ECLECTIC EDUCATIONAL SERIES. NEW AND STANDARD TEXT-BOOKS. McGuffey's Revised Readers and Speller. New Eclectic Penmanship. Eclectic Industrial Drawing. Eclectic History of United States. Eclectic Primary History of United States. Eclectic Physiology and Hygiene. Kidd's New Elocution. Peaslee's Graded Selections. Doerner's Treasury of General Knowledge. Eclectic Teachers' Library. Hewett's Pedagogy for Young Teachers. VAN ANTWERP, BRAGG & CO., Cincinnati and New York. NOV 2 9 1960 AUG 23'66 PREFACE. IN the SIXTH READER, the general plan of the revision of MCGUFFEY'S SERIES has been carefully carried out to completion. That plan has been to retain, throughout, those characteristic features of MCGUFFEY'S READERS, which have made the series so popular, and caused their wide-spread use throughout the schools of the country. At the same time, the books have been enlarged; old pieces have been exchanged for new wherever the advantage was manifest; and several new features have been incorporated, which it is thought will add largely to the value of the series. In the revision of the SIXTH READER, the introductory matter has been retained with but little change, and it will be found very valuable for elocutionary drill. In the prepara tion of this portion of the work, free use was made of the writings of standard authors upon Elocution, such as Walker, McCulloch, Sheridan Knowles, Ewing, Pinnock, Scott, Bell, Graham, Mylins, Wood, Rush, and many others. In making up the Selections for Reading, great care and deliberation have been exercised. The best pieces of the old book are retained in the REVISED SIXTH, and to these have been added a long list of selections from the best English and American literature. Upwards of one hundred leading authors are represented (see "Alphabetical List of Authors," page ix), and thus a wide range of specimens of the best style has been secured. Close scrutiny revealed the fact that many popular selections, common to several series of Readers, had been largely adapted, but in MCGUFFEY'S REVISED READERS, wherever it was possible to do so, the selections have been compared, and made to conform strictly with the originals as they appear in the latest editions authorized by the several writers. (iii) The character of the selections, aside from their elocutionary value, has also been duly considered. It will be found, upon examination, that they present the same instructive merit and healthful moral tone which gave the preceding edition its high reputation. Two new features of the REVISED SIXTH deserve especial attention—the explanatory notes, and the biographical notices of authors. The first, in the absence of a large number of books of reference, are absolutely necessary, in some cases, for the intelligent reading of the piece; and it is believed that in all cases they will add largely to the interest and usefulness of the lessons. The biographical notices, if properly used, are hardly of less value than the lessons themselves. They have been carefully prepared, and are intended not only to add to the interest of the pieces, but to supply information usually obtained only by the separate study of English and American literature. The illustrations of the REVISED SIXTH READER are presented as specimens of fine art. They are the work of the best artists and engravers that could be secured for the purpose in this country. The names of these gentlemen may be found on page ten. The publishers would here repeat their acknowledgments to the numerous friends and critics who have kindly assisted in the work of revision, and would mention particularly President EDWIN C. HEWETT, of the State Normal University, Normal, Illinois, and the HON. THOMAS W. HARVEY, of PainesIville, Ohio, who have had the revision of the SIXTH READER under their direct advice. Especial acknowledgment is due to Messrs. Houghton, Osgood & Co., for their permission to make liberal selections from their copyright editions of many of the foremost American authors whose works they publish. January, 1880. |