PREFACE. In this book, as well as in the others of the Revised Series, most of the favorite drill selections, which constituted one of the leading excellences of MCGUFFEY'S READERS, have been retained. New selections have been inserted only when they seemed manifest improvements on those formerly used. The plan of this Reader is a continuation and extension of that pursued in the First Reader. If the pupil is not familiar with the diacritical marks, he should be carefully drilled, as suggested on page 7, until the marked letter instantly suggests the correct sound. He is then prepared to study his reading lessons without any assistance from the teacher. All new words are given at the head of each lesson. When these are mastered, the main difficulties left for the pupil are those of expression. In the latter portion of the book the simpler derivatives, such as are formed by adding one or two letters,-possessives, plurals, verbal forms, etc., are omitted if the primitive word has been given. In this way the pupil is gradually led to the mastery of words as ordinarily printed. A few of the most usual abbreviations have been introduced, such as Mr., Mrs., etc. These should be carefully |