A Course of English Reading; Adapted to Every Taste and Capacity with Literary Anecdotes

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: short as it is, it comprises twice the number of books which enter into the classical studies of either university. I must now address myself to two separate classes of readers; first, to young men preparing themselves as candidates either for Scholarships or classical honours at the universities; secondly, to young ladies, and other general readers, who have only learning and leisure sufficient for a shorter and more general course. To speak of the first class ? youths at school, or with private tutors, have, commonly, time for doing much to advance them at college, if well directed. The mode of reading history which they must adopt is peculiar. They have not only to fill but to form their minds, and to satisfy not only themselves but examiners. Others may be less careful of facts, when they have gathered principles, and preserve the kernel without the husk; but candidates for honours must exhibit a knowledge of principles, which they can only do by having facts available and ready at command. An examination is conducted by papers of questions which serve as pegs on which to hang your knowledge; but should you confuse merely the names of historical characters, you will lose the chance of displaying your attainments, although your mind is stored with the deepest reflections on the Roman policy or constitution. The first thing, therefore, the commonly received accounts of historians rather than that critical research into particular portions which is required of the candidates for classes. In reading for a Scholarship, you should prepare for writing historical essays, which will be read with reference to two points; first, your accuracy; secondly, your reflection. For accuracy, the observations respecting the outline history will be sufficient. For reflection, you must read ...