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"WE have compared these little volumes with the numerous systems which have been devised for riveting attention at an early age, and conquering the distaste for knowledge and learning which so frequently opposes itself to the instructor of children; and we do not scruple to say, that unless perhaps we except Robinson Crusoe, they claim the very first place, and stand unique, without rival or competitor."

Critical Review for May, 1807

LIBRARY

NEW YORK

T. DAVISON, Whitefriars,

London.

DVERTISEMENT

TO THE

SECOND EDITION.

THE Proprietors of this work willingly pay obedience to the voice of the public. It has been the general sentiment, that the style in which these Tales are written, is not so precisely adapted for the amusement of mere children, as for an acceptable and improving présent to young ladies advancing to the state of womanhood. They therefore now offer to the public an edition prepared with suitable elegance. In the former impression they gave twenty prints, illustrative of the twenty tales which compose these volumes, for they knew that it was a grievous thing and a disappointment to

a child, to find some tales without the recommendation of a print, which the others possessed. The prints were therefore made from spirited designs, but did not pretend to high finishing in the execution. To this edition they have annexed merely a beautiful head of our immortal Dramatist, from a much admired painting by Zoust.-They are satisfied that every reader of taste will thank them for not suppressing the former Preface though.not exactly applicable on the present occasion.

N. B. A few copies have been worked off on the plan of the former impression, for the use of those who rather coincide in the original conception of the writer, than in the opinion above stated.

THE following Tales

are

meant to

be submitted to the young reader as an introduction to the study of Shakespear, for which purpose, his words are used whenever it seemed possible to bring them in; and in whatever has been added to give them the regular form of a connected story, diligent care has been taken to select such words as might least interrupt the effect of the beautiful English tongue in which he wrote: therefore words introduced into our language since his time have been as far as possible avoided.

In those Tales which have been taken

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from the Tragedies, as my young readers will perceive when they come to see the source from which these stories are derived, Shakespear's own words, with little alteration, recur very frequently in the narrative as well as in the dialogue; but in those made from the Comedies I found myself scarcely ever able to turn his words into the narrative form; therefare: I fear in them I have made use of dialogue too frequently for young people not used to the dramatic form of writing. But this fault, if it be as I fear a fault, has been caused by my earnest wish to give as much of Shakespear's own words as possible: and if the "He said," and "She said," the question and the reply, should sometimes seem tedious

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