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so to

arrange the different lessons, as to lead the child by a regular gradation from easy to difficult reading, to adapt the subjects to his advancement, and to place before him such matter, and such only, as shall convey to the juvenile mind correct views, and just principles of morality. It has also been the particular aim of the author, to exhibit, in the course of the lessons, all the words of variable or doubtful orthography, in the English language.

In these Reading-Books, all the new words contained in each Reading Lesson, are placed at the head of the Lesson, divided, pronounced, accented, and defined, with the part of speech designated. Thus, all the words in Reading Lesson I, are formed into a Spelling Lesson, and placed at the head of the Lesson. Then, all the words in Reading Lesson II, not in Reading Lesson I, are formed into a Spelling Lesson, and placed at the head of Reading Lesson II, and so throughout the five Reading-Books, viz.-Juvenile Reader, Nos. I, II, and III, Sequel to the Juvenile Readers, and North American Reader. The scholar will thus have an opportunity to become acquainted with the spelling, pronunciation, and definition of all the words in each Reading Lesson before he reads them; or, if already acquainted with their orthography and pronunciation, he can go over these as a kind of review, while learning the definitions of the words. When a word has more than one distinct definition, that one applicable to its first use in the Reading Lesson is given in Italic. The importance of definitions in elementary Reading-Books will be fully appreciated when we reflect that a great many words, in common use, have two, three, or even four different spellings while the pronunciation is the same; as, vane, vain, vein; pare, pair, pear; rite, right, write, wright; slay, slaie, sley, sleigh, &c, fc., none of which can be learned except their pronunciation and definition be associated, no distinction being made to the ear, but only to the eye on paper. It is earnestly recommended that each word in every Spelling Lesson be pronounced, at sight, by the scholar, either immediately before or after he has spelled the Lesson. [See Cobb's New Spelling Book, page 16.]

The author of this Series of Reading-Books is aware that selections of words for the purposes of Spelling have been made by several other authors of Reading-Books. But those words have been selected by them with very little regard to system or particularity. They have selected a few words from each Reading Lesson, and placed them at the beginning or end of the Lesson, without having given the pronunciation, accentuation, or definition, or designated the part of speech, (except in a few cases in some of the larger books;) and, what is still worse, if possible, the same word is repeated again and again, filling up the book uselessly, while other words, equally important, contained in the same

Reading Lessons, are not inserted in any Spelling Lesson of the book.

It is expected that the teacher will, in the use of the Spelling Lessons contained in No. I., particularly, repeat the definitions to the small children, at the time of spelling the words, instead of their being positively required to commit the definitions entirely to memory in passing through the book the first time.

A character has been used in the Spelling Lessons of Nos. II and III, and will be used in the Sequel to these Readers and in the North American Reader, to mark or designate the Secondary as well as the Primary Accent.

Questions have been inserted at the end of each Reading Lesson so that, from the answers elicited, the teacher will know how far and how correctly the scholar has understood the subjects treated of in each Reading Lesson.

Juvenile Reader, No. 1. contains short and easy lessons, in which there are no words of more than two syllables; and, the language, it is humbly believed, is adapted to the capacity of ordinary children. The first eleven lessons contain words of one syllable only; the remaining twenty-one, words of one and two syllables.

No. 2. contains lessons composed of words of one, two, and three syllables, and No. 3. of a greater number of syllables; and, a greater variety of composition, both in prose and poetry, selected from the writings of the best American and English Authors.

The Sequel to the Juvenile Readers is designed for higher classes in Schools and Academies.

The North American Reader, contains a great variety of pieces in Prose and Poetry from very highly esteemed American and English Writers. Also Observations on Good Reading; the Declaration of Independence; the Constitution of the United States; Political Definitions; Variable Orthography; Concise Principles of Pronunciation; and Verbal Distinctions. Designed for the use of the highest classes in Schools and Academies.

It is not from motives of ambition that these numbers are offered to the public, but from a desire to benefit the cause of elementary instruction; and, with those engaged in the business of teaching, it is believed this will be a sufficient apology.

New York, April, 1842.

LYMAN COBB.

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XV. The Indian and the British Officer.
XVI. Night.

XVII. Chocolate and Pepper.

Nutmeg, Ginger, Pimenta or Allspice.
Cinnamon, Cloves, and Salt.

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Rice.

XVIII. The way to get a Lesson.

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KEY,

OR FIGURES USED IN THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE

WORDS IN THE SPELLING LESSONS.

1

2 3 4 1 4 1 4

1 3 5 6

Fate, far, fall, fat-me, met-pine, pin-no, nor, not, to1 4 7° 34 37

tube, tub, bull-void, nou n.

When this sharp it is in Italic; and, in Roman when flat. When g is soft, j is used in the pronunciation-in all other cases it is hard.

ABBREVIATIONS, to designate the parts of speech in the Spelling Lessons-a. stands for Adjective; n. for Noun; v. for Verb; par. for Participle; pro. for Pronoun; ad. for Adverb; prep. for Preposition; con. for Conjunction; in. for Interjection; n. plu. for Plural Noun; pro. plu. for Plural Pronoun; pro. relative, for Relative Pronoun; pres. t. for Present Tense; pre. for Preterit ; part. a. for Participial Adjective; per. par. for Perfect Participle; posses. for Possessive Case; ob. for Objective Case; sin. for Singular; plu. for Plural.

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