DISTRICT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.....TO WIT.

District Clerk's Office.

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-ninth day of November, A. D. 1830, and in the fifty-fifth year of the Independence of the United States of America, ELI FRENCH, of the said District, has deposited in this office the title of a ook, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, wit:

"Sequel to the Analytical Reader: in which the original design is_extended, Bo as to embrace an explanation of phrases and figurative language. By Samuel Putnam. Second edition."

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an Act, entitled "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."

CHARLES W. CUTTER, { Clerk of the Dist. Court of the U. States,

for the District of New Hampshire.

A true copy of Record.

Attest,

C. W. CUTTER, Clerk.

STEREOTYPED AT THE

BOSTON TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY.

D. FANSHAW, PRINTER.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

IN presenting to the public the SEQUEL to the " Analytical Reader," the Compiler wishes to state, somewhat at large, the objects which he has attempted to accomplish in the following pages, both as a preparation for using the book, and that the advantages, if any, which it possesses over Reading Lessons, constructed on the usual plan, may be fairly apprehended. Experience has abundantly confirmed him in the belief, that a mere compilation of Lessons, however well selected or judiciously arranged, does, in some important respects, fail of accomplishing its intended effect-the strengthening and enlargement of the youthful mind.

Miss Edgeworth, throughout her books, maintains this fundamental principle—“ that ideas should always be clearly connected with words; that the advancement from the known to the unknown should be in an obvious and intelligible connection; and that the most exact conformity should be preserved, between the knowledge which the mind acquires, and the vocabulary which expresses that knowledge." Some of the selections of Reading Lessons which have been presented to the public, are of a character altogether above the reach of the young scholar. They contain facts above his power to understand, and allusions of which he never formed an idea. Didactic essays form the great mass of two or three of our most popular reading books. They may convey much profit to a mature mind; but, to promote the intellectual growth of young persons, or to make them good readers, these selections essentially fail. In other instances, a composition may be on a level with the reader's comprehension, but being unsupplied with any thing to direct him in further inquiries, or by which he may indulge in new associations, after two or three perusals, he loses all interest-the piece becomes dry and unprofitable. The Instructer, in his multiplied labors, if he has the ability, has not always the time to supply new sources of interest, or add explanations and comments. It ought not to be, as we conceive, the main design of a reading book, to furnish a manual by which to pronounce words accurately, to learn the difference between a comma and a colon, or to measure sentences with the proper rise and fall of the voice. The grand object should be, to give the scholar a permanent interest in the exercise to inspire him with a relish for understanding what he reads.

But, if a composition becomes insipid after two or three perusals, or, if the meaning of any of its parts cannot be apprehended without great difficulty, the progress of the scholar is retarded, and his mind may even receive an influence, whose bad effects shall last through life. But, if he goes through the exercise rationally and with interest, many of the minor excellencies of a good reader will be attained. Children are usually led to employ bad inflections, by being compelled to read what they do not understand. If they take that interest in the exercise, which is the result of thoroughly understanding it, the tones are almost invariably well modulated and natural.

Entertaining these views, the Compiler has attempted, in the Analytical Reader, but more especially in the Sequel, to present some Reading Lessons, which will not lie open to the objections that have been pointed out.

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For this purpose, he has confined the text of nearly all his selections to the left hand page, thus reserving one half of the space to the various objects which are now to be designated.

One prominent purpose, to which the right hand page is devoted, is definitions. All the words, whose meaning is not obvious, have been transferred to this page, with their definitions appended. In this way, no recurrence will be necessary to the pages of a dictionary. The words are explained according to their connection, and thereby shades of meaning elicited, which the common dictionaries do not contain. In many instances, combinations of words, or phrases, are defined by corresponding words or phrases. And sometimes, when the original term was easily understood, a more difficult synonymous phrase has been inserted, in order that the pupil might acquire a larger compass of language and phraseology, and especially, that he might accurately understand the various idioms of his mother tongue. Thus, in the course of the volume, a large amount of words has been defined, connected with almost every department of human knowledge. Many technical and scientific terms, which are coming more and more into daily use, are explained, where otherwise a recurrence to several volumes would be necessary. Instead of satisfying the curiosity of the student, and preventing an examination of the pages of a dictionary or the text book of a particular science, in the course of reading or study in after life, it is believed, that it will excite him to further and larger inquiries. He has understood what he has read. He has learned the exact meaning of many words and terms; which will, of course, show him in what manner to define others, and when to be satisfied with a meaning.

In some cases, where a word has a variety of significations, perhaps of contrary import, the whole number has been attached. This, it is thought, will be a profitable exercise to the powers of comparison and judgment. It will cultivate the important habit of discrimination, while it brings into view, in some measure, the copiousness and extent of the English language. The system of questioning is intended to aid both the teacher and the scholar. The teacher is furnished with hints and queries which he will pursue at pleasure. The scholar may find questions beyond his ability to answer, or some answers not perfectly satisfactory. These doubts may lead him to inquire of his teacher, and thereby a most important object will be gained. If he is excited to ask half a dozen questions, it will be of more permanent and practical benefit to him, than as many pages of explanations from his instructer. It nurtures an inquiring spirit. It shows that his intellectual powers are in motion. It creates a mutual responsibility in the business of reading. The scholar feels, that he must understand, if possible, the ideas, whose representatives pass before his eyes; the teacher, that it is his duty to be faithful in guiding and animating the labors of his pupilswhile, on all hands, the amount of pleasure is greatly enhanced.

In this exercise, some reference has been had to the beauties of style and thought, or to matters of mere taste. Where it could be done, without too manifest digression, the Compiler has wished to unfold a flower, and show its tints to his youthful friends, in their passage through the volume.

In the course of the book, he has occupied considerable space in the explanation of figurative language. Several of the selections, especially towards the close of the volume, are of a character which seemed to demand considerable attention. Without destroying the pleasure to be derived from an elevated composition, he has attempted to bring down its metaphorical language, so that children could understand and relish it. Where the body of the work did not contain sufficient space for a full explanation, he has transferred his remarks to an Appendix. Into the Appendix, likewise, he has thrown considerable information, in regard to a variety of topics, which he thought might be apposite and useful. Especially, where proper names in Geography or History occur, he has given a somewhat extended account of them, in alphabetical order.

The most difficult words in orthography are also transferred to the right hand page. Experience has evinced, that spelling ought always to accompany reading. The scholar should learn to spell the word as he sees it, in the connection in which he will ever afterwards see it. He should be taught to connect the form with the meaning, rather than to associate in his mind long columns of words, which have no connection except in sound. It has been declared by a sensible writer of the present day, "that the use of the Spelling Book is the greatest barrier now existing to intellectual improvement; that the great reason, why men are so ignorant, is, that they were taught by this mechanical method-a method, which, like the destructive mildew, has blasted the unfolding germs of many a rising genius." Without adopting, to its full extent, the strong language of this extract, the Compiler still thinks the old method to be attended with many inconveniences. A selection of words for spelling, which has passed before the eye of the scholar, and whose sense and connection he has associated with the appearance and sound, attended with decided and manifest advantages. With regard to the rules, by which the Compiler has been governed in his selection of pieces, he has but few words to say. Whenever he has found a well-written composition, which appeared to him fitted to interest the minds of children and youth, and which, at the same time, conveyed correct moral sentiments, he has adopted it.

Simplicity of style and directness of language, when united in the narrative form, present the strongest attractions to immature and expanding minds. At the same time, every thing, written in a style of loose morality or bad taste, has been carefully excluded. All the moral effect of the book, we earnestly hope, will be on the side of virtue and religion. As the pupil is learning to pronounce words correctly, and is treasuring up useful thoughts and materials for reflection, a more important object will be gained, if his heart becomes deeply interested in the cause of humanity, and in the principles of the Christian religion.

The Compiler had nearly completed his labors, when he first saw a copy of the "Classical Reader" of Messrs. Greenwood and Emerson. He immediately availed himself of two or three extracts from this valuable and highly interesting selection, for which he returns his acknowledgments to the Compilers.

This book, whatever may be its excellencies or defects, is now submitted to the candor of an intelligent public. In it, something has been attempted for the advancement of the cause of popular education. Of the excellencies of the plan, it is believed, no doubts can be reasonably entertained. What its execution is, must be left to the decision of a discerning, but candid community.

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