PUBLISHERS' NOTICE. The widely extended approval bestowed upon the ECLECTIC EDUCATIONAL SERIES for many years has given them a constantly increasing demand. Their sale is not equalled by that of any similar text-books. The Series includes: McGuffey's Revised Speller, Readers, and Charts, Ray's New Arithmetics, Ray's New Algebras, Eclectic School Geometry, Milne's inductive Arithmetics, Ridpath's United States Histories, Kidd's New Elocution, Murdoch's Analytic Elocution, Eclectic System of Drawing, Forbriger's Drawing Tablets, Eclectic Complete Book-keeping, Eclectic Physiology and Hygiene, Etc., Etc. All persons ordering, in order to avoid possible mistakes in titles of books, should consult our latest Catalogue and Price List of the Eclectic Educational Series, which will be forwarded, postpaid, by mail, on application. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by W. B. SMITH, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of Ohio. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the COPYRIGHT, BY VAN ANTWERP. BRAGG & Co. PREFACE. THIS book is intended as the SECOND in the remodeled Series of the Eclectic Readers. A large quantity of matter entirely new, and highly interesting and instructive, has been introduced. The lessons are short, the language simple, the subjects interesting, and especially attractive to children. At the same time, it has been made an important object to append valuable instruction, and to exercise a healthy moral influence upon the mind of the learner. The SPELLING EXERCISES are composed of words taken from the reading matter, and placed at the head of each lesson. Difficult words are often repeated, as this is the only method of fixing them in the mind. In the earlier lessons of this Reader, as in the New First Reader, words of more than one syllable are divided by the hyphen into their proper parts, thus very much facilitating instruction in reading. ARTICULATION is taught extensively in this book, and forms an important feature. In the introductory article, there are graduated exercises; also, between the lessons, there are exercises including practice on the vowel and consonant elements. A foundation for correct and distinct articulation can not be laid too early. The READING MATTER has been derived from the best sources; but many of the selections have been re-written, and especially adapted to the position they occupy in the progressive arrange, ment of the Series. (v) |