THE

OBLIGATIONS OF LITERATURE

TO THE

MOTHERS OF ENGLAND.

BY

CAROLINE A. HALSTED,

AUTHOR OF "THE LIFE OF MARGARET BEAUFORT,"
"INVESTIGATION," &c. &c.

"There is this remarkable in the strong affections of the mother,
in the formation of the literary character; that without ever par-
taking of, or sympathising with the pleasures the child is fond of, the
mother will often cherish those first decided tastes, merely from the
delight of promoting the happiness of her son; so that genius,
which some would produce in a preconceived system, or implant by
stratagem, or inforce by application, with her may be only the
watchful labour of love."-D'Israeli on the Literary Character.

LONDON:

SMITH, ELDER AND CO. 65, CORNHILL.

HOOL

LIBRARY

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

LONDON:

PRINTED BY STEWART AND MURRAY,

OLD BAILEY.

THIS ESSAY

OBTAINED THE HONORARY PREMIUM

AWARDED BY THE

DIRECTORS OF THE GRESHAM COMMEMORATION.

MDCCCXL.