are intended to convey, a meaning and a moral which the youngest child
who can read it will not fail to seize, and upon which it is scarcely
necessary for the teacher to comment.

For young children the book combines in a measure the interest of
_Robinson Crusoe_ and that of the fairy tale; its style is objective,
the narrative is simple, and the matter appeals strongly to the childish
imagination. For more mature boys and girls and for adults the interest
is found chiefly in the keen satire which underlies the narrative. It
appeals, therefore, to a very wide range of intelligence and taste, and
can be read with profit by the child of ten and by the young man or
woman of mature years.

This edition is practically a reprint of the original (1726-27). The
punctuation and capitalization have been modernized, some archaisms
changed, and the paragraphs have been made more frequent. A few passages
have been omitted which would offend modern ears and are unsuitable for
children's reading, and some foot-notes have been added explaining
obsolete words and obscure expressions.

As a reading book in school which must be adapted to the average mind,
these stories will be found suitable for classes from the fifth or sixth
school year to the highest grade of the grammar school.

THOMAS M. BALLIET.




CONTENTS.