Parley’s Magazine for Children and Youth. Boston: Lilly, Wait & Co.
Education, and the means by which it may most effectually and beneficially be extended to every child in our land, are our darling themes—and we are glad to see a publication which promises such aid in the good cause. The work, judging from the specimen number, will be useful and attractive; its pretty pictures will gain the hearts of children, and its low price will place it within the reach of almost every family.
The “Sabbath School Instructor,” from Portland, Maine, has appeared in a new and improved form, and is graced by communications from Mrs. Sigourney.
“The Youth’s Literary Gazette” in Philadelphia, “The Juvenile Rambler” and “Parley’s Magazine” in Boston, are all conducted with great spirit, and form a new and interesting era in Juvenile Literature.
“The terms of each are one dollar per annum.
None of the above publications, however, can excel the “Juvenile Miscellany,” which still maintains its just claims to the patronage of parents and children. It has been regularly published for seven years.
Parley’s Magazine.—We have received, as a specimen, a copy of Part First of Parley’s Magazine. It contains seven numbers besides an index neatly done up with a paper cover and cloth back. Four of these parts will complete the volume, which may be had at the same yearly price of one dollar in advance, as when the numbers are forwarded separately as they come out. They are very convenient bound in this way, and will make an excellent reading book for schools.
Parley’s Magazine. Part I. pp. 112.
The first half yearly volume of this clever little work is now completed, and we are glad to find it entirely successful. As a work to please and instruct children, it is unequalled of its kind, and the low price at which it is afforded places it within the reach of almost every family in our land. We must not forget to name, among its excellences, the pretty wood cuts which adorn its pages. Pictures have now become almost necessary to the success of children’s books, and with good reason; for their influence on the taste and judgment is quite as beneficial as written instruction, and often much more impressive. The number of subscribers is, we learn, about ten thousand, and daily increasing. This success is deserved by the publishers for the great plains taken to make the work, in every respect, what it should be; and it is also needed to indemnify them for the expense which the illustrations must require. Published by Lilly, Wait & Co. Boston.
We have formerly mentioned the Juvenile Rambler, and its usefulness in schools. We did all in our power to secure it such a character as we approved; but its price and subscription list did not authorise a sufficient amount of illustrations. The Parley Magazine, with its splendid illustrations, only needed a change in its character, and the Rambler has been united with it, to accomplish the great object more effectually. The plan proposed for the future volumes will render it a valuable publication to every family; and the engagement of the late Editor of the Rambler to assist in it, will, we trust, secure its execution.
The able Editor of this little paper has transferred his talents to “Parley’s Magazine,” which will lend that excellent work an additional value. “If I were not Alexander, I should like to be Diogenes.” If we were not the Southern Rose Bud, we should like to be Parley’s Magazine.
Parley’s Magazine: Boston, Samuel Colman. This is an interesting and useful little periodical—at least so say the children; for whose opinions we have a great respect. We think it deserves the extensive patronage it has obtained.
Parley’s Magazine Part XVII. Charles S. Francis, New York, and Joseph H. Francis, Boston.
That this little work, which has now reached its seventeenth quarterly part, or the commencement of its fifth yearly volume, still retains a hold on the affections of childhood and youth, is evident from the fact that it continues to be very favorably received both in families and schools. We learn from unquestionable authority, that is some parts of New England it is even made a class book; and this, too, by the direction of School Committees.
Of course it does not become us, to speak in terms of high commendation of our own work; but it may not be improper to observe, that Parley’s Magazine is intended as a useful aid to parents and teachers, in the performance of their highly responsible task—that of educating and not merely instructing their rising charge—and that we do not mean to admit anything to its columns, which while it amuses and instructs, is not favorable to sound christian morals. We intend it, moreover, as a companion to the ‘Annals of Education;’ and cannot but express the hope that the bound volumes of these works may be found worthy to stand side by side in every family and school library.
Useful Annuals for Juveniles.—Parents and guardians who may wish to blend useful instruction with entertainment in their selections for the young, at this gift-teeming season, will find in ‘The Casket of Gems,’ and the handsomely-bound volume of Parley’s Magazine, both liberally embellished with wood engravings, appropriate volumes for their purpose. Published by Charles S. Francis, Broadway.
Parley’s Magazine. New York: C. S. Francis.
This famous old child’s monthly is as attractive as ever. It forms one of a host of successful youths’ periodicals, which had an existence before the charlatanry of the publishers of an Ann street affair, caused the utterance of the assertion that they issue “the first successful work for children.” [Note: The “Ann street affair” likely was Every Youth’s Gazette, which has a complex history with regard to the name “Parley.”]
The Youth’s Penny Paper.
This little paper is published weekly at New York, by E. French, No. 146 Nassau Street. The price is fifty cents a year, twentyfive cents for
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p. 336
six months, twelve and half cents for three months, in advance; or one cent a week. The paper consists of four pages about the size of large octavo pages, and is edited by Theodore Dwight, Jr.
The Youth’s Penny Paper, says the prospectus, is designed to afford entertainment and instruction for the young; to aid them in their studies; to acquaint them with important passing events, as well as the events of seince; to inculcate religious and moral principles, to cultivate taste, and to prepare them for happiness and usefulness as members of society;—also, to assist parents and teachers in training the young. Each number, continues the prospectus, will contain one or more engravings; true tales or anecdotes, designed to improve the mind or character; sketches of real travel at home or abroad; a hymn or song, often with music; or short lessons on various departments of knowledge appropriate to different ages; with brief familiar notices of the news of the day.
We are glad to see such a paper, and from such a source; for what the tact, talent, and perseverance of anybody can do towards sustaining such a paper, we are sure will be done by its untiring editor and zealous publisher. And if they can find men of like spirit with themselves—men we mean who care for something besides money, and who labor, in part at least, for a higher and nobler reward—to act as agents, all over the country, we doubt not their labors will do much good. We do not say—we dare not hope it—that their paper will be popular; for what paper or journal whose main object was to do good, has ever been popular, in this country or in any other? What does not touch our consciences or invade our liberty—our liberty to do as we please with our time faculties and money, without regard to God—may be popular; at least if it espouses some party or sect.
We speak rather discouragingly on this subject, because we have had some experience in these matters. We were employed by the philanthropic proprietor of the ‘Juvenile Rambler,’ to edit that paper for him about two years, till it was merged in Parley’s Magazine. Subsequently we edited Parley’s Magazine four years—we will not say with what success—we leave that to others. We will only say that had we sailed under the flag of a sect or party, and had other people been as willing as ourselves to ‘work for nothing and keep themselves,’ we have no doubt both works would have been better supported than they were; and we might have been willing longer to bear the burden of editing the latter.
We ought, perhaps, to say, that Parley’s Magazine is published by Messrs Joseph S. Francis, of this city, and Charles H. Francis of New York; but who the editor is, we are not informed.