The Arabic cannot be simplified like the English, without doing violence to Arab taste; at least such is the opinion now.

What changes may be wrought in the language, we cannot tell.

Of this obstacle in the instruction of the young here, you have not perhaps thought.

It is a painful thought to us, that _children's literature_, if I may so term it, is _incompatible with the genius of this language_: of course, infant school lessons must be bereft of many of their attractions." It may be interesting to know whether present missionary experience differs from that of Mrs.Smith and her husband in 1835, with regard to children's literature in the Arabic language.
In 1858, Mr.Ford prepared, with the aid of Mr.Bistany, (the husband of "Raheel," Mrs.Smith's adopted child,) a series of children's Scripture Tracts in simple and yet perfectly correct Arabic, so that the youngest child can understand them.

In 1862, we printed the first Children's Hymn-book, partly at the expense of the girls in Rufka's school.