Undine, translated from the German of La Motte Fouqué-a romance for all ages.

Vicar of Wakefield,

Phantasmion, by Mrs. Henry Coleridge; a tale of fairyland, full of captivation for man, woman, and child.

Arabian Nights. We forbear to intrude our prejudice in favour of the old edition over Lane's more correct version, because we are convinced that whichever children have the pleasure of read. ing first will be the lasting favourite.

As regards those works which convey more direct information without any expense of interest, we may mention,

Contributions of Q. Q., by Miss Jane Taylor; a work which cannot be too highly praised; religious precepts, moral lessons, and interesting information, all given in a sound and beautiful form. Another instance of the popularity of good writing—this book being in high favour with children. In its present form this work is perhaps not generally known, as it was published in detached portions in the Youth's Magazine,' and the parts have only lately been collected. But many a reader is acquainted with • The Discontented Pendulum,'. How it Strikes a Stranger,' &c., which appeared in separate pieces, and will be found in various selections of prose reading.

Willy's Holidays, by Mrs. Marcet.

The Boy and the Birds, by Miss Emily Taylor; a delightful little volume. Bingley's Stories of Dogs,

Horses,
Travellers,

Shiperecks. A set of works which, professing only to amuse, instruct and edify in no common degree.

Uncle Philip's Whale Fishery, of which the same may be said.

Stanley's Birds. This is by the present Bishop of Norwichit well deserves its great popularity.

Mrs. Marcet's Conversations on Land and Water. This is so far superior to the usual class of modern books, in which it is thought necessary to give instruction a garnish of amusement, that, though drawn up in that garrulous forin we so much condemn, we cannot omit to recommend it here.

Harry and Lucy, by Miss Edgeworth. It matters not how learned Miss Edgeworth may make her Harrys and Lucys, we defy her to make them dull.

While's History of Selborne, for young people. The omissions are judicious.

Peter Parley's Tales of Animals. A collection of interesting anecdotes, and very attractive to children, but the only work by the real Simon Pure we should care to see in their hands. Nor have we been more satisfied with the other writers under the same mask, which in most cases seems to have been assumed only to carry down a shallowness and flippancy of style which otherwise would not have been tolerated.

Goldsmith's Animated Nature.

Selections from the Spectator, Guardian, and Tatler, by Mrs. Barbauld. To the credit of children, this is one of their greatest delights.

Howitt's Country Boy's Book. A capital work, and we are inclined to think his best in

any

line.
Stories for Children from the History of England, by Mr.
Croker. This skilful performance suggested the plan of Sir
W. Scott's

Tales of a Grandfather.
Southey's Life of Nelson.
Mutiny of the Bounty.
Lives of the Admirals.
The (abridged) Life of Columbus, by Washington Irving.

Hone's Every-Day Book. Excessively interesting to children from the earliest ages.

Sketch Book,
Bracebridge Hall.
Fragments of Voyages and Travels, by Captain Basil Hall.
The Waverley Novels.

We should think a selection of these, with some of the prints representing realities from the Abbotsford edition, would be the most popular child's book in the world; and the drawing-room set would last a good while longer,

Works of a more directly religious cast:
Watts's Hymns,
Hymns for Infant Minds, by the Misses Taylor of Ongar,

Mrs. Hemans's Hymns for Childhood. These are all that can be required for the exercise of early piety, and three more beautiful little works cannot be desired.

Child's Christian Year.
Tracts and Tales, and
Sacred Dramas, and other writings, by Mrs. Hannah More

Agathos, and other tales, by Archdeacon Wilberforce. These are indeed the works of a master. Their success can surprise no one.

The Distant Hills,

Shadow of the Cross. Two beautiful little allegorical works, of which a child can make no false application. The explanatory dialogues at the close of each will be found of the utmost utility. Gospel Stories, by Mrs. Barrow. This is not to be confounded with the mob of little books bearing similar titles: it is a very remarkable specimen of skill, and treats some of the most difficult passages in Gospel History with a clearness that may guide and help many an experienced parent in the instruction of her children.

Ivo and Verena. A most impressive little volume.
Loss of the Kent' East Indiaman. A lesson to young and old.
Burder's Oriental Customs.
Translations from Fénélon.
Keble's Christian Year.
Pilgrim's Progress. The sooner read the better.

As regards the regular school-book, we pretend to no systematic catalogue ; for, great as are their number, their purpose is much defeated by the modes of verbal instruction now current in schools, in which each instructor proceeds upon notes and abridgments of his own, the results of general and extensive knowledge, and not to be furnished by any one book or set of books. It is, therefore, only in private and maternal tuition that the following short list can give assistance, and that also dependent on the mode of application and the auxiliary instruction with which they are accompanied.

Mary's Grammar, by Mrs. Marcet. A sound and simple little work for the earliest ages.

Lindley Murray for all others.
Mrs. Markham's History of England.

History of France. School History of England. The best of the numerous class, especially written for instruction.

Elements of Geography, by Mr. Croker. The best of elementary books on the subject.

Stewart's Geography. More simple, more correct, and better arranged than any other we have seen.

Arrowsmith's Geography.

Mangnall's Historical and Miscellaneous Questions. The most comprehensive book of instruction existing, and to be preferred to all the others to which it has served as model.

Hort's Pantheon. Superior to all other juvenile mythologies in form and tendency, and decidedly in the pleasure it gives a child.

Flowers of History, ancient and modern. We fear this work is now forgotten; but we must say we think we learned more from it than from any one of its class that we ever read. The author was a Mr. Adams, a clergyman, schoolmaster at Putney. Goldsmith's History of Rome

Greece. Goldsmith's picturesque writing will always make him preferred by children, while the love of history,

which his works induce, is a far greater benefit to them than the
more correct facts they may imbibe from later writers, who have
little other merit than that of rectifying his inaccuracies.
Keightley's History of Rome-
Greece. For a more advanced

age.
Rollin's Ancient History.
Mavor's Classical English Poetry.
Selections from Wordsworth-a small volume.
Readings in English Prose from Lord Bacon downwards.

Dr. Arnott's Physics. This answers the purpose of juvenile instruction far more than all the juvenile works of science.

Dick's Christian Philosopher. A work of a very delightful tendency, and eminently qualified to assist the teacher.

In the list thus offered, it would be absurd to imagine that all have been mentioned that are worthy of attention. As we said before, we offer what has indirectly presented itself to us, more than what we have directly sought for. The aim, also, has been more to contract than to expand to the exclusion of many works highly respectable in ability, but too similar and numerous to be distinguished. Being also convinced by experience, that it is the out of school reading which equally leaves the deepest impression on the child, and gives the greatest licence to the writer, it is this branch of juvenile books to which our chief attention has been devoted. As to the works of an older kind fitted for children's reading, we need hardly remind those concerned in their welfare, that Homer, Shakspeare, Milton, and Addison, are enjoyable and appreciable from a very early age, and that the child's store of such reading is one of the richest legacies the adult can inherit. And in an age when, by a strange perversity of reasoning, a twofold injury, both in what is required and what is withheld, is inflicted upon children, it behoves us the more to supply them with those authors who, like old plate, though their pattern may go out of fashion for a season, yet always retain the same intrinsic value.

Upon the whole, we should be happy if, by calling attention to the real excellence and beauty of a genuine child's book, we could assist in raising the standard of the art itself-the only effectual way, it seems to us, of checking the torrent of dressed-up trumpery which is now poured upon the public. For on taking a retrospective view of the juvenile libraries of the day, it is very obvious that there are a set of individuals who have taken to writing children's books, solely because they found themselves incapable of any other, and who have had no scruple in coming forward in a line of literature which, to their view, presupposed the lowest estimate of their own abilities. Nor has the result undeceived them-on the contrary, they write simple little books which any little simple

ton

ton can understand, and in the facility of the task become more and more convinced of its utter insignificance. The whole mistake hinges upon the slight but important distinction between childish books and children's books. The first are very easy—the second as much the reverse the first require no mind at all—the second mind of no common class. What indeed can be a closer test of natural ability and acquired skill than that species of composition which, above all others, demands clearness of head and soundness of heart, the closest study of nature, and the most complete command over your materials? A child's book especially requires that which every possessor of talent knows to be its most difficult and most necessary adjunct, viz. the judgment evinced in the selection of your ideas—the discretion exercised in the control of your powers. In short, the beau-ideal of this class of composition lies in the union of the highest art with the simplest form; and if it be absurd to expect the realisation of this more frequently in children's books than in any other, it is quite as absurd to attempt to write them without keeping it in any way in view.

Art. II.--1. The First Phonic Reading Book. Under the sanc

tion of the Committee of Council on Education. Published,

by authority, by John W. Parker, West Strand, London. 1843. 2. The Second Phonic Reading Book. Under the sanction of the

Committee of Council on Education. Published, by authority,

by John W. Parker, West Strand, London. 1843. 3. The Constructive Method of Teaching, an extempore Lecture

delivered at Exeter Hall, 19th April, 1842, by J. P. Kay Shut

tleworth, Esq. IT may, at first sight, seem that the consideration of these

Phonic reading books might have been properly included in the preceding article, but there is something so very peculiar in their composition, and so remarkable in their publication by authority of the Privy Council, that we think them entitled to a distinct notice. It is, we believe, the first time that the Privy Council has made itself directly responsible for a spelling-book. Blackstone certainly does not enumerate amongst iis attributes any such duties; and we look, therefore, with some curiosity to the cause and consequences of so novel an experiment.

Our readers will recollect that amidst the heavy blows and great discouragements’ with which it was the pride of the Melbourne administration to visit the Church of England, one of the last and boldest was an attempt to place national education on a footing and under an influence of which the real and ultimate effect must have been to atheise public instruction, by prohibiting

all