LIBRARY OF THE LELAND STANFORD JR. UNIVERSITY a.38058 Copyright, 1884, by A. S BARNES & CO. B. FIFTH READER. W. P. 8 REFACE With the publication of this book, our series of readers designed for the use of graded and ungraded schools, is completed. Concerning the simplicity and careful gradation of the letter press, a word of explanation is necessary. It is evident, even to the casual observer, that pupils terminate their school life at a much earlier age now than ever before. This is due, in part, to 1.- Better methods of instruction, which advance pupils more rapidly toward the completion of their course of study. 2. A feverish desire on the part of the young to commence their life work. 3.-The humble circumstances of many parents, who, consequently, need the assistance of their children in the everyday affairs of life, and take them from school by the time they have finished the third reader. The average age at which most pupils complete the course of study in our public schools has been ascertained to be about thirteen and a half years. From this it is evident that many can not be more than ten years old. How utterly impossible it is for pupils of such an immature age to understand or comprehend the masterpieces of our literature, can be realized only by those teachers who have exhausted every expedient to accomplish such a result. It is needless, perhaps, to say that the author of this series of readers, who has had many years' experience in the schoolroom, has kept this fact constantly in mind; and he confidently believes that the New National Series will be found more pleasing, interesting, and intelligible to young minds than any others ever issued. That these readers may lighten the labors of the teaching fraternity everywhere, and add to the pupil's interest and pleasure during many hours of hard study, is the fervent wish of THE AUTHOR. 35.—MRS. CAUDLE'S UMBRELLA LECTURE. Douglas Jerrold. 166 45.-AN EXPLOIT OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. Sir W. Scott. 205 47.-NICHOLAS NICKLEBY LEAVING SCHOOL. Charles Dickens. 212 50.—AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH (I) 227 51.—AN INCIDENT in the LIFE OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH (II) Sir Walter Scott. 232 53.—SCENES IN THE YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY. 54. THE DISCOVERY OF PHOSPHORUS 56.—THE BURNING OF MOSCOW (I) W. F. Phelps. 239 Rodney Welch. 243 57.—THE BURNING OF MOSCOW (II) 62. THE FIRST SHIP OF PETER THE GREAT. E. Schuyler. 276 |