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David Copperfield at Salem House(See page 23).
READING WITH EXPRESSION
EIGHTH READER
BY
JAMES BALDWIN
AUTHOR OF "SCHOOL READING BY GRADES—BALDWIN'S READERS,"
"HARPER'S READERS," ETC.
AND
IDA C. BENDER
SUPERVISOR OF PRIMARY GRADES, BUFFALO, NEW YORK
EIGHT-BOOK SERIES
NEW YORK ·:· CINCINNATI ·:· CHICAGO
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
Copyright, 1911, by
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY.
Entered at Stationers' Hall, London.
B. & B. EIGHTH READER.
W. P. 2
TO THE TEACHER
The paramount design of this series of School Readers is to help youngpeople to acquire the art and the habit of reading well—that is, ofinterpreting the printed page in such manner as to give pleasure andinstruction to themselves and to those who listen to them. In his eighthyear at school the pupil is supposed to be able to read, with ease andwith some degree of fluency, anything in the English language that maycome to his hand; but, that he may read always with the understandingand in a manner pleasing to his hearers and satisfactory to himself, hemust still have daily systematic practice in the rendering of selectionsnot too difficult for comprehension and yet embracing various styles ofliterary workmanship and illustrating the different forms of Englishcomposition. The contents of this volume have been chosen and arrangedto supply—or, where not supplying, to suggest—the materials for thiskind of practice.
Particular attention is called both to the high quality and to the widevariety of the selections herein presented. They include specimens ofmany styles of literary workmanship—the products of the best thought ofmodern times. It is believed that their study will not only proveinteresting to pupils, but will inspire them with a desire to read stillmore upon the same subjects or from the works of the same authors; forit is only by loving books and learning to know them that any one canbecome a really good reader.
The pupils should be encouraged to seek for and point out the particularpassages in each selection that are distinguished for their beauty,their truth, or their peculiar adaptability to the purpose in view. Thehabit should be cultivated of looking for and enjoying the admirablequalities of any worthy literary production; and special attentionshould be given to the style of writing which characterizes and givesvalue to the works of various authors. These points should be t