PREFACE.

THE Reading lessons in this Book have been carefully selected or specially prepared, and are arranged in strictly progressive order. They embrace considerable variety in matter and manner, and are adapted to convey useful information in an attractive form, as well as to inspire in the young mind a love for what is generous and praiseworthy.

Every experienced teacher is aware that no scholar can ever be taught to read well what he does not clearly understand; and it has therefore been the aim of the compiler, in the selection and preparation of the lessons, to induce and cultivate a habit of reading with intelligence. With this view notes and explanations have been freely introduced wherever they seemed to be necessary.

At the head of each lesson the more difficult words have been arranged in alphabetical order, divided into syllables, accented, and defined in accordance with their special signification in the text. These lists may therefore serve as exercises in spelling, pronunciation, and meaning.

To help the young scholar to read the poetical extracts intelligently, it has been considered advisable to prefix to the more difficult poems a brief summary of the thoughts and sentiments they embody. Most of the prose readings

also are preceded by a short introduction leading up to or explaining the subject treated in the lesson itself. By this means much interesting information is imparted in addition to what is directly presented in the passage to be read.

Short and comprehensive notes supply such information concerning persons or places named, and facts alluded to, as cannot fail to facilitate the scholar's progress, and to add to the interest of the lesson. The notes are followed by questions, designed not so much for the convenience of the teacher in the class-room, as to furnish the pupil with a means of testing the thoroughness of his preparation at home. Composition Exercises may readily be framed by requiring the pupil to answer these questions in writing, and in his own words.

The Exercises in Spelling appended to each readinglesson, deal chiefly with the formation and proper spelling of derivatives. These, and the Dictation Exercises that follow, have been constructed with special reference to common orthographical errors.

A list of Words of Similar Sound, and Spelling Rules with copious exercises, will be found at the end of the book. The Spelling Rules should be systematically studied and applied until the pupil has fairly mastered them.

A few words will suffice to explain the method of accentuation adopted in this book.

The words selected for definition are divided into syllables, and the accented syllable is distinguished by the usual mark (). To this mark, however, is assigned the additional function of indicating by its position the sound of the vowel in the accented syllable.

1. The vowel, if otherwise unmarked, has its name sound when the accent is placed beside it; as, ca'm-bric, glo-ri-ous, en-ti'ce, de-lu'-sive.

2. The vowel, if unmarked, is short when a consonant intervenes between it and the accent; as, an'-nals, conven'-tion, fond'-ness, com-pul'-sion.

3. In cases where the sound cannot be indicated by the position of the accent, the ordinary method of marking the vowels has been adopted: thus, ā, ē, ī, ō, ū are long; ă, ě, ì, ŏ, ŭ are short; ä is sounded as in fä'-ther; ï, as in fatigue; ö, as in bö’-som; and ü, as in füll.

4. The diphthongs, if otherwise unmarked, are sounded as follows: au, aw, as in author, awkward; oi, oy, as in oil, boy; oo, as in moon (except in blood, flood); and ou, ow, as in out, cow.

5. When an improper diphthong occurs in an accented syllable, the accent accompanies the vowel that is sounded; as, e'ag-er-ly, ple'a-sant, bo'ard-er, flo'or-cloth.