THE T PROGRESSIVE THIRD READER, FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS: CONTAINING THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF ELOCUTION, ILLUSTRATED BY EXAM With Original Designs and Engravings. BY SALEM TOWN, LL. D. AND NELSON M. HOLBROOK. BOSTON: SANBORN, BAZIN, & ELLSWORTH, 13 WASHINGTON ST. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by NELSON M. HOLBROOK, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts 25689. ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. PREFACE. THIS Reader is designed for the use of pupils after they have become familiar with the preceding books of the series. Much of the matter contained in it is original; a portion has been translated from the popular school literature of Germany, and the remainder is from approved writers in our own language. One of the objects, aimed at in the selection of the reading lessons, has been to present such a variety of subjects and styles of composition, as will render the book interesting and instructive, and, at the same time, furnish exercises well adapted to discipline the vocal organs, and secure a natural and easy manner of reading. The same progressive plan, which was adopted at the commencement of the series, has been pursued in this Reader; and special care has been taken not to outstrip the progress of the scholar, nor to anticipate the knowledge of principles not previously explained, or which are too abstruse for him to comprehend. Simplicity of arrangement, conciseness in definitions, a natural and easy transition from one elocutionary principle to another, and a clear presentation and illustration of those rules which are essential to good reading, constitute some of the prominent features of this book. The vocals, sub-vocals, and aspirates, and their various combinations, are classified and arranged in tables, and also exemplified in exercises, selected for that purpose; and the scholar, who faithfully studies these tables and exercises, can not fail to obtain a thorough knowledge of all the elementary sounds in our language. And, in order to secure accuracy in pronunciation, and a constant application of the principles of articulation, words most liable to be mispronounced, or such as contain combinations of difficult utterance, are selected from each piece in Part Second, and their erroneous pronunciation given and corrected at the head of the lesson. Every practical teacher is well aware that the task of committing to memory abstract rules or principles, without any reference to their application, is always an irksome one to the scholar. To obviate this evil, so common in elementary reading books, and to make the exer |