CHAPTER XII. 



HAVING, from the time that I was a school- 

 boy, been displeased with most of the figures in 

 children's books, and particularly with those of the 

 "Three Hundred Animals," the figures in which, 

 even at that time, I thought I could depicture 

 much better; and having afterwards very often 

 turned the matter over in my mind, of making 

 improvements in that publication I at last came 

 to the determination of making the attempt. The 

 extreme interest I had always felt in the hope of 

 administering to the pleasure and amusement of 

 youth, and judging from the feelings I had ex- 

 perienced myself that they would be affected in 

 the same w r ay as I had been, whetted me up 

 and stimulated me to proceed. In this, my only 

 reward besides was the great pleasure I felt in 

 imitating nature. That I should ever do anything 

 to attract the notice of the world, in the manner 

 that has been done, was the farthest thing in 

 my thoughts, and so far as I was concerned 

 myself at that time, I minded little about any 

 self-interested considerations. These intentions I 

 communicated to my partner; and, though he did 

 not doubt of my being able to succeed, yet, being 

 a prudent, cautious, and thinking man, he wished 

 to be more satisfied as to the probability of such 

 a publication paying for the labour. On this 

 occasion, being little acquainted with the nature 

 of such undertakings, we consulted our friend 

 Solomon Hodgson, bookseller and editor of the 

 "Newcastle Chronicle/' as to the probability of 



