AMMOTH FACT:

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by

J. MADISON WATSON,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New York.

EDUCATION DEPT.

Electrotyped by SMITII & MCDOUGAL, 82 & 84 Beckman St., New York.

PREFACE.

REQUENT solicitations from numerous leading instructors, not less than an honest conviction of the existence of an important educational want, have led to the preparation of this volume. Of moderate size, containing a great variety of the choicest material, and complete in all of its parts, it is specially designed to supply the wants of intermediate classes in graded schools, and the great mass of students who commence learning trades, or acquiring a knowledge of other business, at an early age, and consequently can not command sufficient time for the mastery of a larger and more intricate elocutionary reading-book.

The Treatise on Elocution is simple, comprehensive, and eminently practical, presenting the subject both as a science and an art. The orthoëpical division contains instruction in articulation, including phonetic analysis and readings, and sections on syllabication and accent, thus making ample provisions for the acquisition of all the elements of pronunciation. Expression, the second general division, embraces all the elements that enter into the delivery of entire sentences and extended discourse. The principles and rules are stated in language so succinct and perspicuous that the necessity of exceptions is wholly avoided. Several of the examples for illustration under each section are left unmarked, thus affording students opportunities to exercise their judgment, taste, and discrimination.

A novel feature, and one of the most valuable for class instruction, is the introduction of a series of blackboard diagrams, exhibiting the different divisions of the subject, and their relations to each other. Printed in large type, with apt examples from the choicest writers for illustration, many of which are beautiful in expression and rich in sentiment, and 543458

arranged for class exercises rather than tasks, it is believed that the sections of this Treatise will prove more interesting for reading-lessons than the miscellaneous compilations usually employed for that purpose.

Part Second contains a great variety of select readings,embracing exciting and interesting narratives, spirited conversations, rare ballads, dramatic lyrics, prose recitations, etc.,— specially adapted to illustrate the principles of rhetorical delivery. In their selection it was designed to include only those pieces that, both from the nature of the subjects and the style of writing, would be intelligible to the pupils for whom the book has been prepared; that are calculated to awaken the greatest interest and enthusiasm, thus insuring an effective delivery; and that tend to develop a laudable ambition, love of country, and domestic virtues.

While the reading-lessons have been graded in a systematic manner, presenting the simplest first in order, their classification is more systematic and thorough than that ever before attempted in any corresponding work. The pieces are divided into formal sections, in each of which only one leading subject is treated, or one important element of Elocution rendered prominent. The wOOD-CUTS, from designs by the ablest artists, were prepared expressly to illustrate the lessons in which they occur. They are unsurpassed by those of any similar text-book.

The orthoëpical department is unusually complete. The pronunciation of all words liable to be mispronounced is indicated once in each paragraph, when it can be done by long or short vowels, marks of accent, or the diæresis. More than a thousand foot-notes are introduced, giving the pronunciation of words that had to be re-spelled for the purpose; definitions; explanations of classical, historical, and other allusions; biographical sketches of authors from whose works extracts have been selected, and of persons whose names occur in the readinglessons. This aid is given in every instance on the pages where the difficulties first arise; and a complete index to the notes is added for general reference.

NEW YORK, March, 1868.