Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1855, by
PHILLIPS, SAMPSON, & CO.,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
The main design in view, in the discussions which are offered to thejuvenile world, under the title of The Rollo Philosophy, relates ratherto their effect upon the little reader's habits of thinking, reasoning,and observation, than to the additions they may make to his stock ofknowledge. The benefit which the author intends that the reader shallderive from them, is an influence on the cast of his intellectualcharacter, which is receiving its permanent form during the years towhich these writings are adapted.
The acquisition of knowledge, however, though in this case a secondary,is by no means an unimportant object; and the discussion of the severaltopics proceeds accordingly, with regularity, upon a certain system ofclassification. This classification is based upon the more obvious[6]external properties and relations of matter, and less upon those which,though they are more extensive and general in their nature, and,therefore, more suitable, in a strictly-scientific point of view, forthe foundations of a system, are less apparent, and require higherpowers of generalization and abstraction; and are, therefore, less inaccordance with the genius and spirit of the Rollo philosophy.
As teachers have, in some cases, done the author the honor to introducesome of the preceding works of this class into their schools, as readingbooks, &c., considerable reference has been had to this, in the form andmanner of the discussion, and questions have been added to facilitatethe use of the books in cases where parents or teachers may make thereading of them a regular exercise of instruction.