viii INTR OD UCTOR Y. 



prersing a thought, the delivery will conform to speech 

 with great exactness. When reading the thoughts of 

 others, this conformity will be in the exact ratio of the con- 

 formity of the thought and form of expression to the men- 

 tal habits of the reader. In impassioned reading, the in- 

 tense emotions need be indicated rather than acted, the 

 reading becoming speech moderated. Giving full weight 

 to all these modifying and exceptional circumstances, the 

 statement that "reading is speaking from the book" is 

 true. 



In using this book, something more than mere reading 

 should be accomplished. It can be made instrumental in 

 development and training in many different ways. 



First. — At the close of each lesson the subject-matter 

 should be familiarly discussed in class, for the purpose of 

 ascertaining whether all the points are understood, and of 

 exciting a greater interest. Obscure points should be 

 cleared up by the teacher. 



Second. — If there are literary allusions, they should be 

 briefly noticed and explained, just enough to awaken curi- 

 osity, but not enough to satisfy it. A great mistake may 

 be made by dwelling too much upon mere accessories and 

 side-issues : the perspective is destroyed, the attention is 

 diverted from the main topic and dissipated on irrelevant 

 details, and continuity of thought is broken up. 



Third. — Immediately after the lesson, or the next day, 

 the pupils may be called upon to state orally the main 

 points. Care should be taken that thoughts, not lan- 

 guage, are reproduced. In this way accuracy and fluency 

 in speech are cultivated, and a test is made of both under- 

 standing and memory. 



Fourth. — Each topic and sub-topic may be made the 

 basis of a composition exercise. In the effort to reproduce, 

 the use of capitals, punctuation, and all the mechanics of 

 construction are mastered, and the practice tends to clear- 



