THE SHAKESPEARE READER; BEING EXTRACTS. FROM THE PLAYS OF SHAKESPEARE, VIZ. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE -As You LIKE IT-KING JOHN-KING SIDA-JULIUS CÆSAR-KING LEAR, AND OTHELLO. WITH INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS AND NOTES, GRAMMAT- BY C. H. WYKES. NEW YORK: CLARK & MAYNARD, PUBLISHERS, 734 BROADWAY. 1881. A.STO Classes in English Literature, Reading, Grammar, etc. 1963 EDITED BY EMINENT ENGLISH SCHOLARS. Each volume contains a Sketch of the Author's Life, Prefatory, and Explanatory Notes, etc., etc. These volumes are thoroughly adapted for Schools in which Eng lish Literature forms a branch of study, or where a carefully selected portion of some English Classic is selected for minute examination or supplementary reading. The notes are unusually full and exhaustive, occupying in nearly every case fully half the book. Etymology is attended to throughout, the derivations of all the more difficult words being given. 1. THE PROPHECY OF DANTE. (Cantos I. II.) Byron...32 pages. 3. ESSAYS-CIVIL AND MORAL. (Selected.) Lord Bacon. 5. THE FIRE WORSHIPPERS. (Lalla Rookh. Selected from 6. THE DESERTED VILLAGE. Goldsmith. 7. MARMION. (Selections from Canto VI.) Scott..... 8. THE LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL. (Introduction and 9. THE COTTER'S SATURDAY NIGHT and OTHER POEMS. 10. THE VILLAGE. Crabbe.. 11. THE PLEASURES OF HOPE. (Abridgment of Part I.) 12. ESSAY ON BUNYAN'S PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. Macaulay 15. THE TRAVELLER. Goldsmith. 16. THE QUEEN'S WAKE. Hogg 17. THE ANCIENT MARINER. Coleridge. PARADISE LOST. Book I. (Containing Sketch of Milton's Life-Essay on the Genius of Milton-Epitome of the views of the best known crities on Milton.) MILTON. Flexible clota..... Published by 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 ...94 pages. CLARK & MAYNARD, 734 BROADWAY, N. Y. 1908 THE present work is the result of the editor's belief that a collection of extracts from Shakespeare, suitable for the study of the young, would be found acceptable to teachers and pupils generally. To assist, in some measure, in making the poetry of Shakespeare 'familiar in their mouths as household words" is the editor's cherished wish. In bringing the book before his fellow-teachers, the compiler would state some of its uses : 1. It will form an ordinary Reading-book for the upper Classes. 2. It furnishes material for supplementary Reading. 3. Dictation and Grammar Exercises cannot be chosen from a better source than from such a master of the English language as Shakespeare. 4. To the pupils who are learning History, many of the extracts will be of use as supplementary to their text-books. 5. In schools where "speech-day" is observed, the Editor hopes his little work will be warmly welcomed. Experience proves that the Shakespearian dialogue is taken up with zeal by the young. Of the features of the work little need be said. Great care has been taken to select only such pieces as readily commend themselves to children; and all expressions which are now considered offensive have been expunged. This may be looked upon by some as unwarrantable meddling; but the Editor had to consider that he was working for "the little ones," and suffered no gross word to remain. Each extract, with its introductory paragraph, makes a story complete in itself. The notes are not voluminous. They are, however, such as will be of real use to those for whom they were written. Long and elaborate etymologies are not the kind of notes to interest children; nor indeed are they of much use to learners in an early stage of growth. On the other hand,— simple, homely explanations of “hard words," and hints which shall help him in cracking some hard nut in his parsing exercise, are just the notes the boy appreciates; while they are very likely to create a liking for similar studies in the future. This last is one of the objects the Editor had in view. If his little book should help some of our youths to interest themselves in the study of English Language and Literature, he will be deeply gratified. |