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makes fome men, otherwise of good learning and understanding, averfe to writing even a common letter.

Let the pieces read by the scholars in this clafs be fhort; fuch as Croxal's fables and little ftories. In giving the leffon, let it be read to them; let the meaning of the difficult words in it be explained to them; and let them con over by themselves before they are called to read to the mafter or ufher; who is to take particular care that they do not read too fast, and that they duly obferve the ftops and paufés. A vocabulary of the moft ufual difficult words might be formed for their use, with explanations; and they might daily get a few of those words and explanations by heart, which would a little exercife their memories; or at least they might write a number of them in a fmall book for the purpose, which would help to fix the meaning of those words in their minds, and at the fame time furnish every one with a little dictionary for his future use.

THE

THE SECOND CLASS

TO be taught reading with attention, and with proper modulations of the voice; according to the fentiment and the subject.

Some short pieces, not exceeding the length of a Spectator, to be given this clafs for leffons (and fome of the easier Spectators would be very fuitable for the purpose). These leffons might be given every night as tasks; the scholars to study them against the morning. Let it then be required of them to give an account, first of the parts of speech, and conftruction of one or two fentences. This will oblige them to recur frequently to their grammar, and fix its principal rules in their memory. Next, of the intention of the writer, or the fcope of the piece, the meaning of each fentence, and of every uncommon word. This would early acquaint them with the meaning and force of words, and give them that most neceffary habit, of reading with attention.

The mafter then to read the piece with the proper modulations of voice, due emphasis, and fuitable action, where action is required; and put the youth on imitating his manner.

Where the author has ufed an expreffion not the beft, let it be pointed out; and let his beauties be particularly remarked to the youth.

Let the leffons for reading be varied, that the youth may be made acquainted with good styles of all kinds in profe and verse, and the proper manner of reading each kind-sometimes a welltold story, a piece of a fermon, a general's speech to his foldiers, a fpeech in a tragedy, fome part

of

of a comedy, an ode, a fatire, a letter, blank verfe, Hudibraftic, heroic, &c. But let fuch leffons be chofen for reading, as contain fome ufeful inftruction, whereby the understanding or morals of the youth may at the fame time be improved.

It is required that they fhould first study and understand the leffons, before they are put upon reading them properly to which end each boy fhould have an English dictionary, to help him over difficulties. When our boys read Englifh to us, we are apt to imagine they underftand what they read, because we do, and because it is their mother tongue. But they often read, as parrots fpeak, knowing little or nothing of the meaning. And it is impoffible a reader fhould give the due modulation to his voice, and pronounce properly, unlefs his understanding goes before his tongue, and makes him mafter of the fentiment. Accuftoming boys to read aloud what they do not first understand, is the cause of thofe even fet tones fo common among readers, which, when they have once got a habit of using, they find fo difficult to correct; by which means, among fifty readers we fcarcely find a good one. For want of good reading, pieces published with a view to influence the minds of men, for their own of the public benefit, lofe half their force. Were there but one good reader in a neighbourhood, a public orator might be heard throughout a nation with the fame advantages, and have the fame effect upon his audience, as if they ftood within the reach of his voice.

THE

THE THIRD CLASS

TO be taught fpeaking properly and gracefully; which is near a-kin to good reading, and naturally follows it in the ftudies of youth. Let the scholars of this clafs begin with learning the elements of rhetoric from fome fhort fyftem, fo as to be able to give an account of the most useful tropes and figures. Let all their bad habits of fpeaking, all offences against good grammar, all corrupt or foreign accents, and all improper phrafes, be pointed out to them. Short fpeeches from the Roman or other history, or from the parliamentary debates, might be got by heart, and delivered with the proper action, &c. Speeches and fcenes in our beft tragedies and comedies (avoiding every thing that could injure the morals of youth) might likewise be got by rote, and the boys exercfed in delivering or acting them; great care being taken to form their manner after the trueft models. ⠀

For their farther improvement, and a little to vary their ftudies, let them now begin to read hiftory, after having got by heart a fhort table of the principal epochas in chronology. They may begin with Rollin's ancient and Roman hiftories, and proceed at proper hours, as they go through the fubfequent claffes, with the best hiftories of our own nation and colonies. Let emulation be excited among the boys, by giving, weekly, little prizes, or other fmall encouragements to thofe who are able to give the beft account of what they have read, as to times, places, names of perfons, &c. This will make them read with attention, and imprint the history well in their memories.

In

In remarking on the hiftory, the mafter will have fine opportunities of inftilling inftructions of various kinds, and improving the morals, as well as the understandings, of youth.

The natural and mechanic hiftory, contained in the Spectacle de la Nature, might also be begun in this clafs, and continued through the fubfequent claffes, by other books of the fame kind; for, next to the knowledge of duty, this kind of knowledge is certainly the most useful, as well as the most entertaining. The merchant may thereby be enabled better to understand many commodities in trade; the handicraftsman to improve his business by new inftruments, mixtures and materials; and frequently hints are given for new manufactures, or new methods of improving land, that may be fet on foot greatly to the advantage of a country.

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