| | 1 | Author: | Hawthorne
Nathaniel
1804-1864 | Add | | | Title: | Twice-told Tales  | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Modern English collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 | UVA-LIB-EarlyAmFict1789-1875 | | | | Description: | There was once a time when New England groaned
under the actual pressure of heavier wrongs, than
those threatened ones which brought on the Revolution.
James II., the bigoted successor of Charles the
Voluptuous, had annulled the charters of all the colonies,
and sent a harsh and unprincipled soldier to take
away our liberties and endanger our religion. The
administration of Sir Edmund Andros lacked scarcely
a single characteristic of tyranny: a Governor and
Council, holding office from the King, and wholly
independent of the country; laws made and taxes levied
without concurrence of the people, immediate or
by their representatives; the rights of private citizens
violated, and the titles of all landed property declared
void; the voice of complaint stifled by restrictions on
the press; and finally, disaffection overawed by the first
band of mercenary troops that ever marched on our
free soil. For two years our ancestors were kept in
sullen submission, by that filial love which had invariably
secured their allegiance to the mother country,
whether its head chanced to be a Parliament, Protector,
or popish Monarch. Till these evil times, however,
such allegiance had been merely nominal, and the colonists
had ruled themselves, enjoying far more freedom,
than is even yet the privilege of the native subjects
of Great Britain. —I have received the First and Second Parts of your North
American Arithmetic, and am highly pleased with the plan of the work, and
the manner of its execution thus far. It unites simplicity with fulness. and
will thus be sure to interest the beginner, whilst it furnishes, at the same time.
an ample guide to the more advanced pupil. —I have examined the Third Part of Mr. Emerson's
Arithmetic with great pleasure. The perspicuity of its arrangement, and
the clearness and brevity of its explanations, combined with its happy adaptation
to the purposes of practical business, are its great recommendations.
I hope it will soon be introduced into all our schools, and take the place of
ill-digested treatises, to which our instructors have hitherto been compelled
to resort. [Conclusion of a letter to the Author.] I should think it hardly possible
that a child could be faithfully conducted through these two works [First and
Second Parts] without being vastly better acquainted with the subject than
children formerly were. Being judiciously compelled in some measure to
invent their own rules, they can scarcely fail of being able to assign a proper
reason for the process, as well as to recollect it for future use. Indeed, I do
not know any one particular in which, for the use of very young pupils, they
could be improved. I have carefully examined the Third Part of the North American
Arithmetic, by Mr. Emerson; and am so well satisfied that it is the best
treatise on the subject with which I am acquainted, that I have determined
to introduce it as a text-book into my school. Notwithstanding the obvious improvements of the study, both in a practical
point of view and as an intellectual exercise, arithmetic is perhaps
the science which is most negligently taught in common schools, and the
true principles of which are left in the greatest obscurity in the minds of
scholars. One reason of this is the imperfection of the common treatises used
in our schools. The Arithmetic of Dr. Adams was a decided improvement
upon its predecessors in the way of lucid explanations, and, as might be expected,
others followed which went still farther in the track of inductive
illustration. The North American Arithmetic, by Frederick Emerson, appears
to me to exhibit the science in a manner more clear, simple and practical,
better adapted to the use of schools and the benefit of teachers, who
may not themselves be thoroughly conversant with arithmetic, than any book
I have seen. The doctrine of Ratio and Proportion is treated in the way in
which it can alone be rendered perfectly intelligible to the pupil, and far
more satisfactory than in any English or American Arithmetic that has fallen
under my notice. —Having examined your North American Arithmetic
with much care, and made some use of it as a text-book in my classes, I do
not hesitate to regard it as better adapted than any other, to the schools of
the United States. It has long been objected to the books on this subject in
common use, that they are deficient in explanation, and unscientific in arrangement;
more apt to check than develop the powers of reasoning and calculation.
To your work, certainly, these objections are inapplicable. No
pupil, it seems to me, can go through Parts First, Second, and Third, with
ordinary attention, without acquiring a facility of analysis, a readiness both
of rule and reason, and a dexterity of practice, not easily to be derived from
any other books yet published. —I have examined the First Class Reader, by B. D. Emerson;
and, in my view, the selections are judiciously made, and characterized
by great purity and elegance of style, and yet are not so elevated
as to be unintelligible by those for whose use it is designed. The work is
throughout, so far as I have discovered, unexceptionable in the sentiment
with which it is fraught. It is introduced by some very useful “Suggestions
to Teachers,” with regard to the examination of their pupils on the lessons
read. On the whole, I know not of a reading book of higher merit, for the
more advanced classes in our schools. —Allow me to express my cordial approbation of the selection
of pieces introduced into the First Class Reader. In correctness of sentiment,
manliness of style, and elegance of diction, this approaches more
nearly than any of the previous compilations with which I am acquainted, to
what a book should be, which is designed to be a reading manual for youth. I have carefully examined the Reading Books prepared by Mr.
B. D. Emerson, and cordially bear testimony to the merits of the work. I
am much pleased with the character of the selections, and highly approve of
the system of instruction recommended by Mr. E. in his “Suggestions to
Teachers.” I hope these books will gain the extensive circulation to which
they are justly entitled. Having examined the series of School Reading Books, entitled the “First
Class Reader,” the “Second Class Reader,” and the “Third Class Reader,”
by B. D. Emerson, the undersigned regard them as having very high claims
to the notice and approbation of the public. The books form a regular series,
carefully graduated according to the advancement of classes in good
English Schools. The selections are very judiciously made, both in matter
and style. Each piece is adapted to the comprehension of the scholar, and
conveys some useful truth, either moral or scientific. Specimens are presented
of the best writers in the English language, and throughout the series
is given a very great deal of historical and general information. Having examined the First and Second Class Readers, compiled by
Mr. B. D. Emerson, I take great pleasure in recommending them to the public,
as highly deserving their patronage. I consider these works a decided improvement
upon those of a similar character now in use. The selections are
made with much taste and judgment, and are peculiarly adapted to the capacities
and wants of those for whose use they are intended. I shall introduce
them into the series of reading books used by my pupils. —I have attentively examined your series of Readers. The lessons
are selected with much taste, and are well calculated to produce a good
moral influence. It is desirable that these works should be extensively used
in our High Schools and Academies. Your Third Class Reader is used in
all our District Schools and highly approved. Emerson's Class Readers. * * * * The selections are made with
reference to purity of sentiment, and to moral impression; and are, on that
account, worthy of all commendation. * * * * In short, we can say of
these Readers, that we know of no books, which, for beauty of selection,
purity of sentiment, and for variety of expression, will compare with them.
The sooner they are introduced into our schools the better. The First Class Reader and The Second Class Reader.—
* * We are pleased with these selections, for we think they are executed on
the plan proposed; that “each extract should contain some useful truth—
something of more importance than the mere amusement of a passing hour.” —Having given Mr. Emerson's Reading Books a
careful examination, I feel confident that they possess merits equal to those
of any other Readers now in use. The experience of many years in school-keeping
has convinced me that a change of books is of primary importance
in acquiring an art so much neglected, yet so ornamental and useful as good
reading. It is not to be supposed that children can profit much by reading
again and again what has, from their earliest recollections, been sounded
over and over in their ears, till every section and almost every word are as
familiar to them as the walls of their school-room. To make ready readers
there is need of some novelty. We not unfrequently meet with those who
can read fluently and well the worn pages of a school book, but yet who
hesitate and blunder over the columns of a newspaper, or the pages of a
strange book. I am, therefore, glad to see your Readers, and it will give
me pleasure to encourage their introduction into our schools. —Having received and examined, with some attention, a
copy of your “American Universal Geography.” I have no hesitation in giving
it the preference to other works intended for School Geographies, and
for the following reason, viz.: Your Geography contains the copperplate
Maps in the same volume with the text; it embraces matter far greater in
quantity, and in my opinion superior in quality; it unites History with Geography
as History and Geography should be united; and, finally, its value
is much enhanced by the stereotype Maps. From a cursory examination, we feel no hesitation in expressing our decided
approbation of Blake's New American School Geography. The form
of the volume being such as to admit the insertion of the Maps, together
with the minuteness of detail presented by the author, we think, gives the
work a decided superiority over those of the kind now in use. We have used “Bailey's First Lessons in Algebra,” in the Public Writing
Schools of Boston, respectively committed to our instruction, and can testify
with confidence to its high value. The peculiar excellence of the work consists
in its serving not only as a text-book, but in a great measure as a teacher.
The plainness, simplicity, and fulness with which the subject is treated, enable
the scholar to proceed in the exercises understandingly, with little or no
aid, other than that which is to be found on the pages of the book. I have, with much attention and satisfaction, examined “Bailey's First
Lessons in Algebra.” As a first course of lessons in this very interesting
science, this book, I do not hesitate to say, far exceeds any other that I have
seen. No scholar will consider Algebra a dry study while attending to this
system. I am very glad to find that Algebra has been introduced into many
of our town schools; and am positive that there is no better way to make
scholars understand Arithmetic well, than that they should devote part of
their time to the study of Algebra. I most cordially recommend the work to
the attention of School Committees and Teachers. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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