate its mind does not exceed seven minutes, and that all efforts to confine the attention upon one subject beyond this limit are worse than useless. This power of concentration increases slowly. At the age of eight, a child’s attention may be easily held ten minutes ; at the age of twelve his mind should not be riveted upon one subject longer than seventeen minutes. It is therefore a great mistake to keep a child of this age occupied by any task, even practising at the piano, for more than one-quarter of an hour. After a change of occupation, another fifteen minutes’ practice will be of incalculably more benefit than the attempt to continue work after the brain and nerves have become fatigued.

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INTRODUCTION,

If this be so, then it is of the utmost importance that the parents place only the best before the child — the best sort of play, the best line of studies, and, particularly, the best in literature as suited to their age. Only sound principles, only healthy illustrations, only good English ; surely we may plead at least for these three things in the books we give to children to rest, to refresh, to amuse them.

There is much cause for rejoicing among parents in the evinced broadening of ideals the world over, and this has been brought about in a marked degree by the recognition given to the idea that the best in literature is none too good for the children. The wise stimulation of the infant imagination is fruitful of excellent results, and how better may this be done than by providing them with good ideas, if not our own at all times, then those of the writers capable of performing so important a mission by their pens. Such books will prove more beneficial to the growing generation than the mere memorising of dates, facts, and figures, for they direct the intellect in prudent paths, and stimulate the sympathies for further progress without stocking the storehouse of the mind with impracticable collections of knowledge.

INTRODUCTION,

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And the two best things in which to interest them are the knowledge and love of Nature, the true nurse of childhood, and the lives and characters of men whom they can first admire and then emulate.

Preface

It having been my experience to fill the post of a bedtime narrator of stories for other persons’ children for many years, and more recently for my own child, the task of calling forth new tales nightly, when one naturally feels like resting the mind and body, is appreciated. It is for this reason that I would supply for other fathers and mothers a new variety of stories, which I trust will fill in the five-minute interim between undressing and sleep, when every child craves a yarn to induce the yawn.

The training which has made me presumptive to undertake this particular line of work was derived by an abundant acquaintance at an early age with children’s books, and soon afterward with the characters sketched by Dickens, Cooper, and Scott, the usual reading for growing children. But perhaps the greatest impression was created by Abbott’s stories about Rollo and his friend Jonas, Maria Edgeworth’s charming tales, and by that American boy’s favourite, “Tom Sawyer,” which was a new book at that time. These earliest books brought to my attention were the ones to be remembered all through life.

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PREFACE,

It has been my intention to make the stories interesting to reader and child alike ; by causing the former to wonder at the probable denouement of the plot furnished in each story, or chapter, and to make the latter pay strict attention. Another aim has been to keep the tone healthy, and in nowise overexcite the child’s thoughts as it is about to sleep.

These stories are for children between the ages of four and ten or twelve years. The words are not only practically limited in length to two syllables, but they are words that should be understood by a child learning to spell. In spite of this plan, the result has not necessarily been an inane style, as one might suppose would be the case upon such an attempt.

In my experience as a modest critic, I have been brought into contact with many hundred books and thousands of magazines each year for a decade, and I have found that the chief defect in stories for the young is the use of words which, although short ones, cannot be understood by a child under twelve years of age. One may recognise the force of this remark by asking a child the meaning of the words in any one of the Mother Goose Rhymes.” It is the jingle there that creates the fascination which glosses over the hard words.

It has also been my endeavour to accomplish three things — to cause the child to reason, thus persuading

PREFACE.

XV him to adopt a method of learning more for himself ; to induce a child to study Nature, and to use words correctly. By going farther, and omitting such miserable words as “very’" (a word used too plentifully in the usual child’s story), the child acquires in a natural manner a better style of diction.

The tales are intended to be read one on each evening. Although connected, each is complete in incident, and I trust that the result will be that no child who listens to them will be led to say They may be heavenly tales, but have no earthly meaning.”

With the consciousness that each of the sixteen stories has passed muster with my first critic, I present them to other children for their criticism, hoping for the best.

CuYLER Reynolds.

Albany^ N. F.

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