INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL READER; A SELECTION OF EASY LESSONS, DESIGNED TO FILL THE SAME PLACE IN THE COMMON SCHOOLS OF THE UNITED STATES THAT IS HELD BY MURRAY'S INTRODUCTION, AND THE COMPILATIONS OF GUY, MYLIUS, AND PINNOCK, IN THOSE OF GREAT BRITAIN. BY JOHN RIERPONT, COMPILER OF THE AMERICAN FIRST CLASS BOOK, AND THE NATIONAL READER PUBLIC LIBRARY 779025 A ASTOR, LENOX AND R 1935 L DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit: District Clerk's Office. BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-second day of November, A. D. 1828, in the afty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America, Richardson & Lord, of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit: "Pierpont's Introduction. Introduction to the National Reader; a Selection of Easy Lessons, designed to fill the same Place in the Common Schools of the United States, that is held by Murray's Introduction, and the Compilations of Guy, Mylius, and Pinnock, in those of Great Britain. By John Pierpont, Compiler of the American First Class Book, and the National Reader." In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned ;" and also to an act, entitled, "An Act supplementary to an act, entitled, An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." JNO. W. DAVIS, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. PREFACE. THE design of this compilation is shown by its title. It is intended as a series of exercises in reading, for the younger classes of our common schools, preparatory to the use of "The National Reader." It contains no matter that is to be found in either the last mentioned selection, or " The American First Class Book," so that the three compilations may be used by different classes, in the same school, without compelling the children in a lower class to ancipate che lapours or the pleasures of a higher, or requiring them, on being advanced to a higher, to read, over and over again, pieces with which they have become familiar while in a lower. It is hoped that the lessons, in the beginning of the book, are, none of them, so difficult as to dishearten any child, who has mastered the reading exercises that are to be found in his Spelling-Book; and that, as the young learner proceeds, if he finds some harder reading, he will, at the same time, find the subject so interesting as to make him disregard the labour of spelling the long words. I have sought for pieces relating to subjects that first attract the observation, and engage the thoughts, of children ;—descriptions and anecdotes, of domestic and other animals; instructions and admonitions as to their own duties towards "every living thing;" the scenes of external nature upon the face of the earth; "the beauty of heaven and its glorious show;" and the connexion of all these things with the great and good Being, who is over all, and in them all. Every thing low, in thought or language, I have studiously endeavoured to but sublime, devotional thought, especially associated with the and beautiful works of the Almighty, I have not excluded from the book, although it is intended for the use of children;-for, when high thoughts and divine philosophy are clothed in simple language, the mind of a child easily apprehends them, and is capable of feeling their power. |