species of excellence ; and to produce a habit of thinking, and of composing, with judgment and accuracy.*

Thaç this collection may also serve the purpose of promote ing piety and virtue, the compiler has introduced many exa tracts which place religion in the most amiable light : and which recommend a great variety of moral cuties, by the excellence of their nature, and the happy effects they produce. These subjects are exhibited in a siyle and manner, which are calculated to arrest the altention of you:)) ; end to make strong and durable impressions on their minds.*

The compiler has been careful to avoid every expression and sentiment, that might gratisy a corrupt mind, or, in the least degree, oftend the eye or ear of innocence. I his he conceives to be peculiarly incumbent on every person who writes for the benefit of youth. It would, indeed, be a great and happy improvement in education, is no writings were allowed io come under their notice, but such as are perfectly innocent : and if, on all proper occasions, they were encouraged to peruse those which tend to inspire a due reverence for virtue, and an ab. torrence of vice, as well as to animate them with sentiments. of piety and goodness. Such impressions deeply engraven on their minds, and connected with all their attainmenis, could scarcely fail of attending them through life ; and of producing a solidity of principle and character, that would be able to resist the darger arising from future intercourse with the world.

The author has endeavoured to relieve the grave and seri. ous parts of his collection, by the occasional admission of piea ces wiinish amuse as well as instruct. If, however, any of his readers should think it contains too great a proportion of the former, it may be some apology, to observe, that, in the existing publicatio:s designed for the perusal of yourg persons, the preporderance is greatly on the side of gay and amusing pro. ductions. Too much atte: tion may be paid to this mediun of inprovenient. When the imagination, of youth especial. ly, is much entertained, the sobtr dictates of ihe understand. ing are regarded with indifference: and the influence of good affections, is either feeble, or transient. Atenperate use of sich entertainment seems therı fore requisite, to afford proper scope for the operations of the understanding and the heart.

The reader will perceive, that the compiler bas iseen solicitous lo recommend 10 young persons, the perusül. f the sacred scriptures, by interspersing through his work, some of the most beautitul, and interesting passages of those invalua. ble writings. To excire an early taste and veneration for this great rule of life, is a point of so high importance, as to warrant the allempt to promote it on every proper occasion.

To improve the young mind, and to afford some assistance to lutors, in the arduous and important work of education, were The motives which led to this production. If the Author should be so successful as 10 accomplish these ends, even in a smalt degree, he will think that his time and pains bave been well employed, and will deem himself amply rewardid.

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INTRODUCTION.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF

GOOD

RLADINO.

O read with propriety is a pleasing and important attaine

ment ; productive of improvement both to the under. standing and the heart. It is essential to a complete reader, that he minutely perceive the ideas, and enter into the feelings of the author, whose sentiments he professes to repeat ; for how is it possible to represent clearly to others, what we have but faint or inaccurale conceptions of ourselves? If there were no other benefi:s resulting from the art of reading well, than the necessity it lays us under, of precisely ascertaining the meaning of what we read ; and the habit thence acquired, of doing this with facility, both when reading silently and aloud, they would constitute a sufficient compens.'tion for all the labour we can bestow upon the subject. But the pleasure derived to ourselves and others, from a clear communication of ideas and feelings ; and the s'rong and durable impressions made thereby on the minds of the reader and the audience, are considerations, which give additional importance to the study of this necessary and useful art. The perfect attainment of it doubtless requires great attention and practice, joined to extraordinary natural powers ; but as there are many degrees of excellence in the art, the student whose aims fall short of perfection, will find himself amply rewarded for eve: ry exertion he may think proper to make.

To give rules for the management of the voice in reading, by which the necessary pauses, emphasis and tones, may be discovered and put in practice, is not possible. After all the directions that can be offered on these points, much will re. main to be taught by the living instructor : much will be atlainable by no other means, than the force of example influencing the imitative powers of the learner. Some rules and principles on these heads, will, however, be found useful, to prevent erroneous and vicious modes of utterance ; to give the young reader some taste of the subject ; and to assist him in ac

quiring a just and accurate mode of delivery. The observalions which we have to make, for these purposes, may be comprised under the following heads : Proper Loudness of Voice ; Distinctness ; Slowness ; Propriety of Pronunciation ; Emphasis ; Tones ; Pauses ; and Mode of reading Perse.

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SECTION I-PROPER LOUDNESS OF VOICE.

The first attention of every person whoreads to others,doubt. less, must be, to make himself be heard by all those to whom he reads. He mustendeavour to fill with his voice the space oce cupied by the company. This power of voice, it may be thought, is wholly a nalural talent. It is, in a good measure, the gift of nature : but it may receive considerable assistance from art. Much depends, for this purpose, on the proper pitch and management of the voice. Every person has three pitches in his voice ; the high, the MIDDLE and the low one. The high, is that which he uses in calling aloud to some person at a dis!ance. The low is when he approaches to a whisper. The middle, that which he employs in common conversation, and which he should generally use in reading to others. For it is a great mistake, to imagine that one must take the high. est pitch of his voice, in order to be well heard in a large company. This is confounding two things which are different, Joudness or strength of sound, with the key or note on which we speak. There is a variety of sound within the compass of each key. A speaker may therefore render his voice louder, without altering the key; and we shall always be able to give most body, most persevering force of sound, to that pitch of voice, to which in conversation we are accustomed. Where. as, by setting out on our highest pitch or key, we certainly allow ourselves less compass, and are likely to strain our voice before we have done. We shall fatigue ourselves, and read with pain : and whenever a person speaks with pain to himself, he is always heard with pain by his audience. Let us there. fore give the voice full strength and swell of sound: but always pitch it on our ordinary speaking key. It should be a constant rule, never to utter a greater quantity of voice, than we can afford without pain to ourselves, and without any extra. ordinary effort. As long as we keep within these bounds, the

of

speech will be at liberty to discharge their several offices with ease : and we shall always have our voice veder command. But whenever we transgress these bounds

o her organs

we give up the reins, and have no longer any management of it. It is a useful rule too, in order to be well heard, to cast our eye on some of the most distant persons in ihe company, and to consider ourselves as reading to them. We nai uraliy and mechanically uiter our words wiih such a degree ofstrengih as io make ourselves be heard by the person whom we ad. dress, provided he is within the reach of our voice. As this is the case in conversation, it will hold also in reading to others. But let us remember, that in reading, as well as in conversation, it is possible to offend by speaking tio loud. This extreme hurts the ear, by making the voice come upon it in rum. bling indistinct masses.

By the habit of reading, when young, in a loud and vehement manner, the voice becomes fixed in a strained and un. natural kcy ; and is rendered incapable of that variety ofe'e. vation and depression which constitutes ihe true harmony of utterance, and affords ease to the reader, and pl: asure to the audience. This unnatural pitch of the voice, and disagreea. ble monotony, are most observable in persons who were taught to read in large rooms ; who were accustomed to stand at 100 great a distance, when reading to their teachers; whose in. structors were very imperfect in their hearing; or who were taught by persons, that considered loud expression as the chief requisite in forming a good reader. These are circumstances. which demand the serious attention of every one to whom the education of youth is committed.

SECTION 11-DISTINCTNESS.

In the next place, to being well heard and clearly under stood, distinctness of articulation contribuies more than niere joudness of sound. The quantity of sound necessary to fill even a large space, is smaller than is commonly imagined; and with disiinct articulation, a person with a weak voice will make it reach farther, than the strongest voice can reach without it. To this, therefore, every reader oughi to pay great attention. He must give every sound which he utters its due proportion ; and make every syilable, and even every letter in the word which he pronounces, be heard distinctly; without sluring, whispering, or suppressing any of the proper sounds.

An, accurate knowledge of the simple, elementary sounds of the lauguage, and a facility in expressing them, are so ne. cessary to distinctness of expression, that if the learner's as