ceived, every aid has been given in the notes, that the reader may readily comprehend the meaning of the writer. This has been done in a manner more full and satisfactory than they have seen in any other collection, and in every instance at the bottom of the page where the difficulty occurs, so that the reader may not be subjected to the trouble of consulting a dictionary, or other books of reference,- —a work which, in general, if done at all, is done with extreme reluctance, even by ad vanced pupils. In order that the student may still more thoroughly understand what he reads, and for the convenience of that large class of readers who have not leisure to peruse voluminous memoirs of distinguished men and yet would be unwilling to forego all knowledge of them, we have introduced concise Biographical Sketches of authors from whose works extracts have been selected, and of persons whose names occur in the Reading Exercises. These sketches, presenting a clear and distinct outline of the life, and producing a clear and distinct impression of the character, furnish an amount of useful and available information rarely surpassed by memoirs of greater extent and pretension. Lists of the names of authors, both alphabetical and chronological, have also been introduced, thus rendering this a convenient text book fo students in English and American Literature. The improvements made in the revision of this work are numerous and important. The Treatise on Elocution has been carefully elabora ted, involving the introduction of phonetic exercises, a more critica orthoëpical notation, and many most apt and interesting examples fo illustration. Several of these examples under each section are left un marked, thus affording students opportunities to exercise their judg ment, taste, and discrimination. The collection of Reading Lessons has been greatly improved by judicious omissions, and the substitution of new dialogues, ballads dramatic lyrics, and other rhetorical pieces that are more varied and inspiriting, and better adapted to elocutionary readings, both publi and private. The classification of these lessons is more systematic and thorough than that ever before attempted in any corresponding work They are divided into formal sections, in each of which only one lead ing subject is treated, or one important element of Elocution rendered prominent. All practical AIDS are furnished by more copious notes new indexes, etc. NEW YORK, June, 1866. 13. The Widow and her Son-Part First.... Washington Irving. 106 I. Good use of Memory. II. Injudicious Haste in Study— 61. Ancient and Modern Writers.... 66. Parallel between Pope and Dryden. SECTION XIII ....... ... 73. Count Fathom's Adventure-Part First...... T. G. Smollett. 261 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 352 132. Death of the Old Trapper-Part First...... 133. Death of the Old Trapper-Part Second. 140. Scenes from Pickwick-The Dilemma......Charles Dickens. 436 141. Scenes from Pickwick-Speech of Sergeant Buzfuz... Scenes from Pickwick-Sam Weller as Witness... 143. My Oratorical Experience.... 149. Elements of the Swiss Landscape. SECTION XXX.............. Washington Irving. 452 162. Society the Great Educator... 163. The Schoolmaster and the Conqueror.....Henry Brougham. 507 165. Moral Progress of the American People.... Wm. H. Seward. 511 I. Evidence of a Creator-Tillotson. II. Nature Pro- .Thomas Babbington Macaulay. 575 191. The Knocking at the Gate, in Macbeth.. Thomas de Quincey. 587 Milton-Part First.. Milton-Part Second. |