PUBLIC SCHOOL SERIES FOURTH READER He most lives no thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best. BAILEY'S Festus. W. ISBISTER & CO. 56, LUDGATE HILL, LONDON 1874 PREFACE. THE same principle has been followed in this as in the preceding Readers of the series-to seek to develop the whole nature of the scholar, and not merely to lead his memory with facts hard to learn, harder to remember, and often mere lumber of the brain, after all. That alone has been felt to be true education which stimulates the higher faculties to spontaneous activity, and, by leading the child to like his lessons, makes him fitter each day to understand them. For this end the contents have been newly selected from the best writers for children, both English and Continental, very few of the pieces having ever appeared in a Reader before. Abstract topics have been avoided; knowledge given has been offered in the style most attractive to the young, and just thoughts and reflections set before them in such forms as cling to the memory by their beauty and simplicity. Some special features may be noticed. 1. In accordance with the new requirements of Government, and to meet the growing demand for Easy Scientific Lessons in all schools, a series of Lessons on Specific Subjects is given. These Lessons will, it is believed, supersede the necessity of the children buying Manuals of the different sciences. 2. The Vocabulary will be found to give the etymological meaning of every word of importance, thus training the mind to an exact use of language and a habit of thoughtfully minute study of what is read. 3. The Vocabulary, and the spelling lessons throughout, are carefully divided for Pronunciation. 4. Questions are given on each lesson to aid the pupil in testing his knowledge of what he has read. 5. Composition Exercises may readily be framed by requiring the pupils to write out the answers to the questions in their own words. 6. Short Passages from the Poets for Dictation from Memory have been freely given, in the belief that the gems of thought and poetical beauty thus stored up in early life, will be a delight and benefit in riper years. 7. Formal Dictation Lessons have been avoided, as the most eminent educational authorities prefer using part of the ordinary text for Dictation. The space thus saved has been utilised for more important matter. 8. The Outlines of British History, which extend to the close of the Plantagenet period, will be found very full. 9. A very full List of Prefixes has been given to aid in training the pupils to an intelligent sense of the formation and force of the many English words of which they form a part. 10. Object Lessons, which are so interesting and instructive to the young, have not been omitted. 11. It is hardly necessary to call attention to the number and beauty of the illustrations. They have been selected with the aim at once of teaching by the eye, and of refining and elevating the taste. 12. Where the Reading Lessons seemed possibly too long for use at one time, an asterisk (*) has been inserted at the fittest point for their division. It has been the Editor's desire to make the book so complete, that the teacher may feel that, in asking any question, on any part of it, the child has the means of an intelligent answer provided for him. The Vocabulary should by all means be learned by heart in easy lessons. Its definitions, to use Coleridge's figure, will be found full of hooks and eyes for the memory, in the pictorial vividness which etymological rendering gives them. It should also be used, with the spelling columns, for pronunciation. |