The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-21 00:00:00

IMPROVED SERIES OF W. G. LEWIS'S CATECHISMS

OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES.

LEMENTARY BOOKS like the following
A must of necesssity be, in a great measure, mere compila-
tions, and the principal portion of originality to which the Editor
can lay claim, consists in his plan, and in the introduction of Ety-
mological and Pronouncing Vocabularies of the technical terms.
The great advantages resulting from the introduction of the
Technical Vocabularies, are too obvious to require any observation.
The Editor, however, may be allowed to remark, that technical
terms being for the most part derived from the learned languages,
the reason of their application is completely unseen by the mere
English student ; and the consequence is that he finds them ex-
ceedingly difficult to remember. The Greek characters here-
fore, represented by English letters.
In these Catechisms the questions do not precede the answers, as
the series by Dr. Irving, &c., but are printed at the end of each
part. To avoid, however, any difficulty, each question is numbered
so as to answer to its corresponding proposition, which is also num-
bered. By this plan the tutor may either teach by interrogation or
not; and persons, who may use the work for their own instruc-
tion, or for the purpose of reference, will not be confused and in-
terrupted by a number of superfluous questions.
As school books they will be found to possess many advantages
over the common catechisms ; not the least of which is their capa-
bility of beinr, used as reading books for classes ; in which case, if
the tutor employ the questions in interrogating his pupils, they will
be found peculiarly useful in exercising the memory, as well as in
enforcing- attention to the subject.
*,to It is a remarkable fact that the some of the best books in
our language have remained unnoticed for years, until some fortui-
tous circumstance has brought them before the public, when they
have at last met with that patronage they had so long deserveds
No class of books, perhaps, is so liable to sink into unmerited
oblivion as books on education, if not properly introduced to the
public on their first appearance.
That the intrinsic value of the Catechisms, by Mr. W. G. Lewis,
offered to the public a few years ago, would long since have insured
their adoption, for the junior classes, in most of our respectable
Schools, there can be no doubt, h d it not been for the unfortunate
embarrassment of their first publisher soon after their appearance ;
since which they have remained upon the shelves of others, unno-
ticed, because their merits were unknown.

The present publisher, however, who has now their entire ma-
nagement, promises that nothing shall be wanting on his part to
bring them properly before the public ; and he feels assured that. he
is not too sanguine in expecting they will be very extensively pa-
tronized.

ARCHITECTURE ; Civil, and Military, on a new plan, illus-
trated by engravings; to which is added an Etymological and Pro-
nouncing Vocabulary of the Technical Terms.

ASTRONOMY ; on a new plan, illustrated by engravings ; to
which is added .an Etymological and Pronouncing Vocabulary of the
Technical Terms.

MECHANICS; on a new plan, illustrated by Twenty-eight
engravings ; to which is added an Etymological and Pronouncing
Vocabulary of the Technical Terms.

NATURAL HISTORY of MAN ' • illustrated by Engravings,
to which is added an Etymological and Pronouncing Vocabulary of
Technical Terms.

NATURAL HISTORY of BEASTS, Part I. ; on a new plan,
Ilustrated by engravings ; to which is added an Etymological and
?ronouncing Vocabulary of the Technical Terms.

NATURAL HISTORY of BEASTS, Part 11. ; on a new
plan, illustrated by engravings • to which is added an Etymological
and Pronouncing.Vonbulary of the Technical Terms.

VII.
NATURAL HISTORY of BIRDS, Part I. ; on a new plan,
illustrated by engravings ; to which is added an Etymological and
Pronouncing Vocabulary of the Technical Terms.