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Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by
CHARLES W. SANDERS,

In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New York.

STEREOTYPED BY

THOMAS B. SMITE, 216 William St. N. Y

PREFACE.

THE present volume, though carefully fitted, like each of its pre

decessors, to the place which it holds in the Series, forms, also, in

itself, like each of them, a complete progressive Reader. It is not,

therefore, merely a set of promiscuous extracts: claiming no other

than the merit of exhibiting diversity of style and elegance of senti-

ment.

All the matter, on the contrary, whether original or selected, has

been adapted and arranged with the closest regard to the experi-

er ced wants of learners. To meet the disposition of youth, ever

"studious of change," it offers, both in style and subject, the most

ample variety; to plant the precious seeds of virtue, to cherish and

protect them in their growth, it carefully supplies the means of

moral culture; while, further to enrich the mind with useful knowl-

edge, make it familiar with noble sentiments and elegant diction,

it brings the pupil in communion with many of those master spirits

that have, by their works, most adorned and elevated English

Literature.

THE FIRST PART of the work, embracing some thirty-five pages, is

devoted to the statement and illustration of principles and pre-
cepts for Rhetorical Reading. The instructions in this part will
be found, it is hoped, comprehensive without being prolix, and,
withal so simple and so direct as to admit of the most ready and
accurate application. In this part, the diligent student will find
every necessary aid in his endeavors to attain a graceful and effect-
ive delivery; while the teacher, anxious to secure to his pupiis the
benefit of ample and judicious practice, will have no reason to com-
plain of the paucity of examples.

THE SECOND PART, occupying the remainder of the volume, com-
prises more than two hundred Exercises in reading. Here each
Lesson is preceded by a list of words taken from it, and duly de-
fined; the Proper Names are explained in brief, but often compre-
hensive Notes; frequent References are made to the instructions in
the First Part; and the whole is concluded with a series of questions
designed to awaken interest, prolong attention, and so make the
deeper impression. These notes, references, definitions, and ques-
tions, all have a common aim,-that of securing a better reading
of each piece, by securing to the learner a better understanding of
its meaning. They direct attention to the precise import of given
words in given places, fix firmly in the mind noted events, persons,
and localities, and foster the habit of tracing minutely the several
shades and relations of thought in a connected discourse.

Such, in general terms, is the NEW FOURTH READER. It is com-
mended to all who regard good Reading, as a valuable accomplish-
ment; to all who, in teaching this subject, have respect to the
laws of mental growth;-to all who, in school, would duly combine
the entertaining with the instructive; and, especially, to those
who sympathize with the sentiment of the poet :-

LESSON,

PART SECOND.

1. Knowledge Better than Wealth,....

2. Prairie Dogs,..

3. A Mother's Advice to her Son,.

4 The Light of Home,..

5 My Father's at the Helm,..

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6 The Honest Young Lawyer and his Client,. Rev. John Todd, 54
7. Sources of Success in Business,....Rev. John Angell James,

8. All can do Good,.

9. Who is my Neighbor?.

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Pratt's Gleanings, 127
do.

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