THE LISTENING CHILD

•The Co

not in RD
1919

THE LISTENING CHILD

A SELECTION FROM THE STORES OF ENGLISH
VERSE, MADE FOR THE YOUNGEST

READERS AND HEARERS

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LTD.

1917

All rights reserved

тва

+

Set up and electrotyped October, 1899. Reprinted July,
1900: September, 1901; October, 1993; December, 1995.
New edition September, 1986; July 1909; June, 1912;
February 1; August, 1917.

C

PRELIMINARY NOTE

SELECTIONS of poetry for children are numerous, perhaps too numerous, - but it has not often been my lot to encounter one so carefully thought out and intelligently arranged as that of Mrs. Thacher. A mere glance at the proportions assigned to different authors and periods will show this to be true; and especially the prominence given to purely imaginative writers, like Blake and Emily Dickinson, shows a willingness to recognize and cultivate that ideal side of children which, after all, affords the best part of their lives.

The preliminary essay, although it may seem at first to demand too much from young children, and may require in some cases to be read to them, rather than by them, will be found full of suggestion and will be more and more valued with further study.

THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON.