Page:Grimm Goblins (1876).djvu/16

PREFACE. their various ramifications, have imbibed their earliest lessons of moral instruction.

The popular tales of England have been too much neglected. They are nearly discarded from the libraries of childhood. Philosophy is made the companion of the nursery : we have lisping chemists and leading-string mathematicians : this is the age of reason, not of imagination; and the loveliest dreams of fairy innocence are considered as vain and frivolous. Much might be urged against this rigid and philosophic (or rather unphilosophic) exclusion of woi^ls of fsuDcy and fiction. Our imagination is surely as susceptible of improvement by exercise, as our judgment or our memory ; and so long as such fictions only are presented to the young mind as do not interfere with the important department of moral education, % beneficial effect must be produced by the pleasurable employment of a faculty in whidi M much of our happiness in every period of life consists.

It is, however, probably owing merely to aocidental causes that some countries have carefully preserved their ancient stores of fiotien, while here they have been suffered to pass to oblivion or corruption, notwithstanding the patriotic example of a few such names as Heaame, Spclman, and Le Neve, who did not disdain to turn towards tben the light of their carefully trimmed lamp, scanty and ill-fumiibed as it often was. A very interesting and ingenions article ki the QvMviefhf Review (No. XLL), to which the Translators readily acknowledge their particular obligations, recently attracted attention to the subject, and has shown how wide a field is open, interesting to the antiquarian as well as to the reader w9io only seeks amusement

The collection from whidi the following Tales am taken is one of great extent, obtained for the most part from the mootfas of German peasatitt by ihe indefatigable ex?ertions of John and William Qrimm, brothers in kindred and taste. — ^Tbe result of their labours ought to be peonliaiiy interesting io English readers, inasmuch as many of their national tales are proved to be of the highest Northern antiquity «ad