Expedition of Xerxes against Greece. Rollin ... Deliverance of Syracuse from slavery. Rollin ... Foundation of the glory and grandeur of Rome SCENES AND PHENOMENA IN NATURAL HISTORY. Of the Harmattan, the Sirocco, the Samiel, and Samoon, Winds......................... Igneous Meteors ....................................................................... Description of an eruption from Mount Vesuvius Description of the earthquake at Lisbon Description of the desert and monastery of the Description of the passage of the Higuerota, and Speech of Nicias to dissuade the Athenians from the Syracusan War. Thucydides. Speech of Nicias to his army, when defeated by The Source of Well-being. Cogan Foundation and spread of Christianity. Rees Folly of thinking to deceive God. Zollikofer ERRATA. Page 6. line 29. for joyful read joy. 22. line 11. after earth insert and that. 50. last liue but one, for Aloemanni read Alemanni. 68. line 10. for of read for. 75. line 1. for Panthen read Panthea. 98. line 5 & 10. for Archius read Archias. 99. line 31. for excelled read most excelled. 100. line 30. after degrade add it. 105. line 6. for impregnable read and impregnable. 112. line 27. for Ceres read Cures. 120. line 24. for demanded read demand. 124. line 18. dele that, and for this read This. 135. line 25. for of read of his. " 137. line 3. for Allemanni read Alemanni. 166. line 22. for escaped read escaping. DIRECTIONS FOR READING, &c. As an introduction to the English Reading Books in prose and poetry, which form part of the "Course of Domestic Education," a few observations on the importance of propriety and gracefulness in reading and speaking, and concise directions for their attainment, cannot be inappropriate. By ancient writers, the art of rhetoric is made to consist of four parts: invention, which teaches what to speak or write; disposition, which respects the order in which sentiments are to be written or spoken; elocution, which regards the ornaments and propriety of language; and pronunciation, which gives rules for just and graceful delivery. The last of these is the subject of the psesent enquiry. a It is a remark not only common, but just, that comparatively few good readers or speakers are met with in public or in private life. Indistinct articulation; mis-pronunciation; false tones, or absolute monotony; improper emphasis, or total want of emphasis; stiff and pompous declamation, or a languid, insipid manner; some or other of these defects, and frequently several of them united, too often mark and degrade the style of reading and speaking of, even, well-educated persons. This is undoubtedly a great evil, for which it would be well to find a remedy. Propriety of delivery, including pronunciation and action, was represented by the best judges among the ancients, as the most important part of oratory, and the surest foundation of success in the art of persuasion. The illustrious orator Cicero, having largely and elegantly descanted upon the other parts of oratory, coming at last to speak of this, says, "all the former have their effect only in proportion as they are accompanied by good pronunciation. It is this alone which governs in speaking; without which the best orator can produce no effect, and is often defeated by one, in other respects, far his inferior." Demosthenes, the prince of orators, maintained the same sentiment; indeed, he considered it to be |