SEQUEL ΤΟ Mrs. TRIMMER's INTRODUCTION; BEING Familiar Descriptions OF SOME POPULAR SUBJECTS IN NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, Adapted to the capacities of Children. By HARRIET VENTUM, AUTHOUR OF SELINA, THE AMIABLE TUTORESS, &C LONDON: PRINTED FOR' JOHN BADCOCK, PATERNOSTER-ROW, AND B. TABART, BOND STREET; BY W. BRISTOW, CANTERBURY. PREFACE. THE favourable reception with which the public have been pleased to honour my former productions, has prompted me, perhaps with too much temerity, again to take up the pen, and again to solicit their indulgence. The following work is written purposely for the instruction, as well as amusement, of children from the age of eight to twelve years. Engaged in the business of a school, and constantly in the habit of teaching, I found that although Mrs. Trimmer's Introduction was a very serviceable work for the perusal, and not above the compre hension of my younger pupils, something on the same plan, but on a rather more enlarged enlarged scale, with more particular descriptions, would be highly necessary to assist my purpose of instruction with the elder ones. 66 I have therefore commenced this little work, with the hope that it might be found useful in facilitating a knowledge of nature, and leading the young mind into a desire to investigate causes and effects;" that it might also instruct them in their obligations to the dispenser of all good, and lead them, with grateful hearts, to praise the bounteous hand which disposed all with such exquisite harmony and proportion. I have chosen dialogue as my method of conveying instruction, because it is natural for children to ask, and their parents, friends, or instructors, to resolve their questions. I have put the different descriptions into plain and simple language, as better adapted to their capacities, and have carefully avoided technical or abstruse terms, that so my meaning may be the easier comprehended. I am I am aware, that in the present age of improvement, few methods of conveying instruction to youth have been left untried by authors of eminence and high respectability. Works of every description have issued forth from the press, all calculated for the purposes of improvement to the rising generation. What has been so often and so ably done by skilful and learned men, appears bold in a woman to attempt; but some works were too profound, some too prolix, and others again too voluminous for my purpose. To obviate all these little inconveniences, and perhaps not without a latent hope of this work being well received, I have assiduously laboured to attain the end proposed. What its success may be is yet doubtful; it was undertaken with a good intention, and I have only to hope that it may not be considered as useless by those to whom it is particularly addressed. I have varied my subject as the occasion required, not confining myself either to class |