PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION J. 711 



2.— LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN. 



By B. S. ROACH. 

 [Abstract.] 



Reference was made to the coincidence of having as the President 

 of the Science Congress Dr. Howitt, whose parents, Wilham and Mary 

 Howitt, did so much for children's hterature during the last century. 

 After a brief analysis of the stages passed through by the child's mind 

 in the development of a taste for literature, De Condillac's generalisa- 

 tion — '■ The experience traversed by the child epitomises the history 

 of the race " — was stated, and it was shown how the fairy story was 

 appreciated by primitive man as it is by the child of to-day. The old 

 fairy story was then contrasted with the efforts of modern writers of 

 the same class of literature. Hans Christian Andersen excelled all 

 others in his fairy stories. The brothers Grimm possessed greater 

 learning, but lacked Andersen's spontaneity and simplicity. The next 

 writer discussed was " Lewis Carroll," the pseudonym of an Oxford 

 don, who lived a dual literary existence, writing mathematical works 

 and a series of children's books, of which the best is " Alice in Wonder- 

 land." Then followed an account of books dealing with Greek mytho- 

 logy, and Eastern tales, of which the " Arabian Nights " is a type. 

 Books narrating adventures met with when civilised man, in settling 

 a new country, came in contact with savage life, came next. The 

 " Secret of the Australian Desert," by Ernest Favenc, and " The 

 Captain-General." by W. J. Gordon, were commended. Such books, 

 Mr. Roach said, helped to keep in boys the spirit of adventure, which 

 had been such an important factor in expanding the British Empire. 

 " Treasure Island " and "' Kidnapped " were books of another class of 

 adventures, and as they were written by a man of genius they were 

 among the treasures of children's literature. Books relating to school 

 life, such as " Tom Brown's Schooldays," were touched upon, and it 

 was stated that up to a certain period girls would read with equal 

 enjoyment the books ostensibly written for boys. The periodicals such 

 as The Boys' Own Paper and The GirVs Own Paper were highly praised, 

 and their matter contrasted with that in similar periodicals of the last 

 generation. The poetry read by children was next briefly mentioned. 

 In conclusion, Mr. Roach emphasized the importance of inculcating a 

 habit of reading in the young, and spoke of the danger of reading being 

 neglected through the great stress laid on examinations and the time 

 being used in teaching other subjects. 



