This volume, designed for use in the last two years of the secondary school course, contains such textbook matter as I think is needed to carry out these three ideas in an economical way: a brief review of rhetoric, including a little vocabulary of terms commonly employed in talking about books; a general classification and discussion of the various literary forms-fiction, drama, essay, etc.-together with suggestions both general and specific concerning how these forms may be studied; a summary by periods of English literature, containing what I think is the minimum that the pupil should know upon graduationsuch information as an intelligent man or woman surely ought to possess. I have not hesitated to include, in revised form, some matter that has already appeared in an earlier manual; but the exercises and questions, which form a considerable part of the whole, are new-new and yet old, for little has gone into this book that has not been tried out repeatedly in class room. Indeed I have neither the courage nor the inclination to put forth in textbook form anything experimental. This volume should not go forth without some acknowledgment of indebtedness. Many authorities were consulted during the preparation of the summary of English literature; yet the nature of the summary is such-merely a statement of established facts and accepted estimates— that seldom has it seemed necessary to refer specifically to sources of information familiar to most students. I owe much to fellow teachers who, as critics, have made many helpful suggestions; and I am especially indebted to Miss Elizabeth Peck, who has shared with me the burden of correcting proof. A. M. H. |