combined, that the lessons in this volume are based. The author has been convinced, by experience, in the institution under his charge, that the principle is a good one; and experience, he thinks, does not often deceive. Whether the details of the plan are judiciously executed, is for others to decide. Such being the plan of the work, the author has thought it inexpedient to encumber its pages with rules, definitions or explanatory details:-because it has been fully proved that how simple soever a rule may be, the pupil will not readily apply it, unless particularly directed by the teacher; and if nature and analogy will direct him to a correct and rhetorical modulation, rules and definitions become superfluous. A great deficiency in all our reading-books remains to be supplied. The Spelling-book and the Grammar furnish copious definitions of the pauses and other marks used in written language. But there is no elementary work, designed for common schools, which furnishes particular exercises for the management of those important marks. The author has endeavoured, in the first part of this volume, to supply this remarkable defect; and he believes, that, how much soever others may differ from him in the analogies which he has traced, in the subsequent lessons, between "the models" and the exercises under the models, he is justly entitled to the credit of having originated the two important principles above mentioned, upon which the plan of the work has been based; and he is encouraged, not only by experience, but by the confident opinion of many judicious friends to whom the plan has been unfolded, to believe that this little volume, assisted by the familiar explanations of the teacher, will serve as a better introduction to the Art of Reading, than a more laboured treatise formed on rhetorical rule. A lesson is first devoted to each of the respective pauses and other marks, and the pupil is then led by progressive steps, in the subsequent lessons, from the simplest sentences, requiring little attention as to pause, emphasis, or inflection of the voice, to those which involve the highest exertions of taste and intellect. CONTENTS. II. Interrogation Point, or Question, with the rising inflec- III. Interrogation Point, or Question, with the falling inflec- IV. Double Question, with rising and falling inflection ib. Parallel between Pope and Dryden (Johnson) Character of Columbus (W. Irving) PROGRESSIVE EXERCISES] IN RHETORICAL READING. LESSON I. THE PERIOD. 1. The Period is a round dot or mark like this. 2. The Period is generally placed after the last word in a sentence. 3. When you come to a Period you must stop, as if you had nothing more to read. 4. You must pronounce the word which is immediately before a period, with the falling inflection of the voice. 5. But you do not know what I mean by the falling inflection of the voice. 6. I am now going to tell you. 7. Listen attentively to what I am going to say. 8. Charles has bought a new hat. 9. That sentence was read with the falling inflection of the voice. 10. I am going to tell you in the next lesson what I mean by the rising inflection of the voice. 11. Look in the next lesson, and find the eighth sentence, which you have just read. 12. Tell me whether you would read it in the same manner in the second lesson. 2 LESSON II. THE INTERROGATION POINT, OR QUESTION.. The Interrogation Point, or Question, is a mark like this? The Interrogation Point, or Question, shows that a question is asked; and is generally read with the rising inflection of the voice. EXAMPLES. 13. Has Charles bought a new hat? 14. Did you say that Charles has bought a new hat? 15. Did you read the thirteenth sentence in the same manner that you read the eighth ? 16. Do you now know what I mean by the rising inflection of the voice? 17. Do you know now how to read a sentence with the falling inflection of the voice? 18. Shall I tell you again? Will you listen attentively? 19. Are the little marks after the sentences in the first lesson, like those at the end of the sentences in this lesson? 20. Do you know that you have read all the sentences in this lesson with the rising inflection of the voice? 21. Will you look at the following sentences, and read those which are marked D, with the falling inflection of the voice; and those which are marked Q, with the rising inflection of the voice? 22. D. John has arrived. 23. Q. Has John arrived? 24. D. My father is very well. 25. Q. Is your mother well? 26. D. Mary has lost her book. 27. Q. Has Caroline found her work-box? 28. D. Those who have not read these sentences well must read them over again. 29. Q. May those who have read them well proceed to the next lesson? 30. D. As soon as they understand what they have read, I shall give them a new lesson. 31. Q. Will they all be as easy as this? |