The graduated series of reading-lesson books

obstacle of some magnitude. In that case, the reading of a lesson must be repeated to an extent that may prove irksome, or the majority must suffer, under the restrictions of the "time table," from having no active share in the lesson at all. Obviously it is as important not to invade the rights and requirements of the many for the sake of the few, as it is to avoid dispersing over all a technical privilege in lieu of an intellectual benefit.

The Editor of the Graduated Series has therefore presented to schoolmasters an opportunity of adopting a middle course, which, it is hoped, will answer both purposes, without disturbing the original arrangement of paragraphs. Where a paragraph occurs without interruption, it is intended as a single reading exercise; but where a "metal rule" (...) is inserted at the end of a sentence in the body of a paragraph, this also is proposed as the limit of a separate exercise. Each division, occurring at the end of one or more sentences, presents, consistently with the practical necessities of collective teaching, a completed observation or a connected series of statements, an entire picture or a portion of an illustration intelligible per se. This plan has the additional advantage of affording a resting point for such particular questioning as may be considered necessary.

While many of the selections have been carefully abridged, and otherwise adapted for the present series, the peculiarities of thought and expression of the originals have been retained; and, for obvious reasons, any effort to originate directions for emphasis, modulation, &c., has been considered superfluous. In this stage of advancement, such directions at once discourage individual effort on the part of the reader, and deprive the teacher of a valuable test for measuring the comparative capacities of his pupils; they are therefore diametrically opposed to the aim and object of reading.

The Editor begs to tender his thanks to the publishers, and especially to the distinguished authors who have accorded him the privilege of availing himself of their copyright publications, many of which would have long remained unknown and inaccessible to the class for whom the present Series is particularly intended.