Charlotte M. Yonge

“ A book labelled ‘A tale for—’ is apt to carry a note of warning to the perverse spirits of those to whom it is addressed.
Historical tales and those of other lands require a certain degree of cultivation and imagination, to be appreciated. To some, even the best are distasteful, to others they supply the element of romance. Those that have a charm about them of character and adventure, fitting them for almost all [13] readers, have been put into the groups intended for the age they suit, as well as into their places as illustrations of history. ”

“ But if the moral of the tale be sound, and the tone of the characters who bespeak sympathy, high, pure, and good, the standard of the reader, however frivolous, must be insensibly raised. At any rate, by withholding books because the cottage woman ought to be too busy to want them, we do not render her more industrious, but we leave her exposed to catering for herself in undesirable regions.
There remain the thrifty, sensible, good women who, if they read at all, do so in their Sunday leisure, and like a serious book. ”

“ I endeavour to give here a classified list that may be an assistance in the choice of books. It is not an advertisement. Most of the books I have personally proved. No doubt many readers will be disappointed at omissions, but it is quite impossible to answer for all the books in existence, and my object here is to suggest the fittest for the purposes of lending, reading aloud, or giving. It is no condemnation of a work that its name does not appear in this list—only it has either not become known to me, or has not appeared to me so eminently desirable as the others. ”

“ Wholesome and amusing literature has become almost a necessity among the appliances of parish work. The power of reading leads, in most cases, to the craving for books. If good be not provided, evil will be only too easily found, and it is absolutely necessary to raise the taste so as to lead to a voluntary avoidance of the profane and disgusting.
Books of a superior class are the only means of such cultivation. It has been found that where really able and interesting literature is to be had, there is much less disposition to prey upon garbage. ”

“ History is seldom very acceptable to young people of the working classes. They do not live in a sufficiently cultivated atmosphere to keep up interest in what they learn at school; but sometimes an event or perhaps an historical tale rouses their curiosity, and those a little more cultivated ought to learn to read for themselves. Histories are particularly desirable as prizes, since they may be used and referred to through life. Moreover, everything should be done to get pupil-teachers beyond the mere cram of names and dates. ”

“ Many indeed both of lads and men are absorbed in actual practical life and never read at all, or nothing but newspapers. Yet even these when laid low by illness will accept a book to pass away the weary hours.
Nothing, of course, can equal the effect of personal influence, from schoolmaster, clergyman, or lady, but each of these may find books, lent, recommended, or read aloud, of great assistance.
Some books of advice deprecate reading aloud in Sunday schools. My own experience, now of many years, is that it is of great assistance in impressing the scholars, and gives great pleasure. ”

“ Jules Verne is a modern Baron Munchausen with an air of science and a Frenchman’s ironical gravity. To some he is perfectly enchanting, but there are soberer minds who are bewildered as to whether the wonders they read of are meant for truth or fiction, and dislike him accordingly. We have only mentioned a small selection of his translated works, but all are perfectly safe, for he is a religious, sound-hearted man. ‘Dr. Ox’s Experiment’ is short enough for a penny reading among intelligent people. ”

“ There are certain fairy tales that are absolute classics, and a knowledge of which is absolutely necessary to understand common allusions. The grandmothers have ceased to tell them, and the little chap-books are no more, so that it has happened to me to pause on a mention of ‘Cinderella’ or ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ and find no one understand it, and I have kept a whole school interested while waiting for an entertainment by telling one of these. Therefore, a small list is here given, for fairy tales should be regarded as treats, and only the superior ones put forth freely. ”

“ There is always, too, a certain proportion who have a strong turn for fact, and like to have solid truth before them. Of course all these can read the same books as the elder men, and even more difficult ones, as their education has gone farther; but they need more that is light, easy, and inviting, and a lending-library or reading-room requires a supply fitted for both. ”

“ I have added a few suggestions of extracts for penny readings, but it is not easy to collect enough that do not verge on buffoonery, or that have no element of vulgarity; and indeed there is so much variation of tastes according to the tone and training of the audience, that it is hardly possible to tell what will be suited for hearers of each degree of culture. Some delight in pathos or adventure, and others will do nothing but laugh, and become noisy at anything that is not highly comic. ”

“ What it aims at giving is such a choice of books as boys will listen to with interest, or if they read in quieter moments, or in illness, may find so amusing as not to be tempted to think that nothing diverting or stimulating is to be found beyond the Penny Dreadful. If their taste can be kept unsullied during the time of growth, there is more hope for it afterwards. ”

“ And there should be a good stock of standard fiction: Scott, Dickens, Fenimore Cooper, are all to be had at almost any price, and would pretty well supply in themselves the requirements of reading-room fiction.
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The corresponding class of girls and young women are for the most part indiscriminate devourers of fiction, and, like the women before mentioned, need to have their appetite rightly directed. But there is more hope of them than of their elders, and their ideal is capable of being raised by high-minded tales, which may refine their notions. ”

“ There are many very fairly suitable for lending, not equally good for reading aloud, as lengthiness, description, and over-moralising, hang on hand with a mixed class; and, in other cases, the reader seems to be inculcating with authority all that is uttered, and thus gives a sense of preaching instead of amusing.
The tales that have any dissenting bias, or which appear to involve false doctrine, are of course omitted, though all those here mentioned do not belong to the same school of thought within the Church. ”

“ This will be classed among historical tales, as it belongs to the period of the Thirty Years’ War, but the interest is sufficient to win children quite ignorant of the history of the period. The inhabitants of a village in the track of the armies have a refuge in the forest, impregnably fenced with thorn bushes. The adventures of a little maiden, who falls into the hands of the marauders, and wins their heart by her innocent sweetness, are enjoyed by all readers and hearers. ”

“ If the boy is not to betake himself to ‘Jack Sheppard’ literature, he must be beguiled by wholesome adventure. If the girl is not to study the ‘penny dreadful,’ her notions must be refined by the tale of high romance or pure pathos.
The children at school are often eager readers, especially if they have sensible parents who forbid roaming about in the evening. There ought always to be a school library unless the children are provided for in the general parish library; but even this requires careful selection. ”

“ It is not well to give a very serious book in a chance way to a young creature expecting amusement. And the best books are fit rather to make a lengthened stay with the reader than to be handed on in the library. Tracts for special purposes do not belong to the general class of books in circulation, and those here set down are chiefly such as give information on principles, rather than actually devotional books or sermons. ”

“ The only thing to be done is to take care that she has access to a full supply of what can do her no harm, and may by reiteration do her good, though the links between book and action are in many cases never joined. Sometimes they are not connected at all, sometimes a strong impression is unexpectedly made. But this class of women must have incident, pathos, and sentiment to attract them. ”

“ They do not want to be improved, but they like to lose their cares for a little while in some tale that excites either tears or laughter. It is all very well to say that they ought to have no time for reading. An industrious thrifty woman has little or none, but the cottager’s wife who does as little needlework, washing, or tidying as possible, has a [8] good many hours to spend in gossip or in reading. She may get cheap sensational novels, and the effects on a weak and narrow mind are often very serious. ”

“ But though, as an alternative to a real study, children will enjoy an anecdote, and though a master, mistress, or friend can lead them to use their eyes and assist in some pursuit or collection, it is only the exceptional ones with a developed taste who will voluntarily read more than an occasional story. ”

“ Others present nothing but wooden puppets put into the carefully studied costume of their period, and stiffly working out the facts, with much pains but no life. These, however, have a certain value, not only because perverse youth will read them when it will not read real history; but also because when a special period has to be ‘got up,’ they impress details of manners, dress, and habits in a convenient way. We shall therefore endeavour to give a chronological list of English, foreign, and Church history tales. ”

“ Therefore, after the infant period, the reward book should generally be of some worthiness, either religious, improving, or at least standard fiction. Weakness and poverty of thought should be avoided, especially as these books may fall into the hands of clever, ungodly men, and serve to excite their mockery. It should be remembered that the child to whom the book is given will not always remain a child, and therefore that it is better to let the new and cherished possession go beyond its present level of taste or capacity. ”

“ THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK.—“The notion of including in one volume all the helps that a clergyman or teacher would be likely to want for the study of the Bible has never been realised before with the same success.” ”

“ The English Illustrated Magazine is designed for the entertainment of the home, and for the instruction and amusement of young and old, and it is conducted in the belief that every section of its readers, in whatever direction their tastes and interests may tend, are prepared to demand and to appreciate the best that can be offered to them. ”

“ The lad or young man species comes next. There are a few of these with a thirst for information, and it is important to supply this in a sound and wholesome form. Some like poetry, but the general run can only be induced to read at all by adventurous or humorous tales.
Those who act as Sunday school teachers may, however, be led to study books bearing on the subjects they have to teach, or to get up for certificates, and thus may be brought to take an interest in religious literature, which may deepen as they grow older. ”

“ Whether in business or in service, they are tired, the book is recreation, and they cannot be expected to want to improve themselves when their brains and bodies are alike weary. Still we can supply them with books that will not give them false views of life, and that will foster enthusiasm for courage and truth, make vulgarity disgusting, and show religion as the only true spring of life. ”