Little princes, anecdotes of illustrious children of all ages and countries

PREFACE.

IT is above eighty years since the birth of an heirapparent to the throne, was last celebrated in these realms, and during this interval vast improvements have been made in infant literature. Perhaps a little book expressly designed for the first reading of a Royal child, has not hitherto existed, and this work is a very humble attempt to supply such a deficiency.

Before his Royal Highness can read fluently, he will probably have been made acquainted, by means of conversation, with most of the great men, of whose youth I have given anecdotes; but this is not necessary to the usefulness of the work: if he has already learned to admire these great princes, the incidents of their childhood will be interesting to him: if not, whenever the page of history is opened to him, there will be already facts in his mind, with which to associate the knowledge he is about to acquire.

My principal object in the Moral Reflections, which were necessary in order to introduce and connect the

anecdotes, was to make them so short, that it might not be worth while to skip them, a habit that lively children always acquire, if they are kept too long from facts-the great object of interest to the infant mind.

I hope I shall be approved, in not having changed the quaint style and antiquated spelling of the old authors whom I have quoted. I have also considered it better not to give a translation of two or three Latin and French letters that I have inserted: it is of little consequence, if they are not understood upon the first reading of the book; but we all know with what pleasure we have recurred to passages formerly unintelligible, but which, increased knowledge has enabled us to understand.

All my hopes and wishes will be fulfilled, if it should be found that the cause of religion and virtue has been upheld in these pages, and no sentiments inculcated, but such as are worthy of a great Prince, destined to reign over a great nation.

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