The Illustrated London Reading Book.
by Various.
INTRODUCTION.
[Illustration: INTRODUCTION.]
To read and speak with elegance and ease, Are arts polite that never fail to please; Yet in those arts how very few excel!
Ten thousand men may read--not one read well.
Though all mankind are speakers in a sense, How few can soar to heights of eloquence!
The sweet melodious singer trills her lays, And listening crowds go frantic in her praise; But he who reads or speaks with feeling true, Charms and delights, instructs, and moves us too.
Browne.
To deprive Instruction of the terrors with which the young but too often regard it, and strew flowers upon the pathways that lead to Knowledge, is to confer a benefit upon all who are interested in the cause of Education, either as Teachers or Pupils. The design of the following pages is not merely to present to the youthful reader some of the masterpieces of English literature in prose and verse, arranged and selected in such a manner as to please as well as instruct, but to render them more agreeable to the eye and the imagination by Pictorial Representations, in illustration of the subjects. It is hoped that this design has not been altogether unsuccessful, and that the ILLUSTRATED LONDON READING BOOK will recommend itself both to old and young by the appropriateness of the selections, their progressive arrangement, the fidelity of their Illustrations, and the very moderate price at which it is offered to the public.
It has not been thought necessary to prefix to the present Volume any instructions in the art of Elocution, or to direct the accent or intonation of the student by the abundant use of italics or of large capitals. The principal, if not the only secrets of good reading are, to speak slowly, to articulate distinctly, to pause judiciously, and to feel the subject so as, if possible, "to make all that passed in the mind of the Author to be felt by the Auditor," Good oral example upon these points is far better for the young Student than the most elaborate written system.
A series of Educational Works, in other departments of study, _similarly illustrated,_ and at a price equally small, is in preparation. Among the earliest to be issued, may be enumerated a Sequel and Companion to the ILLUSTRATED LONDON READING BOOK, designed for a more advanced class of Students, and consisting of extracts from English Classical Authors, from the earliest periods of English Literature to the present day, with a copious Introductory Chapter upon the arts of Elocution and Composition. The latter will include examples of Style chosen from the beauties of the best Authors, and will also point out by similar examples the Faults to be avoided by all who desire to become, not simply good Readers and Speakers, but elegant Writers of their native language.
Amongst the other works of which the series will be composed, may be mentioned, profusely Illustrated Volumes upon Geographical, Astronomical, Mathematical, and General Science, as well as works essential to the proper training of the youthful mind.
_January_, 1850.
[Illustration]
CONTENTS.
Abbey, Account of Strata Florida Adam and Eve in Paradise (MILTON) Alfred, Anecdote of King (BEAUTIES OF HISTORY) Alfred, Character of King (HUME) Angling, Lines on (DOUBLEDAY) Antioch, The Siege of (POPULAR DELUSIONS) Artillery Tactics Athens, Present Appearance of Attock, Description of the Fort of
Bacon, Remarks on Lord (D'ISRAELI) Balloons, Account of Baltic, Battle of the (CAMPBELL) Beetle, The Bell, The Founding of the (MACKAY) Bible, Value of the (BUCK) Birds, Appropriateness of the Songs of (DR. JENNER) Bower-Birds, Description of the Bridges, Account of Tubular Railway Bunyan's Wife, Anecdote of (LORD CAMPBELL) Bushmen, Account of the
Caesar, Character of Julius (MIDDLETON) Canada, Intense Cold of (SIR F. HEAD) Canary, Account of the Charity (PRIOR) Chatterton, Lines by Cheerfulness, Description of (ADDISON) China, Account of the Great Wall of Christian Freedom (POLLOCK) Clarendon, Account of Lord Cobra di Capello, Description of the Condors, Account of Cruelty to Animals, Wickedness of (JENYNS) Culloden Battle-field, Description of (HIGHLAND NOTE-BOOK) Cyprus, Description of
Danish Encampment, Account of a Deity, Omniscience of the (ADDISON) Dogs, A Chapter on Dove, Return of the (MACKAY)
Edward VI., Character of (BURNET) Elegy in a Country Churchyard (GRAY) Elizabeth (Queen), at Tilbury Fort (ENGLISH HISTORY) Envy, Wickedness of (DR. JOHNSON)
Faith's Guiding Star (ELIZA COOK) Farewell (BARTON) Filial Love (DR. DODD) Fortitude (BLAIR) Fox, Description of the Long-eared Frederick of Prussia and his Page (BEAUTIES OF HISTORY)
Gambier Islanders, Account of Gelert (W. SPENCER) Gentleness, Character of (BLAIR) Goldsmith, Remarks on the Style of (CAMPBELL) Goliah Aratoo, Description of the Greece, Isles of (BYRON) Greece, The Shores of (BYRON) Gresham, Account of Sir Thomas Grief, The First (MRS. HEMANS) Grouse, Description of the
Hagar and Ishmael, Story of Hampden, Account of John Hercules, The Choice of (TATLER) Holly Bough (MACKAY) Hope (CAMPBELL)
Iguana, Description of the Industry, Value of (BLAIR) Integrity (DR. DODD) Ivy in the Dungeon (MACKAY)
"Jack The Giant Killer," Origin of (CARLYLE) Jalapa, Description of Jewels, Description of the Crown Joppa, Account of Jordan, Description of the River Jordan's Banks (BYRON) Juggernaut, Account of the Car of
Kaffir Chiefs, Account of Kaffir Letter-carrier, Account of Kangaroo, Description of the Knowledge, on the Attainment of (DR. WATTS)
Leopard, Description of the Black Lighthouse, Description of Hartlepool Lilies (MRS. HEMANS)
Mangouste, Description of the Mariana (TENNYSON) Mariners of England (CAMPBELL) Martello Towers, Account of Mary's (Queen) Bower, at Chatsworth Microscope, Revelations of the (DR. MANTELL) Midnight Thoughts (YOUNG) Mill-stream, Lines on a (MARY HOWITT) Music, Remarks on (USHER)
Napoleon, Character of (GENERAL FOY) Nature and its Lord Nature, The Order of (POPE) Naval Tactics Nests of Birds, Construction of (STURM) Niagara, Account of the Falls of (SIR JAMES ALEXANDER) Nightingale and Glowworm (COWPER)
Olive, Description of the Othello's History (SHAKESPEARE) Owls, Account of Owls, (Two) and the Sparrow (GAY)
Palm-Tree, Account of the Palm-Tree, Lines on a (MRS. HEMANS) Parrot, Lines on a (CAMPBELL) Patmos, Description of the Isle of Paul and Virginia, Supposed Tombs of Pekin, Description of Peter the Hermit Preaching the First Crusade (POPULAR DELUSIONS) Poetry, Rise of, among the Romans (SPENCE) Polar Regions, Description of the Pompeii, Account of Poor, The Afflicted (CRABBE) Pyramid Lake, Account of the
Railway Tunnels, Difficulties of Rainbow, Account of a Lunar Rattlesnake, Account of the (F.T. BUCKLAND) Rome, Lines on (ROGERS) Rookery, Dialogue about a (EVENINGS AT HOME)
Sardis, Description of Schoolboy's Pilgrimage (JANE TAYLOR) Seasons (THOMSON) Shakspeare, Remarks on Sheep, Description of Thibetan Sierra Nevada, Description of the (FREMONT'S TRAVEL) Siloam, Account of the Pool of Sleep, Henry IV.'s Soliloquy on (SHAKSPEARE) Sloth, Description of the Smyrna, Description of Staffa, Description of (HIGHLAND NOTE-BOOK) Stag, The hunted (SIR W. SCOTT) Starling, Story of a (STERNE) St. Bernard, Account of the Dogs of (THE MENAGERIES) St. Cecilia, Ode to (DRYDEN) Stepping-stones, The (WORDSWORTH) Stony Cross, Description of Stream, the Nameless (MACKAY) Study, Remarks on (LORD BACON) Sun Fish, Capture of a (CAPTAIN BEDFORD, R.N.) Sydney, Generosity of Sir Philip (BEAUTIES of HISTORY)
Tabor, Description of Mount Tapir, Description of the Telegraph, Account of the Electric (SIR F. HEAD) Time, What is it? (REV. J. MARSDEN) Turkish Customs Tyre, the Siege of (LANGHORNE'S PLUTARCH)
Una and the Lion (SPENSER) Universe, Grandeur of the (ADDISON)
Vocabulary
Waterloo, Description of the Field of Winter Thoughts (THOMSON) Writing, On Simplicity in (HUME)
THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON READING BOOK
THE SCHOOLBOY'S PILGRIMAGE.
[Illustration: Letter N.]
Nothing could be more easy and agreeable than my condition when I was first summoned to set out on the road to learning, and it was not without letting fall a few ominous tears that I took the first step.
Several companions of my own age accompanied me in the outset, and we travelled pleasantly together a good part of the way.
We had no sooner entered upon our path, than we were accosted by three diminutive strangers. These we presently discovered to be the advance-guard of a Lilliputian army, which was seen advancing towards us in battle array. Their forms were singularly grotesque: some were striding across the path, others standing with their arms a-kimbo; some hanging down their heads, others quite erect; some standing on one leg, others on two; and one, strange to say, on three; another had his arms crossed, and one was remarkably crooked; some were very slender, and others as broad as they were long. But, notwithstanding this diversity of figure, when they were all marshalled in line of battle, they had a very orderly and regular appearance. Feeling disconcerted by their numbers, we were presently for sounding a retreat; but, being urged forward by our guide, we soon mastered the three who led the van, and this gave us spirit to encounter the main army, who were conquered to a man before we left the field. We had scarcely taken breath after this victory, when, to our no small dismay, we descried a strong reinforcement of the enemy, stationed on the opposite side. These were exactly equal in number to the former army, but vastly superior in size and stature; they were, in fact, a race of giants, though of the same species with the others, and were capitally accoutred for the onset.
Their appearance discouraged us greatly at first, but we found their strength was not proportioned to their size; and, having acquired much skill and courage by the late engagement, we soon succeeded in subduing them, and passed off the field in triumph. After this we were perpetually engaged with small bands of the enemy, no longer extended in line of battle, but in small detachments of two, three, and four in company. We had some tough work here, and now and then they were too many for us. Having annoyed us thus for a time, they began to form themselves into close columns, six or eight abreast; but we had now attained so much address, that we no longer found them formidable.
After continuing this route for a considerable way, the face of the country suddenly changed, and we began to enter upon a vast succession of snowy plains, where we were each furnished with a certain light weapon, peculiar to the country, which we flourished continually, and with which we made many light strokes, and some desperate ones. The waters hereabouts were dark and brackish, and the snowy surface of the plain was often defaced by them. Probably, we were now on the borders of the Black Sea. These plains we travelled across and across for many a day.