Books for the Young, Vol. I.

Brown cloth 32mo, multiple paginations. Collective title page and (4)p contents, [4] at beginning. Wear to the cloth, exposing corners and spine ends, else Very Good with occasional toning and one protruding gathering. Blindstamped covers and bright gilt spine. A modest but attractive collection of 16 tracts, each 16 pages with illustrations on both sides of each title page. Gift inscription dated 1851, to Mary E. Knowlton from her aunt. 

The first of two anthology "Books for the Young" published by the American Tract Society. A collection of 16 stories in which someone, usually a child, always dies, the format starts to feel like a cousin to murder ballads in folk music--cautionary tales built on idealizations and misfortunes and a limited number of outcomes, often named after its protagonist for immediacy and veracity and honor.

Jane Cornelia Judson, a pastor's daughter, has the best-case scenario for adequate piety upon dying young. The first story, she sets an example, and her story ends with a direct address to the reader: "Are you destitute of an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ? O how unlike Jane, who in her life was eminently pious, and in her death confident that God was calling her home! Young as she was, she found in the course of her experience that she had a wicked heart; that she was a poor lost sinner, in need of the grace of God to save her, and that her only hope was in him, through Jesus Christ. Your heart too is wicked. Your condition is dreadful. You must be reconciled to God, or perish; and there should be no delay in becoming reconciled."

The orphan girl is paralyzed below the waist from spine disease, but because she had religion, she welcomed death ("Can this be dying? O, how easy!" 15). Howard F. Randolph, dies at 12; Thomas Walton Hughes, at 7. Catherine Haldane dies "very young" and did not believe all children went to heaven (she was skeptical that her elder sister would make it). Andrew Underhill survives to young adulthood, but medical recommendations are no use. Elizabeth Vermeule, never had any hope of living, dies at 9. Eliza Van Wyck makes it to 20; her sister had died at 16--she prayers for everyone in her dying hour, even "those poor blacks of the family." Jenny Hickling, "seized with the palsy" at age 13 when she is "destitute of the knowledge of God," finds God and lives to 75, though confined to a bed. In "The Premium," Edward was wanted to win a Roman History prize book for his school exams, but is disappointed when he gets a Bible instead; his Uncle Lewis tells him, "There is no merriment in hell, Edward." The uncle dies, having made Edward into an eager Scripture reader. Jan Harmse dies at 13 after getting thrown from a horse. Lady Jane Grey, who, of course, had very specific misfortunes, was still happy to see God when beheaded at 17. 

Contents:
1. Memoir of Jane Cornelia Judson, by Rev. Cornelius B. Everest
2. The Orphan Girl. A narrative of facts, by Mrs. A.K.
3. The History of Peter Thomson
4. On Profane Swearing
5. "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy"
6. The history of Jenny Hickling
7. Good Boys, or, Examine Yourselves
8. Memoir of Howard F. Randolph
9. Memoir of Thomas Walton Hughes
10. Brief Memoir of Andrew Underhill 
11. The Premium
12. Life of Catherine Haldane
13. The Life and Death of Lady Jane Grey 
14. Jan Harmse, the Holland Orphan Boy 
15. Narrative of Elizabeth Vermeule
16. Narrative of Eliza Van Wyck, abridged.