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LIBRARY

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW-YORK, TU WIT:

BE it remembered, That on the fifth day of July, in the forty-seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1822. E. & E. HOSFORD,* of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit: "Murray's English Reader or pieces in prose and poetry, selected from the best writers, designed to as sist young persons to read with propriety and effect; to improvo their language and sentiments; and to inculcate some of the most important principles of piety and virtue, with a few proliminary observations on the principles of good reading, improved by the addition of a concordant and synonymising vocabulary; consisting of about fifteen hundred of the most important words, contained in this workThe words are arranged in columns, and are placed over the sections, respectively, from which they are selected; and are divided, defined and pronounced, according to the principles of John Walker. The words in the vocabulary, and their correspondent words in the sections, are numbered with figures of reference. Walker's Pronouncing Key which governs the vocabulary, is prefixed to this work. Words can have no definite idea attached to them when by themselves; it is the situation and tract in the sentence which determine their precise meaning;-Dr. Johnson. By JEREMIAH GOODRICH."

In conformity to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authours and proprietors of such copies, during the times there t mentioned;" and also, to the act, entitled "An act supplementary to 20 a, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authours and proprietors of such copies during the time therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of De signing, Engraving and Etching historical and other prints."

RICHARD R. LANSING, Clerk of

the Northern District of N. York.

*By misprision of the Clerk, the names of E. & E. Hosford, wero mserted in the record and certificate, iustead of Jeremiah Coodrich

TO THE

IMPROVED EDITION OF THE ENGLISH READER

AN attempt to improve a work stamped with the name of the Immortal Murray and clothed with universal patronage, may be deemed the height of presumption. But the Author has not handled the reader irreverently; for he has left it in precisely the same shape in which he found it: except that a few pages are added to its size by placing a vocabulary over each section, giving the definition and true pronunciation of the most imporlant words, agreeably to the principles of the celebrated John Walker. Walker's orthography is also given to the work for the purpose of uniformity. Mr. Murray says, that the English Reader is designed to assist young persons to read with propriety and effect: and to improve their language and sentiments.' To every one, who can read Murray's title page, it is evident, that young persons can not read the following work with propriety and effect, without a perfect knowledge of the words of which it is composed. Neither can their language and sentiments be much improved, by prating over a work, without regard either to pronunciation or definition. As there can be no diversity of opinion on this point, the only question is, what is the most convenient and expeditious method of acquiring a necessary knowledge of words? All will agree, that the best method of becoming acquainted with words, is to consult them, as they occur in the writings of the best authors. But the drudgery of looking out words in a full dictionary, (which must be repeated as often as the learner may forget them,) added to the loss of time and the expense of having dictionaries tumbled to pieces in the hands of children, calls loudly for improvement. The publick are now invited to determine, whether a pronouncing vocabulary placed at the head of each section, is not a more desirable mode of acquisition, than to ramble over Walker's full work, for every unknown word that may occur.

By the aid of this vocabulary, teachers can furnish their pupils with lessons in spelling, pronunciation, and definition, to be committed to memory, previously to reading the sections, from which the words are selected. The letters of reference will guide the pupil in the application of the definitions. Thus a key is hung over each section, inviting the young reader to unlock the door, and view the treasure, which Mr. Murray has prepared for him.

Should any material errour be discovered in the vocabulary, by any one, who will communicate the proper corrections to the authour, the favour will be received with gratitude.

A TABLE OF THE SIMPLE AND DIP THONGAL VOWELS REFERRED TO BY THE FIGURES OVER THE LETTERS IN THE VOCABULARY PLACED BEFORE EACH SECTION OF THIS WORK.

1. à. The long slender English a, as in fate, på per, &c.

2. &. The long Italian a, as in får, få ther, pa på, mam må.

3, à. The broad German a, as in fall, wall, wa ter.

4. å. The short sound of the Italian a, as in fat, mát, mår ry.

1. è. The long e, as in mè, hère, mè tre, mè dium.

2. è. The short e, as in met, lêt, gêt.

1. 1. The long dipthongal i, as in pine, ti tle.

2. 1. The short simple i, as in pin, tit tle.

1. 8. The long open o, as in no, note, no tice.

2. 8. The long close o, as in move, prove.

3. 8. The long broad o, as in nor, för, or; like the broad à.

4. 8. The short broad o, as in not, hot, got.

1. à. The long dipthongal u, as in tune, Cò pid.

2. &. The short simple u, as in tåb, cap, sup.

3. . The middle or obtuse u, as in bull, full, påll.

81. The long broad 8, and the short 1, as in oil.

ou. The long broad 8, and the middle obtuse ů, as in thỏủ, pôând.

PREFACE.

་་•

MANY selections of excellent matter have been made for the benefit of young persons. Performances of this kind are of so great utility, that fresh productions of them, and new attempts to improve the young mind, will scarcely be deemed superfluous, if the writer makes his compilation instructive and interesting, and sufficiently distinct from others.

The present work, as the title expresses, aims at the attainment of three objects: To improve youth in the art of reading; to meliorate their language and sentiments; and to inculcate some of the most important principles of piety and virtue.

The pieces selected, not only give exercise to a great variety of emotions, and the correspondent tones and variations of voice, but contain sentences and members of sentences, which are diversified, proportioned, and pointed with accuracy. Exercises of this nature are, it is presumed, well calculated to teach youth to read with propriety and effect. A selection of sentences, in which variety and proportion, with exact punctuation, have been carefully observed, in all their parts, as well as with respect to one another, will probably have a much greater effect, in properly teaching the art of reading, than is commonly imagined. In such constructions, every thing is accommodated to the understanding and the voice; and the common difficulties in learning to read well, are obviated. When the learner has acquired a habit of reading such sentences, with justice and facility, he will readily apply that habit, and the improvements he has made, to sentences more complicated and irregular, and of a construction entirely dif ferent.

The language of the pieces chosen for this collection, has been carefully regarded. Purity, propriety, perspicuity, and, in many instances, elegance of dicfion, distinguish them. They are extracted from the works of the most correct and elegant writers. From the sources whence the sentiments are drawn, the reader may expect to find them connected and regular, sufficiently important and impressive, and divested of every thing that is either trite or eccentrick.The frequent perusal of such composition, naturally tends to infuse a taste for this species of excellence; and to produce a habit of thinking and of composing, with judgment and accuracy. *

That this collection may also serve the purpose of promoting piety and virtue, the Compiler has introduced many extracts, which place religion in the most amiable light; and which recommend a great variety of moral duties, by the excellence of their nature, and the happy effects they produce. These sub

*The learner, in his progress through this volume and the Sequel to it, will meet with numerous instances of composition, in strict conformity to the rules for promoting perspicuous and elegant writing, contained in the Appendix to the Authour's English Grammar. By occasionally examining this conformity, he will be confirmed in the utility of those rules; and be enabled to apply them with ease and dexterity.

It is proper further to observe, that the Reader and the Sequel, besides teaching to read accurately, and inculcating many important sentiments, may be considered as auxiliaries to the Authour's English Grammar; as practical illustrations of the principles and rules contained in that work.

jects are exhibited in a style and menner, which are calculated to arrest the attention of youth; and to make strong and durable impressions on their minds.* The Compiler has been careful to avoid every expression and sentiment that might gratify a corrupt mind, or in the least degree, offend the eye er ear of innocence. This he conceives to be peculiariy incumbent on every person, whe writer for the benefit of youth. It would, indeed, begea. and happy im provement in education, if no writings were allowed to come under their notice, but such as are perfectly innocent; and if, on all proper occasiore, they were encouraged to peruse those which tend to inspire a due reverence for virtue, and en abhorrence of vice, as well as to animate them with sentiments of piety and goodness. Such impressions deeply engraven on their minds, and connected with a their attainments, could scarcely fuil of attending them through life: and of producing a solidity of principle and character, that would be able to regiet the danger arising from future intercourse with the world.

The Authour has endeavoured to relieve the grave and revious parts of his collection, by the occasional admission of pieces, which amuza 23 well as instract. If, however, any of his readers should think it comcins too great a proportion of the former, it may be some apology to observe, that in the exist ing publications designed for the perusal of young persons, the preponderance is greatly on the side of gay and amusing productions. Too much attention may be paid to this medium of improvement. When the imagination, of youth especially, is much entertained, the sober dictates of the understanding are regarded with indifference; and the influence of good affections is either feeble or transient. A temperate use of such entertainment seems therefore requisite, to afford proper scope for the operations of the understanding and the heart.

The reader will perceive, that the Compiler has been solicitous to recommend to young persons, the perusal of the sacred Scriptures, by interspersing through his work, some of the most beautiful and interesting passages of those invaluable writings. To excite an early taste and veneration for this great rule of life, is a point of so high importance, as to warrant the attempt to promote it on every proper occasion.

To improve the young mind and to afford some assistance to tutors, in the arduous and important work of education, were the motives which led to this production. If the Authour should be so successful as to accomplish these ends, even in a small degree, he will think that his time and pains have been well employed; and will deem himself amply rewarded.

*In some of the pieces, the Compiler has made a few alterations, chiefly ver bal, to adapt them the better to the design of his work.

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