PREFACE. THIS Volume completes the ordinary Series of THE ROYAL READERS. It differs from No. V., in embracing a wider range of subjects, and in making considerably greater demands on the intelligence and knowledge of the young scholar. At the same time, the lessons have been made as interesting as possible, in order to fulfil what has already been repeatedly pointed out as the aim of the Seriesnamely, "To cultivate the love of reading by presenting interesting subjects treated in an attractive style.” It is worthy of notice that this volume is not a mere collection of literary fragments. Every subject taken up in it is treated with a degree of completeness which will at once satisfy the inquiring mind and stimulate its powers of thought. With this view it was found necessary to have a large number of the lessons specially prepared; so that a considerable portion of the book consists of original articles. The following are the leading features in the plan of the volume :— I. Very copious NOTES are appended to each lesson, explaining every point of difficulty that occurs in the course of it. These Notes make the book thoroughly self-interpreting-a matter of the greatest importance when it is remembered how rarely the scholars have within their reach the books of reference necessary to make every scientific and historical allusion intelligible. It is believed, also, that teachers will find it advantageous to have the requisite information in the compact form in which it is given in the Notes, not only for their own convenience, but also as a means of enabling them to advance more rapidly, as well as more surely, than if they had to communicate that additional information orally during school hours. II. The ACCENTUATION and the MEANING of the most difficult words are given in a Vocabulary at the end of each lesson. For convenience of reference, a point is prefixed in the reading lesson to every word explained in the Vocabulary. These lists of words are to be used for spelling lessons, as well as for exercises in pronuncia- tion, and in the meaning of words. The WORD LESSONS include, besides these Vocabularies, the principal Greek Prefixes, and a general list of Suffixes, with exercises thereon. III. Rules of PUNCTUATION, based on a few simple principles, are given in Part II. In connection with these, a set of DICTATION IV. The QUESTIONS on each lesson are continued in the present book, not so much for the convenience of the teacher as for that of the scholar and his friends at home. They are an admirable means of enabling a scholar to test his own knowledge. But their chief value lies in their facilitating the work of parents or others at home in ascertaining whether the lessons have been thoroughly learned. The Questions will thus warrant the teacher in insisting on the most perfect preparation of each lesson. V. The method in which the Questions may be used as a basis for NARRATIVE COMPOSITION is fully illustrated by an example appended VI. Passages from standard authors adapted for RHETORICAL READING are given in both parts of the volume. Several poems, also, are printed in the form of prose. The chief value of this arrange- ment is, that it conduces to the reading of poetry by the sense, and not by lines. It also brings out very clearly the position of the rhetorical pauses, which are common to both poetry and prose. VII. The USEFUL KNOWLEDGE LESSONS treat of The Barometer and Thermometer, Great Inventions, and The British Constitution. Graham, 38 L. E. Landon, 42 The italics, in the Table of Contents, indicate poetical pieces. The longer pieces of 250 lines. The fourth part contains 140. Other pieces available for recitation are- |