The New McGuffey Fourth Reader | Page 3

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Etext prepared by Dianne Bean, Phoenix, Arizona, using OmniPage
Pro scanner software donated by Caere.

The New McGuffey Fourth Reader, William H. McGuffey, Compiler

PREFACE
It is now nearly three quarters of a century since the appearance of the
first edition of McGuffey's Readers, compiled by Dr. William H.
McGuffey. Revisions have since been made from time to time as the
advancement in educational theories and the changes in methods of
teaching seemed to demand. No other school text- books have retained
the popular favor so long or have exerted so general and so wholesome
an influence as has this series of Readers.

In preparing the present revision the aim of thie compiler has been to
introduce such new matter and methods as the experience and judgment
of the best teachers have found most commendable and desirable. He
has at the same time endeavored to preserve those essential features
which have always distinguished the McGuffey Readers and have so
largely contributed to their success. While the majority of the selections
are new to the series, care has been taken to maintain the same high
literary and ethical standard that has hitherto so distinctly characterized
these books. Lessons inculcating kindness, courage, obedience,
industry, thrift, true manliness, patriotism, and other duties and
obligations form no small portion of the contents. Selections from the
masterpieces of English literature include both the older classical
productions, without which no school can be complete, and also choice
extracts from many of the latest and most popular writers.
The Elocutionary Introduction, by Professor F. Townsend Southwick,
presents in brief scope the most important rules for oral reading and
those principles of the art that are most necessary for the pupils to
master. The teacher should, at the very onset, become thoroughly
familiar with the subjects here presented, and the pupils should be
referred to this discussion of elocutionary principles as often as
occasion may require.
The more difficult words are defined, and their pronunciation is
indicated by diacritical marks. The object of this is to aid the pupil in
the ready preparation of the reading lesson, and not to supply merely an
exercise in the study of words. Short explanatory notes are given
wherever required for a full understanding of the text. It is assumed,
however, that the pupils have already a general knowledge of most of
the subjects alluded to, or that they have ready access to the more
common books of reference, and therefore only occasional notes of this
character are necessary.
An alphabetical list of the authors of the various selections, together
with the brief biographical and critical notes, is given as an appendix to
the volume.
Acknowledgments are due to Messrs. Little, Brown & Co., Charles
Scribner's Sons, the Century Company, and other publishers who
generously permitted the use, in this series, of selections from their
copyrighted works.

The selections from Hawthorne, Longfellow, Whittier, Emerson, and
Lucy Larcom are used by special arrangement with and permission of
Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., the authorized publishers of the
writings of these authors.

CONTENTS
[The Elocutionary Introduction and pronunciation markups are omitted
in the Project Gutenberg edition because of abundance of non-ascii
characters.]
SELECTIONS FOR READING
Young Benjamin Franklin -- Nathaniel Hawthorne A Hard Word A
Song -- James Whitcomb Riley The Journey of Life. An Allegory What
I live for Try Again! -- Charlotte Elizabeth True Manliness The Miller
of the Dee -- Charles Mackay A Boy on a Farm -- Charles Dudley
Warner Meddlesome Mattie The Eagle The Old Eagle Tree -- John
Todd A New Kind of Fun -- From the German Two Ways of telling a
Story -- Henry K. Oliver The Blind Men and the Elephant -- John G.
Saxe Harry's Riches A Happy New Year -- Margaret E.