Review: Book on the Soul. By Rev. T. H. Gallaudet [pp. 145-157]

THE
BIBLICAL REPERTORY
AND
THEOLOGICAL REVIEW
APRIL, 1832.
ART. I.-REVIEW.
Book on the Soutl, First part. Book on the Soul, Second
part. By the Rev. T. H. Gallaudet, 4do
is, perhaps, no field for benevolent enterprise,
which has been more neglected, or which promises a richer
harvest to the cultivator, than the preparation of suitable
books for children. It is somewhat surprising that the at tention of philanthropists has been so little turned to this
subject, and that while so much has been published of late
on the importance of education, and of commencing our efforts early, so little has been done in the way of furnishing the means of communicating knowledge to the minds
of children. At first view, it seems an easy task to
prepare such books as are needful for the instruction of
youth; yet when we come to ponder the subject deeply, we
cannot but confess, that it is a work of extreme difficulty.
We do not speak of the elementary books which are needful
' to teach the art of reading: these, however useful, communicate no instruction to the mind; they only furnish one means
of acquiring knowledge. We refer to books adapted to the
minds of children in the several stages of their developement,
and which are calculated, especially, to train the thoughts,
' to teach the young idea how to shoot;' and by which their
VOL. Iv. No. II.-T