Eliza Lee Follen's 1851 collection opens with a preface by Charles Follen that defends the mingling of "gay and serious pieces" as essential to a child's healthy mind, comparing the smile that follows tears to "the sun after a spring shower." This editorial stance frames the book's structure: hymns, songs, and fables bound together without apology. The excerpts show a range of tones, from the playful verse fable "Billy Rabbit to Mary," where a rabbit writes a letter sealed with a thorn, to the dramatic ballad "Little Roland," in which a boy boldly takes a king's golden cup. The catalog subjects—children's poetry, fables, songs, and hymns—are confirmed, but the excerpts reveal a more varied voice than a simple devotional work.

The Preface as a Key to Reading

The preface, written by Charles Follen, is the most direct guide to approaching the book. It states that most poems were written with "no other hope, than that they would instruct or please some child," and that many had been previously published. The author acknowledges that some pieces may seem mismatched, but argues that the mixture mirrors "human life and human nature." This is not a neutral introduction; it actively shapes expectations. Readers should note that the preface does not claim the book is for all children equally—it specifies that poems are "intended for children of different ages and characters." The excerpts bear this out: "Billy Rabbit to Mary" is light and humorous, while "Little Roland" is a longer, more complex narrative with moral weight. The preface thus prepares the reader for shifts in register and purpose.

Voice and Structure in the Fables

The fable "Billy Rabbit to Mary" is written as a verse letter from a rabbit who escapes captivity. The rabbit's voice is playful and self-justifying: "You thought, my dear Mary, you had Billy fast, / But I tried very hard, and escaped you at last." The poem uses a consistent rhyme scheme and a conversational tone, addressing the reader directly. The rabbit argues that freedom is worth hunger: "I'd rather be free, though with nothing to eat." This fable is one of several in the collection, and its structure—a first-person animal narrative—differs sharply from the hymns. The catalog lists "Fables" as a section, and the excerpt shows that these are not prose moral tales but rhyming poems with a clear point of view. The fable's ending, with a letter "sealed with a sharp thorn," adds a whimsical detail that reinforces the animal's perspective.

Narrative and Moral Weight in "Little Roland"

The ballad "Little Roland" is the longest excerpt and tells a complete story: a poor boy enters King Charles's hall, takes a dish and then a golden cup, and is eventually revealed to be the king's nephew. The poem uses dialogue and repetition to build tension. Roland's boldness is described in concrete actions: "Little Roland kept the golden cup, / And looked up at the king." The king's anger softens when he recognizes the boy's spirit. The moral is not stated explicitly but emerges from the resolution: the king forgives his sister Bertha, and Roland is praised as one who will "bring safety and fresh glory" to his motherland. This narrative poem differs from the hymns in its length, plot, and dramatic structure. Readers should note that the excerpt ends before the story concludes, so the full arc is not visible, but the sample shows a sophisticated use of verse for storytelling.

The Hymns and Songs: A Contrast in Tone

The table of contents lists many hymns and songs, but the excerpts do not include any complete examples of these. The titles suggest a range of subjects: "The Little Spring," "The Little Boy's May-day Song," "Remember the Slave," "Children in Slavery." The preface indicates that some pieces are "gay" and others "serious," and the hymns likely fall into the latter category. The catalog subject "Hymns -- Juvenile" confirms their religious character, but without excerpts, the reader cannot assess their theological content or poetic style. The songs, by contrast, may be lighter, as suggested by titles like "The Little Boy's Good-night." The absence of hymn excerpts in the sample means that the reader must rely on the preface's framing and the table of contents to anticipate the devotional sections. This gap is significant: the book's title places hymns first, but the excerpts emphasize narrative and fable.

The excerpts from Follen's collection reveal a work that deliberately mixes modes—hymn, song, fable, ballad—under a single cover. The preface argues that this variety mirrors childhood itself, where tears and smiles follow each other naturally. Readers should approach the book as a curated miscellany rather than a unified sequence. The fables and ballads offer narrative engagement, while the hymns likely provide reflective contrast. Without full texts, the devotional pieces remain unknown in tone, but the preface and table of contents offer a map. Let the preface's defense of mixture guide your reading: expect shifts, and let each piece stand on its own terms.