THE JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR AND COMPANION. VOL. XXII.-VOL. X., NEW SERIES. LONDON: JOSEPH H. ROBINSON, EDITOR AND BOOK STEWARD, METHODIST NEW CONNEXION BOOK ROOM, 4, LONDON HOUSE YARD, ST. PAUL'S. PREFACE. WHEN the Editor of this Magazine was a little boy, he used to get halfpence given him by his friends; most of these he invested in such small books as he could get, and the rest in candies. The books were, he is ashamed to say, such as "Jack the GiantKiller," "Mother Hubbard," "Goodie Two-Shoes," and the like. The candies were better than the books; and he is not sure but it would have been wiser to have spent all his halfpence on candies, and let the books alone. But if the candies were sweet the books made him wonder, and that was some gain to a child; for wonder is the opening of the eyes to outward things, and without it there can be little food for the imagination or little motive to inquiry. He believed in these books firmly, and hid his head under the blankets every night, for fear of the monsters and evil spirits of which they informed him. This was wrong; but what was he to do? There were no other or better children's books to be had in those days, and they could only read such books, or none. Had he been able to procure a Magazine like the JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR, he could only have slept every other night for joy. Only a penny a month for all this good reading! The very thought of it would have made him dance for joy. Is there the same joy in the hearts of our young people now? They can have a Magazine every month that tells them something good, and that will do them good as long as they live! and all for one penny! We should have said, "No more candies; all our halfpence must go for the JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR." |