PEE FACE 



The philosophy which underlies the art of reading may 

 be briefly stated. In the process of mental development 

 objects are observed, and the perceptive faculties are there- 

 by cultivated. In this way the mind comes in possession 

 of the bundles of related ideas which we term thoughts. 

 These thoughts seek expression, and in the endeavor to ex- 

 press, speech is cultivated. The form of speech is a matter 

 of imitation. A thought is expressed by a sentence, and 

 the child, in learning to speak, uses either fragmentary or 

 complete sentences. When sentences are written, the pro- 

 cess of obtaining and expressing the contained thought is 

 reading. 



Under the old system, which, happily, is now rapidly 

 becoming obsolete, the mechanical pronunciation of the 

 words of a sentence in their proper order was called read- 

 ing ; but most impro2Derly so, as the apprehension and ren- 

 dition of the thought, which constitute the very essence 

 of reading, formed no part of the process. The means were 

 mistaken for the end, and the true end was not reached. 

 In consequence of this mistaken notion, reading exercises, in 

 the schools where it prevailed, were dull, distasteful, and 

 unprofitable to the pupil, and monotonous and unpleasant 

 to the hearer. 



The means employed in these schools were as vicious as 

 the theory adopted. The pupil was required to pronounce 



