LAURIE'S ENTERTAINING LIBRARY. 



In course of publication, in Quarterly Volumes, from January 1 863, each 



volume in square ISmo, with Six full-page Illustrations, 



price One Shilling clotli,or Ninepence sewed, 



THE 



SHILLING ENTERTAINING LIBEA.EY, 



Adapted to the requirements of School Libraries, Families, and 

 Working Men. 



By J. S. LAURIE, 



Editor of the Graduated Series of Reading-Leston Books, c. 

 The First Three Volumes are now ready, viz. 



ROBINSON CRUSOE. | GULLIVER'S TRAVELS. 



CHRISTMAS TALES. 



THE object of the ENTERTAINING 

 LIBRARY is to provide the young and. 

 generally speaking, the less educated 

 portion of the community with books 

 which they will find readable. Many 

 similar projects have been started, and 

 have failed. The Proprietors of the pre- 

 sent LIBRARY believe that those failures 

 are to be ascribed to a fundamental defi- 

 ciency which, with proper attention and 

 care, may be fully supplied. 



In undertakings of this kind too little 

 allowance has been made for what may 

 almost be termed the repulsiveness of a 

 book to the untutored mind. Children 

 freed from irksome ta-ks, and working 

 men wearied with a hard day's toil, can- 

 not possibly be induced to read until they 

 find out what a wealth of entertainment 

 is concealed under the hard, ungraceful 

 forms of typography. Nothing appears 

 more certain than that they will not read 

 at all, unless materials are placed before 

 them which are calculated to arouse their 

 interest and enchain their attention. 



The practical problem to be solved 

 would seem to be to furnish a selection of 

 works which will appeal to that dominant 

 principle in the human breast, the love of 

 pleasure. The aim of the Editor of the 

 ENTERTAINING LIBRARY is to provide an 

 ample and varied repast for the gratifica- 

 tion of this instinct. The concentration 

 of his efforts upon this single point will 

 give the present series of books its dis- 

 tinctive character. 



i A glance at the sources upon which 

 i he has already drawn will, it is believed, 

 i convince those who are acquainted with 

 i English literature, that such volumes as 

 I the ENTERTAINING LIBRARY promise? 

 to contain will necessarily tend to enlarge 

 the intellectual views, and to direct and 

 ; strengthen the moral sentiments of every 

 reader. But the prime end kept in view 

 | will be to afford, in a wide and liberal 

 sense, pleasure and amusement; and to 

 this end whatever bears more directly 

 upon the practical utilities of life will in- 

 variably be held subordinate. 



It is proper to state that the Editor as- 

 sumes the right of adapting the original 

 text so as to suit his purpose. Gramma- 

 tical constructions which are too involved 

 and difficult will be simplified; modern 

 words and idioms will be substituted for 

 such as have become obsolete or nearly ob- 

 solete ; and in all cases passages which are 

 unsuitable to the young will be expunged. 

 Care will be taken to adorn each of the 

 volumes with a number of striking illus- 

 trations. The illustrations to the three 

 volumes now ready are drawn by Mr. 

 Sandercock, a rising artist, whose merit 

 has been acknowledged by competent 

 i judges. 



Special attention will be paid to the 

 i binding of the volumes. They will be pre- 

 pared for being well thumbed. The type, 

 also, in which they will be printed will be 

 of the clearest and distinctest kind that 

 can be procured. 



Volumes preparing for Publication Quarterly } uniform with the above three: 

 SANDFORD and MERTON HISTORY of the PLAGUE 



[On March 31. The VICAR of WAKEFIELD 

 The PILGRIM'S PROGRESS CITIZEN of the WORLD 

 EVENINGS AT HOME SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON 



AND OTHER WORKS. 



