How imperfectly the work is done will be manifest to those who know
anything of the subjects, which are touched upon rather than explained. The
difficulty of deciding how much to tell, and how much to leave untold, has
sometimes made the writer's task seem an almost impossible one; but she has
taken courage to go on by remembering a wise saying--that if we shrink from
attempting any little work which comes in our way from the fear of making
mistakes, it is easy to make the great mistake of doing nothing at all.
If what has been a labour of love to the writer should be of some interest
and profit to readers, young or old, that labour will be amply repaid.
The book is now sent forth again, with prayer that He who said, "Suffer the
children to come unto Me," and who "took them up in His arms, put His hands
on them, and blessed them," may be pleased to use it in His service and for
His glory.
EVESHAM.
TWILIGHT AND DAWN.
GOD'S BOOK.
"_As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to
them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters._"--PROVERBS
xxv. 13.
"_The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of
earth, purified seven times._"--PSALM xii. 6.
I wonder whether you are as fond of asking questions as I was long ago--so
fond that I did not mind asking them when I well knew I could get no
answers, because I spoke to things, not to people who could speak to me
again?
Still, if any mere thing could be supposed capable of answering for itself,
I think a book might; and so perhaps as you take this book of mine into
your hand, and run away to some quiet place to have a look at it, you may
be taking it into your confidence, and asking it some such questions as
these:
(_a_) What are you all about? Are you a lesson-book?
(_b_) Have you any stories--real stories, not made-up ones?
(_c_) Any pictures?
(_d_) I wonder whether I shall like you? Does the person who made you like
children, and know the sort of things they care for?
Now before you put any more questions to my book, I will answer for it; and
that we may not miss any, we will call them questions (_a_), (_b_), (_c_),
(_d_), and answer one at a time.
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