C’est un livre qui fait aimer celle qui y a mis son ame, une etude du coeur humain bien vraie et bien delicate.  L’amour de Dieu deborde dans ses pages charmantes, dont la lecture rechauffe le coeur.  Je crois qu’il a ete fort apprecie dans nos pays de langue francaise.  Une personne dont toute la vie est un service de ceux qui souffrent me disait l’autre jour:  “C’est mon livre, il m’a fait beaucoup de bien.”

Le nombre d’editions qu’a atteint la traduction francaise teemoigne qu’il a eu du succes, et je suis sure que beaucoup de personnes ont prefere, avec raison, le lire dans l’original.

Je suis heureuse que vous m’avez donne l’occasion de le relire, et d’en eprouver de nouveau la bienfaisante influence....

Ce serait un vrai privilege de pouvoir faire connaitre a notre public francais cette femme aussi distinguee par le coeur que par l’esprit, que nous aimons tous.

14. Nidworth, and his three Magic Wands. 1869.

The three Magic Wands are:  Riches, Knowledge, and Love; and in depicting their peculiar and wonderful virtues Mrs. Prentiss has wrought into the story with much skill her own theory of a happy life.  She wrote the book with intense delight, and its strange, weird-like scenes and characters—­the home in the forest; Dolman, the poor woodcutter; Cinda, his tall and strong-minded wife; Nidworth, their first-born; wandering Hidda, boding ill-luck; the hermit; these and all the rest—­seemed to her, for a while, almost as real as if she had copied them from life.

Its publishers (Roberts Brothers) pronounced Nidworth “a gem” and were not a little surprised at its failure to strike the popular fancy.  It certainly contains some of the author’s brightest pictures of life and character.

15. The Percys. 1870.

This work was translated into French and German, and won warm praise in both languages.  It is full of spirit, depicts real boys and girls and a loving Christian mother with equal skill, and abounds in the best lessons of domestic peace.

16. The Story Lizzie Told. 1870.

17. Six Little Princesses and what they turned into. 1871.

No one of Mrs. Prentiss’ lesser works betrays a keener insight into character or a finer touch than this.  Its aim is to illustrate the truth that all girls are endowed with their own individual talents; and to enforce the twofold lesson, that the diligent use of these talents, on the one hand, can furnish innocent pleasures beyond the reach of any outward position, however brilliant; and, on the other, is the best preparation for the day of adversity.

The closing sentences of the story will give an inkling of its aim and quality: