Catharine Warden; or, the Pious Scholar. A Narrative from Real Life. (No. 2)

Series V., No. II. Printed wraps, 18mo, 48pp. Printed by Fanshaw, dating the tract pre-1846. Cover imprint has 144 Nassau address; title page has 150. Very Good with subtle dampstaining to wraps, tidemark diminishing through page 20, modest foxing throughout. Pages 43-48 have "Miscellaneous Anecdotes" of Rev. John Cowper, Salmasius, Grotius and [Wiliam] Collins, with 3 poems. 17 woodcut illustrations. 6 in OCLC.

Catherine Warden's spirit grows stronger as her body grows weaker. Told from the perspective of her Sabbath school teacher, who talks with Catherine about her feelings and fears, her wishes that her family could come with her and her conflicting feelings about leaving them versus going to God. Her family also struggles: "The Spirit of God had taught these parents that they ought cheerfully resign their child unto God...but nature had its own arguments, and we must treat them very delicately. The whole family seemed to cling to Catharine, as if they would attempt to detain her" (33-34). The result is slightly more nuanced, and helpful, than stories that model only unquestioning and happy submission to what they're told is God's will.