HARVARD UNIVERSITY ¡¡B ARY

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1848, BY SALEM TOWN,

In the Clerk's office of the District Court of Maine.

STEREOTYPED BY THURSTON & CO., PORTLAND, ME.

PREFACE.

LANGUAGE long since became the universal medium through which to receive and impart ideas. Hence, it may be termed the treasury of knowledge and of truth, from whose abundant stores are derived, mainly, our social happiness and intellectual pleasures. To have a correct understanding of language, therefore, is of the highest importance, as it will give us access to those various fountains of knowledge whose myriad streams have hitherto fertilized the intellectual world.

The words, however, of which language is composed, are but the signs of ideas. Hence, in learning to read or pronounce the words of any language, little benefit is derived, unless we possess the ability to perceive those ideas, for which such words stand. The ultimate object, then, of learning words, should be to acquire thereby a clear understanding of the ideas imparted by them, when correctly used.

This Reader is designed for the middle class of pupils in our public schools, and is so arranged as to have a special bearing on the point to which we have just referred. Part I. embraces full and important exercises in Articulation; a few of the most simple Rules relating to other prominent principles of Elocution, and furnishes a complete introduction to the system of Rules in the Fourth Reader of this series.

Part II. contains exercises for reading. These exercises are of such a character as to be easily understood by the scholars for whom they have been prepared, and are characterized by a purity of language and sentiment, and a sprightly and attractive style. Each lesson is preceded by words for spelling and defining,—

a few of the most common errors in pronunciation, and an occasional reference to the principles embodied in Part I.; and followed by appropriate questions on the subject matter of the piece.

It would seem hardly possible for the faithful Teacher to make use of all these means for the improvement of his pupils, without securing the most beneficial and satisfactory results.

We, therefore, offer this Reader to a generous public, not flattering ourselves that it is above criticism—but still hoping that it may be found as well adapted to the wants of those for whom it has been prepared, as a book of this kind can well be, and that its use in our public schools may subserve the cause of popular education. S. TOWN.

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS.-The words to be spelled and defined in Part II., and the errors to be avoided, are selected from the Reading Lesson following, and the figures standing opposite each, denote the paragraph in which such words occur. The figures, introduced with the questions, denote the paragraphs in which the answers may be found.

When a local definition is given to any word used in the lesson, such definition is enclosed in a parenthesis, that the pupil may understand it to be some peculiar, and not the general import of the word.

It is recommended that the class be exercised in spelling and defining as many words in addition to those selected, as time will allow, and that the subject of each lesson, and the principles of Part I., be enforced by more or less questions in addition to those given.

It is also earnestly recommended that the class be exercised, from time to time, on the Tables and Rules of Part I., until the principles are clearly understood, and can be correctly and intelligently applied in reading the Lessons of Part II.