The National Reader: a selection of exercises in reading and speaking ... re-edited by E. H. Barker ... With an appendix by the present editor

Appendix

BY THE PRESENT EDITOR. LONDON : WHITTAKER, TREACHER, AND CO 1829. Price 4s. 6d. bound. NORWICH: PRINTED BY S. WILKIN, UPPER HAYMARKET. AMERICAN TESTIMONIES TO THE MERITS AND THE UTILITY OF THE JSationai 3Reatiet\ 1. "Induced by esteefn for the compiler, as well as by a deep interest for whatever concerns the subject of education, we have examined the National Reader with care, and with satisfaction." " Finding the work thus deserving of favour, we earnestly recommend it to the adoption of all teachers of youth, who desire to instil into their pupils a taste for moral and literary beauty, and a love of country." National Intelligencer, Oct. 11, 1827 2. "The National Reader is designed for the common Schools of the United States, but it will be found a valuable in troduction to the American First Class-Book in those higher institutions, in which that work is used.

After carefully and thoroughly examining this compilation, we confidently, and with pleasure recommend it to the notice of teachers, school-commit tees, and all others interested in the education of the young. The selection of lessons is peculiarly rich, and sufficiently diversified." " We could not easily name a book of equal size, which con tains so great a variety of classically chaste and interesting mat ter ; and we think it well worthy of a place in every parlour as a volume of elegant extracts." American Journal of Education, Oct. 1827. a TESTIMONIES. VI 3. " This is one more added to the many fine selections for schools, which have been published within a few years." " The National Reader contains a suitable proportion of extracts from our own writers, both in poetry and prose, and is manly enough not to think it anti-national to borrow from the stores of England.

We do not know that a better book of the kind could be made." Christian Examiner, Sept. and Oct. 1827- 4. " We are anxious to add our feeble testimony to the ex cellence of this compilation. It is a volume calculated to fill a high and important place in our schools. The selections are made chiefly from American writers of high standing, and they are happily adapted to convey useful information, to improve the taste, to interest the feelings, and to leave the best moral and re ligious impressions. We are exceedingly pleased to observe its serious character ; and we should think that no one could attentively peruse it without being the wiser and better ; without being more sensible of his obligations to be virtuous jnd devout ; with out a deeper conviction that he is immortal and responsible.

We are fully persuaded that, where it is used in schools, it cannot fail to produce the most desirable effect on the dispositions and conduct of the youth." " In preparing this volume the compiler has conferred a fa • vour on the community, which we trust they will cheerfully acknowledge by extensively introducing it into their schools." Greenfield-Gazette and Franklin- Herald, Dec. 1827- 5. Our limits do not permit us even to make extracts from the highly favourable notices, which have been taken of the National Reader by the Christian Intelligencer and Eastern Chronicle, of Maine ; the Courier, Statesman, and Galaxy, of Boston ; the Troy-Sentinel, the Western Monthly Review for Oc tober 1827, and the Statesman, Daily Advertiser, Albion, Morn ing-Courier, Mirror, and other Journals of New- York.

PREFACE, BY THE ENGLISH EDITOR. jVIy attention was first drawn to this excellent little work by some biographical notices of the Editor, John Pier pont, which were inserted in the Sheffield- Iris or Advertiser, in May, 1828. formerly conducted by the enlightened patriot, the conscientious citizen, the amiable poet, and the devout Christian, James Montgomery; a paper, which has always been distinguished for its extracts from, and its occasional no tices of American writers, and which, in the management of its present respectable Editor, has, in this point of view, lost none of its established character. I requested my learned friend, Professor An thon of New- York, to forward to me, from America, a copy of the National Reader; and on a careful inspection of the book, I thought it well calculated for the purposes of education in this country; I considered it to be a vast improvement on similar books, which are at present used in Great Britain ; I found the matter better adapted to the sprightliness of youthful fancy, and more attractive to the eagerness of youthful curiosity, with a greater variety in the selections, and a more finished elegance in the style.

The pious reflections seemed to me of a character more inviting to juvenile readers; and devotional pieces, free from the stiflhes of age, and the rust of antiquity, and the wrinkles of veteran authority, and clothed in a garb of vernal bloom,