Biographical Stories

Biographical Stories is a classic biography collection by the great American writer, Nathaniel Hawthorne that includes the following biographical sketches for young people: Benjamin West -- Sir Isaac Newton -- Samuel Johnson -- Oliver Cromwell -- Benjamin Franklin -- Queen Christina. This small volume and others of a similar character, from the same hand, have not been composed without a deep sense of responsibility. The author regards children as sacred, and would not, for the world, cast anything into the fountain of a young heart that might imbitter and pollute its waters. And, even in point of the reputation to be aimed at, juvenile literature is as well worth cultivating as any other. The writer, if he succeed in pleasing his little readers, may hope to be remembered by them till their own old age, --a far longer period of literary existence than is generally attained by those who seek immortality from the judgments of full-grown men.