PREFACE. 



THE chief design of the writer, in compiling the present 

 work, was to supply a School Book at a low price, which 

 might contain a series of Readings on Scientific subjects, 

 as well as a selection of Poetry calculated for Elocution- 

 ary Exercises. 



It had been for a considerable time a subject of regret 

 amongst the scholastic profession, that while Scientific and 

 Literary Societies were so universal, and afforded adults 

 such opportunities for acquiring information, there was 

 no school book of cheap price, \s hose object was to initiate 

 the more juvenile part of society into the science of Na- 

 tural Philosophy. The " SCIENTIFIC READER," it is pre- 

 sumed, will form this desideratum; so that while the pupil i? 

 acquiring a correct method of reading, he will at the same 

 time become acquainted with the principal facts and 

 general phenomena of Philosophical Science. 



The writer begs to acknowledge, that in drawing up the 

 Scientific Readings, he has availed himself of assistance 

 wherever he could obtain it : his principal aim has been 

 to condense as much information in as few words as pos- 

 sible, and in language which cannot but be understood. 



The QUESTIONS for EXAMINATION, which are numerous, 

 and comprise the chief facts contained in the " READINGS," 



