Although this little book, and its fellow, “ROLLO AT WORK,” are
intended principally as a means of entertainment for their little
readers, it is hoped by the writer that they may aid in accomplishing
some of the following useful purposes:—
1. In cultivating _the thinking powers;_ as frequent occasions occur,
in which the incidents of the narrative, and the conversations arising
from them, are intended to awaken and engage the reasoning and
reflective faculties of the little readers.
2. In promoting the progress of children _in reading_ and in knowledge
of language; for the diction of the stories is intended to be often in
advance of the natural language of the reader, and yet so used as to be
explained by the connection.
3. In cultivating the _amiable and gentle qualities of the heart_. The
scenes are laid in quiet and virtuous life, and the character and
conduct described are generally—with the exception of some of the
ordinary exhibitions of childish folly—character and conduct to be
imitated; for it is generally better, in dealing with children, to
allure them to what is right by agreeable pictures of it, than to
attempt to drive them to it by repulsive delineations of what is wrong.