The Children

Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 93K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Children by Alice MeynellAuthor: Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922,Language: English, Class: HQ: Social sciences: The family, Marriage, Sex and Gender, Release Date: Dec 1, 1999

Editor's review

This is a collection of essays written in the early twentieth century by the English essayist Alice Meynell, centering on children and their environment for growth, falling under the social sciences category of family and gender. Meynell's prose is known for its delicacy, restraint, and keen observation; she does not treat children as abstract symbols but distills reflections on childhood experience, parent-child relations, and family atmosphere from everyday details. The book is short and serves as a window into English essay style and ideas about childhood from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. As a public-domain eBook, its barrier to entry lies mainly in the English original and its period context rather than theoretical depth. It suits segmented reading on a quiet afternoon, one or two essays at a time, letting the observations settle; it also suits reading alongside period material on child education and family history to sense how ideas changed.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English readers who love English essays and want to experience delicate prose and observation
Social science readers interested in the history of ideas about childhood and family history
Learners who need short English essays for daily reading practice
Readers studying the social and cultural context of late nineteenth-century Britain

Not a good fit for

Parents hoping for systematic child-rearing methods or practical guides
Readers used only to modern vernacular who lack patience for classic English essays
Readers expecting plotted narrative or children's stories

Reading tips

Read one or two essays at a time, then jot down in two or three sentences the observation that struck you most.
Read through once to feel the style, then revisit passages on family and gender ideas.
Read alongside period material on family or education history to understand the era's context.
Mark unfamiliar expressions and read on; look them up after finishing the whole essay to keep the reading rhythm.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a collection of essays?

From the material, it falls under the social sciences category of family, marriage, and gender; it is a collection of essays Meynell wrote around children and family life, driven not by plot but by observation and reflection, so it is best read slowly to savor the prose.

Can I read it if my English is only average?

This is a public-domain English book of modest length, but its language carries the sentence patterns and vocabulary habits of early twentieth-century essays. Readers with college-level English reading ability who are willing to look up words can try it; for easy fast reading, start with more modern English essays.

Is it suitable as a parenting reference book?

Not really. It is not a child-rearing manual but literary observation and reflection; its value lies in helping readers understand ideas about childhood and family atmosphere of that era, not in offering practical parenting advice.

Why is segmented reading recommended?

The essays are relatively independent, with information density concentrated in delicate observation and discussion; reading quickly in one go tends to leave only impressions without reflection. Reading in segments and taking brief notes lets you better appreciate the author's grasp of childhood experience.

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About the author

Meynell, Alice, 1847-1922 Author

Alice Meynell (1847–1922) was an English poet and essayist. She first drew literary attention for her poetry, which combines religious feeling with delicate observation of nature; her language is concise and her rhythms unhurried, often conveying reflection through ordinary scenes. Her essays address life, art, and emotion in a clear, graceful style that continues the lyrical spirit of her verse. The collection here includes 12 of her works, among them the poetry collections Poems, Later Poems, and A Father of Women, and Other Poems, the essay collections The Rhythm of Life, and Other Essays, The Colour of Life, and Essays, as well as London Impressions and The Flower of the Mind. Her writing had a certain influence on the British literary scene of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and both her poetry and essays drew the attention of readers and critics. Public information is limited, so biographical details are omitted here.