Holmes, George F., L.D.D. Sixth Reader; Containing A New and Practical Treatise on the Art of Reading, and Choice Extracts, mainly from Classic Writers, with Biographical Notes; furnishing a Select Course of Reading for the Class Room, and an Introduction to a Knowledge of English Literature. New York: University Publishing Co., 1882.
Preface
This volume completes the series of Readers of which it forms a part. It has been prepared for the use of the more advanced classes in Higher Schools and Seminaries, and contains elegant and instructive specimens of composition, selected mainly from the classic writers of English, whether of the present or past – England or America. A glance at the alphabetical list of authors from whom these selections are taken, suggests at once how a large number of the names are representative names of English Literature. In some instances, however, due regard for variety, interest, and attractiveness, has induced the subordination of mere literary merit to other considerations. Unusual excellence and richness will thus, it is believed, be found to distinguish this collection of readings.
While many of the extracts in this Reader are not found in other compilations, it has not been thought necessary to reject characteristic productions of an author, for the reason that the same selection may have been made by another compiler. Those who read this volume will thus find it a large number of the brightest gems of the language, and, through the selections themselves and the appended biographical notes, will be enabled to gain a stimulating introduction to a knowledge of English Letters. Of course many names of high rank will be found unrepresented in these pages, simply for want of space.
The beauty and appropriateness of the illustrations of this volume, from original designs, furnish a characteristic feature.
The introductory treatise of the Art of Reading has been kindly prepared for this book by one of the most accomplished elocutionists in the country, and will be found to be eminently sensible and practical.
CONTENTS.
I. THE ART OF READING
The Analysis of the Thought . . . 12
The Analysis of the Feeling . . . 12
Method of Analysis . . . 14
Enunciation . . . 18
Tables of Elements . . . 20
Phonic Analysis of Words . . . 22
Elements of Vocal Expression . . . 23
Quality . . . 25
Pure Tone . . . 26
Aspirated and Guttural Qualities . . . 32
Inflections . . . 34
General Laws of Inflections . . . 36
Application of Inflections in the Analysis of Thought . . . 37
Application for the Inflections in the Analysis of Feeling . . . 39
Force . . . 41
Accent . . . 43
Emphasis . . . 45
Stress . . . 47
Pitch . . . 52
Time . . . 53
Conclusion . . . 58
II. SELECT READINGS
I. My Books Leigh Hunt. 59
II. The Sun Herschel 64
III. Columbus’s Voyage to America Robertson 68
IV. On People with One Idea Hazlitt 73
V. The Vision of Mirza Addison 82
VI. A Prairie on Fire Audubon 87
VII. Death of Little Nell Dickens 89
VIII. Scenery of the Himalayas Jos. D. Hooker 99
IX. The Golden City Bunyan 102
X. My Tame Hares Cowper 108
XI. How Com. Trunnion went to get Married Smollett 112
XII. The Nile Baker 120
XIII. Partridge at the Playhouse Fielding 123
XIV. The Great Plague in London Defoe 128
XV. Pisa and its Leaning Tower Leigh Hunt 137
XVI. On the Sagacity of the Spider Swift 141
XVII. A Virtuoso’s Collection Hawthorne 147
XVIII. The Fall of Constantinople Gibbon 150
XIX. Vesuvius Merivale 157
XX. Omens Davy 160
XXI. Rip Van Winkle Irving 164
XXII. “ (continued) “ 171
XXIII. Driver Ants Wood 179
XXIV. The Proper Study of History Bolingbroke 183
XXV. The Food of London Dodd 186
XXVI. Scipio and Hannibal Thomas Arnold 188
XXVII. Palestine Barclay 192
XXVIII. Washington Jefferson 197
XXIX. The Power, Delicacy, and Accuracy of Machinery
Babbage 199
XXX. The Lone Indian Mrs. Child 203
XXXI. Work Carlyle 210
XXXII. A Procession to a Turkish Camp Lady Montagu 215
XXXIII. Home of Galileo in Florence Everett 218
XXXIV. Letter of Junius to the Duke of Bedford Sir Philip Francis 224
XXXV. The Sacred Bo-Tree of Anarajapoora Tennent 228
XXXVI. The Death of Lord Falkland Hyde 231
XXXVII. Egyptian Chairs Wilkinson 234
XXXVIII. Sunrise and Sunset in the Wood White 241
XXXIX. Arctic Scenes Bayard Taylor 245
XL. Tenuity and Continuity of Matter in the Sky Tyndall 249
XLI. Lady Hester Stanhope and the Arabs Kinglake 255
XLII. The Puritans Kingsley 258
XLIII. Law; or, Bullam versus Boatum Stevens 267
XLIV. Science and Art Herbert Spencer 271
XLV. Destruction of the Carnatic Burke 277
XLVI. Venice Ruskin 279
XLVII. The Origin of the Roast Pig Charles Lamb 286
XLVIII. The Greek Language Legare 296
XLIX. The Gulf-Stream and the Whales M.F. Maury 298
L. Progress of the Mechanical Arts Daniel Webster 302
LI. Definition of Good Breeding Chesterfield 307
LII. The Calmucks Clarke 313
LIII. The Great Dismal Swamp of America Lyell 321
LIV. Pocahontas Simms 325
LV. Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence Bancroft 328
LVI. The Flower and the Forest John Wilson 333
LVII. The Burning Ship Cooper 342
LVIII. “ (continued) “ 346
LIX. The Last Days of the Colonel Newcome Thackeray 354
LX. Discovery of the Pacific Ocean Helps 357
LXI. Gigantic Forces of Nature in Brazil Buckle 368
LXII. Magna Charta Hallam 372
LXIII. The Breath of Life Faraday 376
LXIV. Franklin Brougham 384
LXV. Immensity of Space De Quincey 393
LXVI. Jerusalem Disraeli 395
LXVII. Impeachment of Warren Hastings Macaulay 402
LXVIII. Inundation of the Netherlands Motley 407
LXIX. Physical Description of Hindostan Alison 415
LXX. Willie, the Poor Lost Lad Hugh Miller 419
LXXI. The Princess Charlotte of Wales Robert Hall 427
LXXII. The Necessity and Majesty of Law R. Hooker 437
LXXIII. The Wonders of Yellowstone Hayden 438
LXXIV. The Execution of Sir Thomas More Froude 447
LXXV. Queen Elizabeth Hume 456
LXXVI. Description of the City of Mexico Prescott 460
III. POETRY
The Paradise-Bird and the Ship Robert Bulwer Lytton
Paradise and the Peri Moore
The Legend Beautiful Longfellow
Hymn to the Flowers Horace Smith
Light in Dark Places Keble
Elegy written in a Country Churchyard Gray
Ivry Macaulay
The Hebrew Mother Mrs. Hemans
Saul and the Witch of Endor Allston
Night Montgomery
Lines on my Mother’s Picture Cowper
He Giveth his Beloved Sheep Mrs. Browning
The Pleasures of Hope Campbell
Hagar in the Wilderness Willis
The Dream of Eugene Aram Hood
Alexander’s Feast Dryden
The Passions Collins
The Wonderful “One-Hoss Shay” O.W. Holmes
Burns Halleck
The Phantom Ship at Sea Coleridge
Imagination Akenside
Shylock Demanding his Bond Shakespeare
The Newcastle Apothecary Colman
On the Prospect of Planting Arts and Learning in America
Bp. Berkeley
Jack Horner Mrs. Whitney
Battle of Flodden Field Scott
Morning Prayer of Adam and Eve Milton
The Lament over the Death of Hector Bryant
The Victim Tennyson
The Raven Poe
The Messiah Pope
The Accomplishments of Hudibras Butler
Man was made to Mourn Burns
Ginevra Rogers
Over the River Mrs. Priest
The Ocean Byron
The Witch of Gray Thorn Hogg
Intimations of Immortality Wordsworth
Execution of Montrose Aytoun
The Cataract of Lodore Southey
Scene from Ion Talfourd
The Village Preacher Goldsmith
The Cloud Shelley
Man Immortal Young
Herve’ Riel Robert Browning
The Seasons Thomson