achievements of knights and princesses, of fairies and magicians; it is
time to excite their interest in real persons, and real events. In
childhood that taste is formed which leads the youth to delight in
novels, and romances; a taste which has become so general, that every
town has its circulating library, and every shelf in that library is
filled with works of fiction.

While these fascinating inventions are in course of perusal, many a Bible
is unopened, or if opened, hastily skimmed; many a seat in church is
unoccupied, or if occupied, the service, and the sermon disregarded--so
intense is the sympathy of the novel reader with his hero, or his
heroine.

And what is the effect of the perusal? Many a young mind, inflated with a
desire for admiration and adventure, grows tired of home, impatient of
restraint, indifferent to simple pleasures, and averse to sacred
instructions. How important, therefore, early to endeavor to prevent a
taste for FICTION, by cherishing a taste for FACTS.

But this is not the only aim of the present work; it seeks also to excite
an interest in _those_ facts which ought _most_ to interest immortal
beings--facts relative to souls, and their eternal happiness--to God, and
his infinite glory.

These are the facts which engage the attention of the inhabitants of
heaven. We know not whether the births of princes, and the coronations of
monarchs are noticed by the angelic hosts; but we do know that the
repentance of a sinner, be he Hindoo or Hottentot, is celebrated by their
melodious voices in rapturous symphonies.