These arrangements will diminish the expense of the publication te subscribers, without diminishing its value.

All our present subscribers will be considered as continuing their subscription, except those who signify a wish to have their papers discontinued at the close of the present volume. Those of our readers, who desire to promote the cause to which our publication is devoted, and who feel the importance of the subjects which are discussed in our pages, may do much for the furtherance of the object by recommending the Teacher's Guide and lending some of the numbers to parents and teachers with whom they are acquainted. The present time is a suitable one to make efforts of this kind; because we wish, by the commencement of a new volume, to know how many copies to print, in order that all our subscribers may have complete sets.

Those who may wish to withdraw their names, are requested to give notice of it to the Printer, or to an Agent of the work, as soon, at the latest, as the first of December. All notices of this kind should be given at the time of making payment for the present volume, and through the same medium.

The terms of our publication will be remembered by subscribers: ONE DOLLAR, if paid within the year; ONE DOLLAR AND FIFTY CENTS, if delayed beyond that time. All payments made before the close of the present year, will be considered as coming within the terms of subscription. The last number of the present volume will be issued on the first of December, and the second volume will commence on the first of January.

Payment for the present volume, or the names of subscribers for the next volume, may be delivered to any of our Agents, or sent by mail (post paid) to A. Shirley, Portland, Me. Wait, Greene, & Co. Court-street, Boston, or to J. B. Moore, Concord, N. H.

No subscription will be received for a less term than one year. The last half of the present volume, (a supply of which is yet on hand) commencing at No. 12, will be furnished to purchasers or new subscribers at a discount of one third, that is, for 33 1-3 cents. Agents who receive or collect payments, and transmit them, by private conveyance or post-paid, to Portland, Boston, or Concord, as above stated, shall be entitled to a discount of ten per cent. on all moneys thus collected and transmitted.

THE TEACHER'S GUIDE is published semi-monthly, at one dollar a year, to be paid within the year if delayed beyond that time, $1,50. To those who procure subscribers and pay in advance, every sixth copy gratis.

PORTLAND: SHIRLEY & HYDE, Printers-J. L. PARKHURST, Editor.

"What branches ought to be embraced in a course of studies, adapted to the existing state of our common schools?

In what order should these branches be taken up?

What are the most approved elementary books, relating to each branch?”

We have already named such books as we consider most suitable to be used previously to the age of eight or nine years. In attempting to fix upon a reading book, which should stand next in our list, we have found ourselves unable to give to any one a decided preference. We have concluded, therefore, rather than admit any longer delay in the prosecution of the subject, to name several, and leave instructers and committees to make their own selection.

9. Beauties of the Children's Friend, by Berquin; or Rosamond, by Miss Edgeworth; or Harry & Lucy, by Mr. Edgeworth.

The first of the three is perhaps best adapted to meet with general approbation; as it is the cheapest book, and corresponds more nearly with the prevailing ideas of what is to be expected in a book for schools. The entire title page reads as follows: "The Beauties of the Children's Friend; being a selection of interesting pieces from that celebrated author, M. Berquin. Interspersed with pieces of poetry, from various authors. The whole calculated to inspire a love of truth and virtue. For the use of schools. By the author of the Child's First Book. Lin

coln & Edmands, 39, Washington-St. Boston. 1827." 18mo. pp 252. The pieces are mostly in the dialogue form; which is happily suited to interest the young, and improve them in the art of reading. The great design of the book is to cultivate an amiable temper in the youthful breast, to implant virtuous principles, to cherish kind, tender, and benevolent feelings, and to subdue every wayward and vicious propensity.

There are 78 sections in the book, 37 of which are poetry, selected" from various authors." The pieces of poetry, however, are mostly short, the whole occupying but 29 pages. Of the 41 sections written by Berquin, there is only one which we would not ourselves have chosen ; and to this one we have no serious objection. We refer to Section 61. Our principal objection to the piece is, that as we would not suffer a child to join in such a rabble or witness such a scene, as is there described, neither would we willingly have him read the description. In the selection of poetry, the compiler has been rather unfortunate. Most of the pieces which he has selected, possess but a moderate share of merit or interest, and several are unworthy of perusal. Those which are numbered 33, 34, 42, 58, and 70, we should rather not have found in the book. The teacher may obviate the erroneous impression which Sec. 33 is liable to make, by informing the child in what cases it is lawful and in what unlawful to take the life of animals. To Sec. 34 our objection is of a negative kind: the bit of paper it occupies, would have been equally valuable, if left blank. The concluding stanza of Sec. 42 is good, but not a sufficient antidote to the poison contained in the preceding stanzas. Neither little girls,' nor great ones, ought to hear such language. In Sec. 58, there are some passages which are at variance with the sentiments and the practice of a respectable portion of the christian community. We allude to what is said of spending "Sat irday night" in "sport," and, on Sunday, taking a walk in the field or street, and paying or receiving a social visit.

The omission of two stanzas would make the piece much less exceptionable Section 70 is entitled," Happiness of Childhood." We can appreciate the feelings of those whose memory often dwells on the scenes and the sports of childhood with melancholy pleasure, and sometimes with tearful sensibility; but it is not the part of a christian or a rational man, to regret that those hours are past, or to wish their return.

The compiler says, in his Preface, "The whole has been corrected throughout with the most scrupulous regard to expression; so that it may be considered as an improved translation." Having never read the "Children's Friend," in any other form, we cannot appreciate the 'corrections' of which the compiler speaks. We can see, however, what farther corrections are needed; and we deeply regret, that such vulgar, not to say profane expressions, as "Bless me !"-"in the name of goodness!"-" O my stars!"" the deuce is in it !" should have escaped the vigilance of the compiler. All these expressions, except the last, occur repeatedly. (See pp. 112, 133, 186, 192, 203, 238.) We should also be gratified, could we persuade the compiler to expunge the colloquial word 'pray,' which is so frequently used by almost all writers of familiar dialogue. It is a desecration of a religious term; and its impropriety, if not felt by any other person or at any other time, can hardly fail to be felt and regretted by the pious parent when his child first becomes capable of reading in Barbauld's Lessons, or any other book in which this use of the term occurs. Indeed, we have much less objection to it in a book for children a dozen years old, than for those of only five or six. The term, however, is quite needless: in the few cases in which the harmony of the sentence may demand a substitute, a good one may be found in the emphatic' do.'

We would recommend to teachers, as a thing of some importance, to direct their pupils to omit or alter all the exceptionable expressions which they find in their reading lessons. We

would extend this to obsolete words and phrases, and to violalations of grammatical propriety. The pupil may be allowed also to mark or alter all such passages with his pen or pencil. Thus, under the care of a faithful instructer, 'good may be educed from evil;' and perhaps the child may receive a deeper impression in this way than in any other, of the nature of the errors which ought to be avoided, and may derive more benefit from the lesson, than if no errors had been contained in it. Lest, howeyer, many instructers should be negligent in this respect, it would be the safest course, for authors, compilers, and printers to have their books as free from errors as possible.

We have dwelt so long on the faults which we have noticed in this book, that we shall perhaps make an impression on the minds of some, that they constitute its most prominent characteristic. Not so. Let the book be read in course, and its blemishes will appear but as the spots on the surface of the sun.

There is quite a disparity in the character of the pieces contained in this book, when we compare them with reference to the age and capacity of the children to whose use they are adapted. About half a dozen Sections are suited to the capacity of children seven years of age; and there are as many, which ought not to be read by children of common capacity before the age of sixteen. The other pieces are adapted to children of all the intermediate ages. But what we particularly regret, is, that in the arrangement of the pieces, scarcely any regard has been paid to the order in which they ought to be read. In the former part o the book, there are pieces which ought not to be read before the age of twelve or fourteen; and in the latter part, are pieces which may be read at the age of eight or nine.*

*In our perusal of the book, we noted, as we proceeded, the age at which it seemed suitable that each piece should be read. This must be attended with much imperfection, on account of the difficulty of keeping the same ideal standard of comparison in the mind throughout the whole. We will, however, state the arrangement which is the result of the judgment thus passed on each piece; leaving it to the compiler and to instructers to make what use of it they please. The following numbers refer to the Sections as now numbered and arranged in the book; and the order in which we place them, is that in which we would