purpose are pure in tone and replete with reflections, incidents, or examples of the cardinal virtues, faith, hope, patience, courage, generosity, gratitude, etc., etc.* Suit the selections to the capacity of the learners by all means, for one is heartily tired of hearing Cato's or Hamlet's Soliloquy from children seven or eight years old. The fault with two thirds of school exhibitions, rehearsals, and even higher literary entertainments, is that the actors and speakers affect pieces or themes beyond their comprehension. There are high-toned selections suited to every understanding, if but found in time, and treasured up for occasions of need. † V. EXAMINATION OF THE ADVANCE LESSON. The lesson to be read at the next recitation should be examined and the difficulties removed before any time is wasted in erroneous study. It is certainly indispensable with young classes who are unable to consult the dictionary and reference books. All the words should be properly pronounced before they are committed. Older classes should be directed where to look for information desired, and thus be materially assisted without breaking the spirit of the first "Rule for Teachers"—"Never tell a pupil what he can discover for himself." (Primary Methods, page 66.) * According to the ancients, the cardinal virtues are prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude. †There is a school in New England where for a number of years the pupils (over twelve years of age) have been required to commit forty lines a day; and, judging from the persons pursuing this course, it must be acknowledged a successful mental discipline. The lines should be read only once before an effort be made to recite them. This exercises the power of concentration, and pupils trained to reproduce a composition from once reading can readily give the substance of a lecture or sermon. LITERARY COMPOSITION.* A COMPOSITION is a written or literary work, and may be prose or poetry. The subject or thought of a composition may be pas'toral, satirical, elē'giacal, epigrămmăt'ical, philosoph'ical, histor'ical, mor'al, religious, sentiment'al, etc. 1. Pastoral. Descriptive of country life. 2. Satirical. Exposing or censuring human weakness or folly; full of satire or invective; as, Byron's " English Bards and Scotch Reviewers." 3. Elegiacal. Expressive of sorrow or lamentation; funereal, mournful, pertaining to sad reflection; as, Gray's “Elegy in a Country Church-yard.” 4. Epigrammatical. Short and witty; ending with a turn or point of wit, concise, poignant. 5. Philosophical. Pertaining to or proceeding from philosophy, physics, metaphysics (natural or mental philosophy, psychology, philology, etc.). 6. Historical. Pertaining to that which exists or has existed; containing history. Biographical: a species of historical writing which gives an account of the life and character of some particular person; when such an account has been written by the person in question, it is called autobiographical. 7. Moral. Relating to duty or obligation; pertaining to the conduct or manners of men, as social beings, in relation to each other as respects right and wrong; not depending on human laws, but conscience. 8. Religious. Teaching or setting forth religion. *Composition is sometimes called didactic-giving instruction, teaching; sometimes descriptive-having the quality of representing, describing; and sometimes narrative-relating to the particulars of an event or transaction; a particular and continued account of any thing. These pages are added to assist in reviewing the selections. (See Class Methods, page 85.) 9. Sentimental. Abounding in sentiments or reflections; with thoughts prompted by passion or feeling. Pathetic, patriotic, and humorous productions belong to this class. (a.) Pathetic. Affecting or moving the tender emotions, as grief, pity. (b.) Patriotic. Actuated or prompted by the love of one's country. ter. (c.) Humorous. Full of humor; playful; exciting laugh PROSE. Prose is discourse or composition not metrical; i. e., not in verse, or without poetic measure. I. Form or Manner. In form or manner it may be a letter or epistle, an essay, tract, treatise, lecture, sermon, address, oration, story, fable, parable, allegory, or drama. 1. A letter or epistle is a written or printed message; a short communication with regard to friendship, business, science, or belles-lettres.* 2. An essay is a short composition or informal treatise upon any particular subject; as, Bacon's "Essays." 3. A tract is a short written or printed discourse or treatise, usually on practical religion; as, "A Call to Prayer.” 4. A treatise is a composition explaining or discussing any particular subject, and is longer, more studied, and methodical than an essay; as, Wilson's "Treatise on Punctuation." 5. A lecture is a formal or methodical discourse upon any subject (moral, social, scientific, philosophical, etc.), and is intended for instruction; as, "Lectures on Anatomy." 6. A sermon is a religious discourse, to be delivered from the pulpit or to a congregation; as, Christ's "Sermon on the Mount." * Letters of friendship include those of condolence, congratulation, inquiry, explanation, advice, etc. Letters of business and law are letters of administration, of attorney, of credit, of license, of marque, of marque and reprisal, letters close, letters patent, overt, or open, etc. (See Quarto Diễ tionary.) • 7. An address is a formal speech or message of respect, congratulation, thanks, petition, etc.; as, Lincoln's "Inaugural Address." 8. An oration is an elaborate discourse or speech in writing which has been spoken, or is proposed to be spoken on some special occasion, as a funeral, celebration, or anniversary; as, Antony's "Oration over the Body of Cæsar," Webster's "Oration at the Laying of the Corner-stone of Bunker Hill Monument.” 9. A story is a narrative or recital, and more especially a fictitious narrative, less elaborate than a novel; as, “The Story of Ruth." 10. A fable is a fictitious story or tale intended to enforce some useful truth or precept; as, "The Fable of the Fox and the Grapes." 11. A parable is a fable of something in real life or nature from which a moral is drawn for instruction; as, "The Parable of the Vineyard," "The Parable of the Tares." 12. An allegory is a figurative application of real facts; a sentence or discourse in which the principal subject is described by another subject resembling it in its qualities, properties, and circumstances; as, Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress."* II. Divisions. The divisions of prose composition are sentences, verses, chapters, paragraphs, sections, etc. 1. A sentence is an assemblage of words logically and grammatically joined so as to make complete sense; as, "Insincerity is very troublesome to manage."-TILLOTSON. 2. A verse, in prose, is a short division of composition, as a verse in the Bible. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”—Matt. v., 7. 3. A chapter is a division of a book or treatise, as a chapter in the Bible. 4. A paragraph is a distinct part of a discourse or chapter, *A parable must be literally possible, while an allegory may not. The story of the vineyard could be literally true, but when Christ says, "I am the vine," the expression is allegorical. |