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LESSONS IN ENGLISH'

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ADAPTED TO THE STUDY OF
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Al\!IERICAN CLASSICS.
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;! m:ext~)J3oolt

for 3!tigb .ScfJools anl:J 'tlcal:Jemie.s.
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SARA

BY / ·

l<~§}USTED

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LOCinvoon,

•

TEACHER OF ENGLISH JN THE HILLHOUSE liIGH SCHOOL,

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BOSTON, U.S.A.:

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NEW HAVEN, CONN,

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PUBLISHRD BY GINN & COMPANY.
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1890,

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Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1888, by

My faithful teachers, my kind co-workers,

GINN & COMPANY,

my dear and st eadfast friends,

in the Office of th e Librarian of Co ngress, at ·washington.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

with grateful appreciation of their unfailing kindness,
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helpfulness, and . sympathy.

TYPOGRAPHY BY

J, S.

CUSHING &

PRESSWOnK DY GINN

Co.,

BOSTON,

U.S.A.

& Co., BOSTON, U.S. A.

•

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PREFACE.

T!tin~ for. a moment of that great, silent, resistless power for
good winch m ight at !hi;; moment be lifting t!te yonth of tlte countr!J,
i~e.re _a~e hours for rewlin,r; in sdwol e:r:pended upon the undying,
lije-g1~1,11g_ books! Think of the substantial yrowth of a generous
A mencm_usm, ~~e1·e the boys. 11111{ _r;irls to be .fr.d from the ji·esh spi·in!JS
'!! :'1merican literature .1 1t 1vo1t!rl be no narrow provincialism into
winch they would emerge. Th e windows in Longfellow's mind look
lo the east, and the children who have eutered into possession of his
wealth travel far . . Bryant's flight carries one through uppei· air,
over broad champaigns. Tlt e lover of Emerson has learned tu get
rt far vision.
The r:ompanion of Thuremt finds Concord swlrlenl1J
hecome l!te centre of a very wide horizon . lrvinrt has anne:r:ed Spai;i
to Amenca. Hawthorne has nationalized the ,r;orls of G1·eece and g£ven
an atmosphere lo New England. "1Vliillie1· has translated the Heln·ew
Scriptures into ~he A meri<'.an dialect. Lowell gives the American boy
m.i aca~emy wi~hout cutting down a stick of timber in the grove, or
disturbing the birds. Holmes supplies that hickory which makes one
careless of the crackling of thorns. . . . .
H-'7wt is all this but saying that the riclt inheritance which we
have is no local /en-acre lot, but a part of the wirhvided estate of
hwnanity .'l
HouA c 1~ E. ScuvDJrn, American Cla:s:sics in Sc/tool.

THE interest recently awakened in the study of English
is, doubtless, due, i.n a great measure, to the fact that the
works of the best English and American authors are now
published in convenient and attrncti\'e form, a1Hl nt prices
which bring them within the reach of all.
It is almost universally conceded that the best teaching
of English is that in which precept and example are most
happily combined. The testimony of teachers who have
loug been striving to attain this end is that far better
results are renehed by the use of supplementary reading
thn.n were possible before the days of cheap editions:
The pupil has constantly before him specimeus of cln.ssic
English, and is trained to test their excellence by applying the principles whict• be has learned. This method not
only strengthens his mental grasp upon the abstract principles, but unconsciously develops a critical literary taste.
rower of thought and facility of expression are acquired
with compm:· atively little effort. l\Iore than this, the opening of so many lines of thought and investigation cloes
much towards forming the basis of a broad, ge~eral culture.
These are not simply theories. They have been tested
by .a ctunl experience. The question is not, therefore, Shall
we use these books in om high-school classes? but rather, .
How shall we use them to the best advantage?
lu n.ttompting to solve this problem, the uccossit.y for n
simple but comprehensive text-book has become apparent
, ~· to many teachers. There are good text-books on Rhetoric
,:.>"and excellent works on Composition; hut most of them
contllin more than; is needed for the lower classes in our

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PB,EFACE.

Vl

high schools, a11d much of the matter is too philosophical
for immature 111irnls. So, too, there are volnminous biographies of our noted writers, but no one book that brings
within the reach of every pupil the main facts in rC'gard
to the lives nnd works of several nuthors. As a matter
of S<;!.hool economy, therefore, a new book on the study of
English seems tlesirnble.
The nuthor's npology for presuming to meet the necessities of the cnsc is tlmt, for several ycnrs, she hns 1Jccn trybg to tench Ji:uglish without n text-book, doing a laborious
amount of tlictation work and copying with the hektograph.
Realizing that a simple nncl practical lmml-book of the
essentials of English wonld be a help to mnny tencli ers,
she has been indneetl to publish the details of her method.
Many books lwse heen consulted <luring the prepnrntion
of this volume, but special mention shonld be mrt<le of the
help affonled by Guest's " Lectnres on the History of England"; "The Handbook of the English Tongue," by Angus;
Swinton's "New 'Vord-Analysis"; the Rhetorics of D . .T.
Hill, A. S. Hill, Hart, aml De l\Iille; "Errors in tile Use of
English," by Hodgson ; '' Mistnkes in '¥riting Englisli,"
by Bigelow ; vVilson's " Treatise OU Punctuation " ; and
Whitney's "L:111g11age tmd the Stu<ly of Lauguagc."
The author' cxtcmls her thanks to the teachers associatetl
with her in the English llepartment of the Hillhouse High
School, for their cordinl co-operation ; and to her friend,
Miss S. S. Shcri<lnn, for many helpful suggestions.
I
She also grntefully acknowledges her obligations to Mr.
. S. T. · Dutton, Superintemlent of the Public Schools of
New Haven, for kind enconrngemcut during the prngrcss
of the work; :tlJ(l to l'rof. T. R Lounsbury of Yale University, for invnlnable assistance in the critical revision of
the manuscript.
S. E. H. L.
Nxw

HAVEN, CoNN.,

November, 188i.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

PAI

1 · the New Haven High School.
t .
Course of Study as pursuel .m f ti e Study of L't
l era me.
I . t of American Classics or i
.
''
~~tails of the Method. Practical Suggest10ns to 1 each-

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ers

CHAPTER I.
History of the English Language.

The Study of Language. Classifj.cation of Languages. The
·'t
The H.~man Invasion. The Saxons. The
B ti ons.
' l'isl
l I,ang uage
Growth of the },ng
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Norn11111 Couque St ·
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Summary of the Elements of the Language
Questio 11 s for Review

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CHAPTER II.
The Anglo-Saxon Element .

Etymology. Importance of the Angl,o-S_:ixon
El ent \Vords Distinguished as Saxon by then I• orm.
. ~:11~ds Distinguished as Saxon by their Use and Meaning . . Saxon Prefixes and Suffixes
. . . .
Miscellaneous Exercises

4
4

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CON1'ENTS.

CONTENTS.

UllAl"l'ER Ill.

CHAPTER VII.

The Classical Element.

Sente n~es.

Latin Prefixes and Suffixes. Words Derived from Latin
'Vords of Number. Words Derived from Latin Roots.
Principal Greek Prefixes. vVonls Derived from Greek
Words of Nu Ill uer. 'Vords Derived from Greek Roots
Miscellaneous Exercises

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PAGE

Grammatical and Rhetorical Classification. Exercises. Clearness, Emphasis, Unity, Strength, and Harmony. Exer170
cises under Each Rule
i\1iscellaneous Sentences .
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CHAPTER VIII.
Punctuation and Capitals.

CHAPTER IV.

Rules for the Use of Capitals and .Marks of Punctuation.
Exercises under Each Hule
M iscellaueous Exercises .

Figures of Speech.

Common Figures Defined. Exercises
Figures Defin ed. Faulty Figures
l\liscellaneous Exa111ples .

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l~ach.

Additional

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CHAPTER IX.
Letter-Writing.

CHAPTER V.
Form of a Letter. Essential Qualities of a Good Letter.
Notes. l\liscellaneous Hints. Five-Minute Exercises
Sul>jects for Letters
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Common Errors in the Use of English.

Rules and Suggestioi1s. Exercises under Each lt11le. 'Von.ls
ofte11 Confused . Errors lllustraterl.
.Miscellaneous Errors to Le Corrected .

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CHAPTER X.
Composition.
~uggestions

CHAPTER VI.
Diction.

Purity, Propriety, and Prncisio11. Exercises nuder Each.
Critical Study of Words fron1 the ] >ictionary and Other
llooks of H.efereuce
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l\Escellaneous Exercises .
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for Adapting Composition Work to the Study of
Literature. Paraphrase. Abstract. Outline. lliogra. phy. Amplification. Compositions from Pictures. Imaginative Writings from Subjects. Illustrations and
. Lists of Subjects under Each Division. Five-Minute Exercises. Narrative. Description. Narrative and Description Com biued. Li sts ~ of Subjects. Hints about
Choice of Subjects .
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CONTENTS.

CIIAPTER XI.
Biographical Sketches.
PAGE

Topical Biographies of Seven American Authors: Irving,
Longfellow, Whittier, Hawthorne, IIoln1es, Lowell, and
Bryant. Works of Each Author. Ueferences for Home
Heading. Ueview Questions on the Life and 'Yorks of
Each . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
l'vfoicellaneous Q11nRl.iot1R • • . . . • • • . •
389
l'rogramme for Celebration of Longfellow's Birthday
392

INTRODUCTION.
SUOGESTJONS TO 'l'BACJIE.RS.

To the many teachers who have, by years of patient
toil and experiment, achieved success in this department of school work, it may seem presumptuous to
suggest methods of teaching English. It is certain,
however, that there are not a few, of less experience
but of equal enthusiasm, who will welcome a definite
plan of work and a few practical hints. To such this
chapter is addressed.
. As will be seen from the following plan, this textbook is intende<i. to be used in connection with a critical study of some of the best American authors. The
choice of books for rea<l.ing must, of course, depend .
·.f ". Jargely
upon. circumstances, upon the taste of the
:,. · . . . t~acher, and the capacity of the class.1 The plan pro.' :vide s for instruction extending through the pupil's first
·year in the high school and half of the second, although
· a full two years' course is strongly recommended. Even
without a text-book, ~ill the proposed work except the
~tudy of Bryant has been completed in a year and a
half, . and with very gratifying results. It is believed !
that by the aid of this hand-book, still more may safely '
be attempted.
1

· 1 If prefened, any other authors may be substituted for those named iu
th& plnn.

Xll

INTIWDUCTION .

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INTRODUCTION.

Xlll

LlTEltATURE.

PLA.N FOR LES.SONS l N ENG LI S II.
First Yem·.

( to 1Veel.:s.)

History of the English Language.
Saxon arnl Classical Elernent.s.
Figures of Speech.
Co111111011 ErrorH i11 I.li e Usr~ of En g lish.
l'u11ctuat.io11 a nd Capit.als.
L etter-"VVritin g an<l Co111positio11.

IlAWTH ORNE ·

Life .
Essay Oil Hawthorne by J. }
T. Fields.
·
l\Iodern Classics, 1
Tales of the White Hills .
No. 28.
Legen ds of New England.
Introducti on to 1\Iosses from an Old Manse. ( Selcctio11R .)

1r

( Life.

I-l OLi\IE,;

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J Favorite Poems an<l

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My Hunt after the CapLarn.
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(s e1ec t10ns.

}

l\Iodern
r , · Classics '
No. 30.

J,I'f' E H A Tl 7H Jo: .

IH\'IN U •

LON<1FF.LLO\Y

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(Life.
Courtshipof l\li Jes Stancfod1.

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Life.
Tl1 e Voyag·1~.
H.ip Yan \Vink le.
·
Lege11<l. of S lcep,r ll oll ow.
vVestmmster Al>bey.

1\ve11ty .S l1 orl.n1· Poe ll! s.

( Life .

l From "Six Selec-

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l.ion,q frn111 I rvi ng;H
Sketch-B ook," eclit.ed by II Diller R.
.Sprague.

5 Ri versicle Literal ture Series, No. 2.
{ Riverside Lil.era( tme Series, N o.11.

( Life.
· ~ S11o w-°i')ou n1l a nd Among S J{.ivers i<le Li teral t he Hills.
l t11reSeries,No.4-.
Secnnrl l 'f'll r, First 'l'l'n11.

(20 1Veek.~.)

Diction: Purity, Propriety, P rec ision.
\Vit.h critical st u<ly of words fro111 t he dict.ionary anJ other Looks
of reference.
Sentences : Rules for Co11str11ction.
Letter-\Vri t i11g and Composit ion.

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The Vision of Sir Lannfal. } i\loderu Classics,
FavoriLc l'oerns. (Selecr;
_.N
_ o. o.
tions.)
·

Life.
Thau atopsis and Other :Favorite Poems.
{
lished by Ginn & Co.)
1

(Pub-

At first sight, the arrangement of subjects may seem
illogical. It shoukl Le understood, however, that it
is not the intention to bave the class "go through" the
chapters of the Look cow;ecutively, but to fit all the
parts of the work into one harmonious whole. Th e
plan presupposes that, before entering the high school,
~ · the pupil has learn e<.l the essei1tial facts coucep1iug the
' structure of the Engli::'h language. Some of the chap1'.t'.. ters - for example, "Punctuation and Capitals" and
; r "Comm on Errors in the Use of English"- will, thereJore, not be new to him; but every teacher appreciates

.

Hawthorne's Biographical Stori es, Grandfather's Chair, The· '\Vonder
Book, and Tan glewoo<l Tales arc now p111Jli shcd in the Riverside Literature
Series, and ma;v l>e su1J,stjt1ited, if preferred,

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XIV

INTlWDUCTlON.

the fact that instruction iu these particulars must ueeds
be "line upou li11e, autl precept upun precept." In
the secoud year of the course and eveu later, they may
very profitably receive attention. It is recommended
that drill in these esseu tial elen1euts of good writing
and speakillg be given, a little at a time, in connection
with other aud more entertaining features of the work.
Let each pri11ei ple Le enforced Ly illustratioHs aml
practical applications. Teach pupils to punctuate as
they write, not after they have written. In this way,
the correct use of capitals and marks of punctuation
. becomes a matter of habit rather than of obedience to
certain arbitrary rules. The necessity for persistent
attempts to correct prevailing errors of speech is too
well understood by teachers to need any co1nmeut here.
Practice in writiug shouhl be constant. If possible,
let the pupil <lo some written work iu class each day.
Where there is a large number of pupils under the care
of one teacher, daily practice in writing may not be feasible; but it is urged that every teacher make the most
of her opportunities in this dirnctiou. The chapters
on Letter-Writing and Composition contain sugO'estions
for five-minute exe:·cises, to be introduced at tl~ beginning of the recitation. Vary these exercises, so as to
have something fresh aud interesting every day. The
careful teacher will plan her work for at least several
d~ys in advance, so as never to be at a loss for expedie11ts to occupy tho ti1110 tu lho Lrn:it mlvautage. Mueh
is gaiued by occasioually allowing the pupils to correct
each other's written work; but, as a rule, the corrections should be made by the teacher. When the
thouglit, rather than the arrangement, is to be cousid-

INTlWDUCTION.

xv

· .ered, it is w:ell tq have some of the exercises read aloud
. and criticised by the class. Pupils should be encour.aged 1 to copy their corrected compositions into a notebook, for future i'eference. Insist upon neat and careful writing, even in these brief exercises.
' It is intended that the study of literature be taken
up as early in the course as is practicable and continued
in : such a way as to supplement the technical part of
the instruction. To · illustrate: the life of Irving may
, be .studied immediately after the pupil has learned the
.history of the language. Then, while he is learning to
distinguish Saxon words, he should read at home or at
school as much as he can about Irving's life and works.
The references given at the close of each biographical
sketch are iutended to aid in directing home reading.
The sketches are purposely meager in details, containing little of anecdote and nothing regarding the characteristics of the authors, the intention being to have
'the outline filled out from the pupils' own research.es,
under the guidance of the teacher. The dates are given
· mainly for reference. Teachers will use their own dis• cretion _in determining how many of these it is worth ·
• while for the scholar to commit to memory.
After allowing a reasonable tirne for home reading,
' let the pupils tell in -class what they have learned in
this way. If access to these references be impossible
for the scholars, us will be tho ·ease in many schools,
the teacher must try t·o supply the want ~f a c\rc'ulatiug library. An interesting incident iu the life ·of \the
author may be related by the teacher ~r written for the
class, they beiug required to reproduce it as their com·
, pos.ition w0J·k for the <lay.

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INTJ~ODUCTJON.

Finally, the pupil should write for himself a biography of the author. It is excellent practice to change
the sketc!~ from the topical form, as here given, to the
chronolog1ca.l order of events. Good results are obtained by having parts of this work done by the class
as a whole, the teacher writing upon the blackboard at
the dictation of various pupils. For example, let them
all thin~c of an introduction which shall Hot begin with,
''vVasl11ngto11 frvi11g was born iu New York April 3
1783." The class decides which is the best ~f several
forms proposed, and the teacher then writes it the class
dictating the Lletails of arrangement and pu:ictuation.
By ~hus. d?ing ~he work for them, while apparently
l~avm~ it .m theu own hands, the teacher may emphasize c~uect10ns previously given as to margins, paragra.phmg, etc.
One of the simpler sketches, perhaps " The Voyage,"
may now be read with special reference to the principles
already learned. At the outset, teachers should seek
to remedy defects in the mechanical part of the readi~1g. .Doubtle~s it ought not to be 11ecessary to spend
tune m the lugh school upo11 drill i11 the elements of
good reading; but doubtless, also, the necessity for
such drill iG'" recognized iu most high schools. The
te.acher ought to. i1'.sist upon such a style of reading as
will show apprccrntwn of the thought. The mind must
be trained to loolc ahead and catch the sense before
the sound is uttered. Cultivate 11atnral, conversational
toues a.ml iti1lectiu11s. The entire sketch should be read
by the pupil at home, so that he may be familiar with
it ~n its. ~nity and be able to reproduce it either orally
or iii wntmg, before begi1111i1Jg to study it in detail.

INTRODUCTION.

xvn

Some of the points which should be considered in the
critical study of the sketch are the following: Oonst1·uction. Misunderstanding as to the relations of words in a sentence may make the meaning
so obscure that a proper reading will be impossible.
The teacher should be sure that such misunderstandings arc corrected. Occasionally have a sentence analyzed or ask for the syntax of words in peculiar constructions.
SECOND.
Derivation and Definition. Apply the rules
for distinguishing Saxon words. Substitute occasionally Saxon words or phrases for synonymous
terms of foreign origin. . Show the class how to use
the dictionary, and see that they form the habit of
consulting authorities wl1enever, in any of their
stud\es, they come upon a word whose prouunciation, use, and meaning they do no~ know. Never
accept from pupils a definition which does not accord
with the office of the word defined. Require them
to define verbs as verbs, adjectives as adjectives, etc.
THIRD.
Allusions, personal, lqcal, historical, literary,
etc. Direct pupils in their search for information.
Show them the use arrd value of the gazetteer, the
encyclopa.idia, the dictionaries of mythology,. biography, and etymology, the hand-book of quotations,
the dictionary of phrase and fable. See that they
learn to cousult a book by the help of its index.
FIRST.

I

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As the work progresses, each new principle learned
should be applied to the work in literature. ' A knowledge of the common rhetorical figures is indispensable
to an intelligent appreciation of what is read, and ac-

xviii

cordiugly the subject is introduced into the first year's
work, in simplified form and with copious illustrations.
It is recommended that Simile and MetaJ_Jhor be thoroughly understood before a secon<l. sketch is read, ai1d
that the entire chapter on Figures be taken up before
any poetry is studied in class.
Before attempting to study any sketch or poem, the
ela::;s 8huuhl ac<111irc a guoll ge11eral knowledge of tho
siib:ject of the piece. For example, before reading
"W estmiuster AbLey," they sho uld learn the history
and associations of the building, and be abl e to draw a
plan of it ~nd to desqribe its most interesti ng features.
'They should have access to a guide-book of London,
with a map showing the location of the Abbey. If
possible, Lri11g within their reach such books ns "Old
and New Lo11dou," Dean Stanley's history of the
Abbey, allCl Hare's "vValks in London." Show them
. the illustrations in Knight's " Old England," or, better
still, photographs of all the places of interest referred
to in the sketch. They will then be prepared to walk
. with Irving through the sha<l.owy cloisters au<l. among
the graves of the mighty dead and to appreciate in
greater measure l~is reflections upon the vanity of human
gr~atness.

i

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INTRODUCTION.

INTRODUCTION.

The teac.l,,er should be car~ful not to tell the pupils too
miwh. This line of work offers peculiar temptations to
the enthusiastic teacher, who is likely to forget that the
main object is not to make the recitation a brilliant
one. Let each pupil feel that he must contribute his
share towards the general interest.
Require pupils to commit to memory and recite in
class choice extracts from tlie various authors whose

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XIX

.works are studied. Encourage them to do even more
of this memorizing than is required. The habit of
sto1·ing the mind with beautiful and noble thoughts,
expressed in fitting words, cannot be too highly com-

mended.
For the second year's work, it is expected that teach-

ors Will

substantially the same methods as those
ttuggested for the beginning of the course. In schools
where there are several classes in the same grade and
but meager facilities for referenc~, the work may be so
planned as to secure rotation of subjects. One class
I,Ill\Y begin Diction and enjoy a monopoly of the referen.ce books required, while a second takes up the chap·
ter on Sentences, and a third studies the life and works
of Hawthorne.
These suggestions answer, at least in part, the in. quil'ies which have, from time to time, been made as to
"~"' the details of . this method of studying English. It is
. .hoped that they will prove of assistance in the use of
·~ these Lessons.
USO

256

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.
LETTER-WR1TING.

how do you do elizabeth she ,
angust coat tail a11cl 111
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cangut her uncle bv
a pr tcons v ·
1·
come and pull on tlrn 1.
, OICe =>esought him to
ope
pull
on
a
.
.
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unc1e daniel wl10 wa~
. .
' 1 ope e11zabetl1 sai<I
' ·- a ' e1v slow
on a rope my dear oh co~n ~
.111~111 w 1iy s/1011/d J pull
down in the well criec:I b
qurd'- hurry faster toms
ess tom clow
g_ct there Le went down for th
n a we 1l lww did ho
silver teapot 'tnd
e teapot sobbed bess t!Je
'
we caut p11JJ hi'
.
cramped with cold r I 1 I
n up agaru aud lies
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I 001eccl dowu at to ti .
cc ( .t111cl lc11rnrclv
111
icn lie slowlv t /
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ns s Iowly carried it iuto U
oo {off bis coat a11d
10
order to 1 •
· ' ' liousc stopped to O'.
llS COa,clJmau C:tllte \ r"tJ
olVe till
t11rce frigI1tcned •L"Id.
'l 1 measured tread to Llir,
c l ic11 thou took I Id
g~"e a long strong calm rnll a
.
~o
of tile rope
pmg with- coolness aro If
, nd llJ an rnstaut tom drip"
' sc rom the well.

257

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REFEIU~NCJ~/:3 .
Haud BooJ 0 f l'
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· u11ctuatio11.

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reat1se Oil I'un ctuation vV'l Ul ner.
Hand Book of l'11nct11"t:
J s?11.
,
.
· •• 1011. Higel
] '...sse11
t1als of E ·1· l.
ow.
. .
Ilg is 1. Welsh.
P1 act1ca1 Rheioric · Cl arc
1

CHAPTER IX.
LETTER-WRITING.

To

THE TEACIIF.R: -

It is reconunen<le<l that Letter-,Vri ting bo taken 11p very early
in the course an<l that frequent practice be gi veu in corn1ection
with other kimls of composition-writing. The "Five Minute Exercises" will fu1'nish suggestions for making the practice both pleasing and profitable.
In the small space which can here be devoted to the subject, it
is impossible to quote examples. The teacher should read to the
class good specimens of the various kinds of correspondence, selecting them, to a great extent, from the authors studied in class.
Encourage puplls to express themselves in an easy, natural style.
Read to them some of Thackeray's letters and show them the
illustrations. By all means, let them read some of the famous
" 'Villiam Heury Letters," by Mrs. Diaz.

Im1l0rtauce

of Practice

in

Letter-Writing. -

Letter-Writiug is, perhaps, the most important division
of composition work, since it is the most practical.
After you leave school, you may never be called upon
to write a formal essay 01; a fictitious story; but all
through life there will be occasions for writing letters
of business and of friendship. It is, therefore, very
important that you should know what are the requisites
of a good letter. vV e shall co11sider two divisions of
the subject: 1. The Porm of a Letter.
2. The Essential Qualities.

- •..··258
LESSONS fN ENGLISH.

259

LETTER-WRITING.

Fornw

A J,J.ijTT.EH.

UP

P~u·ts of a Lettc1·
1
.
.
· - n consul ·
I
Jetter, we notice first th . t ,f errng t le form of a :·

E~amples of Hea(lings. - In the following examples, pay particular attention to the punctuation.

'l'hey are as follows,: - e µar s o . wl1ich it is composecl. ~. ;

1.

IJ~on, 771CWA},,., 1J1a/lf 201
I. The Heading.

1. Place.
{
:!. Date.

TT. The fntrn<l11cLio11.
{

lTT. 'J'l1c Body of t.he Lett.Pr.
IV. '.l'he Conclusiol!.
V. The Superscriptio 11 •

'l'l1e llea<Iiug. -

1. Address.
:!. Salutation.

1. Co111pJi1nentary Close
[ 2. Siguature.
·
{

1. Name.
2. Place.

2.

/fir;k d'diool/

clfuu; /fCl/lJE/fU, ~011/J'U.'

l;0wm6fAJ 2 I1 I o o6.
3.

7Jl/- IJ'UoadwClllf, afuu; ~ML,
~ 5 1 Ito(.

'l'l1e Hea I.

single line. Lut if tl
'<. rng may occupy only a
. .
'
ie 11ame of the 1 . . b
.
<l eta1l,
It is Letter to \V ··t ti
p a1.:e e giveu in
11 e le phc
·

date on the line below. Tl
' e on oue lrne, and tl1e
on the first line or two f tile place for tlle Heading is
the rig11t-l1a1H.1 edg·e Oo
lei. page, and well towards
.
•
11 a s 1eet
f
.
.
paper the first liue .
. .
o com1uerc1al Hole
of the page If
IS an mch and a 1mlf from the to1J
·
you use ·unruled
.
the same space abov
.1
.
papeI, leave about
.
e you1 leadmg I 11 L .
.
and m any letter n ··tt
_
·
usrness letters
.
d
en to a straug .
particular to g·ive
t
ei' you sl1ould · lie
no on 1y th
.
town from w11ich
.
e JMme of the city or
you wnte Lut J
I
number, if it Le a cit
. ,' . . a s~ ~ ie street and
If you prefer to do soy, o1 tl1c county' .if it Le .i. v1'11 age.
this part of the Jette ' yol u ~nay omit the details from
.
r anc give tl1
t 1
1owrng the signature.
em a tie close, foJ.

Ioo7.

4.

/(·id9uf~ld, $ai1ifi&U

&. / {?!Ay;vn.,

cifCYU-. I 61 Io o5.
The Address. - In writing to any person who is not
an intimate friend, you should place at the beginning
of your letter his name and address, followed by such a
Salutation as Dear Sir, My dear Sir, etc. These particulars make up the Introduction. The Address should
begin on the line below the date, and at the left-hand
side of the page, about half an inch from the edge of the
paper. This half-inch margin at the left should be kept
on every page 0£ the letter.
The Address may ·consist of one, two, or three lines,
according to circumstances. In writing the name of a
business firm, we do not use the plural Misters, but

, ?Ni

e .

_
- -~ _~--~r-

LETTER-WRI'rING.

2GO

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

write instead Messrs., which is au abbreviation of Messieurs, the plural of the Freuch MonsieU1·. In formal
letters which are not of a strictly business character,
the Address is often placed at the close of the letter, in .
two lines, written below the Signature and at the lefthand side of the page. In familiar letters, it is customary to omit altogether the formal Address.
The Salutation. - Tl1<~ for111 of t11c Salutation will,
of course, vary according to your relations with your
correspondent. lJear Sir, the Salutation commonly
used in business letters, is understood to be an expression of respect rather than of affection. Remember that • ·
lJem· Madarn is the corresponding form to use iu addressing a lady who is a stranger to you. The Freuch
Madarne is applied only to a married woman, but it is
proper to address a lady as lJear J.Wadam, whether her
title be Mrs. or Miss. In writing to a business firm,
your Salutation may be lJear Sirs or Gentlernen. If
you wish to address an association or committee composed of women, the proper Salutation is Ladie.<J.. In
writing the Salutn,tiu11, begin with a capital the first
word and the word which stands in place of the person's
name. For example, lJear Friend, My dear Friend,
My own precious Motlier, llfy dear Uncle Jolin. It w1is
formerly the custom to begin each word of the Salutation with a capital letter, bnt this is not now authorized
by the best usage. The place for tl1e Salutation is one
of the points co11cerning which letter-writers may, to
some extent, use their own taste. If there is no Address,
the Salutation begins at the marginal line and on the
line below the elate. If the Address jg given, t.he Salu-

261

. b
nd a little
laced on the hue e1ow a
l
tation is common y p
.
l . the last line of the
to the right of the pomt. w ie.re : . bly place the SalNTiters mvana
Address begins. s ome ~.
d b . the body of the
· l line an
egm
l
utation at the margin.a
.
ch.sh to break t ie
the same line, wmig a . '
,;vben the
letter upon
. well to follow tlns usage
h
t o lines. In punctua·
connection . . It is
·
more t an w
t
Address con ams
'll be safe however,
.
. varies. You wi
' '
f .
t1011, also, usage
l' ·L' ·Lion thn,t is rnndo he Ql e
in observing Lbo same. L lt> u1Ief on are writiHg a brief
rt quotations.
Y
'f
l ng
long an d sh o
fter the Salutation; i a o
If th Body of the letter
note, place a comma a
letter, use instead a colo~1.
'tl e the Salutation, the
the same lme wi 1
h
begins upon
l ld be followed by a das .
comma or. the colon s 1ou
INTRODUCTIONS.

EXAMPLES 0 F'
1.

NOTE.

2.

NOTE.

;;unJt0111ffl!U, - J>u~0
tf~,

Eh.

I

I .

I

262

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

3.

LETTER.

l!h; d&a/i cff.U&Jut ..

7Jr11 tli01,l9Ji~ oftuJ1/, drt,,
4. L1nnm.
#t.'/1VJ1/ 0 /.
/r

#)

/}J , !

t ' /_

{/_. l':'.'.'.(J. ,, oTHAH.A19.4 (,,U'l/(l,
I

#iafb&
/Jofl/&yn.,1 llra'f).,1J2/.
.&a,'U 2/1/u;,: -- 71/ilt 11r;u o6tij& nu 6y, &U.
I J d 1,[,1JW/f-z,t

263

concluding wonls of respect or affection, such as Sincerely yours, Very truly yours, llespectfnll!J yours, Your
s£ncere f1·iend, Your loving father.
. Only the first word should begin with a capital. The
place for the Complimentary Close is on the line below
the concluding words in the main part of the letter.
A comma should always be. placed after the Complimentary Close.

I

1:he Dody of a Lett.er. -As is shown in the pre-

c~dmg

LE'l'TER-WRITING.

examples, the marn part of the letter may be in
either on the same line with the Salt1tat'
gt!
i·
' 1011 or on · 1e
rne below, under the point where the Salut t'
.1
D
b ·
' a 1011 enc s.
o not egm the Body of a letter with "I" 'f
1 I 't WI · · .
' i you can
ie p I .
ule it is not a violation of rule, it is not in
t~e best taste to make yourself so conspicuous. you
c,m probably change the arrangement of tl
t
· h
ie sen ence so
as t L ·
' o egm wit some other word. Remember that th
frequent repetition of "I " makes the write.1
te
have a1
It d ·a
f
appear o
' l exa e
I ea o his own importance. In writin
a letter, observe the same directions about margins an~
~aragr~p~s as are given among the rules for com ·tion-wntrng D 0
t
pos1
•
.
•
no c1ose a letter abruptly. The last
parngiaph should be a sort of prelude to t11e Co 1 .
11c us10n.
1.'he Complimentary Close -The Conclu . .
d
up of t
·
s10n is ma e
.
wo parts, -the Complimentary Close and th .
Signature. By the Complimentary Close, we mean th:

The place for the Signature is on
the line below the Complimentary Close. You should
sign your nam e in full, in preference to writing only
your initials or some pet nam e. If you are writing to a
stranger, be careful to sign your name in such a way
that he will understand how to address you in reply.
Business men would be spared many embarrassments
and vexatious delays if people were more considerate
about signatures. Suppose that a firm doing a large
business receive a letter of inquiry signed J. M. Hall.
If the person is unknown to them, they may have to
guess from the penmanship 'Yhether the writer is a man
or a woman. If the latter, they cannot tell whether the
title should be Miss or Mrs. A careful letter-writer
would sign the name so that there would be no embarrassment. Notice carefully the different forms: The Signature. -

711. /fall.

1.

la..11U'4

2.

(711<.ud.ui,)

3. (711~)

4.

(7111.& .. )

/cMIL·f..J·

711. HafL

Juli.a 711. !falL
J1-~

711. !fall.

!Iii

-

~

Dtttt tr

n

s ''? 7'Q ll'i

SJi

,

Wii+,. . --

,

264

I

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

5.

LETTEH.-WlUTlNG. ·

cJ(,,&a.61/&

a 1v//l,{/l/

6. ! fall,

4 7 6 ~,()./JZ, d t.

The first is uuderstood to be th .
the second tl t 0 f b
e signature of a man .
a oy; the third th t f
·.
'
. ' ia
unmarned woman ; the f , l·
' a o a. gu 1 or an
.
om t i, that of a widow . the
. fifth th t f
'
a o a marned wo .
I
'
1n the h s t
.
'.11n11 w iose l11rnba11<l is Jiving.
h ,
'. . uf t'1e folluwmg exau1ples, t!t e wr't . . 1
as ct Christian name that ma bel
. I 01, w 10
. or a wom a n, is th oughtful
y I ong.to e1~her a man
so that th ere can be
. enolug l to give his address, .
11 0 nnsun c erstan<ling.
<
EXAMPLES OF CONCLUSIONS.
1. 2/}(,{/1,, ldnd

1..&oa.u1 ,,,
I

.u

ci'

(,,,, 1

'

'l & JJL,({.;(/J'{,

(5-/(,,;tl!!U&fy, 1j01(1l, fi,iVJ1..cf.,

2' ZfL
7 ·01(,'l,f,J,

,

1·~/i, ~1'1!!&'1
'

r

c

tJo

771'1,. 6d/J,t1--~'/, /?. l/101.Q,e,,

4.

11Vlj

J

d&Wi

6C0aii-0t!l. !Cdloa
.
I 9

·

''--' 6()/{,&&1 J•[,I

tAa.,,M1tl!t=/,

IfMvi11 If-. rl!liafM1UVJ'/, .

c-/f rw

ifo1A-..

9/,dtou}-, /,alJ;lif,(,~ 1fOU'1, fi,it/Jtd,

£011..

(/),lz ad6fJ/ .hid:..VJu
a 11i,

'VM,lj

265

Juli a, 171. /falt.

1
aa.
r luc.{}{)/

lnui/.

3. 6-v-u ,

---~--

u:wf;cd/u!Cy 1jOn·t6J,,

<r'fv-dy/} i UJ.
/Nw..Q,c, ad-c~,
llh. 0~ 7.f.J.. lJ?,wiel16fJ/l &'l,,
c/f·o-. I/ ti&11i,fvle, cYta.u,,
Lt/V-D'1fiWoC, <ff?u;ta,,,zd.

Postscritlts. - A postscript is usually an admission
of he writer's carelessness. It has been said that the
most important part of a woman's letter is always found
in the postscript I Some writers are not content with
one, but .tack on several after-thoughts in this ea8y
fashion. This habit is a bad one. The postscript is
properly used when you wish to express something
which is fornign to th e snbject of the letter, so that it
would 8ee111 out of ,keeping with the rest if it were
inserted in the main part of the communication.

The Superscription includes
the particulars which you write upon the envelope.
t
is commonly arranged in three lines, but sometimes iu
four. The uame should be written on an imaginary
line drawn across the middle of the envelope. Place
it so ~hat there will be about as much spa,ce at the
right of the name as at the left, unless the envelope is
very long in proportion to the width, in which · case the
greater space should be at the left. Arrange the successive lines so that the initial letter of each shall be
farther to the right th an that of the preceding line.
Keep uniform spacing between the lines. Do not r!fle
the lines with a pencil. H ;)fOU cannot write strniglit, sliR
inside the envelope a card ruled ·with heavy.; black lines
to ser e as a guia e. You should gradually accustom
yourself to do without help of this kind. As a matter
of convenience to post-office clerks, it is well to write
the street and number, or the number of tlie post-oflice
box, in the lower left-hand corner. Write the Superscription in your clearest and best style. Rem em her
always to place the stamp on the upper right-hand
corner of the envelope.
The ·supe1·scl'i1Jtion. -

__,__ ____

1

~_ - -

----

266
LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

267

EXAJ\IPLES OF SUPEWSCRfPTIONS.

I

711'U,),,. fo lvn, U) . !f(_lC,

Kindness of j.dr. Harper .

Notes may be classified as formal and informaJ. Formal uotes include busiuess notes and sueial
notes. Informal notes are simply·short letters of friendship. Social notes are such as pertain to the etiquette
of social life and include polite notes of invitation, acNotes. -

268

J_,ESSONS IN ENGLISH.

269

LETTEll-WRITING.

ceptauce, r egret, condolence, and congratulation. Such
notes sl10uld be written in the third l>erson. TJ t'
a]](I pl
f
·t'
1e une
'
- ace. o - wn rn!S arc written below the body of the
~10te and at the left-hand sille. The day of the week
Is usually mentioned, and tbe year omitted.

4.
?71'U. 8ianldw1' f!},ll;eAJ;01t/~ kUv <Um1jal~11t,&nfA,

w ll1~

c/4dt<M1', cvncL 6-q&, liE/U w CUM?;ofd t/i-Uv fM.11& 'UCIJ1'Wm,~n0&, 1,i1Wi I~ 6-EAJJ, 1'~Uvhu fo--u tli& c1ow Zjuvi,.

721/- HU/dWJ'lCt cit.,

fwn. (,

SPECIMENS OF FOHMAL NOTES.
I.
.

lfh<J/o
,

ESSJ~NTlAL

r!Zlw ,-11 rft'e,1, 1E-aiu1JL°w, (,!ii'.
'

//, fl

/ ;v r Et/fiJ, 1f1&

J

Oo ·

'VJ/l '

t t rtu

U:lic.,t/;i1:,·1/ tJ, eo11ujiwn-11 on IOcclne,1,u;l{-l•if E-VE--nw-i9 a t

Cuti&
P8 6

9alliE/U{J~

[n lwnu'U Cl/, '91.of.urwu 3'lio-11i:6V.

/Ao&fau..t dt.,
l'J1011'dW!f1 fw11'0 I J .

1886.

a

QUALITIES 0.1!' A GOOD LET'l'Elt.

1. Gootl r.rastc. - l~ememLer tlrnt paper an<l envelopes may be "in the latest style" and yet in very bad
taste. Indeed, it may Le said that, as a rule, persons of
refinement pay very little heed to the changing fashions
in stationery. Never choose writing-paper which is
highly colored, showily decorated, or in any way conspicuous. If you wish to use stationery which is
always iu good taste, select heavy paper, either plain
white or of a delicate pearl or cream tint, and without
ornament of any kind. Use envelopes to match. For
"polite correspondence," unruled paper is preferable to
rule<l. If you cauuot write straight without a guide,
place umler the page a sheet of paper ruled with liues
heavy enough to show through. Practice will enable
you to write as well without the lines as with them.
For business letters, the cheaper grades of ruled white
paper may Le used, with envelopes to fit the paper.
A void the use of bright-colored inks and fancy varie, ties of scaliug-wax.
2. Neatness. -Remember th~ t character ·

judged
by little things: Many a position o rust and honor
has been lost because the applicant's letter was not

Ll~S80.NS JN E.NGLlSH.

neatly written. A soiled, blotted, or scribbled letter
indicates that the writer is careless, slove11ly, alHl selfisli;. since 11e has 11ot suf11cie11t regard for tho feelings
of Jns correspo11de11t to take a reasonable ai11ount of
time and pains in writing the letter. Cultivate a neat
and clear hand-writing, without flourishes or oddities of
any kind. If you make mistakes, or if accidents occur,
copy and re-copy, if necessary, until you have a 11eat
letter. Iu busi11ess letters especially, '"Tito as plainly
as you know how to write. J\. lrnsincss rna11 cannot be
cixpected to speud ti111e in deciphering hieroglyphics.
Fold your letter neatly, with the first page inside.
Be thoughtful about the arrangement, the punctuation, the spelling, and the grammar.
Some of these ~re, in t11e111selvm;, _@;tlc t1iings, Lut 11~­
lect of
usuall iuter ireted as roof of the
_....}Vrit~ ignorauce. Habitual disregard of these "little
things" will stamp you as an ·ill-iterate person. By
careful attention to these particulars, in every letter
which you . write, you will soon acquire a fixed habit of ,
writing letters in proper form.
3. Carefulness. -

Letters i11 general should be
answered as soon as possible after they are received.
Business letters, in particular, llernand immediate attentio11. If you need to take time for consideration,
you should at u11ce acknowledge the receipt of the
letter and explain the cause of your delay. Otherwise,
your corrcspomleu(; 111ay assu1ue that you have not ·
received the letter, and may be put to the trouble of
writing you another Oil the same subject. If you have
ever waited several days for a reply which you expected
4. P1·on11}tness. -

LETTJ~H.-W ltl'l'lNG.

271

by return imtil, you will realize how important it is that
every one should form the habit of prompt atteution
to his corrcspomlcnce. In tl L08C matters, the best direction that can be given is to obey the Golden Ru~e.
.,.

5·,

Doubtless you have sometimes
been disappointed by receiving a letter which was not,
in any true sense, a reply to the one which you had
writte11, it may have been weeks before. Your correspondent had evi<leutly laid aside or destroyed your
letter ;tml forgotten everytl1iug except its general purport. As a consequence, he failed to answer important
questions and to reply to urgent suggestions of yours.
Such an experience should teach you that if you attempt to answer a letter, you should have it before you
nnd read it carefully, in onler to bring yourself into
sympathy with the writer.
Then you should be cer- .
tain that your letter is a clear and definite reply to the
one received.
Definiteness. -

6. Purpose. - In business letters state clearly and
concisely your purpose in writing. Come to the point
as soon as possible. A business man has no time to
waste in reading long preambles and explanations. Be
sure to state all the particulars which your correspondent needs to know, and to arrange them in the form
which will be most convenient for him. In letters of
friendship, also, let your purpose be apparent. Have
something to tell, and tell it so that your letter will be
worth reading and worth keeping. Remember that a
purpose need not be great in order to be good. A letter that is written with no purpose would better have
been left unwritten. One of the silliest things that

I

.

J, !
l .

' •I

'l

•

272

J,J~l)t;()..Nt; l.N ENGLISH .

you cau du is to 0l'Cll 't UOJ'.
1
It will surely resul'· ·1·1·1
i~spow. ence "jnst for fuu."
'
v
was uC uf ti1
. I
something worse.
uc, <LJH. perhaps in

I'

..
,.• II
I

.
.
.. . 7. .Courtesy· - Cu It'ivate,
rn writin
. .
speaking, courteous li·ib't. f
. g as well ,1s m
L
,
I s u . cxprcss1011
A l tt .
110t ue brusque 0 1. 111
c 01 need
·
•
· ·
·
·
•tllY way suagesf
f
.1
sunply because it is
b .
o
ive o . ruueness,
·
a usmess letter J I tt
f ncndship,
· 11 e · ers of
rcmcrnbcr JJot t
1
cliat about yourself . l ,o 'cvoto tho e11tir<) spaco to
. .tlll
vour c
.
that a friendly cor1·
; .
.oncems. Hemember
.
esponCLeuce is a
.
paper. You should show 't 1 . . 11 . ' co11versat10n on
· wJrntever
concerns your frien· l' b ' . OIH Y rnterest Ill
.
. .
. . c s itppmess. Neve. f , t
rnq uines such as you would ex
. . I o1ge to make
concerning your ow
~ect Jnm or her to make
n occupat10ns your 1 ltl
p I aus, your fric11t1s. . 'I'.iy t o put y '
If . iea . t, your
your friend, aud you will be
.ourse . m tho place of
can offend him Do
t fill su1c to say uo~lung that
·
no I your l tt
·I
They are dull reading, at the b e er wit 1 apologies.
have something bette1·
·ti
~s.t, and you ought to
A
wor 1 wnti
. ng.
promptly, and you will
t
:iswer letters
1
Write with c·irn a11tl tl110 ne~Jl to apologize for delay.
' ' '
iere w1 1 Le 1
.
pardon for bad writi11g ,.uc
" 1 spe 11"mg. 10 occas1011 to ask

,. 8. Naturalness. - Avoid au thin
.
.
.
The charm of a good letter . ! . · g like affectat10n.
1
most <lelig·Iitft1l 1· tt .
ies rn its naturalness. The
e e1 s are th
1·
strongly the persorrnJity f tl ose. w uc 11 show most
' .
o
ic. wnter - tl Je 1e tt
• 1
w Juc 1 we say "Isn't n, t .
· ers of
' · ..
.. "f .
' i.t J11st .1tke 1te 1·?" or "It
1 cu ultl 11car Jii i u tell it. " 'l' . ..
,i1:; I
' . . scorns
1
would talk to the
,
·
Y to wnte as you
pe1son whom
paper. Write . . I
. you are ac1dressing on
rn s1mp e and smc , f 1 .
ters in which you . b 1 • e1e as non about mat;..
aie ot 1 rnterested. Don't try to

LETTER-WRITING.

273

write "like a book"; don't be silly; don't be sentimental. Avoid the use of hackneyed phrases. Fresh
and original expressions, used instead of the stiff, formal
phrases with which most letters open and close, have a
pleasiug effect. If they are in themselves graceful and
natural, they brighten what might otherwise be a very
commonplace letter. Do uot fall into the habit of invariably using certain forms. Adapt yourself to the
varyiug comlitious under whieh you write, tho person
whom you are addressing, and the nature of the letter.
9. Caution. -ltemember that while the "i<lle words"
which you speak may soon be forgotten, those which
you write may some ti1;n e appear as evidence against
you. Letters have frequently proved to be very dangerous witnesses. The expression of your thought "in
black and white" may, therefore, be a serious matter.
For this reason, you should use caution in writing letters. Never send a letter without first reading it carefully and asking yourself whether you would be willing
to have the letter preserved and l)erhaps read by other
eyes than those for which it was inten<led. Do not, on
the ground of caution, ask your correspondent to destroy
your letter. Such a request is commonly equivalent to
a confession that you are ashamed of its contents.
Never write a letter which you would rather not have
your father and mother read. ·

MISOELLANEO ITS HINTS.
1.
In writing from ln.rge cities like New York, Dostou,
Chicago, and Philadelphia, it is unnecessary to insert the
name of the state iu the Heading of the letter. Remember never to omit the name of the state from the Super-

._,

T"

Sf ..

LETTER-WRITING • .

274

LESSONS IN ENGLISii .

12.

, 1·iect1ve
.
2. t" Avoi<l the use ol ti ic .t<
<leare t .111 l
iou.
llfy dea rest Jilrienll i , ..
· s tie Salnta·
o t

·

fl.

G.

7.

8.

a·tscnminatiou.
.

oses its force wl
d
l J",r d
ien use with!ny earest J1v 7
·
smce it seems to im I r ti ot ier is absurd
'
D
P
mt you lmvc , . . 1
. o not cull a lette. , f'
se,ern mothcn,;.
l ,t lWO J" 01' S'l tJ t .
In letters of fric ,1 :
' Y rn it came to hand.
11. us 1up co
1 not
l
arc allow ab I e in bus i
le ttc ."'." "'.e 1 nb brevi<t tions
yrs, resp'ly. Alf' yonr .
i s' for example, re,;' d.
. .1·n closiiw a •letter t s 1suot::tvery comp z·inientary closP
.
. t:>
, '' ·
,o a Rtr:u1o·pr 1
·•
lllt 11ot 1 renicdn
Tl l
t:i , ' .) o11 rnay say I am
l
yon have had l)l"CV. ·1
ic :i.tter form should be used i;
ous corrcspo 1
.
there is at least a sli o-1 t
. . Ill ence with him, so that
1
0
D
_
acquamtance.
t o c1ate vonr n ote
l . o not foro·ct
o
etters. Tbe elate on rl, t .
s, as well as your .
.
" J,t sccrnc<l at ti
t"
a very msig nificn.nt not
'
ie imc of writii1g
· t
·
e may make ti
1ll crestmg an<l valllnl1l c ·it : . . ,
ie comrnnuication
In :tdclrcss ina a I tt , .' - SOllll~ flltme time.
"' ' c e1 to a rnarri 1
use ier husband's tit!'
S
, ec . woman, do uot
I
c · ~ nch forn
f
rs. Bigelow .J\lrs D. I~ 1 . is o . address ns Rev.
l\'.[
'
· 1. <..l wanls
· , i 1\ • •
evel:.tml are not 1'1
1
' anu 1\f1s. President
·
1 goo( taste.
Cl
Do not use the si i·n ~ b f . .
or of the post-ofliceg bo e
the number of the house
ness of tl10 :t.t1<1rcsH.
x.
t nclcls nothing to .tlte plainu

.

3
.
4

·

'

a~

9.

'tt1
'

~

·l

n~ss

11
•

Remember that it is not regarded as polite to seal a

note which is delivered for yon by a friend.
13.
In a short letter to a friend, you may leave the second
page blank and finish the letter on the third page. Do
not, however, in a long letter, fill the third page n.nd

14.

then come back to the second.
Never write part of your letter in vertical lines. Eccentricities of this kind are always in bacl taste. Do
not write the dosing worcls of your letter across tl~e top
of the .11rst page or in the margins.

:FIVE-MINUTE EXEROISES.
1. vV rite a note to a relative or a friend, returning thanks
for a present which he has just sent to you.
2. \V" rite a letter, renewing your sn\Jscription to" The Youth's
Companion," ""\>Viele Awake," or "St. Nicholas."
Tell how much money yon inclose nncl in what form.
3. '\-Vrite a formal note in the name of your mother, inviting your teacher to take tea at your home. Name

;re

the day tind hour.
4. vVri.lc n.n 1t1(onmtl note inviting a friend to take a ride
with yon.
Appoint the time or leave it to your

1)
use the wonl A ((,?
l l .esserl 111
. t-1
n o not
C<
••
110 t·e.
' ic ,-,upcrscriptiou

fri end's convenience.
G. ·w rite to a school friend who has met with an ucciuent
or an n.fflictiou. Express your sympathy and offer

Of

10.

275

It . . .
.
Do.uot use titl es me
· ]'1scriminatel
y.
is m better t'tste
o wn tc Afr. before ti
.
ic
name
tlrn1
t
,
t
1 0
at the end. J1fr T
use the title Esq
C
'
·
·
.
· ' 0 1111 raddock E
n.s i . Homer Frnukli11 Jlf ln ' sq., is almost as bad
D
n
' .1 •. · J.
0 11ot llHC llOFJfal <"l
" 'l'<l"
· ,., f or ·111vtl ·
1.
1
uess 11oti!ications 'l'l
· ' ·' ling uut brier 1Juu· _
•
lCJ arc 1 t ·
'"
correspondence. If
10 mtended for friencll"
.
yon C\' Cr lll al .J
mg to frieuds on11"t tl
. ,c use of them in writ10 usual . fii t'
'
sa I utatiou aml Co llC I ll S .IOll. . .t ce ionate forms of
L

•

your help.
G. Write an 1nformal note congratulating a friend on his
hfl.ving won a prize at school.
7. Write to Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston,
Mass., ordering one of the "Atlantic" Portraits for
your school-room.
8. Write a Christmas greeting to an absent friencl.

276

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

I

LETTEH··WHITING.

9. Order from Jn.mes Vick, Roch ester N
•
flower seeds,
l.rnlbs, etc., makinO' a list
1 '
of t.ic vanetics which you
wish to purchase. o

!· '.

10. ·write to a bookseller ordcrirJO'" 1· t f i.
11 \V ·
'
o ·• is o uooks
. , nte a note requestiu<T
.
.
.
time and place.
o au rnterview.
State clearly the
12 . W"
ute to tbe puLlisher of n dail or
asking him to discont'
~
weekly newspaper,
13. Write to n 111
I
. llltle sending the paper to VOil.
·• ere 1:u1f, 111 :wot.her •t , , , .
·
and prices of <TOo.l
CL .) ' .tskmg for saiuples
0
( s.
14 · ·w rite a formal note i11viti11cr , ,
.
gathering at your home. o .m .tcquamtancc to a social

27. Write a note of apology to your teacher, for some
thoughtless act.
28. Write a note from n father asking the teacher to excuse
his son's n.bsencc from school.
Do not write : Please excuse my son's absence yesterday. He had the
toothache, and oblige
Mu. IlLANIC.
NOTE. -

29. vVritc a note to some person of influence, asking for ' a
· rccomme1Hhttio11 with a view to obtaining a situation.
30. \i\Trite n. note to a business man, _iutrouucing a friend
who is a strnngcr in the city.

15 · \Vrite a formal

16

·

·u · 't ·
.
Deer
. . uote
. accepti110·
:::> • l inv1 at1on to durner
me an mv1tat1on t
·
·t
o accompany a frien<l to c•" COUCCI •
L

17. Write au informal note to a f .·

SUBJEOTS FOR LETTERS.
1. An answer to an advertisement for a clerk or a teacher.

.

.
• i icw.l
invitina him or llcr t
a distant town,
18 \iV "t
o.
o ma 1re you a visit.
.
II e an rnformal not
.
19. 1'Vritc a i1o'·c t <
c :urnonnci11g some good news.
. , o acco111pany a Cl .· .
.
•
send to a friend.
111stmas gift which you

3.

20. Write a note asl(1·
• · ng a person t
·
some goo<l en use.
,
o contnbutc money to

4.

111

L

21. Write to
2
W 't
some noted man, nsking for his autorrraph
2.
l'I e a note of co11gmt11Iation to
o
nuthor, on his hirthllar.
some Amencnn
23. 1'Vrite a note asking a ·~trnnger
stnmps, coins, or cnriosities
to cxclmugc with yon
· 24. 1'Vrite a not
.
·
•
e commc1Hl11JO' some b 1 1 •
recentl.Y rca<l.
o
oo ( w nclt you ha vc
L

.

2.

••

25. Apply for n situatiou as clerk b00 I J
Stntc briefly your quar~ t''
c- rncpcr, or teacher.
2G. \iV ·
• l11ca lOlls
nte .an informal note asking a. schoo.l
friend to J. oin
You m an excnrsiou of some._,kind.

277

5.

6.

7.

8.
9.

State yom qualifications and experience, and the salary which you expect. Give references.
Write to your fatber, supposing him · to be away from
home. Tell him all the home 'news.
A vacation letter, describing the place where you n.re
supposed to be visiting and the persons whom you
meet. Tell what you do and think.
A series of short letters from a boy or girl awny at
bon.rdiug school. These nrny take the form of a
diary for one week, if you choose.
A letter purporting to be from a grandfather or grandmother to their grandchildren, giving some account of
"the days when I was young."
Describe a real or an . imaginary voyage across the ·
Atlantic.
·w rite letters from various interesting places; for ex·
ample, Rome, Venice, Athens, Jerusalem, Alaska,
Brazil, Nineveh, India, China, Mexico.
Give an account of a visit to the poet Wliittier.
'Vrite an account of a visit to "Sunnyside" and the
e:nwe of Irving.

278

Ll<:SSONS JN ENGI,ISH.
COMPOSITION-WRITING.

279

10. ·write abont a visit to Cambridge, to the homes of
Lowell and Longfellow, tlte site of Uol111es's birthplncc, Harvard Uollege, the 1'Vaslri11gto11 Elm, Longfellow's grave, etc.
'

11. A visit to Concord, to tlto h:wnts or HawthuL'llo, Emerson, and Thoreau.

CHAPTER X.

12. A visit to tlie 'Vlrite ]\fountains; the Grent Stone Face·
the Willey House, etc.
'

COMPOSITION-WRITING.

18. 1-Vritc a letter to a liLLlc d1ild, i11 s11el1 language
child would undcrstaud.

:r.8

n

14. A letter purporting to be from a dog or n cat to his
master or 111istress.
15. A letter purporting to be from an aged doll.
1 G. A coufidential letter from a child to Sautn Claus.
17. A reply from Sauta Claus.

•

18. A letter . from Ichabod Crane, grvmg his opruwu of
Katriun's treatlllcnt of him, and relating his adveutures after leaving Sleepy Hollow.
19. A letter sealed in a bottle washed up bv the sea.
20. 1-Vrite to the School Committee, s11gg·esting improveme nts that might be made in the school building.
21. A letter purporting to come from a person Ii ving on
another pl:u1ct.
22. A letter droppec~ from a balloon.

23. Letters found in strange hiding-places: a secret drawer·
an old trunk ; a ginger jar; a hollow tree-trunk · th~
lining of an ohl coat or dress.
'
24. Write to a teacher, explaining the method of stndvinO'
English which is used in yom school an<l telliuO' .;.,ha~
0
.rou think arc its advantages.
25. Write to ::t fri<>11d a1rnounciug the death of Longfellow
aml giving au account of the funeral.

To

'I'll~

'l'i;;Acrrnrt:-

The author's intention is to furnish in this chapter some practical hints concerning such a graded course in Cornposition-vVriting
as may profitaLly be pursued in connection with the. study of
American classics. It must Le evident that only an outline of the
plan can be given within the limits of a single chapt~r .. ~ach
teach er is expected to adapt the work to the needs of her md1vidual
pupils, according to her own best judgment.
.
..
1t will Le noticed tlrnt the plan calls for but httle ongmal work
during the first year. The wisdom of this arra11g~ment .will dot~Lt,­
less be apparent to all who have had any experience m teaclung
pupils from fourteen to sixteen years of age. The simple.announcement that a composition of so many pages, upon a particular su~­
ject, must be handed in upon a certain day in the near future is
enough to cast a gloom over the sunniest school-room.
If we inquire why this is so, we shall probably find that the
chief reasons are the following: 1. The pupils have few ideas of their own.

2. They are now old enough to realize the crudeness of their
own thoughts as compared with the thoughts of their el~ers. , As
a natural consequence, expression is less spontaneous with them
than it was when they were younger. The ideas which they have
seem to them not worth presenting.
3. They have but little command of words. The narrow limits
of their vocabularies prevent their making a wise use of the help
which they might otherwise, and very properly, get from books .
. They know that they should not copy the author's words, yet do
not ~mderstand how to clothe the thought in a new dress. ·

-~-~---------

-

-,....

C01\ll'OSITIO~-WlUTING.

280

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

~ Tt is, safe
. '. t o say tl. iat HO one will Le snc '
,
Compos1L10n who cannot l
']_
cessfol ,ts a tcacl1 cr of
c CflM Y the work v] · } I
ie c ass.
She should b bl
' nc l s ie exacts from
1
tl
i.
e a e not merely t
ll tl
uut to show them how • A l'ttl
I
o
i
e 1elp f ti te
· l · iem how to write'
places will rob composition-writin
o
us .nnd over the hard
Most of tl
. ·
.
g of many of its terrors.
.
te exercises wl11 ch arc qnotc<l as e
.
.
by pupils, aiHl appear "wit lt l l iJ • •
xan1pl es were wnLLcn
"
'J'
,
a
~
w
n·
i 1111)erfcct'
11
.
1
10111.
- hey arc to i.
.
1
. ionR . ' i1c c u11011
tl
.
'
ue iegan C<l ' not 's
"t
I but as helps Lo
the bcgmner.
mo <l es,

°

. "Suggestions" ti 11.oug·l10ut the ch apt
The
servweable to young teachers.
' er

·u
WI

'

. .

it

IS

hoped, be

GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE PREPAR
' - ATION O.F
COMPOSlTlON EXERCISES.

1. '\Vriting-Matcrials. - U,
.
mercia.l Note size rathe. tl. fse wlnte paper of Com. 1
' <
1
ia,u ancy note pa
W
P1am y, with blaclc ink.
- c per.
rite

W nte
·
• 2. The Stt-..J·
u cc t · the
·
~ubJect
on the first
lme, which is commonl 1 t
the top of the p'tge
~
JOU an mch and a half from
• .
rrnuge the snLJ·ect
tl
spaces at the right and 1 ft f .
so mt the
with capitals all th; irn1)oe1·t o tit_ shdall. be equal. Begin
t1
an wor s m tl
b.
18 nouns, pronouns vc ·b
]' .
18 su Ject, '
I s, ac Jectives, and adverbs . .

1.

Leave one blauk line
after the subject. Upou the next line below, one inch
from tho left-ha.nd edge of the paper, begin to write
3. Place of

It ~s, therefore, reco111rne11<l c<l t-ltat th. .
attent10n l>e lkvuLell mai11ly Lo the ' .', , . 1011~liont the fin;!; year
constant a11<l varied P'" , t.'
f
.1 cp1.o<lucl.1011 of tho11ght.
Uy
.w ice o tl11s klllu ti
.1
, _. .
.
eau til ul and rnterestiu 0 • ,
ie pup1 s learn how
• · '
.
o even co111111ou Unng
L
Y a skillful word-painter 'l'l .
s appear when sketched
b . 1
'
.
ieir own po>ve . £ b
.
qmc rnne<l by noticing the results f .
is o o servat1011 are
others. Ingenuity accurnc
o the careful observation of
oped. The taste i; ednca~e~' ~n~ a1~~1_'.ess of expression are <lcveland g raceful diction. AL 1 y ' cr tt1~al s.tudy of cultured idiom
'l .
ltltl ant rnatenal JS
. l cl
pup1 IS 11ot at the o I t l'
' . prov1c e ' so that the
.
'
ll ,se ' < iscour·tg·e<l b
I
.
wnte."
·
'
Y mv111g "11othi11g to

281

Bcg·iuuing. -

the body of the composition.
13egiu each new paragraph one inch
from the left-hand edge of the sheet. On all other
lines leave a uniform margin of half an inch at the
lcft-1rnllt1' side. Leave no margin at the right of the
page. J?cginners, who ftnd it difficult to keep the mar·
gins u11ifon11, may lie n.11owcd to rule lightly two peucil
lines to serve as guilles. Draw the lines parallel to
the ,edge aml at the distances mentioned. Erase the
lines careful1y before the composition is handed to the
4. :Margins. -

teacher.

u. Paragraphs.-· Group in one paragraph the sentences which arc most closely relateu to one another.
For example, if the suliject is " Books," include in one
pa.ragraph all that you have to write upon the topic
"Ancient Books"; in another, your thoughts on "Good
Books," etc. Do not a.rrnnge each sentence as if it
were a paragraph. Take up a book and notice the
margins at the beginning of paragraphs and the spaces
between sentences. Notice, also, what an a.d vantage it
is to have a page of reading broken into paragraphs.
Begin the composition on the first or
outside page and leave the fomth page blank. If you
have more tlrnn lhree pltgc8, wrilc the fourLh page 011 a
new sheet, which should be placed inside the first one.
Number the pages at the top, if the composition is a
long one. vV rite your name a.t the top of each new
(j,

Pages. -

283

COMPOSITlON-WlUTlNG.

282

L.ESSONS JN ENGLISH.

COJ\ LPOSlTION.
1

she~t

after the first. Tho te< ,1 . . .
vemencc if the papen; hoc . ac 1.e1 will fmd th is a, conconecting them. .
ome drnc.inauged while she is

FrnsT YEAR·
Divisions of the Subject. -

7. Closing._ Do JJot ·l
apology for lmvina
:tt e osc ~ composition with an
o wu on so httl
-o make the last sentc1 ·' . £··
.
c or so poorly. Try
tfi · 1
ice ,i orc1Ll.,
·
. m::; ied, stop. Do uot 'ttlcl "F' . ,e one, and when it is
nus ' or " The E 1 "
,

·r·I·.i.v1110·
.

8. FoJdhw.
,..,

accunliug to dirneLiurn:;

u s

11<...

f i'l "-1· ig n<l tl, in Hl1eet.'< care l'11ll )r
' o <.. t w paper o11ce-l0ri.g.'th .. '
'l l'l "ll

'

wise.

.
uperscription. - T·tkill
aud opeuiug it "S i'f t
~ g up the
folded exerc1'se
"
0 rertu the f .
half of the bl"ul1 lc outt:1tle
.
· ll
a e llSt
. pa~·e,
·- notice w lnc
hand. Upon thi ] lf
Y g is towards your left
8
,ust
. hue
.
rn
,
wnte
tl
. .
about a . 1
ie superscnpt10n the
1
',
, n me l antl a half f.
-.
'
page. Ihe superscri1>t1'011 l10 11 b io.m the top of the
S b·
s u l ·e
tl
·
·
u JC Ct, Name, and Dat e,. f u1. example:
m - iree lmes. --

r!i'IJ.,8

1
acu1Ia11A,,<.:u; uv o-J,O' ell vcv7t;n9
<on9tuvA.
1 ..

t

({!Juvduv

1

A ,

,

c:-

,

a~·e

to be considered.

.First. The Thought.

They arc : -

Second. The Expression.

The first is, of course, the more important. \V'lmt
we ~:my is uf 1110rc eu11seqncnco than how we say it.
Nevertheless, in stmlying Composition, we shall reverse
this urder and corn;ider first, Expression ; bectrnse we
shall find it easier to rut into other words the bright
·and gooll and bea.utiful thoughts of other reople, than
to create such thoughts for ourselves.
H.EPRODUCTION.

Any expression of tinother's thoughts in our own
words is a Reproduction. It rn~1y be only a phrase, a
clause, or a sentence; and, on the other lmnd, it may be
a

/?. ;flcJ
vo'oJ-VLQ;o.n,

l~rng

story or essay.

There arc three spc·
cial forms of Reproduction, - Paraphrase, Abstract, and
Va1·ictics of ltcprotlnction. -

l Jhiy f!O I 8 c5'1

.
. '.
D o not. write on tl- LC outside " c .
teacher will umlerstm1cl tl t
. ompos1t1on." y om
.
m you rntend it for one.
· - 1 O. In Genet"·"I · - W n·te
·
If erasures are nee
,
nea tl y, without
flourishes

w1~ttsea1.y,

tion, two things

In all written composi-

pen~

ml11ke them with a shar11
knife. Do uot
i·
111 a wve tl
you have carelessly
'tt 1 . ie Ille words which
om 1 Cl
Co .
11
.
..
ag:un may teach yot t b ·
pyrng t 0 exercise
1 0
0
tl ia t I't . is
· disrespectful
·
ca're f u1. Hemember
t I more
l
or sen··bbl ed exercise. o rnut. to Jvou 1. t eac Iier a soiled

Amplification.
PARAPHRASE.

A Paraphrase is a reproduction in which the same

thought is expresset.l in equivalent words. If the
original artic1e be written in verse, the thought expressed in prose is a paraphrase. Retaining the origi·
nal thought, we change the style by substituting our
own expressions for the author's. A paraphrase is.

284
LESSONS JN ENGLISH.
COMPOS lT LON-WRITING.

therefore
.
' a sort of translatio 11 f. -m to our own.
iom another's speech

word, imitating closely the author's construction. We
may sometimes secure variety by changing from the
form of-indirect discourse to that of conversation, or
we may change a declarative sentence to the interrogative or the exclama~ory form.

. Ex. From his 1rn lf-itiucr·wt lif 1
rng gazette.
' ·
c, IC was a sort of walkParapl. ·
.
, ll ase. - Uc spcut near! 1 If .
.
from 11ousc to house "' I
IL y la lus tune in goina ·tbout
' " H so to hcc·u
l.
n ·n ewspaper.
, no a uuu of travclliuob

How to Write

285

Cautious.

f>

1. Be careful not to keep the words of the author
except whore it is unavoidable. The best paraphrase
is that \vhich most closely follows the tlwu,qlit of the
original, while bearing the least resembla11ce to it in

a -- ara11hrasc .

. ~· Head the seloction carefull
.
_Y'
loolrn ig up tho defillltiou of any word , 1
- N wse moamug· ·,
y ou must understand
. t-1
is uut clear to you.
-1
'
exac Y what tl
Lefo1.e you und ertake
to ex .
. ie au t 101' 1neans
uses figurative langua()'
, pies~ Ins thought. If he
alJlc to gi Ve the same ~t' S~lld~ !HS figures SO as to be
2 'l' J •
- - ca rn Jl am laJJguago.
. a nug one sentence or if it b
grap11 ~t a time, make a list 'of thee a s~or~, one para.
exp1ess1011s which
you WJSh to vary 1'l
.
c
•
1ere will 1
d
wor s which you cannot I
1~cessan1y be some
sense. A little study ,v·11 c]iange without spoilii1g the
l
S 10W yo
J· J
p h rases may safely !Jo "I . 1
u w 11c 1 words and
3 '
1lHJl8 atou."
. Select otlrnr words arnl l . ,
those on your Ifat. 1'1- D" l~ uases to substitute for
ti ns.
.
Try to select t-1 ie
b ict10nary
,_ . w1·11 1ielp you in
1
10 est word
T 1 ·
w 1ether the word will fit ; .
a rn tune to think
I rn to the IJlac
. 11 you in. to occupy.
t enc1 1t
e w 1uc

form.

2·. Do not assume that you have only to substitute
the definition of a word for the word itself. Ludicrous _
effects are sometimes produced m this way; as for
example, the following: Irvi'?g: - " The foxglove hang its blossoms about the
nameless urn."
Paraphrase: - ''The handsome biennial plant droop its
flowers around the vessel of varz'.ous forms without a name."

3. In changing poetry to prose, carefully avoid any
suggestion of rhyme. A void also the use of such words
as morn, eve, o'er, ere, niethinlcs, etc., and such inverted
constructions as are peculiar to poetry.
The Study of Synonyms. - Exercise in Paraphrase
necessarily involves some general knowledge of synonyms. (See "Precision," Chap. VI.) If there are several words which have nearly the same meaning, we
cannot invariably substitute any one of them for any
other without spoiling the sense. We need to learn,
there~ore, the exact meaning of each word.

. 4. Reproduce the select·1011 I .
· . t IS pro
· trnnslatmg f l'Olll a forojg 11 J· .
: per 111
rLllg llrtrro lU to
w Jiat fa called "a f.
t.
b •
our own, to make
l ee i an sln t1011 " 0 l
.
t} 10 expression out . 1
tl
'
rnngrng not merely
1
1. d
'
so te Const. t"
nn of translation, we sl I I , I uc ion. So, ju this
IOU c not p~traphrase word by
L

'

I

rt

286

@tf

LESSONS lN ENGLISH.
CO.Ml'OSlT lON- WlUTI NG.

This
kind of lleproduction fumishes excelleut practice m
writiIJg.
Advantages of Exercise in Para1,I1rasing. -

. d by the class · After a little practice
read and en•t·icise
i·
f
the
teacher
may
distribute
to
the
class
s
ips
o
.
1
.
l
h
of t is rmc'
'
f
tb
rom e
paper on eac 11 Of W hich she has written a sentencef th
e sen' E<'ach pu11il then writes his paraphrase o
1
esson.
<
h
·u view
to
.
I.
If the sentences are c osen w1 1 a
. intercstin(J' as well
tence given mn.
.· t the exercise may be made very
~
v:n Le y'
.
ocluctwn
t
l
,
le
Insist
?Lpon
pr01nptness
in
repr
.
.
as pro f 1 au ·
.

1. It teaches us to notice how words are used by
careful writers. It often l1appe11s that we have to let a
word or a phrase stand just as it is in tlie original, because tl1e author has choseu the Lest possible expression
for his thought.

The following are examples of sentences which have
Leen usctl in such au exercise: .
.

2. lt i11<.;rcascs L11c 11u11i!Jcr of words at our coum1and.
If we learn three ways of expressi11g an idea where we
knew only Olle Lefore, we <tre richer by just so much.

was not inapplicable to his
" The cognomen Of Cl·n11e
••

"

pe~·~~l~~c

3. It enables us to make a proper use of auotlier's
thought in our own writi11gs.

" Like an awakened conscience, th e sea was moaning and

Suggestion. - The teacher may select from the lesson for
the day certain expressious for the class to paraphrase. This
slwul<l be a feature of every literature lesson. Three or four
pt!pils may be called upon to reproduce the same thoug~1t,
the class deciding which is tlrn best form. It is well to begin
with short extracts; as, for cxa111plc : "strode with a martial air."

-

"an insuperalJle aversion to all kinds of profitable
labor."

-

"the general purport of this legendary superstition."
"rusi>et beard flaked with patches of snow."

tossing;
f th
Beating remorseful ancl 1ond the mutable sands o
e
sea-shore."
.
" Once more he cudgelled the sides of the i.nfle.x1ble G m.1pow d er,. an. d , shutting his eyes, broke forth with mvolunta1y
fervor into n psalm-tune."
"And dread Olympus at his will
Became a huckleberry hill."
II. Extendecl Paraphrase.

A paragraph of prose or a stanz~ of poet~·Y_ may now
b e repro d uce d · Remember to avoid the ongmal forms
of expression.

WRITTEN EXEROISES.
I. Short Paraphrases.

Suggestion . - At first only a single sentence should be
assigned for the writing. The paraphrases may then be

idol of to-day pushes the hero of yesterday .out of

in turn, be supplanted by lus sucrecollection ; "'n11d . mill,
"
cessor of to-morrow. "

ORAL EXERCISE.

-

287

APPROPRIATE SELECTIONS.

..

The opening lines of " R ip
. y an Winkle," containing Irving's
description of the Catskills.
Ichabod Crane's School-Room.

-

-- ~------"'!!!!!!'!!.!'---

288

U~SSONS JN IrnGLlSH.

COMPOSITION-WRITING.

~he closi~1g p~ragraph

of "Wes tminster Abbe "

.I he open mg Imes of "Tl , (' . . .
. y.
A A
.
..
. w ,01utsl11p of Mtl<'s Stai <l' I ,,
n ugust N oo11 fro1 J>. I 1
. "· " ' JS I.
Tho M . . .
' . n . 'c II< c to "Alll o11g j,Jte lJ ills."

The

M~:~c11~~ ~f tei~t~1e Sn ow-Storm, from
1e

''Snow-Bound."
igan, from "Westminster Abb "
e~

Tl
M"
le
. iscellaneous Exercises at tl
1
.
chapter on Figures of S
I
.
le c ose of the
for exercises of tl ·
lpeec" 1 will fur 11 ish material
.rng extracts :_ us 1-..me . Ii or ex·<Llllp1e, ti·ie followT

289

.

20 59 ~a 57 r.
•
• :, - ,, o , , o8, Gd, 7o, 7o, 7!J, 81, 85 so '

')

.

!JIJ, !J1, DS, 101, 105, 107 108 111' J •> ) 1'
',uo, !JJ , !J_, !J,~, !J1, D5,
HD .
'
' .. '• -< ' ~H, Ul' lilJ' l ;J <i ' l 'tO
.. ' 14r.o,
A stanza from " The .I>sal
. f L'f
< Ill 0
1 e " 0 • " Tl
B .
·

'

1

ie

mlders."

III. Paratlbrasc of p. oc1ns.

The following arc son10 of l
t lC poems which may be
used for this exercise : _
LONGFELL OW.

Resignation.
The Builders.
:~he L~d der of St. Augustine.
Ihe Village Blacksmith.
'l'li e lJay is Done.
Charles Sumner.
Travels by the Fireside.
In the Churchva1·cl
at 1'arry t·own.
J
'
Last four stanzas of "The Golden M"l t
"
The Children's Hour.
I es one.
Something Left Undone.
Aftermath.
Description of "Tlic W·.tys1"<l e 1nn."

W Ill'l'TIER.
The Frost Spirit.
A Dream of Summer.

The Angel of Patience.
The II trnkers.
The Pumpkin.
Gone.
Seed-Time and Harvest.
The Barefoot Boy.
Parts of the '' Last "Valk in Autumn."
Skipper Ireson's Hide.
The Pipes at Lucknow.
The Hed River Voyagem.
Lines for the Agi-icultural Exhibition at Amesbury.
·The Changeling.
The Robin.
ABSTRACT .

An Abstract is a condensed statement of another's

thought. The most important ideas are presented and
in the same order as in the original, but the details are
omitted. A condensed report of a lecture or a sermon
is an abstract. It differs from Outline in being expressed in complete sentences.
Ex. " In the old clays (a custom laid aside
With ureeches itml cockecl hats) tho people sent
Their wisest meu to make the public laws;
And so, from a brown homestead, where the Sound
Drinks the 'small tribute of the Mianas,
Waved over by the woods of Rippowams,
And hallowed by pure lives and tranquil deaths,
Stamford sent up to the councils of the State
·wisdom and grace in Abraham Davenport." lVhittie1'.

Abstract. -More than a hundred years ago, it was the cu8tom to choose the wisest men to make the laws; so Stamford
sent Abraham Davenport to the Legislature.

r

i
I

290

f,ESSONS IN ENGLISH.
COMPOSITION-WRITING.

This tells wlio was sent, from where, to where, when,
and why. If we atTange these points iu the proper
order, we shall have an Outline.
1. When.
3. From where.
5. To where.
2. Why.
4. 1Vho.

29i

h . A verv common mistake, in
afford to devote to eac . . tl ut of reproducing too
··t·
f Abstracts, is m
k'
the wn
rng oin the early pai-t 0 f the work
and ma mg
many
details
d
condense ·
the last part very muc h more
.
t ces
sen of
en the'
Express clearly, de fi m. t e1y, in complete ach
·
.
_
ish to say upon e(
but concisely, ""hat you wd d
t borrow the author's
t .
A void rhyme, an
o no
.
op1cs.
t
1
re
it
is
mrnvoidaLlc.
language oxccp w 18
.
4

Advantages Derived from Practice in Writing
Abstracts. -- The cJ1ief benefit of Uris kind of rcpro<luctiou is tlrnt it teaches us to select the really irnpor- .
tant ideas from the article which we 1iave to condense.
It helps us, too, to see clearly the relations between
different parts of a sketch or story. A third advantage
is that it helps us to cu ltivate a clear, concise, and
forcible style. Young writers are likely to use too
many words to express an idea. For this reason, practice in writing abstracts is of special importance in the
early part of our work in Composition.
How to "\VI"ite an Absti·act.

1. Read carefully the whole of the sketch or story
or poem which you liave to condense. Be sure that
you understand the relation of parts and the order of
events, so that you can tell the whole story to a friend
who asks what you have Leen reauiug.
2. Make an Outline of the story. This should be
brief, consisting of not more tlian five or six topics or
heads, expressed as concisely as possible. Take care
to select the most important topics and to anange them
in the right order.
3. Consider the relative importance of the topics,
and decide about how much time and space you can

EXERCISE IN WRITING ABSTRACTS.
I; Co1\llense a

long sentence.

. · hill
l ' t of CUl'lOSl
'
. 'tY succee(led anothe1 '
Ex. Thus oneml
o )jec
d
fl'tt
d
by
me
like
the
shiftiug
woodbn 1 e
valley' stream' a ·· lantern, aud OJle train
L of thought gave
scenes of a mag~c <
th in the after part of tlie day'
Place to another till, at leng '
. of fine old trees
b d and shady avenue
we entered the roa
. f Rouen and a few moments
J
t tl western gate o
'
which leans o lie t . the crow(ts
J
an d confusion of its .narrow
aftcnvar<l were os rn,, The Norman D'ligence
" Longfellow.
l
·
streets .
.
·ure
l.1otice that the most
Maldng ti ic 011tl11tc.vv
important topics are tl. ie following: 1. What we saw.
2. When we arrived.

3. Jn what place.
4. How our journey ended.

If we wish to make the outline st1·11 more concise, we
may write it in this way: 1 What.
2.· When.

3 . vVhere.
4 · How.

. and the thoughts suggested
The Abstract. -The scene1y Lt . tl·1e day we passed
'
.
c1mug ed · La e m
by it contmually

-

292

ac:

. ...

..

'

.

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

COMPOSITION-WRITING.

through a shady street leading to the gate of Ronen. We
were soon ucwil<lcrcd iu the cramped an<l crowded thoroughfares of toe city.
II. 'Vritc an Ahstract from a Jl:uagra1»h or frou1 a
short anectlote.

Suggestion. -Pupils may decide what topics to select, the
teaclier guiding the selection, expression, and arrangement.
Or, each pupil may make .liis own 011tlinc, an1l the class may
<lecide which is the Lest, all using that one as the basis of
the abstract.

Paragraphs for this exercise may be selected from
the reading books. Short anecdotes from "The Youth's
Companion " furuish excellent material for the writi 11 g
of Abstracts.
General directions for Outlines of longer selections.

1. Select but a few general topics.
subdivided if necessary.

The teacher ma~, however, find it profitable to vary the style
of selections, choosing occasionally a good story from " S~;
Nicholas" or "vVide Awake," "Harper's Young People,
. "
1 Compamon.
or" The Yout1'a
The first exercise of this kiml shoul<l be written in class.
Select a story with which all are familiar. Let pupils dictate
as to choice, form, and arrangement of topics, and the space
to be devoted to each. Then let each topic in turn be
developed by the class.

The following outline for "Rip Van Winkle " was
prepared in this way: -

2. Express each topic briefly, but definitely.
3. See that the list of topics includes the whole subject, without repetition of the same thought in two or
more of them.
5. Whenever possible, select for your first topic what
will make a suitable Iutro<luction; and for the last one
:Which will be a good Co11clusion. The intervenin~ topics may be called tlie Discussion.
III. 1Vl'lte an Abstract of a sto1·y told in either J.>rose
or irnetry.

Suggestion. - The story should commonly be selected
from one of the authors whose works are studied in class.

l
r

I. Introduction.

These may be

4. Arrange the topics carefully.

293

II. Discussion.

Ill. Conclusion .

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Where - village, houses.
Who - ancestors, character.
Family- wife, children.
.·
Farm -former and present condition.
Occupations - amusing children,
attending to busi11ess of
others,
gossiping at the inn.

6. Expedition - why, when, where.
7. vVhat He Saw - strange acquaintance,
amphitheatre.
8. What He Did - the flagon, its effects.
9. Awakening - dog, gun, feelings.
10. Return - homeward way, the house,
the inn, the people,
his reception, perplexity, recognition,
his daughter, his wife.
11. Later Life - where, occupations.
{ 12. Fame - influence of the story. ·

This may be condensed, combining, for example, topics
!>}So 11 and 12 ,· 1, 2, 4, and 5.
..

"u, 7 ' a11cl 8 J·

·==

r

294

LESSONS IN ENGMSit.
COMPOSITION-WRITING.

SUBJECTS FOR AilSTHACTS.

Biography. - The writing of Biography may properly be included under Abstract, .since we must, of
necessity, condense the story of an author's life, as
told by others.

IRVING.

The Adventures of Ichabod C.
iane,

. .
1'lie Q mltmg
Bee.

Rip Van Winkle's Awakening.

Advantages. - Besides fixing in our minds the main
incidents in the life of an author, this kind of reproduction affords good practice in the making of Outlines.

LONUJ•'J<;f~J-O"W.

Priscilla's 'Y edding.
The Lovcr'1> Errand.
The
·11~
TI Hliml Uirl of Castel-"
VU! ~
1
: '~Trnck of the Hesperus.
Ram 1n Summer.
The Emperor's Bird's-Nest.

If we examine the sketch of Irving's
life, as given in Chapter XL, we shall notice that it is
au Abstract, the outline being made up of the topics
which are given as headings. Having written this in
the. form of an Outline, let us see if we can make any
chauges in the order of topics. We notice at once that
there is no Introduction or Conclusion; so those may
be supplied. We may properly .make some mention
of his works before we reach the end of the sketch of
his life. We may even refer to his death before we say
anything about his boyhood. . Biographical sketches of
prominent men who have recently passed away often
open with a reference to the death, since it is that
event which calls public attention to the life. Notice
whether it is possible to combine any two topics. Stipply omitted topics, such as Personal Appearance, Character, etc.
The Outline. -

Sandalphon.

Paul Uevere's Hide.
The Bell of Atri.
Kambalu.
Lady vVe11tworth.
The Monk of Casal-1\faggiore.
The Leap of Roushan Beg.
VVHI'l'TIER.

The Quaker Household.
Farm-Life in Winter.
Tl ic C,arn1:>011
·
of Cape Ann.
The Prophecy of Samuel Sewall.
The Swan Song of J>arson Avery
•
Cobbler Keezar's Vision.
~he Wreck of Rivermouth.
1he Brother of Mercy.
Kallundborg Church.
Kiug Sololllo11 aud the Ants.
The Legend of St. Mark.
April.
Katl1 leen.
Mary Garvin.
The Witch's Daughter.
The Well of Loch Maree.

295

' .

I'

,•
.'

.

.... ,

Suggestion. - The teacher may direct pupils in the reconstruction of this Outline, so as to make one which shall give
the events in order of time. This is a valuable exercise,
since in this way pupils learn to associate the works of an
author with persons and places and events.

Nothing is more monotonous
than a series of biographies all of which begin with,
The Introduction. -

296

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

"vVashington Irving was .Lorn in New York April 3
178~." Study variety of expression, with ~ view t~
makrng a pleasing Introduction. We realize how im~ortant fi~·st impressions are. Perhaps you have sometimes decided not to read what had been recommended
to you as a good book, simply because you do not like
the '~~~in which it Legins. You cannot " get interested m_.the story. You. will understand, then, why
we must tiy ~o lmve sornetlrn1g fresh alld iuteresting for
the. first topic. Let us notice some of the ways in
wluch we may begin a sketch of Irving's life.
. 1. Near tl1.e bnnks of the Hudson Hiver, iu the pleasant

village of Irvmgton, stands a quaint stoue cottage built in
the Dutch style and overoTown with ivy M
t
l
.,,
.
any a rave er
stops to gaze at tlte house, and many a question is asked of
the townspeople concerning tile former owner of the estate.
We, too, shall be interested to know more of the {)lace. f .
·
·a e," the home of Washington Irving. , 01
th'is is
· "S unnys1
2. Once upon a time, there was a little boy who couldn't
h~ve as r~uch fun a~ he wished, simply because all the people
mound b1m entcrtamcd very strict ideas 'ts to l
· •
lOW J'OlllJD'
people should behave. This poor Ind, for whom I Iiave :
great de~l of sympathy, was the youngest of eleven children. His name was 'Yashingtou Irviug.
3. An old lady once made the remark "Yes George
'Vashington was a great man, but I nev~r knew' a child
named after him that amounted to a row of pins."
"Why, Grandma," said a gentle voice, "you mnst have
forgotten W ashingt.ou Irving. I'm sure he was a worth
namesake."
y
" Irving?" said the old lady' " the only Irving that I
know anything about i tb t 1
s
a pay-actor, and his name's

COMPOSITION-WRITING.

297

Henry. Do tell us who Washington Irving is and what he's
done!"
Conclusion. - Careful attention should be paid to
the Co11clusion. At any entertainment, we expect the
best things to come at the end of the programme,
because the mind naturally liugers upon what comes
last. So in the writing, we should aim to make the last
paragraph the most effective one. In this, as in the
Introduction, try to Le, to some extent, original. Do not
write just what everybody else would be likely to write.
As has been suggested, it is not necessary that the
concluding topic be "Death and Burial." "Character,"
"Fame," and "Influence of His Writings" are appropriate topics for the Conclusion.

Suggestion. - In the same way, the biograpliies of Longfellow and Whittier may be reproduced.

Write a sketch of your own life,
making the Outline first. The following autobiography
will furnish some hints concerning choice of topics.
,. Autobiography. -

MY BIOGRAPHY.

'
Fearing that some of the most important events of my
life will never be presented to the public if I leave the task
of writing them to other persons, I have decided to write. my
biography myself, in order that none of the incidents of my
life may escape the public notice.
.
As some disputes may arise among future biographers, in
reference to my birth-place, it may be well to inform any
who feel interested, that the city of Bridgeport was so
honored, although the greater portion of my life has been
passed in our beautiful "City of Elms."

-298

COMl'OSLTlON-WRITING.

299

LESSONS n; ENGLlSH.

lt was about this time that I attended my first party.

I ~1ave no remembrance of the first two or three
my hfe, but I presume that I had m f, . . 1.
.
years of
troubles an cl pleasur
Y .tu P oportwn of baby
'
es am1 swnllowe<l ti ,
1
catni1J-tea all'l. . sootllt' ng-syrnp.
ie usua quantitv of
J
hol\~y mother says that I was good when l was oun
I
p I was, but am afraid th·tt I 1
y
g.
it. . . .
·
iave got bravely o~·er
vVhen I was five years old I
where I learn ed t ~ d ' . commenced to attend school
o iea , wnte spell ·m l
W
'
l)"t
·
<. on
cd
nesday
'
'
n.fternoons to um]{e
'
.,, C1IWOL'{
1•
1 flllll '
were fifteen scholars iu the school .bu . . pm ells uons. There
in the lowest class 'l'I
. , t only two lJe~ides myself
.
• ·
1ese two were bo
, 1 .
.
mm was to lJe . little ·
ys, .tU( my highest
1
1
Reader.
,
iu al vauee of them in Lovell's First
We did not have sucli recesses as we
tiptoe down stairs talre
'ff f '
do here , where ·we
'
'
" a sni - o fresl · ·
d ·
again, all in five mim1tes. b 11 t t I I an,
an tiptoe back
' '
a e even 0 ' 0 l 1
ont into the y ·d . d
oc {, we rushed
a1 an amused oursel .
t'l
1
twelve
lVi 1 - 1
- ves un
a quarter of
.
e p n.J en ''May-pole " 'ml ' . M ' 'G.
.
and the boys lJl"yec.l . bl
· ' ( · iss :,1 mia Jones,"
"
mar es and b ll
d
descended to t•tke the
·t f,
a ' an sometimes con.
.
•
pa1 o " man of the l
"
.
tassist us m our house -Irnepmg
arrangements wuse,
S
t ' and
oo, the boys were Intl'
omc
imes,
·
1
consisting of six 01.' se,::ns, .'~1 io nttnc~rnd a travcl.ing party
d 11
11 gu s, two kittens a .
w 1mtever else we could find that wo
' ' mg o ' and
aucl althouah tliere was
l
uld answer the purpose ;
::::>
no oss of life in ti
1. .
iese s unmshes,
t 1iere was no lack of noise The . .
to perfection and macl
. .
y imitated the war-whoop
· -< e a noise resembling th
.
.
'
.
e wai-drums
b y Jnmpmg on the cellar j . .
frightened out of our
c oors ' and we pretended to be
senses, and begged for 1
f
SC vcs n.nd Olll' chil(l1·c1i ur] • I. f
.- nercy or ourI
' " ll(' l 'lVOl' ti
I l'
to grant doubtless .
b, . '
tc Ile. mus couscnted
'
iemem enng that "d'
t'
better part of valor " and tl t 1'f ti ,
tscre ion is the
'
ta
iey were to
would be reported to the teacher.
o savage, they

The
girls were all in a flutter of excitement, and held numerous
whispered conferences, but succeeded admirably in keeping
the victim of the surprise in ignorance of their -plans. I
could scarcely wait until the evening came; but it did come
at last, and I went, wondering what the party would be like,
and whether I should enjoy myself or not.
My father was to come for me at nine, and until that time
games were pbyed, and then supper was announced. I
remembered my mother's injunction, and ate just a very little
of the cakes and candies. I well remember telling my father
when he came that 1 " couldn't go home until the party was
out," which unsophisticated remark greatly amused some
ladies who overheard it.
I soon left that part of the city, and parted from my
friends and schoolmates, to form other acquaintances and
find other friends in new circles. Some of those little friends
whom I left then, have now become, in their own eyes,
youug ladies, and have entirely forgotten me; some have
left th~ city, and I have lost sight of them, and a few have
been taken by death; but from whatever cause it may be,
we are separated forever, as a school, and we shall no more
" keep house " in the woodshed, no more play Indian massacre on the cellar doors- together.
But in my new home I found ~ew friends, who gradually
took the places of my former companions ; and although I
did not entirely forget my associates, I ceased to miss them.
I now attended a public school, which I found very pleasant,
and in which I made great improvement.
As my illustrious career in this institution will soon close,
and ns some of the particular poiuts of my life's history h::i.ve
now been given to the world, I think I may safely leave the
rest with my biographer, hoping that he will not permit this
history of my early years to perish.

300

COMl'OSlTlON-WRl'rlNG.

LESSONS lN ENG LlSH.

.
- to develop the meaning in our
them out more fully .1 .
. c1'l slretch which some
t · l1'l e t·1 nng a pen
,..
I
own way.
· lS 1.: < d . d . g from it a finished
1
ade an pro ucrn
to the colors and tones,
t
one else 1as m
'
picture, usiug our own tas e as
the lights and shaues.

AMPLIFICATION.

Amplification is the opposite of ALstract. An Amplification is an expanded statement of another's thought.
Things left unsaid or only hinted at in the original are
fully and positively expressed in the Amplification.
The details are carefully given and the imagination is
allowed free play.
Ex. A ship was lost at sea.
Amplification. - Many ycrrrs ago, on a beautiful September morning, a ship sailed out of the harbor of New York,
bound for the East Indies. She was loaded with the prodUQts of American industry and was expected to bring back
a cargo of coffee and spices. The c::iptain was ::i young man
full of energy and ambition. He was the ouly son of a widowed mother . On bo::ird were two passengers, a boy and a
girl, the children of a missionary in Indi::i. They had been
at school in America, bnt lrnd been summoned to their distant
home by the news that their mother grieved so sorely over
the separation from her children that her life was in danger.
The days sped on ::ind lengthened into weeks, but the good
ship <lid not reach her port. Months p::isseu, but no tidings
of the missing vessel came to either shore. On one side, an
aged woman, watching for a s::iil that never came, cried to
the sea, "Bring back my boy." On the other side, a dying
mother moaned, "Give lmck my dear ones." nnt the sea
gave no sign. Years have rolled away, and both mothers .
have gone where there is " no more sea" ; but still the waves
hide their cruel secret.

All vantages of Amplification. - The chief advantage of Amplification is tha,t it is a step towards original
composition. It suggests ideas and leaves us to think

301

How to Amplify a Selection.
..
t'l
you
are
so
fannlf 11
1 . .
.
1. . R ead the selection ca.re u y un
t 11 it ll1 your own
iar with the story that you can e

J

words.
· 'd t f
.
d ·l r1 t of the points or 111Cl en s 0
2. vVnte an or er Y s
the story as told by the author.
.
r t f the things which are omitted; as,
of person, occupation,
3. Make a is 0 .
for example, place, tune, nalme. . dent consequences,
'
t leading to t rn rnc1
. . this way whatever the
history, even s
1
conclusion. Try to su~t ~ i~1gination of the reader.
oriQ"inal story leaves to rn ima
l'
~
. i· t make a complete Out rne,
.
4 From the two is s, '
. . ng the directions previously given.
· Ol )Servi
.
·
. with reference to relat1 ve untl
l
5 . Study the 0.u .me
d 'd cide about how muc 1
portance of the topics, an
e
s )ace to devote to each.
I
. . the best words at your com6. Expand each ~od~1c i~rn forms of expression in the
mand, carefully avoi mg
original.
.
.
t the topics m such a manner
7. Ile careful to connec
<l' . . t d Re·id over
'
hall not seem lSJOlll e .
that the story s .
ticin whether the transition
what you have written, no
g
b
t If it does
to ic to another seems a rup .
.'
~~:\no~~ tryp to connect the parts more smoothly. This

302

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

COMPOS lTION-WRlTlNG.

may often be doue by usiug such expressions as "nevertheless," "011 the other han<l," "meanwhile," "however," "in spite of all this," "and so."

303

Any of the following extracts from the Examples of Figures
nmy be assigned for amplification: 13, 43, 62, 79, 81, 96, 100, 105, 110, 119, 127, 132, 133, 136, 148,
149.

EXERCISE IN AMPLIFIOATION.
III. Amplify a· Story told in Poetry.

I. Amplify a Sentence.

Specimen of Reproduction of this kind : -

Suggestion. -The teacher should question pupils regarding the successive steps in making the Uutliuc. Let the
class make the selection of topics, the teacher writing them
upon the blackboanl iu the order named. The arrnuo·emcnt
0
may then be criticised n11d corrected. Let the whole class
write from the same outline. The reproductions may be
read aloud, in order to see how different stories may be produced from the same list of topics.
·

T1rn OLD KNIGII'r's T1mAsunE.

The original poem, by Henry .Morford, may be found in Baker's
Premium Speaker, Part IV. p. 57.

EXAllli>LES OF SENTENCES.

A kitten went to school.
A man was aecideutally killed.
A little boy saved his father.
Spring is coming.
"Make hay while the sun shines."
The king walked through the city in disguise.
"A stone that is flt for the wall is never left in the way."
From Miscellaneous Examples of Figures, the following
extracts: 1, 10, 14, 17, 20, 32, 37, 38, 45, 69, 71, 72, 83, 84, 102, 117, 118,
129, 139, 142, 147.

II. Am1)1ify a Paragraph.
Suggestion. - Select from the lesson a descriptive paragraph, and let the pupils write a short story to fit the scene.

.~

Amplification. - The wind moaned mournfully through
the forest trees and round the grim old castle, standing high
on a hill, from which the Rhine, many miles distant, was
just visible. At the back of the castle, the fores~ extended
almost to the wall ; but in front, there was notlnng to ob,,. struct the view down to the beautiful i-iver. It was a grand,
lonely place ; grand in its site, and lonely, cut off as it was
from all the world, by the seemingly limitless forest.
The natme of the place was indicative of the character of
its owner. He was isolated from all mankind by an impenetrable forest of reserve, and that he was proud and stern ·
was the verdict of all who had ever seen him. But there bad
been days when old Sir John was very different. The servants could remember the time when he had been a kind and
jovial master, never passing them without a word of encouragement; when he had been happy in the love of a gentle
wife and a bright-eyed little son.
Those days had long been over. All the light-heartedness
was changed into gloom, and stern commands ca.me in place
of kind words. People thought that he had already outlived
his usefulness ; and his heirs, especially, were longing for
his death. For did he not own lands enough to make them

-COMPOSI'fION-WRlTlNG.

304

305

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

all rich? And what good did luxuries do him? He was a
soured, discontente<l old man, they thought, and did not deserve all his good things. But little did poor old Sir John
care for the silver that shone on his side-board and the elegant furnishings of his rooms. They could give him little
comfort, since he had lost all that he loved in the world.
He sat in his own room broodiug over the fire. Who
could tell what his thoughts might be? One of the servants
would have said that he waH L11i11ki11g of hiA ho:mlcd trensures ; for ever aml anon he woultl look at a lrnge chest stauding by his bed, and every one knew that this chest coutained
the most valuable of all the old knight's possessions. What
it held was the greatest of the rn::1.11y mysteries of his life;
for no one knew more tlmn was whispered by the servants.
They encouraged the idea that it contained gold and priceless stones ; for on its cover were inscribed tliese words:
"Remember all, whate'er befall, save this whatever else be
lost."
Rising from his chair, Sir John walked to the window;
and as he looked up at the stars, "the forget-me-nots of the
angels," he wished that he might feel as calm and untroubled
as they looked, and prayed that he might soon be released
from his loneliness.
It was not long that he hn.<l to wait. A week from that
night, after a chill an<l cheerless dn.y, he ln.y on his stately bed
for the last time ; and this time he was as calm as the stars.
Oh, how heartless the heirs seemed, lmrdly restraining
themselves till the prayers were over! All waited with the
greatest eagerness for the mysterious chest to be opened.
Hastening into the room where it was kept, they crowded
around it wl1ile nail after nail was loosened. At last the
cover was lifted off, and each tried to catch the first glimpse
of the riches within. Suddenly they drew back, staring in
each other's faces in speechless amazement and anger.

The chest contained onlv the toys of a boy ; the top, whip,
cord, and kite, all placed tenderly side by side, by the fatht
who had been called harsh, cold, and heartless. So hadf tthie
lonely man cherished, all t liese years, the memory o . e
bright lit~le boy who had promised so much and had left lnm
so early.
POEMS FOR AMPLIFICATION.
LONGFELLOW.

The rhanto111 Ship.
The Skeleton in Armor.
The Castle by the Sea.
Sir Humphrey Gilbert.
Exce1sior.
The Norman Baron.
The Old Clock on the Stairs.
The Arrow and the Song.
The Statue over the Cathedral Door. . ,,
Selection from the " Building of the Ship.
Twilight.
Gaspar Becerra.
The warder of the Cinque Ports.
Killed at the Ford.
Morituri Salutamus: "In medireval Rome," etc.
· an ancien
· t c1"ty, " etc .
Evangeline: " Once m
The Revenge of Ilain-in-the-Face.
Haroun al Raschid.
Daybreak.
The Cumberland.
WHITTIER.

Maud Muller.
Telling the Bees.
The Gift of Tritemius.
Barbara Frietchie.
Abraham Davenport.
In School-Days.
The Sisters.

306

COMPOSITIONS FRO:M: PICTURES.

As the next step towards origiual composition, we
may write stories or <lescrj ptions from pictures. The
topics are now suggested, uot by words, but by fo1·ms.
The following story was written from a picture representing n. boy in a row-boat to which a kite is attached
by a long string. A shjp appears in the distance.

How J OUNNY

CLAltK

w As Cumm oL~

BEING A SAILOR.

One af tcrnoon, .Toh1111y Clark, n th ri fl;y farmer's so11, mnde
np his rni1itl to go Lo sen. Uc !ind been rending nn exciting
sea tnle, aud, i11spirell with a desire to become a gallant
sailor lad, he determined to start thnt evening. Accordingly, towards evening, he packed up a few clothes in a red
handkerchief, aud after d~rk, slipped out of the door without letting his parents kuow anything about his plan.
Ile had pocket-rnouey enough to carry him to the nearest
sea-port. Here he found a three-masted schooner wanting a
en.Lin boy ; nnd being glad of the opportnuity, he shipped.
Now it was that poor Jolmuy's troubles began; for, after
being a tlay at sea, he began to be sea sick. He was kicked
around l>y the captai n nud mate, and more tlrnu once wished
that he was nt home.
But to pass ou to the mnin part of the story. .Johnny had
been on the water two months when his ship was wrecked in
the Pacific Ocean. A great water-spout strnck the vessel,
and everybody but Johnny being on deck, all were washed
overboard. The ship was going through the water at a ter- ..
rific rate of speed at the time she was strnck ; and, of course,
Joh11ny could do nothiug to aid the men. Now he was iu a
pretty fix. He was soon out of sight of the men in the water,
and seeing a small island almost directly ahead, he put the
wheel over a few points, and soon the ship struck on the island.

307

COMPOSITION-WRITING.

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

Johnny's next thought was of getting aid o~·clb:~~h:a:~~.
.
d For four days he watched, a
off the islan ·
, ,, king the long-boat,
.
ans of escape. 1 <t
.
day he lnt upon a me<
t
d after constructmg
· ·
under the sea , an '
he put some p1:ovLs10ns
tron twine from the cabin, and
a kite, he obtamed a ball _ofl~
t~ end of the kite-string to
t
the kite Hite nng e
·
d ff He had been on the ocean
then pu up
the bow of the boat, he shove . ol . ship coming to his assisth urs when he esp1e< a
~
d
but a .f ew o
l d seen the sio·nal an was
ance. The captain said thaJt hle rn was very t~ankful when
o mny
· d
tl e boy out
glad to h e1P 1
and when he arnve
• •
1
he found himself on lus way l~ome,er acrain go to sea.
there he concluded that he wou uev
o
.
~ . tl first exercise the teacher may select
Suggestion. - For ie
Let the class tell
·h for all to see.
a picture ~arge enoug .
wbat it suggests to their minds.
what the pLCture shows n.nd
t .
ay be written and
From these hints, a plan for the ~l~1yl ~·o,vr1,vay After a
d b
h pup1 lil us
afterwards develope
Y eac
h
y distribute to the
,
.
f tl is kind the teac er ma
.
~
'
t from old books and papers.
1ittle practice o
t ll a story. Instruct
pupils pictures wlncl1 she has cu 1
b t l en to select siw1i ltS e
ld
Care shou
e a{
d tl en the· development.
1 .
.
u ils to write first the plan an
pLater,
p
.
:t descri'Yltions from p1ctmes.
let them wr i e
'./.'
L

'

INVENTION.

,

t to invent thought for ourselves,

We may now adtte~np tl e thoughts of other persons,

instead of repro ucmg J It ·n be easier at first, to
d · various ways.
Wl
·
expresse m
.
h" l ·n exercise the imagination.
write upon sub]ects w ic 1 w1
.
In this species of cornposL· t'wn, be careful notf
.
Caut ion.
libertv The charm ,o
J •
.
· crination too muc11
to give your rn~~o
.
.
aking the story seem not
this kind of wntmg consists m m
only probable, but natural.

,·

308

COMPOSITION-WRITING.

LESSONS 1N ENGLISH.·

The following composition is foun<le<l upon fact, but
is largely imaginative : 'l'm~ STORY OF A LEAD PENCIL.

I am only a stubby Jittle pencil, but I was once as long as
the best and newest of yon. I was not battered as I am
now, but fresh and new, with a nice little rubber cap on my
head. But my owner was often hungry (they had a Jo11g
session at his school), a11d so he chewed and chewed upon
the rubber until it disappeared. I had a name, too, " Dixon. 1\1." -printcll in fine gilt letters on my side ; but
the name can scarcely be deciphered now.
Perhaps you'd like to hear my story. ''\Tell, one morning
I was having a comfortable though rather dull time on a
shelf in Atwater's store, when in came a boy. He paid
seven cents for a pencil, and by good luck (for him, not for
me!) had me given to him.
i-Ie slipped me under the strap which held his books and
started off. I looked about me a little, and discovered that
my companions in bondage were a Cresar, an Alge bra, and
a little gree!1 book only part of whose name I could see. It
looked like "Snow-." Jn a few minutes we entered a
large building, a11d l prcseutly discovered that I was in a
school-room.
Oh, sud1 fun as I lrnve had since tllen ! My owner and I
have not learned mucli, but I tell you we have enjoyed our~elves. Twice a day we have climbed up long flights of
stairs to a little room where we al ways arrived mnch pressed
for breath, owing to the good times we had had on tlie way.
The liappiest days of rny life have been spent in this little
room. Once or twice the teacher caught us at our tricks, a neighboring pencil and me, - but she always laid the blame
to the boy, so it didn't worry me much. One morning I

309

here
0
was obliged to scribble on a. b'it o f pap er
. ' ''she has aot
,, It didn't seem to me qmte respectful to us
a· l 't
rove of
eye ou us.
· d of a " she ' " and 1 ic 11 app lf?
a small s for t h a t 1nn
.
'' ot ,, in that way ; but how was I to he1p myse ..
usrng g
. I no longer enJOY
Ah well ! those bright days arc ove1.
..
n seif but am thrust into the bottom of a dee~, da,1k
I :eke~' in company with a knife, a few nuts, some piece~ of
't
lt boys with on the way up-stairs, and a sticky
p
crayon o pe
sions
1
lump of gnm wbic~1 my owner chews ,on ~l:~ul~a~eet~~~aif be
when he is studymg. He says he ca,n
Queer · isn't it?
· ·
moves 1ns Jaws.
'
.
I heard him
My master owns a brand-new penc11 now.
:, 'V '.
.
for
his
treatment
of
me,
ie
say I suppose m excuse
.
S eI'll
< '
•
•
l
I've
got
to
crarn.
o
going to have Exammatwns, anc
,,
get a new pencil and turn over a new leaf.
SUBJECTS FOR IMAGINATIVE vVRITING.

Soliloquy of a School Clock.
Story of a Penny.
.
The Adventures of a Pin.
The Lost Diamond.
What the Sparrows Told.
My J~xperienco as au Agent.
What the Wind Sang.
Story of an Old Shoe.
Adventures of an Apple.
Adrift on the Lake.

FIVE-MINUTE EXEROISES.
-The following exercises are intended to be int:od~ced
'bl .
ounection with daily rec1tat1011s.
as frequently as poss1 e m c
fi
. t
The teacher
Some of them may require more .than ve mmu es.
.11 of course extend the time if necessary.
d
wi For
• additional
'
exercises, short p arap h rases. Abstracts' an
Amplifications may be written.
N

OTE.

·-·

___.,_·-·- - - --

310
1.

_ _ _ ,, ._

"i '

-

·write correctly, as regards capitals, spelling, punctuation, aJHl :1.1Ta11g()llW11t, a S(~lcd.ion which the teacher
has written upon the bluekboru'tl or printed by the
hektogrnph.

Plymouth Rock, the gardens o f tlrn I ncas, " P'isa 's leaning
miracle," "l3ertha, the beautiful spinner," 11 Mouse-Tower
on the Rhine," " the crazy queen of Lebanon."

I.

2.

'Vritc a paragraph frolll the teacher's tlictntion.

Suggestion. -Tbis may lie au extract from the lesso u, or
some anecdote s'u ggested by recent reading. If the former,
pupils may exchan ge papers and correct the spelling, punctuation, arrangerneut, etc.

·w rite sentences containing certain specified g1;ammatical forms, etc.
Suggestion. -Pupils who have not had the benefit .of good
elementary drill in English construction will find tlus exe~·­
cise somewhat difficult. For such, it will be well to begm
with one or two required forms and gradually increase the
number. The expressions should be underlined and m~m­
bered, as they need not be introduced in the order specified.
Ex. 'Vrite a sentence containing ( 1) the name of an
American author, (2) the title of one of his best-known
works, ( 3) a relative pronoun, ( 4) an interjection, ( 5) . a
proper adjective, (6) a predicate nominative, (7) a verb ~n
the passive voice, (8) that used as n.11 adjective, n.nd agarn
(9) as a conjunction.
4.

Suggestion. - Let the selection contnin quotations, and
let it be written without punctuation or proper arrangement.
Ex. 'V1iat nre yon doin g here nske<l my g11ardinn trying
to leftrn myself to reatl :ill(l write said krook nnd how <lo you
get on slow bad returned the old nmn im1>atiently its linrd at
my time of life it wonlcl be ensier to be tau ght by some one
snid my g11ardin11 ay bt1t they might tench rnc wrong said the
old man with a wonderfully sns picious flash of his eye I <lout
know what I may have lost by not being learned afore I
wouldut like to lose nnythiug by being learned wrong now.

I

'

Specimen: Ah! I see that you are reading" The Sketch-Book,"

'Vrite in good English what you know about some
allusion in the lesson.

Suggestion. -This exercise is donbly valuable, sin ce it
tests the accuracy of the pupil's knowledge, as well as his
power of expression. For a review lesson, a longer time
may profitably be tlevoted to work of this kind. The topi cs
may be written upon canls and distributed to the class.
After allowing a reasonable time for writing, let the pupils
exchange papers or change places at the blackhoa,rd aud
correct one nnotlicr's work.
Examples of Topics: "Sword of Damascus," "Rare
Aladdin's wondrous cave," syllogism, the Mayflowers, "the
Truce of God," Luther, nmusolenm, Mary and Elizabeth,

-9-

-4-

:

2

.

which is , I am told, the masterpiece of that pioneer of American
-3-

3.

311

COMPOSITION-WH.ITJNG.

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

7

6

8

literature, Washington Irving.
l

5.

·write a short story which shall include a given list of
words, not necessarily in the order mentioned.
Suggestion. - If these_ words are selected by the teache.r
Jrom a simple story, they will probably be such as the pupil
can readily combine. The original story may be read to the
class after they have shown what they can do with the words.
Ex. boy, dog. drowned, school, saved, afternoon, reward,
truant, ri vcr, well-treated.
·
ONE H.ESULT OF A JANUARY THAw.

On a pleasant, mild afternoon in January, a boy took a
neighbor's big Newfo1:1nclland dog that was friendly to him,

- -312

and went to the river to skate. In order to do this, he played
truaut from school, and by this act nearly lost bis life. At
this time, what is known as "the January thaw" had just
set in, and the ice, which the day before had been very thick,
had meltcll considerably . Not uoticing this, the boy, after
ekating for some time along the shore started on a trip across
the river followed by the dog. w·hen he was about half-way
across, the ice suddenly broke, and boy and dog fell in. The
boy, being cxlt:u1Rtc<l fro111 Alm1,i11g, Hn.11k i111111 e<liatcly :uHl
wouW have been drowned, had not the good dog, who had
always _been well-treated l>y the boy, brought him to the
surface and saved his life. Carlo, the clog, was looked upon
as a hero. His master was the forced recipient of a large
reward for the dog's services. The l>oy learned two lessons
that day that were of great importance to bin1 through life.

G.

COMPOSITION-WRITING.

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

·write an exf>lanation of some quotation, telling where
it may be found, by whom it was said, in what connection, under what circumstances, etc .

Suggestion. - A single quotatiou may be given to the
whole class, or quotations written on cards may be distributed .
Examples of quotations which may be nsed for this exercise arc the following: "Not Angles , but Angels"; ""'\Vhy
don't you speak for yourself, ,John?"; "All the sons were
brave, and all the daughters virtuous" ; '' JJook, you can
see from this window my brazen 11owitzer" ; "You too,
Brutus!"
" Do not f car ! Heaven is aR near
. . . UJ Wll tcr lt8 IJJ Ja11tl."
" Our fathers fiud their graves in om short memories."
" If you wish a thing to be well done,

You must do it yourself, you must not leave it to others."

313

Write upon some topic of local or current interest.
7.
.
'l'he news1m1)ers will furnish an abundance
S ugges twn.-

.
l ?1.ewspaper
exof subjects. Pupils may have an occas10ua
• .
. lus
. own words somethm<Y
he
ercise, each expressmg
m
. o which
•
•
has read in the papers. The teacher should direct pupils m

their choice of topics.
Examples of Topics: The. Graduating Exei:cises of our
8Phool · Lllst Nirrht's Fire; The Toboggan Slide; Do vVe
~~ed a' PuLlic Library? A Distinguished G uest; Death _of µ.
Noted Man ; Rn rnors of vVar ; The President's vVeddmg ;
A Valuable Discovery; A Cyclone, etc., etc.
Questions bearing upon schoo l l .f
i e may be discussed in
this way.
Ex. Why do scholars dislike composition-writing? Is it
wrong to learn my lessons on Sunday? Prompting ; A p.lea
.
f t ·d )t1pil · vVhat I tlunk
for short lessons ; Feelmgs o a aI ,Y I
'
d" _
about the habit of chewing gum; 'Ihe advantages and is
advantages of studying alone.

8.

Write an advertisement, expressed clearly and concisely.

The 1)upils may find faulty examples and
.
. twn.
S ugges
bl 11
d ti
<

brin the~1 to the class, writing upon the. ac \: 10ar . 10.
. ~ 1 fo1·1n ancl
makinO"
their own correct10ns, the teache1
ono-1na
'
o

su~gesting further improvements.
Ex. W anted, -

.
a rent; state particulars as to size, loca- -

tion, etc.
For sn.le,-a llouse' a 110rse and carriage, groceries, drygoods etc
.
J os't ~a ring money, pocket-book, cane, keys, dog, etc.
~an,ted, - a 'situation as clerk, book-keeper, gardener,
teacher, etc.

. - . ·x.raps l@-

314
9.

rt r m't Hr

LESSONS 1N ENGLISH_,

COMPOSITION -W RlTING.

Write a telegram, limit ten words.

Suggestion. -.-The teaeher rnny write or dietate a loug message, and reqmre the class to c01H.lense it within Lhe assjgued
limits.
Ex. vVe should like to have you come homu as soon as
you possibly can and briug Mary with you, if she ea 11 lit~
spared. Father is dangerously ill, the doctor says. Do
come as soon as you reeci vc tit is.
Condensed: Come home with l\fary at once.
cbugerously ill.
10.

Father

18

Heproduce some nuccdote bcnriug upon the lesson.

Ex. The relations between the Noi·maus aud the Saxons.
See dialogue between Gurth arnl vVam ba, iu the first chapter
of "Ivanhoe." Selections from " Knickerbocker's History
of New York." Stories from English History, referring to
characters mentioned in "vVestminster Abbey." Anecdotes
from "Olcl Colony Days," "The Blue Laws," and Abbott's
"Miles Standish." Anecdotes from the Liography of an
a11tlior.
Describe in your own language some character about
wlwm you have read.

Ex. Priscilla, John Alden, Katrina, Miles Standish, Herr
Van Tassel, Brom Bones, Ichabod Crane. Rip Van 'Vinkle's
'Vife, Uncle Moses 'Vhittier, The Quaker Mother, Miss
Livermore.
12.

vVrite exercises on Figures of Speech.

Suggestion. -The reading lesson for the day will
mouly furnish abundant material for work of this kind.

315

following are some of the exercises which may be made
interesting and profitable: -

(a) Write Euphemisms for the following:She is conceited. He is a liar and a thief. The man
was intoxicated. Your daughter is lazy and stupid.

Ex. He was turned out of office. Euphemism : He was
relieved from further attendance upon the arduous duties of
tho position.
(b) Change sentences from the literal form to the meta-

Suggestion. -This may be written for the class or told to
them by the teacher or by a pupil.

11.

z

com~

The

phorical.
Ex. When we are older we shall enjoy the results of the
time now devoted to study. Metaphorical: In life's midsummer we shall reap the harvest from the seed which we are
now sowing.

( c) Change from Metaphorical to Literal.
Ex. He urged some tardy loiterer along the flowery path
of knowledge.
Literal: He whipped some lazy boy in order to make him
study.

(d) Write Similes unu Metaphors cornpnring the following
subjects:Old Age - Sunset; Life - Ocean ; the Body- Machine;
Kindness - Dew ; Clouds - Snowdrifts ; Life - Race ;
Trouble - Storms ; Happiness - Sunshine.
Ex. Simile: Old age should be like the sunset hour, a
beautiful, peaceful season which comes between the cares of
the day and the sleep of the night.
Metaphor : He had already reached the sunset of life; and
was watching its brightness gradually fade. into the sl1ades
of .evening.

316

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

COMPOSl'.rlON-WlU'.rING.

(e) ·w rite sentences containing Personification.
Personify by the use of adjectives or prono1111s: winter,
hove, night, ocean, time, earth, suow.
Ex. J~lly old Winter is on his way and will soon be here .
.Persomfy by use of verbs: liberty, health, moon, mountams, sky, nature, grief, sun, beanty, fashion.
Ex. Liberty veiled her face while the tyrant spoke.

(/) 'Vrite au Apostrophe:
A poem containing apostrophe may be read to the class

nu.d. reproduced by the1t1 before they attempt to write an
ongmal address.
Subjeds : To the Moon ; To a Daisy ; To a Brook; To
tbe Ocean ; To a Sleeping Child; To a Dead Bird; To the
"\Vind ; To a Mosquito; To Our Dead Heroes.
(g) ·write sentences containing Antithesis.

The.following are subjects which may be contrasted: Day
and Night; Summer and Winter; Riches and Poverty ; Idleness and Industry ; City and Country ; Cheerfulness and
Grumbling; I Can't and I'll Try; ·work and Pla · N
y' ow
au d 'l'l1en
SECOND

y

EAR.

To THE TEACHER: -

~'he Composition work of the first year may be reviewed b
havm~ th~ pupils write. an ~ccasioual Paraphrase, Abstract, ~
A111phficat10n, 111 connect.1011 with the second year's work in Lit . _
t
Tl b.
e1 a
ure.
1e 10graphies of Hawthorne, Holmes, and Lowell should
be rcprocluce<l i~1 the wa1111cr suggested for that of Irving. There
should be occas10nal practice in Letter-writing. The main object
of th: second year's work in Composition should be to teach pupils
to ~hmk for themselves and to arra11ge their thoughts in clear and
logical order. It is, therefore, recommended that throughout the

0

317

second year, less time be devoted to Reproduction and more to
l11vc11tion. From the various lists of Composition Subjects, the
teacher may select such as are suitable for the class, leaving the
more dillicult subjects for the work of the third year.
I. COMPOSITIONS UPON OBJECTS.

ln most of your practice in Composition, thus far, you
liave used the thoughts of others a::; the basis of your
work. Now you must learn how to write without so
rn uch help of this kind. It is well to begin by writing
about simple thiugs concerning which you have some
knowledge. The first thing to be <lo11e is to find out
how much you know about the subject.
Collection of ll'Iatcrial. -As soon as the subject is

assigned, you should begin to study it, noting down
your thoughts as they occur to you. One topic will
imturally suggest another; and if you keep the subject
in mind and make a rnemoraudum of each thought, you
will soon be surprised to find that you have more mate·
rial than you can conveniently use. If you do not
make a note of your thought at the time it occurs to
you, you will be very likely to forget it when you are
ready to write. As far as possible, depend upon your
own knowledge. If you need to learn more than you
already know about the subject, consult authorities concerning the points on which your knowledge is deficient,
but never copy the language of those authorities. Make
the information so thoroughly your own that you can
easily express it in your own words. Then make brief
notes which will help you in writing. You should, if
. possible, collect your mate1fal several days before writing the composition.

318

LESSONS 1N ENGLISH.

CO.Ml'OSlTlON-WHlTlNG.

Suggestion. - For the first exercise of this kind, let the
materi:tl be collected by the cl:tss and the memornnda written
upon the blackboard by the teacher, in the order in which
the thoughts are presented. The teacher may, as she writes ,
offer suggestions as to f;hc best form of topics. She may
also show how one line of thought ]cads to another, and how
a topic may branch iuto various sub-topics.

The following is a copy of sucl1 au Outline, written by
the teacher from the dictation of tl1e elass. Tlic topics
are given in the order in which they were presented.
Subject : Paper.
l.

.MANUFACTURE.

1. ·w here. 2. How. 3. By whom. 4. Wli en. .5 . Ex.
tent. 6. Description uf factory. 7. Im prov erne11ts.

11. COMPOSITION.
1. Rags. 2. Straw. 3. l\fanilla hemp.
5. Rice. G. Ba1uuoo. 7. Old paper.

III.

IV.

2. By whom.

3. ·where.

4. Importance.

2. Car wheels. 3. Bottles. 4. Pails
and pans. 5. Collars and cuffs. G. String. 7. Tissue flowers. 8. Lamp-shades . !J. Uses in China and
Jap:tn. 10. Boats. 11. Carpets. 12. Napkins. 13.
Money. 14. Gun-wads.

APPEARANCE.

3. Huling.

AuvANTAUES.

2. Lightness. 3. 8trength.
1.
1. . Variety of uses .
Cheapness. 5. Use or" waste material. 6. Convenicnce. · 7. Warmth.
1

VIII. EAitLn:sT Fumns .
1. Papyrus.
2. Chinese. 3. SuLstitntes for paper wax tablets, clay taLlets, leaves, stones, etc.
OF TUE

"\Vu1w.

1. Derivative meaning.

l\foDEHN USES.

1. Sizes.
2. Color.
Variety of aspects.

VII.

2. Present application.

4. Wood librc.

1. Comfnon uses.

V.

VI. KINDS.
1. Fancy note. 2. vVriting pads. 3. Wall. 4. vVrap·
·
G. C arcl -llo"1·c·
'"" l · 7. Blotting·. 8.
lJiug·. 5. Draw1ug.
Tissue. !). Foreign varieties. 10. Pare limen t · 11.
13. Filter.
14. Papier macM.
Rice. 12. Tracing.
15. Oiled. 16. Carpet. 17. Printing.

IX. Omcrn

INVENTION.

1. When.

31D

4. Thickness.

5.

X. (Suggested by the teacher). Cumosrrrns.
1. Longest roll of paper ever made. 2 .. Experiments. to
test the strength of paper. 3. Descnbe a collect10n
uf interesting relics made of paper; for example, a
papyrus roll taken from the wrappings of a mummy ;
a J apauese fan with a romantic history ; a leaf from ~n
illuminated missal ruacle by Saxon monks ; a wasp s
nest; a costume worn at a paper carnival, etc. 4.
Mother's Rag-Bag-what goes into it, and what ~o~es
out. Perhaps you can make a humorous compos1t1011,
ty exercising a little ingenuity in the arrangemen~ of
your lists of articles, trying to ha:e as great.a vanety
as possible. To make it more fanciful, you might have
for the title of your sketch '' The Enchanted Bag," and
leave the reader to guess what kind of a bag you mean.

320

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

CO.Ml'OSITlON-WlUTrNG.

When
you lnive thought out a suLjeet in tliis way and made a
list of the topics which have oecuned to you, you will
realize at once that you have enough material for a
dozeu co mpositions. Yo u must, therefore, decide which
of the topics to select aucl in what onler to consider
them. A single topic with it.s suLclivisious will often
furnish abundant material; as, for example, in the
aLovc Outliuc, m1y one o[ tl1 e tupies execpt the 11inth.
Selection an<l Arrangement of :Material. -

Never attempt to write
a composition of this kiud without first making a complete Outline. When you r material is carefully selected
and arranged, the writing uf a composition will be comparatively easy. Take one topic at a tin1e and develop
it in the Lest words at y'tur commaml. If necessary,
write and re-write that one topic until you are sure that
you cannot improve upon the expressiou. In this rnanuer, develop the entire outline and neatly copy the
exercise.
The following suLjects niay be outlined aud developed
in the manner suggested for t he subject "Paper": Writing the Com1wsitiou. -

Almanacs.
Umbrellas.
Ti111e-pieces.
\Vords.
Books.
Ornaments.
Calendars.
Sl1ells.
Necldies.
Inventions.
Games.
Gigglers.

Urass.
Flowers.
Cats.
Dogs.
Windows .
Hands.
Doors.
Trees.
Hats.
Heroes.
Bells.
Grumblers.

Sla11g.
Homes.
Agents.
Fashions.
Glass.
Candy.
Name8.
l,el;Lcrs.
Sigus.
Houses .
Lamps.
lrou.

l'e11cils.
Tougues.
Eyes.
Ears.
Writiug Machines.
Mantel-pieces.
Birds' Nests.
AclverLisc111c11 Ls.
Handkerchiefs.
Fireplaces.
The Indians.
Pictures.

321

II. N AIUtATIVE Olt STORY.

In this kind of composition, the w'r iter relate~ some
iuciuent or series of incidents. vVe shall consider three
specia.l forms of Narratives: 1. Personal Narratives, founded upon incidents in

the writer's own experience.
2. Historical Narratives, founded upon events in

history.
3, Fiction or Uomancc, founded upon imaginary

incide.u ts.
As the easiest form of the
Personal Narrative, you may now write some true story
about yourself: something which you have seen or
Jone. Remember that the interest of such a story depends almost as much upon the way in which it is told
as upon the incident itself. Try to make it fresh and
interestiug instead of trite and commonplace. Remember that, in order to do this, yo u need not use "big
words" or adorn your style with elaborate figures. I u
la11g11age·, as in dress, a simple style is often the most
elegant. The stories which make the strongest impression upon us - whose humor awakens our mirth and
whose pathos brings the tears to our eyes - are commonly those which are told in simple, unaffected style . .
Be clear, exact, and truthful in all your statements.
Aim to tell the story in such a way that the incident
shall be vividly presented to the reader. The frequent
use of "I" in a personal narrative makes the writer
appear egotistical. This effect may often be avoided by
introdu ciq~ a ]:>art of the itory in conversational form.
Personal Narratives. -

- zh:w

322

M11!!1. $~ss&lt '' FMt ' tit ffitifi.i31f':e:!ittitee

h

-

CT ' S .

'?

.t

- t Mt

r

?'

-· r·

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.
COMPOSITION-WRITING.
Sun.rncTs FOit PmisoNAL NAnHATIVES.

How I Rau Away.
Sitting for a Picture.
An Eventful Day.
Our Family ficnic.
A Journ ey.
1\ly First Gunning Expedition.
Making Believe.
Learning to Swim.
A Visit to the Couutry.
My First and Last Cigar.
Keeping a Diary.
Our Family Cat.
My First Day at School.
Some of My Treasures.
Afraid of the Dark.
My Fi mt T111p1·<~Rsio11s of I lcnth
1.lavi11g a '.l'uuLlt l'ulled.
One 8aLurtla,y AJLernooi1. ·
A Trne Story of a Dog.
My Bi cycle :uul T.
What I Used to Thiuk.
J\fy First Pait· of Skates.
My Experience in Ilousekeepi11g. 1\ly First Diso bedience.
The Story of Our Hired J\laJJ.
Recollections of School Days.
A Ride in the Street Car.
Mv
L t ·\r
t'
s
,
-J Best D"y
<•
as
aca .ion.
ome of My Early Amuse u1 e11Ls. A Fishing Excursion.
What Happened on l\fy Way to Schoo].
My First Experie11ce with the Telephone.
My E~rliest Recollectio11s of Sunday School.
l\iy First Attack of Homesickness.
Story of a IVinter Evening.

Historical Narratives. -The Historical Narrative is
of necessity, a reproduction. It is commonly oithor m~
ALst~·ae(; _o r a~1 Am1;li/~catiou of what lms Leeu tol<l Ly
o~he1~. Imagmary mc1dents are often combined with
1ustoncal events, rnaking what is called au Ifistorfral
Roman~~· Many. of Sir vValter Scott's "vVaverley
~ovels are of t]us character. So, too, are James Fenimore Cooper's stories of Iudian life. In writing an
abstract of a story takeH from history, be careful to
select; the mos(; irnportaut iJ1cide11ts and to make a clear
and .conne?ted outliue . In amplifying, he ~ure that the
d~ta1ls wluch your in~agination supplies are in keeping
with the scene, the time, the characters, and the spirit

323

of the story which you are relating. If you inve11t
co11versations, let the language be such as would be
natural and .appropriate for the persons whom you
imagine to be talking.
Suggestion. - The teacher may relate the bare facts of
some historical incident and then read to the class au Amplification of the same story. For example, one of the stories
from lfowthornc's " Grandfather's Chair" or a good historienl · sketch from the "8t. Nieholns ." Point out the merits
of the Heproduction and call attention to any incongruities
or anrwhrouisrus that mny appear. Requ ire pupils to make
first an Outline of the narrative, in order to preserve the
proper relations of parf~s.
SuB.JECTS FOR HISTORICAL NARRATIVES.

The Landing of the Pilgrims.
The Boston Tea-Party.
The Capture of Andre.
The Battle of Lexington.
The Regicides.
The Flight of Mahomet.
A Story of Venice.
Execution of Joan of Arc.
The Princes in the Tower.
A Gladiatorial Combat.
The Battle of Waterloo.
The Battle of Hastings.
The Destruction of Pompeii.
A Boy Hero.

The Story of the Charter Oak.
Story of One of the Salem Witches.
The Fountain of Perpetual Youth.
The Discovery of the Mississippi.
King Alfred and the Calms.
Pocahontas.
The Crusade of the Children.
Coour-cle-Lion and the :M i11strel.
The Taking of Babylon by Cyrnsi.
Story of a Child Queen.
Death of Julius Cresar.
The Battle of Gettysburg.
Cornelia and Her Jewels.
The Story of Paul Revere.

Incidents from the lives of Washington, Lincoln, Grant, and
Garfield; of Nero, ,Julius Cmsar, Cleopatra, Charlemagne, Queen
Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, Napoleon, and other characters.

Fiction. -You are now required to exercise your
imagination, depending entirely upon your own taste

324

LESSONS rN l<:NGLlSH.

COl\lPOSl'rION- \VUI'l'lNG.

and ingenuity in making up the story. Before attempting to write, you sl1ouhl make a "ploL" or plau of the
story. Do not allow your imagination to take too wild
flights. Except in a fairy story, coufine the incidents
within the realm of probability.
Suggestion. -Select some story with which all are familiar;
as, for example, "Cinderella," "Blue Beard," "Little RedHiding-Hood," or "Robinson Crnsoe," nntl let the pupils
mrnlyze it, so as to 1md< ~rst:u1d what is 111crn1t by a "plot."
Hequire them to prepare a plot of ench story which they write.

As the first exercise of this
kind, you may take one of the nursery rhym es and
invent a story which shail have the same general plot,
but Le in detail as different as possible from the original. Some of the rhymes which may be used i11 this
way are the following: Exercise iu Fiction. -

Old Mother Hubbard.
Little Jack Horner.
Little Tommy Tucker.
The Queen of Hearts.
;Jack and .Jill.
The Mau in the Moon.
The Old Woman in the Shoe.
1\Iistress Mary, Quite Contrary.
The Old " 'o uia11 Wl10 Lived under the Hill.
·
The Bachelor Who Went to Loudon to Cet Ili111self a 'Vife.

Sun.mcTs

FOR

Story of a Fa11.
The Wishing Stone.
The Land of Nod.
A Remarkable Drea11·
The Magic Riug.
The Brook's Story.
The Lost Letter.
Story of a Stri11g of Beads.

F1 cTinous

NAIWATIVES.

Nan's Crazy Quilt.
Lost at Sea.
The E11chanted Ganlen.
Adventmes of an Umbrella.
The Mirror's Reflections.
Story of a Cedar Chest.
The Blackboard's Complaiut.
liow Jol11rny 'Vent to See .Jumbo.

l '

~

325

The Sad Fate of a w·ayward Chicken.
Legeml of a Boy Who Was Never in Mischief.
·what Came of Borrowing a Hammer.
A Hero Unknown to Fame.
A Letter from a High School Mouse.
Old Father Time's Treasure House.
What Came of Robbing a Bird'R Nest.
The Man 'Vl10 Never Smiled.
Soliloquy of a School Desk.
Why Toads Have No Tai.ls.
The Wrl 'Vho II ad "No Time."
The Little Girl Who Wouldn't Say " Please."
Recipe for Composition Cake.
What the Wiud Sang.
The Land Where the Lost Things Go.
How Jack Learned the Multiplication Table.
A Visit to the King's Palace.
How I Caught a Burglar.
A Day with Hawthorne at the Old Manse.
.
How Samuel Alexander Persimmon w· as Cured of a Bad Habit.
III. DESCRIPTION.

Description is a more difficult kind of composition

than a11y w ltich you have yet attempted. It aims to
portray objects in such a manner that they shall appear
to the reader exactly as they du to the observer. A
good descripti.011 is a clear, vivid, and accurate word~.
picture. If you notice how much your enjoyment ~f a
book depends upon the author's power to make thmgs
seem real, you will understand how important it is to
practise this species of composition. In our study of
D.escription, we shall consider the following varieties: 1. Description of Objects.
2. Descri1>tion of Scenery.
3. Description of Persons.

..... ,

,. , n·

·-

n

32G

COMPOSITION-WIUTING.

LESt50N S lN ENGLlSll.

Description of Objects. -

I 11 writing Dcscriptious of

Objects, observe the followi11g directions: -

1. Select a. subject which is attractive a11d about
which you are well informed or which your imagination
can easily develop.
2. Study the subject carefully, Hoting all the important points. You ca1rnot expect to giv e others a clear
and correet id ea o[ tli c objc~et which you am <lcseriui11g,
unless you see it clearly for yomself. l t is well to
make a list of the elern c11ts wliich you wi~lt to coin Line
in your Descriptio11.,.

3. Having chosen the most important elements,
arrange them in suc lt an order as to make the description most cffecti ve.

4. Combine tl1c clc111cnts, aiming to make a clear,
vivid, truthful, and complete picture.
Caution. -Remember that the vividness of your Description depends lnrgely upon the language which you use. Let
your adjectives be carefully chosen and not too numerous.
Remember that particular terms are far more graphic than
general ones. For example, if you write " A tree stood by
the house," your word-pi cture is indistinct; because you
have not told whh.t species of tree it is and what sort of n.
house you have in mind. N oiice how the picture challgcs if
we substitute particular t erms: (a ) A great elm spread its protecting arms over the cottage.
( b) Against the backgrouncl of the weather-beaten roof
glcmnct1 the scarlet 1,crl'ics of :i rno1111tai11 ash that
stood besi<le the parsonage.
( c) Near the soutli wiudow of the farm house grew an old
apple-tree, which was now pink with l>lossoms and
in which a robiu was buildiug her nest.

( d)

327

In front of the rnined house n. single tall poplar stood
like a sentinel.

Suggestion. -The teacher may read to the class specimens
of fine description, pointing out the merits of each. _T~en
the pupils may read or recite in class bits of descnpt1on
which they have selected from the work in Literatu.r~ or from
other sources. Do not discourage them by reqmnng them
to write loug descriptions at first.

EXEROISE.
·w rite descriptions from the following sentences, substituting particular terms for the general ones. lVfake several
pictures from each sentence, having as great variety ain possible.
1. At the foot of the rock was a spring.
2. Flowers bloomed beside the brook.
3. A storm came on at nightfall.
4. The cave was on the mountain.
5. The box contained many interesting relics.
SUBJECTS FOR DESCRIPTIONS OF OBJECTS.

A Country Store:
A Ruiued Mill.
A Deserted House.
An Old-fashio11ed Kitchen.
My Grandma's Gar<leu.
An Old Graveyard.
An ·Art Gallery.
A Museum.
A Country Church.
'l'he Al>otle of roverty.
The State House.
An Ocean Steamer.
My Pet Bird.
A Castle.

A School-room.
The Old Garret.
A Prison.
A Factory.
Aunt Maria's "Best Room."
A lllacksmith t:ihop . .
Grandfather's Barn.
A Beautiful Home.
A Lawyer's Office.
A Lil>rary.
My Ideal House.
A Printing Office.
A Post Office.
A Cathedral.

328

- -

2d ems tlr .

EXERCISE.

Description of Scenery. -Ju writing descriptions of
uatural scenery, yuu slwnld ai111 to mak e the }Jicture
a}Jpear to tlie reacler as Leau ti fu l and i11 ter esting as it
does .t~ you. For this reason, it is best to begin by
descn?rng some sce11e with which you are very familiar
or winch has made a stroJJg impressiou upon you. You
must first be able to tell what are the most important
features of tlie Rcc110 and to g ive a clear idea of their
arrn1Jge 111 eat. a11 d their relaLio 11s Lo u11e a1w Liter. To
this e11d, you must eulClvate the habit of careful observatio1~.
It is au excellell t practice to keep a note-book
m wlnch t~ record such facts and impressious as you
would be hkely to forget when the scene is 110 longer
before your eyes. Hawthorue's Note-Books show how
good au oLserver he was, and what use he made of his
observations.
'Importance of Little 'I'hings. - The charm of a
description consists largely in the author's attention
to little things, such as would escape the notice of the
carelc~s obser.ve~·· Sir vValter S<:uLt, \ViHlii11g to write a
grapluc descnpt1011 of a ruiuecl abLey, thought it worth
wlule to tak~ a long journey on horseback, on purpose
to see for himself what species of flowers and weeds
were growing about the ruin.

Suggestion. - Let the pupils read or recite in class choice
bits of description, poiuting out auy special features of
ex.cellence: Subjects for <kscription will be furni shc<l by
tlus exercise. If the qnotation describes a valley, it may
suggest to the pupils how to describe one which they h:t\:e
!'ilen, etc.

329

CO.Ml'OSlTlON-W lUTlNG.

LESSONS IN ENGLISH.

Describe a view from your window, g1vmg a clear and
truthl'ul representntion of wlrnt you see. Iu addition to the
features which ~tre visible, yon may properly mention the
sounds which you hear aud the thoughts which arc awakened
by the scene. You may mention also the c1rcumstances
under which yuu make your observations. You should first
rnke a plau, showing what features you intern'\ to embody
11
i11 your tlet1cripLio11; mi, for exn,111ple: Ti1?ie. -Early c\•ening in August.
Circumstances. - Twilight of a hot day, the full moon

just rising.
Feat·ures of Scenery . - Hills in the distance, sky, trees,
shrnbbery .
A?·tijicial Fecttw·es. - Buildings, etc.
Li'ving Beings. - Birds, bats, insects, etc.

(Avoid use

of general terms.)
So1mds. - Children at play, barking of a dog, crying
infant, etc.
Persons .. - Tell what people you see and what they are
"

doing.

(These m:1.y be interwoven with tlic several
part~ of the tlcscription, iu the order in which Uiey arc sugJlr-/lectfon.'I. -

gested to the mind.)
Describe any beautiful place which you have visited. During your vacation journeys, you should take notes concerning · what interests you. These notes will help you to
write clear, vivid, and accurate descriptions.
SUBJECTS FOR DBscmrTIONS OF ScENtmY.

A Sunset Scene.
A Winter Night.
View From a Hill-top.

Description of a Waterfall.
The Loveliest Spot I Know.
Grandpa's Ten-Acre Lot.

330

COMl'USl'.rlON-WRlTlNG.

LESSO.NS JN ENGLISH.

A Rainy Day in the Country.
Moonlight on the Lake.
"Wh en Llifl \V ootls Turn l3row11." D0scripLion of a C:tvo.
A Snow 8ccne.
Snnrise n,n1oug the 1\louul,ains.
A 'Voodlantl Scene
Ocean Pictures.
A Thunder Storm.
A Country Road.
A Rainbow.
The 1\forni 11g after an Ice Storm
A Beautiful ~audscape.
Descriptiou of a Valley.
A Mountain Stream.
A Strauge Freak of Nature.
A Storm ;it Sea.
A Tropical Forest.
A Volcano.
Twilig'lit.
Pictures of a l>lacc :tL Di1Tcrc11L Season s.
What I Would Paint if I \>Vere an Artist.

You are now to have
some practice in the mm;t difficult kincl of Descriptio11.
In this, as in the varieties which you have already
studied, attention must be vaid to the little things.
The !Jest way of learning Jww to describe persons is to
notice how others do it aml then to study the personal
descriptious which seem to you 1110st graphic.
Descl'iption of Persons. -

Suggestion. - Read to tl10 cln.ss some of Dickens's personal
descriptions, selecting a yarieLy of ch[l,rncters. Call attention to the little touches hy which he~ l>ringH 011t the persona.lity of each. Let the pupils seleut goocl personal descript10ns and tell why they arc good, showing which of the
details furnish the most effective touches iu the painting of
the portrait.
Writing a Personal Description. - Make a study
of the peculiarities and characteristics of the person
whom you wish to describe. NoLicc wJiat are the
~trougest points of iudividuality, and reproclnce those
· m your sketch. Do not be U.isagreeably perso11al, if you
choose your subject from your own list of acquaint~

331

ances. Remember that a . portrait-painter should always place his subject in the best possible light. Some
of the lJOi11ts which you may have in your outline are
the following : Form, features, manners, attitudes, dress, habits; peculiarities of gait, speech, and expression ; lmbits of thougllt;
disposition ; trnits of character; intellectual and moral capacities ; influeuce ; wsefulness.
8uBJECTS FOlt I'mtsoNAJ, DEscmPTIONS.

My First Teacher.
Our Johnny.
Some of Our Neighbors.
"That ]\fr. Jones."
The Queen of Our Kitchen.
A Miser.
The Meanest Man in Town.
A Homely, Good vVoman.
A Beautiful Old Lady.
Peculiar People.
The Wise Professor.

IV.

An Old Sea-Captain.
My Most Iutimate Friend.
Baby Ruth.
The Boy of the Period.
The Girl of the Period.
Our Doctor.
Our Minister.
The Children in Our Block.
A Family of Gypsies.
A Tramp.
John Chinaman.

DESCRIPTION AND NARRATIVE COMBINED.

You have doubtless noticed in your reading that
Description and Narrative sehlom occur alone. In the
treatment of many of the subjects in cluded in the preceding lists, Description and the various forms of N arrative may be combined with good effect. No special
rules can be given for this kind of writing. In general,
aim to have . a vleasiug variety in composition and a
natural and interesting style.

\

332

-

•

LESSONS IN ENGLlSH.

COl\ll'OSlT!UN-WHlTING.

AmHTIONAL 8un.J.ECTS.

SUBJIWTS SUGGESTED BY "SNOW-BOUND."

Experiences in a Street-Car.
An Editor's Trials.
Story of Three Ohl Maids.
Blunders.
A Fishing Excursion.
Story of a Beggar.
Faces.
·
Calling a Boy ii~ the :Morning.
My First Experience in Teachi11g. Story of a Soldier.
A Japanese Girl.
Decoration Day.
A Visit to a Battle-Field.
Christmas.
Auctions.
Th:tt1lrngivi11g.
Sceue at a Uailway SLaLio11.
J\ly Walk to School.
'Vhat Happened This l\forniug. A Ride across the Prairie.
Rambles by the R oadside.
Street Scenes.
Trials of a Deaf Person.
l\Iy Favorite Picture.
l\Iy Little Brother.
Au Hour on the Toboggan Slide.
A City Boy's Vi sit to th e Country.
Revelations of au Autograph Allmrn.
Adventures of Diogenes the Second.

How to Choose Composition Stfbjects. -- Teachers

sometimes find it difficult to select interesting suLjects
for compositions. One of the advantages of combiuiug
Composition work with the study of Literature is that
many lines of thought an<l in vcstigation are thus
opened, affording fresh and varied topics for writi11g.
Some of the most successful teachers of Composition
are in the habit of assiguing subjects which are suggested to them by books and by newspaver and magazine articles. It is strongly recommended that the
studies in Literature be made the basis of the practice
in Composition.
The following subjects, suggested Ly the reading uf
"Snow-Bound" and the Prelude to "Among the Hills,"
will give an idea of the way in which teachers may
make the Literature lessons doubly valuable.

An Old-Fashioned Winter.
Farm-Life in 'Vinter.
A New England Barn.
A Snow Storm.
'The Masquerade. (Snow.)
S11ow Flakes.
New England Character.
Wi 11 Let" Sports.
Aladdin's Cave.
vVoods in vVinter.
The Brook.
A W oocl Fire.
Description of a New England
Kitche11.
An Old-Fashioued Fireplace.
:M oonlight oi1 the Snow.
Silhouettes.
Pictures in the Fire.
" No Place like Hom e."
"The Days th a t are No More."
Mercy 'Varren.
The Salt Marshes.
The Isles of Shoals.
Witchcraft;.
Making Hay 011 the Salt
Meadows.
A Day on the Beach.
The Quaker Mother.
The Indians at lfayerhill.
Stories of the Quakers.
Studies of Nature.
Different Ways of Looking at
Common Things.
An Old Man's Memories.
Looking Back.
TP.e Trqce of Goci.

333

'Vlrnt I Know about Birds.
Telling Stories by the Fire.
Uncle Moses.
A Charming Old Maid.
ill P- rcy Hussey's Homance.
A Husking Bee.
An Apple Bee.
fofl1Hrncc o[ 'Voman.
The Elder Sister.
Different Views of Death.
Story of a Braided Mat.
The Harebell.
Elizabeth Whit tier.
The Schools of Long Ago.
Boarding Around.
The Schoolmaster.
The Guest.
Animal Types of Human Beings.
" The Crazy Queen of Lebanon."
Charity for the Faults of Others.
A Bull's-Eye Watch.
Sounds of a Winter Night.
vVinter Sleep arnl S~tm111cr Dreams .
Breaking the Roads.
A Country Doctor.
A Kind Neighbor.
Almanacs.
The Village Newspaper.
The Pleasure of Receiving
Letters.
A Vendue.
luflueuce of Newspapers upon
People in the Country.
The Angel of Memory.
The Centur,Y Plant~

-

™

334
SUGGESTED nY

.......

LEl:;SONS IN ENGLISH.

nrn

PRELUDI~ TO "A1110NG TIIE

BIOGH.APHICAL SKETCHES.

,

.

335

l11LLs."

The Gardens of the Incas.
Golden Rod.
The Car<liual Flower.
An August Noon.
A H arvest Scene.
IUding on the Load.
What is Chivalry?
H eliotrope and Mignonette.
The Nobility of Labor.
The Hard Side of a Farmer's
Two Old Homesteads. ( ConLife.
trast.)
"The Best H.oom."
Grandma's Sampler.
l'arlor Ornarne11b1.
Blind in the :Midst of Beauty.
The Mystery of the Woods.
Pictures from Memory's Sketch llook.

CHAPTER XI.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

WASHINGTON IUVlNG.
Born at New York, April 3, 1783 . .
Died at" Sunnyside," Irvington, N. Y., Nov. 28, 1850.

William Irving, the father of Washington Irviug, was a native of one of the Orkney Islands. His early life was spent upon the sea, but soon after
his marriage he gave up his sea-faring life and came to
America. He became a prosperous merchant in New
York City. Three children died in infancy, but five
sons and three daughters grew up to manhood and
womanhood. Washington Irving was the youngest of
the eleven children.
Home Circle. -

Irving was born just at the close of the
Revolutionary War. When the parents came to decide
upon a name for their son, the mother remarked,
" Washington's work is ended, and the child shall be
named after him." When vVashington became President, he was one day entering a shop in New York,
when he was accosted by the Scotch nurse employed by
the Irvings. " Please, your honor," said the excited
woman, "here's a bairn was named after you." The
great !nan laid his hand upon the child's head and gave
him his blessing.
Irving was a mischievous boy, but he was so strictly
Boyltoo<l. -

INDEX.

..
(.

Abstract, 283; defined, 289; advantages of, 2!JO; rules for, 200, 2!ll.
Adjectives, implying number, lOG;
comparison of, t36; faulty comparisons, 137, 138 ; used for ad~erbs, 138.
ac~ ·nire, lGl.
A verbs, nsed for adjectives, 138 ;
i'osition in sentence, 186.
Aftii, 41.
Agricola, 13.
aint, 131.
Alfred the Great, 20, 28.
Allegory, bow differing from simile
and metaphor, 69; examples of,
72.
Alliteration, 87.
Allusion, 87.
almost, 146.
amon[!, 14U.
Amplification, 283, 300; advantages
of, 300 ; mles for, 301.
" and which," 195.
Angles, 14 ; Angles and Saxons
hired by Vortigern, 15 ; three
kingdoms, 20.
Anglicized words, 29.
Anglo-Saxon conquest, 16 ; effect
upou the language, 16; specimens
of the hrnguage, 18.
Anglo-Saxon element, importance
of, 41; prefixes, 43 ; suffixes, 44.
anothe1·, 124.
Anti-climax, 82.
Antithesis, how made forcible, 74.
anybody, 126.

Apostrophe, figure of, 78; with personal pronouns, 124; uses of mark,
250.
Article, general rule, 133; between
possessive case and word which it
governs, 134; before expressions
in same construction, 134; before
words in general sense, 135; before
present participle, 135; referring
to class as a whole, 135; before
adjectives qualifying the same
noun, 136.
Aryan famiiy, 5.
as and like, 147.
aught, ought, and naught, 145.
Augustine, 18.
Autobiography, 297.
Balanced sentence, 180.
Barbarism, 100; classes of, 158.
Bede, 18.
beside and besides, 148.
between, 149.
Bible, old translations of, 7; purity
of English in, 42.
Biography, 295; outline for, 295; introduction to, 296; conclusion of.
297.

Brackets, rule for, 249.
brave, lli2.
bring, 161.
Britannia, 11.
Britons, 11.
Brittany, 16, 17.
Bryant, William Cullen - birth,
home circle, boyhood, 380; school

INDEX.

INDEX.
life, college life, 381; early literary
career, professional studies, 382 ;
editorial duties, lectures, family,
383; homes, travels, birthday
celebrations, 384; death, fnuernl,
works, 385; references, 331: ; questions, 387, 388.
Buddhists, 6.
Cadence, 207.
Crosar, Julius, expedition to Britain,
11.
can and may, 142.
Canute, 21.
Capitals, rules for, 251-253.
Caret, 250.
Carnac, 12.
cmTiage, 1G3.
Celtic branch, 7; language, extermination of, 17.
Celts, 11.
censure, 163.
Circumlocution, 200.
Changes in meanings of words, 161.
Charlemagne, 22.
Chester, origin of name, 13.
Classical element, 41.
Clearness, l8H.
Climax, as a figure, 82; au element
of strength, 202.
Colloquialisms, 47.
Colon, rules for, 236, 237.
Comma, rules for, 224-230.
Complex sentence, 179.
Composition, general directions for,
280-282; two things considered ,
283; from pictures, 306; upon objects, 317; coll ection of material
for, 317; selection and arrangement of material, 320; choice of
subjects, 332--334.
Compound words, 40; sentences,
17!).
Conclusion of a sentence, 202; of a

composition, 2!J2; of a biography,
297.
.
Connection, words of, 200.
Contrasts, 201.
Cuneiform inscriptions, 6.
Cymric tongues, 7.

damsel, 162.
Danish invasion, 21; effect upon
language, 21.
Dash, rules for, 243-245.
Days of the week, origin of names.
l!J.

.

dem erit, 163.
depart, 1G3.
Description, 325; of objects, 32G; of
scenery, 328, 32!J; of persons, 330,
331; combined with narrative, 331.
Diction, 157; purity of, 15!); propriety of, lGl; precision of, 167.
Domesday book, 24.
Domesticated words, 157.
don't, 130.
Double negatives, 139.
Druids, 12.
each, JHI, 12G.
each other all!! une anothc1·, 146.
Edward th!l Confessor, 23.
eithe1·, ll!J; either- 01·, 13!).
Emphasis, l!Jl.
Energy, 1!19.
England, origin of name, 1G; Chnstianity in, rn.
English language, our mothertongue, 6; place of in Aryan
family, 7; words derived from
Homan names, 14; of Latin origin, 14; different names of the
language, 17; words introduced
by missionaries, 20; effect of Danish invasion upon the language,
21; words introduced by the
Danes, 22; effect of Norman Con-

quest upon the language, 25; 26;
growth of tlie language, 27; influence of commerce, 28; influence
of education, 28, 2H; influence of
science, 30; influence of inveu:
tion and discovery, 30; influence
of new ideas, 31; number of words
in the language, 31 ; elements of
the language, 31; summary of
facts conceming the elements of
English, 32, 3R; two main elements, 41; numerical ratio of
Saxon and Classical words, 41;
Saxon element, 42-50; Classical
element, 51--(>5; words derived
from Latin roots, 59; words derived from Greek roots, 61; good
English, 118.
Epigram, 75.
Etymology, the study of, 40; an unsafe guide, Hi3.
Euphemism, 85.
Euphony, 205.
every, ll!J, 126.
everybody, 126.
"Every-day words," 2G.
exce11t for without or unless, 147.
Exclamation, figure of, 7!); rnles for
exclamation point, 241, 242.

399

Germans, fondness for native names,
30.

Godwin, Earl, 23.
yood and well, 150.
Gothic language, 7.
Goths, 14, 15.
gossip, Hi2.
Greek branch, 7.
Greek words, character of, 30; words
of number, 60; prefixes, 60.
Harmony, 205.
Harold, 23.
Hastings, battle of, 23.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel-birth, home
circle, early life, 360; college life,
early literary career, Boston custom house, 361; Brook Farm, fam"
ily, Salem custom house, homes,
362; consulship, European travels,
return to America, death, funeral,
363; works, 364; references, 364;
questions, 365-367.
Hebrew, not the original language,
4; why interesting, 8.
Hengist and Horsa, 16.
HintR about letter-writing, 273270.

Historical narratives, 822; romauce,
322.

False syntax, 118.
Fiction, 323, 324.
Figures, defined, 66; additional, 8588; faulty, 88-95; use of, 88;
abuse of, 88; hackneyed, 89 ;
founded on too close resemblance,
8!J; founded on too r emote resemblance, 90; inappropriate, !JO.
flee, fly, andflow, 144.
France, origin of name, 15.
Franks, 14.

Holmes, Oliver Wendell - birth,
home circle, early home, school
life, 368 ; college life, professional
studies, professorships, medical
practice, 369; family, literary
1
career, v isit to England, 370;
works, 370, 371; references, 371;
questions, 372, 373.
Hybrids, 158.
Hyperbole, 81.
Hyphen, use of, 250.

Gaelic tongues, 7.
German, 7, 14.

idiot, 162.
imp, 162.

~

--- - .

_· • ~

•

,

•

-

-

-

4

-

.

'

•

• •

"'

Japhetic family, 5; theories concerning their home, 10.
Jutes, 15, 20.
Kelts [see Celts], 11.
Language, definition and derivation
of word, 1; tho study of, 1; theories concerning origin of, 2; earliost forms of, 3; tho original language, 3, 4; families of, 5; deatl
languages, 27.
Latin, two classes of w:ords derived
from, 29; prefixes,51-53; suffixes,
54--06; words of number, 58; words
derived from Latin roots, 59.

Letter, parts of, 258-269; essential
qualities of, 26!-J-273.
Letter-writing, importance of, 257;
hints concerning, 273-275.
lie and lay, 143.
like aurl cm, 147.
Linguistics, 1.
Litotes, 86.
Local words, 158.
J,011~fcllow, Henry vVa<IRwmthbirth, home circ le, early home,
school life, college life, 344; professional studies, professorships,
345; family, home, 34G; literary
career, third voyage to Europe,
Afurituri Salutam11s, 347; the
childnm's arm-chair, birthday
celebration, death, 348; works,
34!J; references, 350; questions,
3[i1' 352.
Loose sentence, 180.
Lord's Prayer, early versions of, 18.
Lowell, Jam es Russell- birth, home
circle, home, school life, college
life, 374; law studies, literary career, editoria l work, lectures, 375;
professorships, family, public of·
fices, :37fi; workR, 376, 377; refer·
onces, 377; questions, 378, 37!J.

,.....

·-~•

•~

-

~

•

~

-,

_.,.

--•

I

------------- -

Negatives. double, 139.
n either, 119; neither- nor, 139.
nephew, 162.
New Forest, 24.
New words, 158.
no, ll!J..
no/Jody, 126.
Nominative case, 119; of pronouns,
121.
Nor111an-Frcnd1, 2o.
Normandy, 22.
Normans, compared with the English, 22, 24; in England, 24; relations between Normans and SaxonR, 24, 25; effect of Conquest
upon the language, 25, 26.
Northmen or Nor semen, 22.
Notes, 267, 268.
Number, mistakes in, 120.
Objective case, 128.
Obsolete words, 158.
one, 124;
Ouomatopceia, 3, 86, 207.
onto, on to, and 11pon, 149.
other, 124.
our1ht, 138, 145.
Outline, how differing from abstract, 289, 2!JO; suggestions for,
2!Jl, 292, 2!)3, 318.

many a, 11!).
ma1J :tnd can, 142.

Metaphor, how differing from simile,
68; strained, !)2; based upon unfamiliar objects, !J2; mixed, 93.
1\fotonymy, how differing from metaphor, 76; kinds of, 71i.
11i-i8a,

•

INDEX.

JN DEX.

impertinent, lG3.
Impropriety, llil.
improve, 162.
India, modern dialects of, 6.
Indian branch, 6.
Indians, extermination of, 1li; Indian word1t left iu language, 17.
ludo-European family, 5; theories
concerning their home, 10.
Infinitive, present an<l perfect, 1:10.
Inilectio11, !J.
Interrogation, figure of, 80; peculiarities of, 80; interrogation point,
rules for, 240.
Introduction to a composition, 202;
to a biography, 2!J5, 200.
Invention, 307.
Irony, 84.
Irving, Washington- birth, home
circle, boyhood, 335; school li fe,
law studies, 33li; travels, 3:37;
partnership in business, public
offices, home, 338; literary career,
33!); death, works, 340; references, 34-1; questions, 342, 343.
Italic bn11.c h, 7.
its, 27.

•4 ~-

.

.

400

,

0

'

rn:i.

Modifiers, position of, 187.
most for almost, 146.
Narrative, special forms of, 321-323;
combined with description, 331.
navuht, aught, and ought , 145.

401

Persian branch, 6.
Personal narratives, 321.
Personification, three kinds of, 72,
73; peculiar form o:, 73.
Picts and Scots, 15.
Pleonasm, 88.
Possessive case, before a participle,
121; how formed, 122; special
uses, 123; of pronouns, 124.
Prakrit, G.
Precision of diction, 157, 167, 168.
Prefix, 40.
prevent, 163.
Principal predicate, HJ2.
Pronoun, nominative case of relatives, 121; case after verb to be,
124; before participial noun, 125;
agreement with antecedent, 125;
number of relative pronouns, 126;
use of in .s entences, 187.
Propriety of diction, 157; how attained, 161.
Provincial words, 158.
Punctuation marks, use and value
of, 222; general rules for, 223;
most common marks, 223.
Puns, 75.
pupil, rn2.
Purity of diction, 157, 159.
Quotation marks, rules for, 246, 247.

J

painful, 162.
Pali, 6.
Parallel, 86.
Paraphrase, 283; rules for, 284, 285;
advantages of, 286.
Parenthesis, 100; rules for marlrn,
248, 24!J.
Participial construction, 187.
Participle and past tense, 131.
Particular terms, use of in description, 326, 327.
Period, rules for, 238, 239.
Periodic sentence, 17!J.

real and vei·y, 150.
red11ce., 163.
Redundancy, 200.
Relative clauses, 194.
Relative pronouns, agreement with
antecedent, .125, 12li; nominative
case of, 127.
Repetition, 206.
Reproduction of thought, 283.
Rhetoric, 157.
Rhythm, 206.
Rollo, 22.

402

lN:bEX.

INDEX.

Romaic, 7.
Romance languages, 7.
Romans in Britain, 12, 13; withdrawal from the country, 13; effect of their occupation upon the
language of Britain, 13.
Root of a word, 40.
Sanskrit, 4, 5, G.
Saxons, 14; heptarchy, so called, 20;
three Saxon ki11gdo1t1R, 20.
Saxon wol'll s , di sting ui shed by their
form, 42-45; by use and m eanin g,

Strnho, 11.
street, 14.
Strength, 19!J.
Subject, principal, l\Jl; change of,
l!J4.

Subjunctive mood, 132.
sud1. a nd so, 144.
Suffix, 40.
Suppl ementary clauses, 100.
Syncccloche, 77.
Hy 11011y111fl, lli7, 2Ho.

Sy ro-Arabian family, 6
Syntax, 118.

45-47.

Scandinavian tongues, 7; oth er
names applied to t.he people, 21;
their characteristics, 21.
Sclavonic branch, 7.
Semicolon, rules for, 232-234.
Semitic family, G; lang uages included, 6; why important, 8; peculiarities of infl ection, 8, 9.
Sentences, grammatical and rhetorical classification of, 170; effects of
different kinds, 180 ; short and
long, 183 ; rules for construction,
18G; synopsis of, 210.
shall and will, 140, 141.
should and would, 141.
Simile, CiG, G7; simile and metaphor,
mistakes in use of, 88-!15.
Singular subject, followed by adjunct containing plural noun, 11!1.
sit and set, 142.
Slang, 159.
Sol ecism, 118.
some, somethin ,q, and .~omewlwt,
148.
somebody, 126.
Sound adapted to sense, 207 .
•~p oke , 27.
Squinting coustrnction, 188.
station , lGl.
Stonehenge, 12.

West Saxons, prominence of their
language, 17.
what, 127.
which, 127.
Whittier, John Greenleaf - birth,
home circle, early home, school
life, 353 ; early literary career,
writings for periodicals, editorial
dnties; 35!; anti-slavery work,
holll m1, ~rm; works, :15u, Hun; rofo reuces, am; questions, 357, 358.

Tacit.us, 14.
T:mtology, 200.
Technical terms, 158.
T ense, mistakes in, 131.
T eutonic branch, 7.
Teutons, character of t he people, 14;
names of tribes, 14, 15.
their, they're, and thei·e, 145.
to, too, and two, 146.
to and into, 14!:1.
to, the sign of the infinitive, 12!:1.
too many ideas, 1\15.
Unity, 1!14.
147.
111111 cccssary words,
urbane, lli3.
vnl r.s .~,

l!:l~l.

Vandals, 14.
Veda.s, G.
Venerable Bede, 18.
ve1·11, 150.
Vikings, 22.
Vision, 85.
vivacity, 1Ci2.
Vortigern, 15.
'Vales, Hi, 17.
well a.nd :1ood, 150.
'Vest.minster Abbey, 23.

,,
, -,"

403

who, 127.
whom, 127.
w ill and shall, 140, 141.
William, Duke of Normandy, 23.

without, 147.
would and should, 141.
wretch, 162.
Wycliffe, translation of the Lord's
Prayer, 18.
Zend-A vesta, G.

!!Ill!!!!

ELEMENTARY ENGLISH.
Stickney's Readers.
Introductory to Classics for Children. By J. H. STICKNEY, author of
The Child's Book of Langu.ag.e , Le t~ers an<f Lessons in Langua,qe, E1~g­
lish G1·amrnai', otc. Introdnct10n Pnces: First Reader, 24 cents; Second
Reader, :32 cents; Third Reader, 40 cents; Fourth Reader, 50 cents;
exchange allowances respectively of 5 cents, 8 cents, 10 cents, and 10
cents. Auxiliary Books: Stickney & Peabody's First Weeks at School,
12 cents; etickney's Classic P1·irne1·, 20 cents.

1_1IIESE are distinctively reading-books. Their object is to help
the pupil to a mastery of the rudiments of reading in the
shortest possible time and at the least expense of effort, and to
provide an ample quantity of the reading-matter that will be best
for practice, for implanting a literary taste, and for personal culture. In principles, methods, appliances, and·material, these readers are believed to be a marked advance.
1. They are based on the right idea of what a reading-book
should be.
2. They secure the best results at the least expense of time and
effort.
3. Brightness of style and vivacity of expression render the
selections invaluable in inculcating a love of reading and in training the language faculties,
4.. Having been prepared by a teacher of long and successful
experience, they are, in tre fullest sense, practical, containi.ng
nothing which will not stand the test of school-room use:
5. They contain an unusually large amount of interesting material for sight and test reading, and so do not involve the expense
of a supplementary series. They are therefore cheaper than other
reading-books.
6. They have been indorsed by leading educators, and adopted
by such cities as New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, 'Vashington, Brooklyn, Cambridge (Mass.), and hundreds of other cities
and towns. Where once tried, even as supplementary, they make
their own way .
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ELEMENTARY ENGLISH.

ELEMENTARY ENGLISH.

March's A-8-C Book.

3

CLASSICS FOR CHILDREN.

By F. A. MARCH, LL.D., Professor of the English Language and Comparative Philology, Lafayette College, Pa. 12mo. Boards. 40 pages.
Mailing Price, 22 cents; Introduction Price, 20 cents.

Jn forming the mind and taste of the young, is it not better to use
authors who have already lived long enough to afford some guaranty
that they may survive the next twenty years ~

Primer and First Reader.

"Children derive impulses of a wonderful and in11>ortant kind
from hearing things that they cannot entirely comprehend." - Sm

By ELIZAilETH A. TURNER. 12mo. Boards. 122 pages. Mailing Price,
24 cents; Introduction, 20 cents; AllolTance for an old lJook, 6 cents.

WALTER SCOTT.

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SHORT sentences, careful grnd iu g, judicious introduction of 11 ew
wonlA, and interesting maLLcr, reu<ler the book excee<liugly
practical and successful.

Stories for Young Children.
By ELIZABETH A. TURNER. 12mo. Boards. D2 pages. Mailing Price,
24 cents; Introduction, 20 cents; Allowance for an old lJook, 6 ceuts.

SUFFICIENTLY interesting to hold the aLtention of a class,
and at the same time, in thought and language, simple enough
to be easily read and comprehended by children from six to eight
years of age.

Stories for Kindergartens and Primary Schools.
By SARA E. WILTSE. Square12rno. iv+80pages. Illustrated. Boards:
Mailing Price, 30 cents; for introduction, 25 cents. Cloth: 40 and 35 cents.

THESE stories have been told to chi ldren; in truth, they are a
Kindergarten growth. They charm without exciti ng fear, and
delight without a suggestion of !;he immoral side of lifo.

Twilight Thoughts.
"Stories for Children and Child Lovers. B:v MARY S. CJ,AUDE. Edited
by MARY L. AVERY, wit.11 a Pre face hy 1\'f ATTHF.W AltNOLD. 12mo.
Cloth. 104 pages. Mailing l'ricc, GO ce11ts; for introduction, 40 ce11ts.
0

THE Preface by Matthew Arnold is an ample indorsement of
.this book.

Memory Gems in Prose and Verse.
Selected by W. H. LAllrnERT. 12mo. Boards.
Price, 35 cents; Introduction, 30 ce11ts.

100 pages.

Mailing

THIS book contains three hundred and forty-six "Gems," selected from more than one hundred and fifty authors.

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is i~ow some six or seven years since we began publishing the
Classics for Children, and the enterprise, which at first seemed a
novel cne, may fairly be said to have passed the stage of. experi~11 ent.
It has been the aim to present the best and most smtable literature in our language in as complete a form as possible; and in
most cases but few omissions have been found necessary. Whether
judged from the literary, the ethical, or the education~! standpoint,
each of the books has attained the rank of a masterpiece.
The series places within reach of all schools an abundant supply
of supplementary readiqg-matter. This is its most ?bvious ~nerit.
It is reading-matter, too, which, by the force of its own mterest
and excellence, will do much, when fairly set in competition, to
displace the trashy and even harmful literature so widely curren_t.
It is believed also that constant dwelling upon such models of simple, pure, idiomatic English is the easiest and on all accounts the
best way for children to acquire a mastery of their mother-tongue.
1 A large portion of the course hafl been devoted to history and biography, as it has seemed specially desirable to supplement the brief,
unsatisfactory outlines of history with full and life-like readings.
The annotation has been done with modesty and reserve, the
editors having aimed to let the readers come into direct acquaiutance with the author.
The books are all printed on good paper, and are durably and
attractively bound in 12mo. A distinctive feature is the large,
clear type. Illustrations have been freely used when thought desirable. The prices are as low as possible. It has been felt that
nothing would be gained by making the books a little cheaper at
the expense of crowding the page with fine type and issuing them
in a style that would neither attract nor last.
The best proof of the ueed of such a course is the universal
approbation with which it has been received.

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ELEMENTARY ENGLISH.

ELEMENTARY ENGLISH.

Scott's rales of a Grandfather.

Ifsop's Fables.

Beiug tte history of ScotlaRd fr?m the ea1~iest period to th!3 close of the
rei n of James the Fifth. Abndged by EDWIN GINN. v1+286 pages.
Bo~rds: Mailing Price, 50 cents; for introduction, 40 cents. Cloth: 60
and 50 cents.

E~i~e <l by J. H. STICKNEY, with a Lifo of JEsop, antl a Supplement con·
t:umng fables from 1::1: Fout~ine and Krilof. ::x;vii + 204 pages. Illus·
trated. Boards: Ma1lmg Pnce, 40 cents; for mtroduct10n, 35 cents.
Cloth: GO and 50 cents.

Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales.

The Peasant and the Prince.

Editeil, for school and home use, by J. H. STICKNEY.
FIR~T SERIES: Supplementary to the Third Rearler, for children
from eight to twelve yearn of age. viii + '.l80 pages. Jllnst.rnt.rnl. Malli11g !'rices: Clot Ii, !iii cents; Bo:irds, 4o cents. For introtlnctiun: Cloth,
oO cents; Hoanlf;, 40 ce11ts.
SECOND SERIES: Supplem entary to the Fonrth Reader, for children
fr~m ten to fonrt.een years of age. 352 pages. lllustratetl. Mailing
Pnces: Cloth, 55 cents; Boards, 45 cents. For introduction: Cloth, 50
cents; Boards, 40 cents.

By HARRIET MARTINEAU. :Viii+ 212. pag~s. Illustrated. Boards:
1\1.~iling Price, 40 cents; fo~· rntrodnct1011, 35 ceuts. Cloth: Mailing
Price, U5 cents; for introduct10n, UO cents.

Scott's Lady of the Lal<e.
Edited by EDWIN GINN. 2G8 pages. Boards: Mailing Price, 40 cents;
for introduction, 35 cents. Cloth: 60 and 50 cents. Canto I., 5 cents.

Kingsley's Water-Babies.
Ed_ited by J. H. ST~CKNEY. _200 pages. lllnstrated. Boards: Mailing
Pnce, 40 cents; for mtroduct1011, 85 cents. .Cloth: GO aml liO cents.
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The King of the Golden River; or, The Black
Brothers.
By JOHN RUSKIN. A legend of Stiria. V4 pages. Illustrated. Boards:
Mailing Price, 24 cents; for introduction, 20 cents. Cloth: 30 and '.l5 cents.

The Swiss Family Robinson.
Edited by J. I-I. STICICNRY. viii+ :u;1 pages. Illnstra.tctl. J~oartlF~: J\'fail-..
iug Price, 50 cents; fo1· intro<lnct.io11, 40 con ts. Uloth, GO anti 50 ceuts.

Robinson Crusoe.
The famous English Classic. Etlite'l for Supplementary Rea<ling in
Schooli!, by w. H. LAMDERT. wa pages. Boards: Jllailing l'rice, 40
cents; for introduction, 35 cents. Cloth: GO and 50 cents.

Kingsley's Greek Heroes.
Edited hy ,JonN T1r.i·r.ow, 1Tea1l l\lrtl'll.er or tho <lirls' Jllgh rtntl Latin
Schools, Bosto11. 185 pages. lllustrat.cLI. Hoards: Mailing • Price 40
cents; for introduction, 35 cents. Cloth: 55 and 50 cents.
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Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare.
M~asure for llfeasurc has h~en omitted. 320 pages. Boards: Mailing
Price, 50 cents; for mtroduct10n, 40 ce11ts. Cloth : <JO and 50 cents.

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Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel.
With map. Edited byMARGAfl:ET ANmt.Ews.ALLEN. 150pag~s. Boards:
Mailing Price, 35 cents; for mtrod11ct1011, 30 cents. Cloth. 45 and 40
cents.

Adventures of Ulysses.
By CHAR.LES LAMB.'· vii+ 109 pages .. ~oard~: Mailing P_rice, ?<:> cents;
for introduction, 25 cents. Cloth: Ma1lmg Price, 40 cents, for mtroduction, 35 cents.

Stories of the Old World.
Prepared expressly for this Series ~y the.Re:v. ALFRED J. CHURCH, M.A.'.
author of Stories from Hom er, Livy, Vir,qil, etc. 354 pages. Boards .
Mailing Price, 50 cents; for introduction, 40 cents. Cloth: 60 and 50
cents.

Plutarch's Lives.
From Clouo-h's Translation. Edited by EDWIN GINN, with Historical
Introductio~1s by W. F. ALLEN. xvi+ 333 pages. Illustrated. Bo~r?s:
Mailing Price, UO cents; for introdnction, 40 cents. Cloth: M1uhng
Price, GO cents; for introduction, 50 cents.

Scott's Talisman.
Edited by DWIGHT HOLBROOK, Principal of Morgan School, q~inton,
Conn., with an Introduction hy Miss CHARLOTT~ M. YoN?E· xn + 454
pages. Boards: Mailing Price, 60 cents ; for mtroduct10n, 50 cents.
Cloth: 70 and GO cents.

ELEMENTARY ENGLISH.

ELEMENTARY ENGLISH.

Scott's Quentin Durward...

7

!om Brown at Rugby.

Edited for this Series, with an Historical lutroduction by CHAR
M . YONGE, of England. 31 ~ pa<res. Boards. l\1 T 'p .
LOTTE
for introduction, 40 cents. Clo tli~: GO and 50 c~nt~~1 mg nee, 50 cents;

.

Irving's Sketch Book.

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With full Notes, Qucstio11s, etc., for Home a11d School Use. B HOMER .
B. SPRAGUE, Ph.D., and l\'I. E. SCATES, formerly of the Gi~ls' H'1 h
Scho.ol, B~ston. 12G pages . . J?'?arrls: Mailing Prir.e, 30 ccnt.s. for it1t 1~.
duct10n, 2o cents. Cloth: Ma11I11g- Price, 40 cont8 • for Jriti·o.'1 11 <,tl
''"
cents.
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By THOMAS HUGHES. Edited by CLARA WEAVER ROBINSON, with a
Sketch of the Author's Life by D. H. MONTGOMERY. xiii+ 387 pages.
Boards: Mailing Price, 60 cents; for introduction, 50 cents. Cloth:
Mailing Price, 70 cents; for introduction, 60 cents. - - -~-·

Benjamin Franlflin.
His Autobiography, with Notes, and a continuation of his Life compiled
chiefly .from his own writings. By D. H. MONTGOMERY. Illustrated.
viii+ 311 pages. Boards: :r [ailing Price, 50 cents; for introduction, 40
conts. Cloth: Mailing Price, 60 cents; for lutroductiou, 50 cents.

Gulliver's Travels.
Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.

The Voyag(\/ to Lilliput and the Voyage to Brobdingnag. By DEAN
SWIFT. ix+ 162 pages. Boards: Mailing Price, 35 cents; for introduction, 30 cents. Cloth: Mailing Price, 45 cents; for introduction, 40 cents.

~UDSON :i11<l LAMB. 115 pages. Boar1ls: ]\failing Price 30
t .f
mtrodnct10n, 25 ce11ts. Cloth: 45 and 40 cents.
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cen s • or

Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia.

The Arabian Nights.

By Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON, with a Sketch of the Author. viii+ 157; pages.
Boards: Mailing Price, 35 cents; for introduction, 30 cents. Cloth:
Mailing Price, 45 cents; for introduction, 40 cents.

Selections,
edited
Rev.
Ev1m1tTT HAt , tr,, DD
'.~7f
v
d by M
. . l<:DWAHO
.
· . 111 us t ra t ed
J pag~s.
voar s: a1 1mg Pnce, 50 cents; for introduction 40 centa·
Cloth: bO and 50 cents.
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8elections ·from Ruskin.

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•Edited by EDWIN GINN, with Notes and a Sketch of Ruskin's Life by
D. H. MONTGOMERY. xxv + 148 pages. Boards: Mailing Price, 3i cents;
for introduction, 30 cents. Cloth: Mailing Price, 45 cents; for introduction, 40 cents. "

The Vicar of Wakefield.
Ed_ited with Notes,,for use in Schools. 238 pages. noarrls: Mailin
Puce, 35 cents; for mtroduction, 30 ce11ts. Cloth : 55 and 50 ceuts.
g

The Two Great Retreats of History: .

Scott's Guy Mannerinq.

I. The R etreat uf the 'l'en 'l'housantl, taken from Groto's " History of
· Greece"; II. Napoleon's Ret1·eatfrum .Moscow, an abridgment of Count
Segur's narrative. vVith Introductions, Notes, and Pronouncing Index,
by D. 11. MONTGOMERY. xv+ 318 pages and two maps. Boards: Mailing
Price, 50 cents; for introduction, 40 cents. Cloth: Mailing Price, 60
cents; for introduction, 50 cents.

Edited with Notes, and a llif.·1orical .I1_1trodu.cliot1 hy l\liss CHAltLOTTF.
¥· Y~NGE. 525pages. ~3'.1:irls:.J\la1h11gPnce,70cents; for introduction, GO cents. Cloth: Ma1l111g l'r1 cc, 85 cents; for introductior., 75 cents.

Scott's Ivanhoe.
Edited with Notes, aud a llistorical Tntrodnction by Miss CHARLOTTE
M. YONGE. 554 pages. Bo~r.ds: J\I:~iling Price, 70 cents; for introduc~~~~~. GO cents. Cloth: l\la1lmg Pnce, 85 cents; for introduction, 75

Scott's Rob Roy.
EMdi{~d with ~?.tes, ~1d a Historical Introduction by Miss CHARLOTTE
• 1 ONGE.
vm + 501 pages. Boards · Maili
p ·
70
·
troduction, fiO cents. Cloth: 85 and 75 ce~ts.ng nee,
cents; form•

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Heroic Ballads,
With Poems of War and Patriotism. Edited with Notes by D. H. MONTGOMERY.
pages. Boards: Mailing Price,
cents; for introduction,
cents. Cloth: Mailing Price,
cents; for introduction,
cents.

OTHER BOOKS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY READING.
Washington and His Country. See description under History: i
Pilgrims and Puritans. See description under History.
English History Reader. See description under History .
Footprints of Travel. See description under Geography.

Our World Reader, No. 1.

See description under Geography,

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THE SERIES OF CLASSICS FOR CHILDREN

and endorsed by teachers, superintende11ts, !tnd school boards.
The books are in wide use (1) as regular readers, (2) as supple·
mentary readers, and (3) in school and home libraries. Out of
hundreds of testimonials we can present but a very few: The Critic, New York: A capital
3eries.
Education, Boston: These books
are remarkably cheap, well prl11tecl,
well edited, aud should have au cxteuded use.
William H. Payne, Pres . of P eabody Normal College, Nashville,
Tenn.: I think too much cannot be
said in favor of this list of publications, destined, I believe, to create a
correct taste for r eading, and ·to displace much that is now working injury to the mental and moral habits
of the young.
J. H. Vincent, SttJJt . of Instruction,
Chautauqua Assembly: I desire to
express my great satisfaction with
the taste, skill, and wisdom of the
work. I wish it abundant success .
Mellen Chamberlain, Librarian,
Boston Public Library: These publications seem to me to be of g reat
valuE', whether regarded as home
reading or for use in public school.
H. O. Wheeler, Supt . of Schools,

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fl AS been most cordially approved by the press and the critics,

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Burlington, Vt. : These books form
an admirable series for r eadiug in
the home as well as in the school.
F. Louis Soldan, l'rin. of Normal
S chool, St. Louis, Mo . : The idea underlying tl1ese books is meritorious
in itself, an<l its execution admirable.
W. M. Crow, Supt. of Schools, Galveston, Tex. : Permit me to say that I
regard your s eries of Classics for Children as the best literature in the best
form that has ever been presented to
the young people of our country.
B. B. Snow, Supt . of Schools, Auburn, N. Y. : As to results, I venture
to say, from our experience, that no
one who undertakes the method [of
dispensing with rr _,nla r "readers"]
will willingly abandon it. Our reading exercise is '.' e most interesting
exercise of the -:ay. · The pupils look
forward to it eagerly, the interest is
absorbing, and t he exercise is r eluctantly discontinued . I may add that
the teachers are as much interested
as the pupils.

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Hazen's Complete Speller.
EDITIONS AND PRICES. -Part I., Primary : 12mo. Boards. 54 pages.
Introduction, 10 cents; allowed for old book, 3 cents. Parts II. and III.,
Intermed iate and Grammar, aud Test Spe!Jer: 12mo. Boards. 148
pages. Introduction, 20 cents; allowed for old book, 6 cents. Complete
(Parts I., II., and III.): 12rno. Boards. 1!)4 pages. Introduction, 25
cents; allowed for old book, 8 con ts.

JN tl~is l.>0.ok spelli11g is taught on a ratio11al plan, by the aid
of mtelhgence as well as memory. It has many features of
special merit that practical teachers have bee11 prompt to recognize.
W. T. Harris, formerly S11pt. of Schools, St. Louis: It gives evidence of
long experience on the part of the aut.hor in the matter of teaching spelling.

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