PREFACE.

MANY felections of excellent matter have lately been made for the benefit of young perfons. Performances of this kind are of so great utility, that fresh productions of them, and new attempts to improve the young mind, will fcarcely be deemed fuperfluous, if the writer make his compilation inftructive and interefting, and fufficiently diftinct from others.

- THE prefent work, as the title exprefses, aims at the attainment of three objects: to improve youth in the art of reading; to meliorate their language and fentiments; and to inculcate fome of the most important principles of piety and virtue.

THE pieces felected, not only give exercife to a great variety of emotions, and the correfpondent tones and variations of voice, but contain fentences and members of fentences, which are diverfified, proportioned, and pointed with accuracy. Exercifes of this nature are, it is prefumed, well calculated to teach youth to read with propriety and effect. A felection of fenteuces, in which variety and proportion, with exact punctuation, have been carefully obferved, in all their parts as well as with refpect to one another, will probably have a much greater effect, in properly teaching the art of reading, than is commonly imagined.

In fuch conftructions, every thing is accommodated to the understanding and the voice; and the common difficulties in learning to read well, are obviated. When the learner has acquired a habit of reading fuch fentences, with juftness and facility, he will readily apply that habit, and the improvements he has made, to fentences more complicated and irregular, and of a conftruction entirely different.

THE language of the pieces chofen for this collection, has been carefully regarded. Purity, propriety, perfpicuity, and, in many inftances, elegance of diction, diftinguish them. They are extracted from the works of the most correct and elegant writers. From the fources whence the sentiments are drawn, the reader may expect to find them connected and regular, fufficiently important and impressive, and divefted of every thing that is either trite or eccentric. The frequent perufal of fuch compofition, naturally tends to infufe a tafte for this fpecies of excellence; and to produce a habit of thinking, and of compofing, with judgment and accuracy*.

THAT this collection may also serve the purpose of promoting piety and virtue, the Compiler has intro

The Grammatical Student, in his progrefs through this work, will meet with numerous inftances of compofition, in ftrict conformity to the rules for promoting perfpicuous and elegant writing contained in the Appendix to the Author's English Grammar. By occafionally examining this conformity, he will be confirmed in the utility of thofe rules; and be enabled to apply them with eafe and dexterity.

duced many extracts, which place religion in the most amiable light; and which recommend a great variety of moral duties, by the excellence of their nature, and the happy effects which they produce. Thefe fubjects are exhibited in a style and manner, which are calculated to arreft the attention of youth; and to make ftrong and durable imprefsions on their minds *.

THE Compiler has been careful to avoid every exprefsion and fentiment, that might gratify a corrupt mind, or, in the leaft degree, offend the eye or ear of innocence. This he conceives to be peculiarly incumbent on every perfon who writes for the benefit of youth. It would, indeed, be a great and happy improvement in education, if no writings were allowed to come under their notice, but fich as are perfectly immocent; and if, on all proper occafions, they were encouraged to perufe those which tend to infpire a due reverence for virtue, and an abhorrence of vice, as well as to animate them with fentiments of piety and goodnefs. Such imprefsions deeply engraven on their minds, and connected with all their attainments, could scarcely fail of attending them through life; and of producing a folidity of principle and character, that would be able to refift the danger arifing from future intercourse with the world.

THE Auther has endeavoured to relieve the grave and ferious parts of his collection, by the occafional

*In fome of the pieces, the Compiler has made a few alterations, chiefly verbal, to adapt them the better to the defign of his work.

admifsion of pieces which amufe as well as inftruct. If, however, any of his readers fhould think it contains too great a proportion of the former, it may be fome apology, to obferve that, in the exifting publica tions defigned for the perufal of young perfons, the preponderance is greatly on the fide of gay and amusing productions. Too much attention may be paid to this medium of improvement. When the imagination, of youth efpecially, is much entertained, the fober dictates of the understanding are regarded with indifference; and the influence of the good affections, is either feeble, or tranfient. A temperate ufe of fuch entertainment feems therefore requifite, to afford proper fcope for the operations of the understanding and the heart.

THE reader will perceive, that the Compiler has been folicitous to recommend to young perfons, the perufal of the facred Scriptures, by interfperting through his work, fome of the most beautiful and interefting pafsages of thofe invaluable writings. To excite an early taste and veneration for this great rule of life, is a point of fo high importance, as to warrant the attempt to promote it on every proper occafion,

To improve the young mind, and to afford fome affiftance to tutors, in the arduous and important work of education, were the motives which led to this production. If the Author fhould be fo fuccefsful as to accomplish these ends, even in a small degree, he will think his time and pains well employed, and himself amply rewarded.

1

OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF GOOD READING.

To read with propriety is a pleafing and important at

tainment; productive of improvement both to the understanding and the heart. It is efsential to a complete reader, that he minutely perceive the ideas, and enter into the feelings of the author, whofe fentiments he profefses to repeat for how is it pofsible to reprefent clearly to others, what we have but faint or inaccurate conceptions of ourfelves? If there were no other benefits refulting from the art of reading well, than the necefsity it lays us under, of precisely afcertaining the meaning of what we read; and the habit thence acquired, of doing this with fa cility, both when reading filently and aloud, they would conftitute a fufficient compenfation for all the labour we can bestow upon the fubject. But the pleasure derived to ourselves and others, from a clear communication of ideas and feelings; and the ftrong and durable impressions made thereby on the minds of the reader and the audience, are confiderations, which give additional importance to the fudy of this necefsary and ufeful art. The perfect attain

NOTE.

For many of the obfervations contained in this preliminary tract, the Author is indebted to the writings of Dr. Blair, and to the Encyclopædia Britannica.