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In those reading books which are in common use, there is a great want of variety in the lessons, both as it regards matter and style; so that little scope is given for the expression of that diversity of feeling which all readers have occasion to exhibit. On account of this general monotony, together with the tameness of the pieces selected, and their want of adaptation to the taste of the young, the lessons soon grow irksome ; whereas they ought to be of a character which will allow them to be read again, and again, without producing disgust.

Sufficient attention has not always been given to punctuation; but when this is neglected, learners must often be troubled to arrive at the true meaning of what they read, and, of course, to express by giving the proper connection between the parts of a sentence, together with the right modulations of voice.

We sometimes find in reading books grammatical inaccuracies, and modes of expression which, in other respects, are not accordant with correct usage. But when we consider to what extent children acquire a knowledge of their mother tongue while they are at school, and from the books which are there put into their hands, how important it is that these books should be free from all improprieties of language. If any books whatever should be written in good English, those, surely, which are used in schools ought to be so written; and inattention to this important particular is altogether inexcusable. On this account, the author has not scrupled to make such corrections, as he judged proper, in the punctuation, orthography, and phraseology, of the selections which he has made from various writers. For so doing he makes no other apology than what may be found in the considerations now suggested. After all, these corrections have been made as sparingly as the nature of the case would well admit, and many passages have been left unaltered from an unwillingness to appear fastidious, or unfair. The alterations, in no instance, vary an author's style or sentiments; and they are such, it is believed, as the writer himself would have adopted, in most instances, had they been suggested in season for that purpose.

Much has been said, of late years, about the importance of a free use of definitions in reading books. Some have been prepared on this plan, and have, for this reason, been strongly recommended to public favor. But the author must take the liberty to dissent in opinion from those who advocate such definitions. In his judgment, their tendency is to evil rather than to good. We all learn the correct use of our native language, if we ever do learn it, by hearing it spoken, and from books. In this way we learn the meaning of separate words, of phrases, and combinations of words in every form; and in this manner, we learn it correctly, and in the least possible time. Those greatly mistake who suppose that the defining of words in school books will accelerate the acquisition of language. For every single word thus learned correctly, and retained by the mind, twenty may be so learned in the ordinary mode. Were it not so, and were the opinion here controverted correct, dictionaries ought to be studied, and recited in our schools, in preference to such meager vocabularies as the plan in view contemplates.

These remarks have been made on the supposition that the definitions alluded to are even tolerably correct; but very many of those which have fallen under the observation of the author, are palpably wrong, and serve only to mislead a scholar into the use of bad English. Oftentimes, the

word defined is more easily understood than the one which is employed in the definition; and oftentimes, and indeed generally, many words in a lesson receive no definition, while they need one as much as those that do. -From what has been said it does not follow that children should never resort to a definition of a difficult, or unusual word. Such a resort may sometimes be proper; but it should be much less frequent than the plan which is recommended seems to contemplate; and whenever it becomes proper, let a regular dictionary, written by some competent author, be resorted to, and not such glossaries as too often deform the books which are put into the hands of our children.

To remedy, in some degree, the defects which have been noticed, the author has prepared a series of reading books, adapted to scholars of various grades, and capacities. The Reader's Guide, which was published two or three years since, is designed for scholars of an advanced standing, and requires considerable maturity of mind to be used with advantage. The Reader's Manual, (the present work,) is designed for scholars less advanced than those, but sufficiently so to be taught some of the general principles of vocal modulation.

The Primary Reader is intended for a still younger class of learners, who are already able to read sentences with some degree of readiness, but are not old enough, or advanced enough, to profit by the study of rules, and principles. In the gradation here observed, the same general plan is maintained throughout, and a great variety of style and subjects has been introduced. In the selection of lessons no pains have been spared to exclude every thing of an immoral, or impure tendency, and to introduce moral and religious instruction, as far as it could be done in consistency with the general object in view, and with keeping up a feeling of interest, on the part of children, in the subjects presented. In the opinion of the author, moral purity in school books is not less important than purity of language, and diction; and he has, therefore, endeavored to secure both these objects along with the one more immediately in view.

The author neither believes, nor professes, that his reading books are perfect. Still, he hopes that he has made some improvement on those which have hitherto been used;-had he thought otherwise, he would have spared himself the labor of preparing, and the public the trouble of proving them.

Ellington, Conn., May, 1839.

TO TEACHERS.

As most teachers, at present, cannot be supposed to be acquainted with the Rules, or the Notation, contained in this work, it is recommended to them that they should become early familiar with both. This is obviously important in order to their qualification to give the requisite instruction to their pupils. It will require some attention and practice to obtain an entire familiarity with the application of the Rules, and with the use of the Characters which point out the modulations of voice. But no teacher, it is hoped, will fail to give the subject the necessary attention on this account. By doing it, he will derive profit to himself, and receive a pleasure in teaching this branch of education which the old method cannot afford.

Pupils should be required to commit all the rules to memory, and recite them; and they ought to practice on the several examples which are given for the illustration of the Rules, until they can give, with perfect ease, the exact modulation intended. To do this effectually, they should be made to understand the meaning and use of all the marks, or characters, which are employed to point out different modulations of the voice; and they should be made to perceive the object and design of each character, as readily as they know the sound which is represented by each letter of the alphabet.

It is proper to caution both teachers and scholars against making every inflection intensive. This error is very common with those who are beginning to learn their use. All the inflections can be made with a very slight variation of voice; and, in most cases, they ought to be so made. As a high note in music does not necessarily require great force, or loudness of expression, nor a low note very little sound, so in speaking, or reading, the same things occur with regard both to notes and inflections.-Although the substance of

these remarks is contained elsewhere, the great proneness of learners to transgress against them is the occasion of inserting them here.

Every teacher is requested to bear in mind that his scholars need drilling in learning to read, as truly as they do when they learn to sing; and he ought not to forget how much the former exceeds the latter in real importance.

1

CHAPTER I.

REQUISITES FOR READING WELL.

THE very first thing to be acquired in reading is to be able to call every word right, just as soon as it meets the eye. A mere glance of the eye at any word should be sufficient to enable the reader to tell what it is, without stopping to spell it out. Nothing appears so bad, so awkward, and so vulgar, in a scholar who is old enough to read with fluency, as to be continually boggling on words of more than one syllable, and hesitating what to call them, or calling them wrong. The first rule, therefore, should be this:

CALL EVERY WORD RIGHT; AND CALL IT RIGHT AS SOON AS YOU SEE IT, WITHOUT STOPPING TO SPELL IT.

Many readers make nonsense by leaving out words which are in the book, or by inserting words which are not found in it. This fault is a very great one, though it is very common. It does great injustice to the author who is read; it disappoints and misleads those who listen to the reader; and it shows that the reader himself does not understand what he reads, and that he does his business in a careless and slovenly manner. The second rule then is :

NEVER LEAVE OUT ANY WORDS WHEN YOU READ, AND NEVER INSERT ANY WHICH THE BOOK DOES NOT CONTAIN.

Another fault, very common among young persons, is that of reading much too fast; of strangely huddling words together, so that one cannot be distinguished from another. Some persons seem to have the faculty of throwing out a whole phrase, or sentence, in a lump, like so many shot discharged at once from a musket. Or, it may be, a single word, consisting of many syllables, is thus discharged. These persons can hardly be said to read-they rather sputter, and fling out words without regard to sense, or propriety.-A third rule, then, appears to be:

NEVER HUDDLE YOUR WORDS TOGETHER, BUT LET EVERY

WORD AND EVERY SYLLARLE BE DISTINCTLY HEARD.

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