Page:Little Red Riding Hood.djvu/46

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unheard of. That the influence of all this is hurtful to children, the conductor of the proposed series firmly believes. He has practical experience of it every day in his own family, and he doubts not that there are many others who entertain the same opinions as himself. He purposes at least to give some evidence of his belief, and to produce of series of Works for children, the character of which may be briefly described as anti-Peter Parleyism.

Some will be new Works, some new combinations of old materials, and some reprints carefully cleared of impurities, without deterioration to the points of the story. All will be illustrated, but not after the usual fashion of children's books, in which it seems to be assumed that the lowest kind of art is good enough to give the first impressions to a child. In the present series, though the statement may perhaps excite a smile, the illustrations will be selected from the works of Raffaelle, Titian, Hans Holbein, and other old masters. Some of the best modern Artists have kindly promised their aid in creating a taste for beauty in little children. All the illustrations will be coloured.

In addition to the printed Works, some few Toys of a novel sort, calculated to promote the same object, will from time to time be published.

The following may be specified as among the earliest productions which it is proposed to include in this series:—


1. Several Alphabets, beginning with one of Animals selected from the Old Masters, Paul Potter, Snyders, Cuyp, Berghem, &c.

2. Bible Events, First Series, illustrated by Hans Holbein.-----------Second Series, with Illustrations by Raffaelle.