The American first class book : or, Exercises in reading and recitation ...

Front matter

I

THE

AMERICAN FIRST CLASS BOOK ;

Preface

THIS book has been compiled with a special reference to the publick Reading and Grammar Schools of this city. It is the result of an attempt to supnlv the want— which has long been a subject of complaint among those whonr the citizens of Boston have charged with the general superintendence of their publick schools, as well as with those who are appointed to the immediate instruction of them— of a book of Exercises in Reading and Speaking better adapted, than any English compilation that has yet appeared, to the state of society as it is in this country ; and less obnoxious to complaint, on the ground of its national or political character, than it is reasonable to expect thai any English compilation would be, among a people whose manners, opinions, literary institutions, and civil government, are so strictly republican

as our own.

But, though the immediate design of this compilation was a limited and local one, it'has been borne in mind, throughout the work, that the want, which has been a subject of complaint in this city, must have been still more widely felt ; especially by those, in every part of our country, who are attentive to the national, moral, and religious sentiments, contained in the books that are used by their children while learning to read, and while their literary taste, is beginning to assume something of the character which it ever afterwards retains.

How far the objections, which have been made to other works of this sort, have been ooviated in the present selection, it is for others to determine. I willingly leave the decision of this question to the ultimate and only proper tribunal— the publick ; to whose kindness, as shown towards one of my efforts, in another department of literature, I am no stranger, and for which I should prove myself ungrateful should I not acknowledge my obligation. — T only hope that the kindness of the publick towards the past, may not have led me into presumption and carelessness in regard to the present.

In as much, however, as this book departs, in some particulars, from most ■ others of the same general character, it may be expected that the author should assign his reasons for such deviations. These relate principally to the omission of some things that are usually deemed essential to a schoolreader ; and to the arrangement of the materials of which this is made up.

First, then, it may be urged as an objection to this, as a compilation that is to be used by those who are learning to read, that it consists entirely of e&- ,£rcises in reading and speaking, to the exclusion of those rules, the knowledge of which is indispensable to any considerable proficiency in either,

I have observed, however, that that part of school-books which consists of Brief Treatises upon Rhetorick, Rules for Reading, and Essays on Elocution, is, almost uniformly, little worn: — an evidence that it is little used ; in other words, that it is of little use. I have construed this fact into an oracular monition not to devote to such Rules, Treatises, or Essays, any part of the present, work.

The truth probably is, that reading, like conversation, is learned from example rather than by rule. — No onp becomes distinguished, as a singer, by the most familiar knowledge of the gamut : so, no one is ever marie an accomplished reader or speaker by studying rules for elocution, even though aided

4 PREFACE.

by a diagram. There is even less aid derived from rules in reading than * singing : for, musick is, in a great degree, a matter of strict science ; while reading, after the alphabet is learned, is altogether an art :— an art, indeed, which requires a quick perception, a delicate taste, a good understanding, and, especially, a faculty of nicely discriminating and accurately expressing the various shades of an author's meaning:— but, still, an art that is less capable than musick cf being reduced to definitive rules, or of being taught by them. p To become a good reader or a good speaker, the best examples of elocution, in these respective departments, must be seen, and heard, and studied. The tones that express particular emotions and passions must be caught by the ear. The same organ must inform us what is meant by the very terms in which all rules must be expressed,— what is meant by a rapid or deliberate enunciation ; what by speaking loudly or softly, on a high or low key, with emphasis or in a monotony, distinctly or inc'istinctly. We may amuse ourselves, if we please, with laying down rules upon these matters, but, till our rules are illustrated by the voice and manner of a good reader, they are totally inoperative ; and, when thus illustrated, totally unnecessary. The learner imitates the example of reading which is given in explaining a rule, and the rule itself is forsaken and soon forgotten.

ft seems to me that the readiest, indeed, the only good way, to teach children to read well, is, to give them to tire charge of instructers who are themselves good readers ; — instructers, who, like teachers of musick, will not content themselves with laying certain rules for regulating the tones, inflexions, and cadences of the voice before your child's eye, which can neither receive a sound nor give one, hut who will address his ear with living instruction, — with the rich and informing melody of the human voice.

Secondly, — in regard to the arrangement of the lessons, a different course has been pursued from that which has been usually followed in compilations of this kin;!.

By devoting fifty or more pages, in succession, to lessons of any one kind. whether narrative, didactick, or descriptive ; then putting together all the dramatick pieces; then giving, in an unbroken series, alfthe specimens Gf eloquence from the senate, tne pulpit, and the bar ; and then making the young literary pilgrim travel over many days' journey of poetry, albeit unsmit ten with the love of song, andundesirous of being "wedded to immortal verse" — we may, indeed, secure to ourselves the ci edit of methodical arrangement; but we shall be sure to make few friends, either among teachers or learners; — among masters, who are not displeased with a little variety in the.r exercises, or among scholars, who must have it.

By a severe method, in the arrangement of reading lessons, the teacher is compelled to consult his own comfort, and to keep alive the interest of his scholars, by frequently skipping from one part of the book to another; the consequence of which is, either that those pieces only are read which happen to be favourite-, and those are so constantly read that they come ere long to be refrifarsed almost by rote, and, therefore, with little thought and little impro-ve- ,.Oi\i ; or, if the master determines that, at all events, the book shall be resolutely read through in course, the consequence is that the children soon get heartily tired of it, while the poor man cannot find it in his heart to blame them, for he is heartily tired of it himself.

With a view to obviate this difficulty, I have studiously avoided that method which to some may seem indispensable to the reputation of every literary work, and have been governed by considerations of practical utility, in so arranging the following lessons that they may be read in course, and at the same time present that variety, in the frequent alternation of prose and poetry, and the constant succession of different subjects in each, which will relieve both learner and teacher from that sameness, which makes it an irksome task either to give or receive instruction.

It v 7 ill be perceived, however, that I have not been entirely unmindful of method. I have endeavoured to consult the capacity of the scholar, and to

PREFACE. 5

provide for his gradually increasing strength, hy giving the precedence, m the book, to pieces that are plain and easy, and reserving, for the latter part of it, such as will call for a more mature judgement and a more disciplined taste in reading.

It will be seen, moreover, from 1he table of contents, that the selection contain? pieces of every kind, usually found in works of this nature ; and that the book is not without order, so far as order has been deemed useful.

Since the days of Addison and Pope, and even of Johnson, time, which shows the mutabilitv of all human affairs, has wrought a considerable change in the manners of the English, in the objects of scientifick attention, and in the character of literary labours among them. The style of their best writers, both of prose and verse, has undergone a corresponding change. The miscellaneous literature of the present da} 7 , however, is probably as well adapted to the present modes of thinking and acting, and to the present wants of society, as was the literature of the periodical essayists, and their contemporary poets, to the age of Anne : and, judging on the ground of comparative utility, we ought, perhaps, in severe justice, to be as reluctant to prefer the poetry, especially, of Gay, and Pamell, and even of Pope, to that of Beattie, and Byron, and Campbell, as the contemporaries of Milton andDryden would, and should have been, to give Drayton and Spenser, and Chaucer the preference in comparison with the lights of their own age. An old coin may be as pure metal, and intrinsically as valuable, as a new one ; and to the curious much more valuable ; but. for the ordinary purposes of life, it is useful no longer than it is current. So it is with literature — with the golden thoughts that have received the impress of genius. In the following work, therefore, I have drawn liberally from the literary treasures of our own age, not to the exclusion, however, of many pieces of old English poetry, especially of several from Shakspeare, which are common stock in works o* this kind, and over which time has no power.

I have also laid under contribution the literature of our own country : and this I have done with the view of rendering the book an acceptable offering to the American people, not so much by appealing to their national pride, as by making it more worthy of their approbation, on account of its intrinsic^ merits. It is not my province to decide upon the value of those pieces which are drawn from European sources, compared with those of American origin, in respect to the proofs they furnish of a cultivated literary taste, of poetical genius, of a mature and manly eloquence, and of pure and lofty moral sentiment. On this subject I choose rather to let the world decide for itself; and, that this may be the mere easily done, I have distinguished the latter from the_ former, in the table of contents, by giving in small capitals, the names of their authors, or of the books from which they were taken. These form nearly one quarter of the volume. It might have deserved, and might meet, a more flattering reception from the publick, lia^ a still greater proportion of it consisted of the labours of our own authors Of tnese there are two classes, to whom it may be thought I owe an apo^ogv— these with whom I have takes liberties, and those from whom I have taken nothing.

In regard to the latter class, it is but justice to them, and to myself, to saythat it has required an effort on my part to resist, ^ather than to feel and acknowledge^ the claims of many writers among us, to a share in the honour of having their names brought before the eye, ant their strains of eloquence or poetry poured upon the ear, and made familiar to the mind, of the rising generation, But such authors — among whom are my oersonai friends men whom I love and venerate— will do me the justice to consider, that much that is excellent in itself is not well adapted to tne use of schools, and that had I taken all tnat is good in American literature, or even a tithe from each one of the authors of the present day who have done honour to their country, both at home and abroad, I should have swelled the b^ok to such a size as to effee^ tually exclude it from school-houses; and thus should have defeated, at the threshold, tfce leading object of the compilation.

1 *

6 PREFACE

To the former class, — for the liberties which I have taken with what I now give forth under their name, in occasionally substituting one word for another, in withdrawing some passages from their original connexion, and bringing others into immediate contact which were originally separate, and in connecting them by a phrase or a line of my own — my answer is, first, that I have in no instance wantonly sacrificed or maimed the beautiful offspring of their imagination ; and, secondly, my reason, for the violence that in any case has been offered them, was my wish to crowd as many of them as I could into the narrow space within which I am restricted, and so to group them that they might do all possible good in their present service, and thus reflect all possible honour upon their parents. — When I have been compelled to amputate, I have conscientiously endeavoured to retrench only "those members of thebody which seemed to be more feeble," that upon the others might be bestowed the "more abundant honour." l[ I have broken off the legs and arms of the Farnese Hercules,.it was that I might the better display " the breadth of his shoulders, and the spaciousness of his chest."

Without attempting to furnish schools with what might be denominated a pronouncing reader, 1 have, in many instances, indicated the proper pronunciation, either by such accents, attached to the words in the text, as are generally understood, or, where these accents were insufficient, by a note at the foot of the page. This has been done only in words of which a vicious pronunciation has obtained in some parts of the country, and even these I have not uniformly or constantly marked ; supposing it sufficient to have called the attention of teachers, once or twice, to any particular word. When the pronunciation of an English word is given, it is that of Walker, In orthography, the same standard has been followed, with perhaps one or two deviations upon the authority of Johnson.

In regard to errata, whether in respect to the real words of the author, the spelling, or the punctuation, it is hoped that there will be no great cause of complaint Tn many instances, in the lessons from Shakspeare especially, I have restored the genuine reading of the author, which has been corrupted in many other compilations. The punctuation too, which, when incorrect, so constantly misleads the learner, and embarrasses the learned, has been an ohject of assiduous care. Should any one be curious to compare particular pieces in this compilation, especially those from Shakspeare, with the same in other school-books, he will probably feel that it is but just, before condemning this for diferi-ng from them, either in the reading rathe punctuation, to refer to some good edition of the author, for satisfaction aj to his ivords, and then, by a careful comparison of the different modes of pouting, to judge which cf them. best discovers his meaning.

Such as r have been able to make the book, in respect to its arrangement, accuracy, and general character, it goes forth into the world without any letters of recommendation. The truth is, I have asked none for it. If it is a good book, the publick understands its own interest too well to le^it die. If it is not a good one, no recommendations can keep it alive. I have made it, in the hope that it might be an acceptable offering to schools, especially those of this city, in which there are many children who are the objects of my pastoral care. In regard to them, and the young in general, the book will fulfil my hopes, if, while it helps them on towards the end of their scholastick labours—the general improvement of their minds,— it shall enable them better to understand and discharge their duties in life, and lead them to contemplate, with pleasure and religious reverence, the character of the Great Author of their being, as discovered in his works, his providence, and his word ; and thus nelp them to attain the end of their Christian faith,— the salvation of their souls.

Boston, June, 1823.

Part First. Lessons In Prose

NARRATIVE PIECES,

HISTORICAL OR FICTITIOUS.

Lesson.

4 The Chinese Prisoner, -

21. Account of W. Penn's treaty with the Indians,

22. Visit to the Falls of Missouri,

28. No life pleasing to God that is not useful to

man : — An Eastern Narrative, 34. The Mice :— A fable, - 39. Interview between Waverley and Mc. Ivorj 47. A Morning in the Highlands of Scotland, 50. The White Bear,

Fortitude of the Indian character,

The Baptism

Pa^e.

T. Percivat. 21

Ed. Review. 60

Pjid. 6 o

o

93. 94.

Romantiek storv,

Anecdotes of Mozart, 140. Singular adventure, 160. Death of old Lewis Cameron,

Hawk es worth. 76

Fenelon. 91

Waverley. 96

Bob Roy. 113

T.Percival. 123

Adair. 156

Wilson. 211

Quarterly Review. 217

Scrap Book. 218

Bradbury's Travels. 311

Wilson. 35S

40. 59. 64.

DESCRIPTIVE PIECES.

Feelings excited by a long voyage, - W. Irving. 54

Brief description of Pompey's Pillar, — Address and

fearlessness of British sailors, - - Irioin. 58

Egyptian Mummies, Tombs, and Manners, Belzoni. 100

Last days of Herculaneum, - Scrap Book. 141

Supposed Feelings of Adam, on being called into

existence, , Buffon. 150

Old Mortality, - - - - Tales of My Landlord. 298 The same, concluded, ... - Ibid. 301

Burial places near Constantinople, - - Anastisius. 337 Destruction of Goldau, and other villages, Buckminster. 345 A Thunder-storm among the Highlands of Scotland, Wilson. 357 Tu Blind Preacher, Wirt. 415

DID AC TICK PIECES,

MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.

.Lesson. Pa«:e.

1. A Devotional spirit recommended to the young, Cappc. 13

S. Paterna Instruction, ... ... Law. 15

5. The Contrast ; or Peace and War, - Atlienamm. 22

8. Advantages of a Taste for Natural History, - Wood. 29

9. The Pleasures of a cultivated Imagination, D. Stewart. 31 10. The Happiness of Animals, a proof of the Divine Benevolence, ------- PaJey. 32

13. Eternity of God, ------ Greenwood. 39

14. The same, concluded, ----- Ibid. 41

26. On the pleasure of acquiring Knowledge, Alison. 72

27. On the Uses of Knowledge, - Ibid. 73

43. The mutual relation between Sleep and Night, Paley. 109

44. Social Worship agreeable to the best impulses

of our nature, ----- Mrs. Barhauld. 110 A.Q>. On the relative value of good Sense and Beauty in

the Female Sex. - Lond. Lit. Gazette. 116

51. The Miseries of War, - Robert Hall. 124

53 Consideration of the excuses that are offered

to palliate a neglect of religion, - Buck.'iinster. 129

54. Subject continued, ----- Ibid. 131

55. Subject concluded, ----- Ibid. 134 58. Maternal Affection, ... - Scrap Book. 140 62. The Seasons, - Monthly Anthology. 144

71. Autumn, Alison. 166

81. On the reasonableness of Christian Faith, Buckmijjster. 187

82. On the importance of Christian Faith, - - Ibid. 100

104. Daily Prayer. — Morning, - Chanxing. 234

105. Daily Prayer. — Evening, - Ibid. 237

110. On the Dangers of Moral Sentiment unaccompanied

with Active Virtue, Alison. 240

111. On Infidelity, A. Thompson. 249

112. The same subject, concluded, ... Ibid. 250

117. Charity to Orpnans, Sterne. 258

125. On the Waste of Life, Franklin. 274

132. On the Use and Abuse of Amusements, - - Alison. 287

147. Thanksgiving, Crafts. 3

161. Religion an 1 Superstition contrasted, Mrs. Carter. 362

209. On the moral uses of the phenomena of the material

universe, - Alison. 473

PA THE TICK PIECES.

15. The Son, Idle Man. 43

16. The same, concluded, ----- Ibid. 48

67. The Widow ?nd her Son, W. Irving. 153

68. The same, concluded, - - - - Ibid. 161

72. Moss Side, Wilson. 170

73. The same, concluded, - Ibid. 174

Lesson. P*g*»

119. The Head-stone, WUsoh. 262

164. The Prodigal Son, 375

DRAMA TICK PIECES.

DIALOGUES, ADDRESSES, AND SOLILOQUIES.

11. Real virtue can love nothing but virtue ; — a Dialogue: — Dionysius, Pythias, and Damon, Fenelon. 35

25. Importance of literature ; — a Dialogue — Cadmus

and Hercules, ..--.- Lyttleton. 68

33. Mercury, an English Duellist, and

an American Savage. - - Dialogues of the Dead. 88

45. Lord Bacon and Shakspeare, Blackwood's Ed. Mag. Ill

99. The Sultan and Mr, Hasweil, - Mrs. Inchbald. 227

L99. Address of Brutus to the Roman populace, Shakspeare. 453

PIECES FOR RECITATION, OR SPEAKING.

32. Reply of Red Jacket to the Missionary, at a

council of chiefs, 1805, - Philanthropist. 86

78. The Slave Trade, Webster. 383

146. Part of the letter of the British Spy, - - - Wirt. 324 149. Conclusion of a discourse delivered at Plymouth,

Mass. 22d Dec. 1620, - Webster. 331

274. Reply of Roh Roy to Mr. Oshaldistone, Rob Roy. 399

HUMOROUS PIECES.

69. New mode of Fishing, .... Scrap Book. 142

309. Diedrich Knickerbocker's New-England

Farmer, W. Irving. 244

323. Dr. Slop and Obadiah, meeting, .... Sterne. 270 154. Thoughts on Letter-writing, Blackwood's Magazine. 339

MISCELLANEOUS PIECES.

6. Parallel between Pope and Dryden, - - Johnson. 24

86. Night, from the Lay Preacher, - - - Dennis! 196

87. Midnight musings, W. Irving. 199

88. Spring, - Dennis. 202

89. Extract from a criticism on Ossian, - Blair. 204

97. Character of Mr. James Watt, - - - Jeffrey. 222

98. Death and Character of Howard, ... Clarke. 225 100. Tlie Monied Man, - - - XTew Monthly Mag. 228 118. On the perishable nature of poetical fame, Jeffrey 260 124. Heroick Self-denial, .... £ om /. Lit. Gaz. 272 134. Forest Trees, ----.. \y Irving. 295 141, The Discontented Pendulum, - - Jane Taylor. 314 146. Letter from the British Spy, in Virginia, - Wirt! 324 167. The Abuses of Conscience ; — a sermon, - - Sterne. 379 16S. The same, continued, - Ibid. 381 171. Character of JoJup-Bk^fair, - - - - Jeffrey. 391

OF AMERICA

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