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OF

RHETORIC AND LITERARY CRITICISM,

WITH COPIOUS PRACTICAL EXERCISES AND
EXAMPLES.

FOR THE USE OF COMMON SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES.

INCLUDING, ALSO,

A SUCCINCT HISTORY OF

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE,

AND OF

BRITISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE

FROM THE EARLIEST TO THE PRESENT TIMES.

"Reading maketh a full man; confidence, a ready man; writing, an
exact man."-LORD BACON.

"How forcible are right words !"-JOB.

FOURTH EDITION.

COMPILED AND ARRANGED

BY J. R. BOYD, A.M.,

PRINCIPAL OF BLACK RIVER L. AND R. INSTITUTE.

NEW-YORK:

HARPER & BROTHERS, 82 CLIFF-ST.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, by

HARPER & BROTHERS,

In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New-York.

834.69

369

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FOR COMMON SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES.

THE following testimonials relating to the merits of the "ELEMENTS OF RHETORIC AND LITERARY CRITICISM," by J. R. BOYD, A.M., Principal of Black River L. and R. Institute, are from gentlemen long engaged in the business of instruction, or occupied in superintending the management of schools, and may therefore be relied upon as worthy of confidence.

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The following notice is from T. ROMEYN BECK, LL.D., Principal of the Albany Academy, and from Prof. P. BULLIONS, D.D., connected with the same institution.

Albany, July 31, 1844.

The Rev. James R. Boyd, Principal of the Literary and Scientific Institute at Watertown, Jefferson county, has now for several years conducted that institution with ability and success. He has necessarily become acquainted with the numerous text-books in use, and it has occurred to him that an improvement might be made on those in common use for instructing in English Composition and Rhetoric. He has prepared a work from those of Reid and Connel, with numerous emendations and additions from his own pen, and we have no doubt, from a general examination of its contents, that it is deserving of publication, and that its introduction will prove useful both in academies and common schools. T. ROMEYN BECK, P. BULLIONS.

(Signed)

Communication from S. S. RANDALL, Esq., Deputy Superintendent of Common Schools of the State of New-York.

Secretary's Office, Department of Common Schools, Having examined the manuscript sheets of the Rev. Mr. Boyd's proposed Albany, August 2, 1844. publication on the "Elements of Rhetoric and Literary Criticism," I am free to express the high gratification it has afforded me, not only as a work admirably adapted to the purpose for which it seems specially to have been designed, a text-book in rhetoric for the use of our common schools, but also as a valuable and tasteful compilation of specimens of the great masters both in prose and poetry, at home and abroad. As a text-book in our elementary as well as higher institutions of public instruction, it is, in my judgment, unsurpassed by any of its predecessors; indeed, I am not aware of the existence of any elementary work upon the same plan; and I shall regard its publication at this time as a valuable contribution to the cause of popular education, no less than to the interests of a sound literary taste. S. S. RANDALL, Dept. Supt. Com. Schools.

(Signed)

320669

SEP 16 1904

The following, from the Hon. SAMUEL YOUNG, Secretary of State, was received simultaneously with that from Prof. Beck and Bullions.

Albany, August 1, 1844.

I have examined the plan of the work on Rhetoric mentioned within, but have not had time to read the body of the manuscript. A Treatise on Rhetoric, simplifying its rules, and giving clear explanations and lucid examples, is very much needed for the young. If the plan of the work is judiciously executed by the author (as, from his reputation for science, experience, and industry, is to be inferred), it will be a great acquisition to our S. YOUNG. schools. (Signed)

The following note, addressed to the Messrs. Harper of New-York, is from the pen of FRANCIS DWIGHT, Esq., Editor of the Common School Journal.

GENTLEMEN,

Albany, August 2, 1844.

I have given a cursory examination to Mr. Boyd's work on Rhetoric, and am much pleased with its plan and execution. Such a work is much needed in our schools, and if it can be afforded cheap, will probably obtain a large circulation. I commend it to your careful examination.

(Signed)

Truly yours,

FRANCIS DWIGHT.

A still more particular account of this work, after a careful examination of it, has been furnished by practical teachers in the counties of Jefferson and Lewis.

The following is from LYSANDER H. BROWN, Esq., Superintendent of Common Schools in Jefferson county.

Watertown, July 31, 1844.

I have examined in manuscript a work entitled "Elements of Rhetoric and Literary Criticism," by J. R. Boyd. It is an admirable compilation, designed as a practical text-book on the science of composition. It is adapted to schools of every grade, the primary as well as the higher; and it aims to teach by example and illustration. The compiler has embraced in a plain, judicious arrangement, the whole method of expressing thoughts by means of the pen, exhibiting rules applicable to the entire subject, from the higher qualities of sublimity, beauty, and taste, down to the correct spelling of words, the proper distribution of pauses and of capital letters, and the construction of sentences and paragraphs.

The beauty of the book is that it is eminently practical. Every rule is familiarly illustrated. Beautiful examples light every page. The extracts, with which the compilation abounds, are from the best specimens in the language, useful, entertaining, and practical. They would, of themselves, furnish the scholar with a key to all the higher qualities of English composition. From a long and intimate acquaintance with the wants of our schools, I am impressed with the belief that they need nothing more than just such a book as that with which Mr. Boyd designs to present them. There is no reason why children should not be taught to express their thoughts upon paper with as much ease, and beauty, and force, as they do with the organs of speech.

I would most cheerfully recommend the work to teachers, and all others interested in the welfare of schools, as one eminently adapted to secure the end designed, that of forming habits of writing with ease, correctness, and facility. Let this book be introduced into our " Common Schools," and we shall soon see less of awkward letter-writing and illegible composition in our men of business, and even in our public officers.

(Signed) LYSANDER H. BROWN, Supt. Com. Schools Jefferson Co.

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