Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

racteristics of the poet, the operation of prejudices national and personal in abundance; but, certainly, very little that is properly religious.

Neither of these collections then seems likely to achieve, for the more indigent orders of the community, any valuable ends. The claims of the soul appear, in both of them, to have been almost wholly neglected, and yet, if we believe that it will survive "the wreck of worlds," and subsist to eternity, its education may well demand the greatest portion of our regard.

It is not, however, by every species of religious disquisition, that this purpose would be equally promoted. The most popular and beneficial perhaps, next to the word of God, would be Tracts plain, interesting, and short. If, with these characteristics were combined the essential qualities of piety, fullness of ideas, and an accommodation to the various situations and contingencies of humbler society, there would be little wanting, with the Divine Blessing, to excite attention or to reward it.

That they should be rendered interesting in particular by incident, or dialogue, or general vivacity of composition, appears an indispensable requisite. The chief attention, upon this occasion, should be to select books, where narrative and precept are so intimately blended, that, in seizing the first, even gross apprehensions may imperceptibly lay hold on the latter. Such books the Cottager will read to his children, or his children to him, with equal instruction and entertainment; and, amidst their innocent questions, and his own simple replies, the evening will glide far more happily by, than if spent in the noise, or the idleness, or the profligacy, of the alehouse.

Neither would the writer of such works derive from them less benefit or less pleasure than his readers. They would not, probably, lead him to fame, or to emolument; but they might furnish him, whatever were his profession or place of abode, with

many a copious theme for profitable meditation and discourse. In superintending the Institution, likewise, a minister would find it a delightful duty carefully to adapt its contents with judicious variety to -the young, the gay, and the vigorous, the declining, the melancholy, and the aged. To assist in its formation, he would think it no trouble to crave the contributions of his wealthy and well-disposed neighbours. And, for whatever labour he might incur upon the occasion, he would feel himself more than repaid by the improved morality and extended illumination of his grateful parish.

Its mechanism should be extremely simple. The Clerk or Schoolmaster of the village might attend on Sundays for half an hour before the beginning of the service, to receive the books returned, and to deliver those required; entering their names, with those of their borrowers, and the dates of their delivery and their return, in a page divided into four columns for that purpose. From this, the Clergyman might, with slight trouble, draw up a list of the works which each of his parishioners had perused, and regulate his conversation with them accordingly. He might, likewise, through the agency of his librarian, unsuspectedly insinuate appropriate works into the bands of particular readers.

But, as it may be expected, that, to these observations on the Utility, Formation, and Management of a Parish-Library, I should subjoin a list of books; I venture, with some hesitation, to submit the following, promiscuously put together after having (as far as my leisure would allow) reconsidered the contents of the preceding Catalogue.

Selection from the Publications of the Society for Promoting Christin Knowledge, including, among others,

The Homilies, 12mo.

Bishop Gastrell's Institutes.

Duke's Lectures on the Christian Covenant, &c.

Gilpin's Lives of Trueman and Atkins.
-Four Last Dialogues.

Hanway's Domestic Happiness Promoted.
Robinson Crusoe.

The Pious Country Parishioner Instructed.
The Cottager's Religious Meditations.

Porteus' Evidences of the Christian Religion, &c.
Sherlock's Trial of the Witnesses of the Resurrection.
Secker's Lectures on the Catechism.

Wilson's Principles and Duties of Christianity.
Sermons (bound in 4 vols.)

Maxims.

on the Lord's Supper.

The Whole Duty of Man.

Melmoth's Great Importance of a Religious Life.
Greene's Discourses on the Four Last Things.
Nelson's Practice of True Devotion.

Companion to the Feasts and Fasts.

Peer's Companion for the Aged.

Essay on the Happiness of a well-ordered Family.
The Life of Bonnell.

Village Conversations on the Liturgy of the Church of England.

Mrs. Trimmer's Fabulous Histories.

Select Prayers and Meditations.
Family Magazine.

The Cheap Repository Tracts.

Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul.
Life of Colonel Gardiner.

Edgeworth's Parents' Assistant.

Popular Tales

The History of Susan Gray.

The Vain Cottager, or the History of Lucy Franklin.
The Life and Death of Margaret Whyte.

The Contrast.

The Work-house.

The History of Betty Thomson.

The History of Mary Westley.

Isaac Jenkins.

The Religious Tradesman.

Lindley Murray's Power of Religion on the Mind.

The Family Instructor.

Law's Serious Call (as abridged by W. Gray, Esq.)
Humanity to Animals.

Wakefield's Instinct Displayed.

Mrs. Taylor's Lessons to Servants.

The Savings' Bank.

NO. 35. VOL. III.

[ocr errors]

Farmer Trueman's Advice to his Daughter Mary.

The Cottager's Monthly Visitor, bound up in Volumes, or Portions of Volumes.

Letters from a Father to his Son, an Apprentice Boy.

For those whose funds admit more extended purchases, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge have recently printed,

Burnett's History of the Reformation, abridged.
Gilpin's Lives of the Reformers.

Walton's Lives of Hooker, Herbert, and Sanderson.
Lessons in Humble Life.

Mrs. Burgess' Pilgrim Good Intent.

Bingley's Useful Knowledge.

Animal Biography.

Goldsmith's History of England, abridged,
Natural History, abridged.

Anson's Voyages, &c. &c.

RULES FOR THE REGULATION OF VILLAGE

LIBRARIES. ↑

1. That the Books be placed under the care of the Clergyman in each Parish, or by some person deputed by him for that purpose.

2. That a secure and dry place be provided for them, either in the Vestry, or the Parsonage-house.

3. That One Shilling per annum be paid by each Family making use of the Library, in order to provide against the unavoidable wear and tear of the Books.

4. That, although the Library is principally intended for the use of the Poor, all the other inhabitants, who shall subscribe Half-a-Crown annually, shall have permission to read the books.

N. B. All sums, thus raised, shall be laid out in the rebinding, or purchasing of books for the Library. 5. That every book lent shall be returned at the end of a Fortnight; to be re-lent to the same person, or exchanged, as he or she pleases.

6. That a Register of Books lent be kept in the following

form:

[blocks in formation]

We are not ourselves acquainted with all the books in the above list, but we very willingly give it on the authority of Archdeacon Wrangham.

ED.

CLEAN FORKS.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

I WAS much pleased with the extract which you made, in your September number, from the "Footman's Directory." Such instructions are suited to your work, which is read in Servants' Halls and Kitchens, as well as in Cottages; and, besides, as servants generally are the sons and daughters of Cottagers, hints from a Cottage Visitor may be well suited to their case. The Footman, after telling us how to clean knives, has given directions for cleaning forks ;. this is needful; for what can be so filthy and disagreeable as to see grease and dirt sticking between the prongs of a fork? Some people, who are rich and have every luxury about them, and silver forks, and plenty of servants to clean them, are not in the way of witnessing the inconveniences which belong to people in lower life; but, even the highest people, under change of circumstances, or on their travels, or on some occasion or other, are obliged to make what shift they can. Now, a little attention to neatness and cleanliness, will often prevent a great deal of inconvenience and disgust, and make amends for want of usual accommodation. Those, moreover, whose lot it is never to partake of the dainties and luxuries of life, may comfort themselves by considering that these dainties and luxu

[ocr errors]
« ZurückWeiter »