LYRE ENFANTINE PETIT RECUEIL DE POÉSIES MORALES CHOISIES ET GRADUÉES POUR L'USAGE DES ÉCOLES ET DES FAMILLES. LIBRAIRIE HACHETTE & CIE. 1881. [Tous droits réservés.] Price 1s. 3d. 28641.e.2. PREFACE. So many class books of French poetry have already been published, that I feel compelled to introduce this little volume to the public with a few words of explanation, I will not say of apology. For many years, I have tried in vain to find a collection of French poetry suitable in ideas as well as in language to the capacities of English children between eight and twelve years of age. I have looked through volume after volume, as they severally appeared, but have hitherto always found, that in most of the selected pieces the ideas themselves were altogether beyond the grasp of children, whilst the language in which they were clothed was often so abstruse, as to render them simply incomprehensible to a childish mind. I have therefore been careful to choose for this little book such fables and poems as appeal to the tastes and sympathies of children, and in which the ideas are expressed in simple and direct language. As a rule, children love poetry, at all events they delight in musical rhythm and rhyme, and therefore I trust that this little volume will not only prove useful to teachers, but that it will find favour with pupils also. H. M. JONES. NOTTING HILL HIGH SCHOOL, W. |