The Well Bred Boy; or, New School of Good Manners. Boston: William Crosby & Co.
A new little book for juvenile readers. It deserves examination by those who select for their children or libraries. There will probably be differences of opinion about the place it should hold. With a few passages of doubtful utility, it contains some sound maxims, some droll matter, and the example of a very neat, careful and dutiful boy. And is enriched in the end, with fifty-six short and pithy directions, which Washington is said to have written out for himself at the age of thirteen, as “Rules of civility and decent behavior in company and conversation.” These are admirable, and seem to us the best part of the book.
“The Well Bred Boy; or New School of Good Manners,” is the title of a very good little book, prepared by a Boston lady for the young. We commend it to the notice of mothers.
We select the following passages from the first chapter of a practically useful little book, ‘The Well Bred Girl.’ Our young friends, we trust, will not omit to read it. Manners are a part of morals, and good habits early formed are a great security to character and happiness. The advice contained in the following extract, and in most of the chapters of this little book, is simple, practical and perfectly adapted to the comprehension of those for whom it is intended. We wish that all little misses from ten to fourteen years of age would imitate Miss Alice. [The opening of the book follows.]
We have received from William Crosby & Co. of Boston the following entertaining Christmas and New-Yar’s gift-books for childrenx82all neatly printed and embellished: The Youth’s Keepsake, an Annual, with steel engravings, beautifully bound; The Annualette, an 18mo volume of prose and poetry, and The Well-Bred Girl, with hints on good manners, additional to those contained in The Well-Bred Boy. (For sale in this city by Appleton & Co.)
Moral Library. 8 vols. Now ready under this title, which is true but indefinite, T. H. Carter & Co., are publishing ‘a collection of moral stories of standard excellence, partly original, and partly selected from various writers who have turned their attention to the method of interesting and benefitting the young.’ This is an excellent design, and so far as we have seen it is judiciously conducted. Nothing is more wanted than good books for the young, thoroughly good books. Of these we never have enough, and we are glad these publishers are exerting themselves to add to the number. They are sending forth moral and useful stories, in a uniform and neat dress, and a strong binding—not the least merit in this day of showy but feeble cover. Some of the stories have been published before, as ‘The Well-bred Boy,’ ‘Well-bred Girl,’ ‘Arthur’s Story Book,[’] &c.