Conscience explores the moral fabric that binds human actions to their ethical outcomes. The book is a didactic narrative designed to instill the value of conscience in younger minds through stories demonstrating the contrast between righteousness and wrongdoing. It portrays how minor choices, when guided or ignored by moral sense, can lead to profound results. The tale intertwines two central storylines that emphasize integrity and the transformative power of kindness. In one, young students struggle with anger and retaliation after being wronged, but through moral reflection and parental guidance, they discover empathy's quiet strength. The other centers on a careless act that results in an innocent person's suffering, revealing how even neglected duties carry heavy consequences. Through these intertwined accounts, the work conveys that conscience serves as the compass of personal virtue, leading the individual toward inner peace and moral clarity. It remains both instructive and introspective, encouraging self-examination and moral responsibility in everyday life.
Eliza Lee Cabot Follen was an influential American writer, editor, and abolitionist born on August 15, 1787, in Boston, Massachusetts. She was known for her contributions to various papers and magazines, writing both prose and poetry. A dedicated abolitionist, she worked tirelessly to promote the cause of ending slavery in the United States. In 1828, she married Professor Charles Follen, a German immigrant and fellow abolitionist, who tragically died aboard the Lexington in 1840. This loss deeply affected Follen, yet she continued to write and advocate for social justice throughout her life. Follen's works spanned genres, and she was especially known for her children's literature and moral essays. She was a passionate voice for women's rights and the abolition of slavery, often using her writing to inspire change and raise awareness. Follen passed away on January 26, 1860, in Brookline, Massachusetts, at the age of 72. She was the daughter of Samuel Cabot and Sarah Barrett, who provided her with a solid foundation in intellectual thought. Throughout her life, Eliza Lee Cabot Follen's work left an indelible mark on the fight for equality and justice in America.