“Preface” (from Children’s Magazine, January 1789; pp. iii-iv)
It is a general complaint among the teachers of schools, that children want some lessons, written in a familiar style and on entertaining subjects, to conduct them in their progress from a Spelling-Book to such reading as is found in the American Selection, Scotts Lessons and the Art of Speaking. It is also a complaint that children are obliged to read too long in the same book; by which means the subjects become familiar and cease to command the attention. To remove these complaints, is the design of this publication.
The subjects are such as children can mostly comprehend; a circumstance that will please them, and of course fix their attention. The language and manner of writing are reduced to their capacities—the variety of subjects will at the same time, gratify and keep alive the passion of curiosity, which prompts the young mind to exertions; while the desire of novelty will be, in some measure, satisifed by the reading of a new book every month. Such a work is certainly wanted, both in families and schools; and as the subjects, style and manner of this Magazine are expressly
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calculated for children, the publishers flatter themselves the execution of the work, as well as its cheapness, will recommend it to universal approbation. An abridgement of Geography will appear in the beginning of each number—and the remainder will contain instructive essays on morality, religion, manners, &c—familiar letters, dialogues, and select pieces of poetry.
Notwithstanding the Editors are already furnished with a variety of materials for this work, yet they request their friends to assist them with communications, adapted to the general design. All favours of this kind addressed to the Editors of the Children’s Magazine, and conveyed, free of expence, will be thankfully received and duly attended to.
The undertaking is novel, and the Editors could not but feel some doubt of its success; yet when they considered the great advantage to youth that must result from a faithful execution of the plan, they determined to hazard something in an attempt to serve the interest of education, and now commit the success to an indulgent public.