RHETORICAL, UNION SIXTH READER: EMBRACING A FULL EXPOSITION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF RHETORICAL READING; WITH NUMEROUS SPECIMENS, BOTH IN PROSE AND POETRY, FROM THE BEST AS EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE; AND WITH Notes and Sketches, Literary and Biographical, FORMING TOGETHER A BRIEF, THOUGH COMPREHENSIVE COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN ENGLISH LITERATURE. BY CHARLES W. SANDERS, A. M., AUTHOR OF A SERIES OF SCHOOL READERS," "YOUNG LADIES' READER,' NEW YORK: IVISON, PHINNEY, BLAKEMAN & COMPANY, Nos. 47 & 49 GREENE STREET. PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. CHICAGO: S. C. GRIGCS & CO. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by CHARLES W. SANDERS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. 428.6 P R E F A CЕ. VIEWED merely in the light of its primary purpose, withcut reference to collateral aims, the present work is simply a comprehensive course of reading. But this view is quite inadequate, because superficial. It is like examining a watch without opening the case. The main part is left out of sight. A better view may be gained by a different illustration; for, as in a great garden, representing all the products of the earth,— where art works with nature in promotion of the general design, where color, form, and variety unite in wooing the sense of beauty,-where every noxious growth is closely watched and carefully excluded, and where, in addition to all this, a guide is at hand to point out the character of each production, so here, in the compass of a single volume, is a collection of specimens from every part of the literary world, all duly arranged and duly explained, and all shedding the selectest moral influence. But, to enable the young reader better to appreciate all this variety of style and subject, pertinent collateral instructions and suggestions are provided throughout. These reach down to the very elements of vocal utterance. They reach up to whatever, in the matter of reading, can either be taught by rules or illustrated by example. (3) AUG 1 '40 But the range of the work is wider still. The book is, indeed, a sort of History of Literature. Here, accordingly, will be found, in the form of Notes, numerous original sketches of literary character, brief, though comprehensive, as the space requires, but all in the spirit of truth and fairness; while longer sketches, drawn by the ablest hands, and tracing with precision the subtle shades of literary merit, find place, as well they may, among the Exercises to be read in regular course. of course, These sketches—even the best of them—are not, exhaustive. They mark the main points, however, and cannot fail-even the poorest of them-to awaken that interest which 'ways attends the perusal of a piece whose author is known to the reader by something more than the mere announcement of his name. They show how, as in the case of Cowper, labor imparts a finish which no time can wear off, and how, as in the same beautiful example, wit, humor, and gayety may be found in close alliance with all that is pure in sentiment and refined in language; how worth, in spite of obstacles, rises slowly, it may be, but surely, to its own proper level; how the walls of a prison, as in the case of Bunyan, and even total blindness, as in that of Milton, seem rather to quicken than to hinder the free movements of genius; how even genius itself, however transcendent, without the salutary check of goodness, is, after all, only what the ignorant deem of a comet-a mighty messenger of mischief; and how, in short, opportunities, the best and the worst, are alike unavailing, if the disposition be wanting to reach honorable achievement. With these few words respecting the plan, purpose, matter, and execution of the work, the UNION RHETORICAL READER is respectfully submitted to the judgment of teachers. NEW YORK, Sept. 1862. |