A LETTER FROM THE PERSON WHO WROTE THIS BOOK TO THE CHILDREN WHO READ IT. MY DEAR CHILDREN, I have written a book for you, and now I wish you to read it. I have told you about many strange animals, about plants, and metals; and you will also find in this book some little poems and hymns, which I hope you will like. I want you to read this book, so that you may not forget what is in it; therefore, I have tried to make it what is called a nice book. When you have done with this First Reader, there are two others, the Second and Third. The lessons in the Second and Third Readers will, of course, be less easy than those I have put into the First. But as you get on, I have no doubt you will understand and like these books. What I ask you to do is, to read carefully, and to attend to the sense or meaning of the lessons. If you do this, you will be sure to have learned something by the time you get to the last lesson, and you will moreover gratify Your friend, THE WRITER OF THE "READER." TWENTIETH THOUSAND!! WEBSTER SPELLING BOOK, 250 Embellished with upwards of SPLENDID ENGRAVINGS, BY GILBERT, HARVEY, DALZIEL, AND OTHER EMINENT ARTISTS. 128 pages, demy 8vo, handsomely printed with New and Accented Type, upon the Principle of "Webster's Dictionary of the English Language.” THE ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER SPELLING BOOK Has been most carefully compiled by an eminent English scholar, who is daily engaged in the tuition of youth, and therefore knows exactly what is really useful in a Spelling Book. The Reading Lessons are arranged upon a new progressive, principle, exceedingly simple, and well adapted for the purpose. The accented type has been adopted so as to ensure correct pronunciation. The old system of misspelling words is dangerous in the extreme, and, therefore, very justly, has now fallen into disuse. In a word, the "ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER SPELLING BOOK," whether considered in respect to its typography, binding, or beauty of its illustrations, must take the highest position as a School book, entirely setting aside the old-fashioned, and, in most instances, unintelligible, so-called helps to learning. NOTICES OF THE PRESS. "This spelling book may supply a want which has been felt by some teachers of little people, who like to find the syllables of their reading lessons properly divided and marked. The spelling lessons are also marked and accented, which is a new feature in a child's first book. There are some good tales and pretty poetry, which, together with the largeness and clearness of the type, will render it an acceptable book for the nursery schoolroom."-Athenæum. "Here we have an edition of the Webster Spelling Book which has obtained such reputation on the other side the Atlantic that one million copies are sold annually. The lessons are plain, progressive, and conveniently adapted to the capacity of children, beginning with the alphabet, and ending with pretty reading lessons. To render the book more attractive, the publishers have had this edition copiously illustrated by some of the best artists of the day. The pictures are of a nature to instruct the mind while pleasing the eye of children. Taking into account the usefulness of this primer, the delight the engravings (there are two hundred and fifty of them) will afford children, and the cheapness of the price, there seems every probability that the WEBSTER SPELLING Book will enjoy at least as much popularity in this country as in the United States."-The Press. "This is a most acceptable offering to juveniles, as it may be truly said that the path of learning is strewed with flowers, and education a labour of love."-News of the World "To all who are interested in the tuition of children, whether as parents or teachers, we strongly recommend this as an elementary book."-Civil Service Gazette. "The ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER SPELLING BOOK is a cheap and valuable addition to the numerous educational works now brought so prominently forward. The illustrations are good, and the plan adopted in the work is calculated to lead the young idea' steadily on step by step."-Leeds Times. "The ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER SPELLING.-This seems to be a most admirable addition to our spelling literature, the system propounded being that of Noah Webster, the great American lexicographer, who uses for children, as well as adults, pointed letters and accents as a guide to the true pronunciation of words. The woodcuts are of a very superior kind, and multifarious enough to charm the most enthusiastic admirer of pretty pictures."Northampton Journal "The ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER SPELLING BOOK is an excellent one; it is a reading book as well. It deserves the old title, Reading made easy. It is got up in a very superior style, and only needs to be known to become a favourite."-Dublin Daily Express. "The system is founded upon Dr. Webster's pointed letters and accents as a true pronunciation of words; and the book includes num er ous progressive reading lessons, cleverly and most numerously illustrated, by such artists as Gilbert, Harvey, Birket Foster, &c."-Manchester Examiner. "A spelling book on the plan of Dr. Webster (extensively patronised in America), in which the pronunciation of the words is inculcated by the use of pointed letters and accents, judiciously employed. In the variety of its exercises and reading lessons it is a most complete affair, and the woodcuts, which stud every page, are capitally executed, and sure to prove attractive to all children. It is altogether the best elementary work of the kind with which we are acquainted."-Bristol Mercury. "We can easily imagine this to be a most fascinating and popular school book for the rising generation, since it contains no less than two hundred and fifty engravings. It also differs, in plan and execution, from any elementary book of the kind yet put forth in Great Britain, pointed letters and accents being used as a guide to the true pronunciation of the words."-York Herald. "In this very elegant school book, the spelling book of the great American lexicographer, Noah Webster, is now, for the first time, introduced to the British public. Webster's plan was to use pointed letters and accents as a guide to the true pronunciation of words, and it is said that the system has had unprecedented success in America. The book is embellished with 250 engravings, from the designs of eminent artists, and has the great recommendation of being printed in a large distinct type."-Belfast News. ** The success of the "ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER SPELLING BOOK" has been most marvellous. Already it is an established favourite in Schools and Families. In a very short space of time 20,000 copies have been issued. LONDON: WARD AND LOCK, 158, FLEET STREET. THE li-on is a large beast, of great strength, cour-age, and fierce-ness. He lies a-sleep all day in some shad-y place, or in a den or cave. At night he comes out of his re-treat, and prowls a-bout for any crea-ture that may come in his way. He oft-en hides near the wa-ter, for he knows the beasts of the for-est must come there to drink. When any an-i-mal pass-es near e-nough, the li-on springs out up-on it, and fre-quent-ly kills it with one stroke of his great, strong paw. He will eat as much of it as he can, and then go to sleep. The next night he is read-y for an-oth-er meal. The li-on lives in hot coun-tries. His roar is ver-y dread-ful to hear. On ac-count of his strength and beau-ty he is some-times call-ed the king of beasts. Courage, Fierce'ness, Re-treat', An'i-mal, Coun'tries. LESSON II. THE RUDE BOY. THE oth-er day I saw James Brown in the street. His jack-et was out at el-bows; his face was dir-ty; and his shoes look-ed as if they had not been clean-ed for a week. He was run-ning a-long, shout-ing as loud as ev-er he could. There was a poor old wo-man in the street. She was lame, and could hard-ly creep a-long. James, that rude boy, thought he would have some fun with her; so he went behind her quite soft-ly, and fol-low-ed her as she cross-ed the road. When the poor wo-man was in the mid-dle of the road James cried "Hi!" close to her ear, as loud as he could bawl. The poor "wo-man was so much start-led, that she gave a scream and fell down. Then James burst out laughing at her, and ran a-way. What a rude boy! LESSON III. WHAT HAP-PEN-ED TO THE RUDE BOY. BUT James did not laugh long. A man was just turn-ing the cor-ner, and saw his con-duct to-wards the poor old wo-man. He caught hold of the rude boy, and brought him back. He made him first of all help the old wo-man to get up; and then he told James to beg her par-don for his rudeness. James at first held down his head. He look-ed ver-y sulk-y, and said he would not beg the wo-man's par-don. But the man who had caught him gave him a box on the ear, which made him o-bey. When he had beg-ged par-don he was al-low-ed to go away, and slunk home much more qui-et-ly than he had come out. I wish each rude boy might be serv-ed as the man serv-ed James. Jae'ket, Startled, Єon'duet, Pär'don, Rude'ness. LESSON IV. THE FARM-ER AND HIS DOG. THE farm-er is walking through the fields. He wants to see how his wheat and oats are use-ful dog, and his mas-ter, for he loves to be with him. Rov-er and the farm-er are both stand-ing still. They are look-ing at some-thing. Do you not won-der what it is? I think it is a lit-tle rab-bit or hare, Or, per-haps, it is the which Rov-er has just spi-ed out. He looks as if he would old cow. much for the old cow. and puts down her But he does not care Walking, Look'ing, Something, Won'der, Spied. |