Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-10-01

POE,
TIL the di'ges ofhis hope tAai melancholy bur
of-N,tsr- Nsramo,s"
mLLARn's sINTH READER, P, $50,
TIL the dlrg,s Of his Hope ne melancholy bur
OF 'Nsrermor,' n 'Ssrermot,'
NAeAuLAY,
IIyslerleal so5s dai ars0ms were heard.
BILLIARDS. SIXTH RrApEs, p, 3lo.
Hysterlcal eries and SOS were heard,
DICKENS,
The noiseless haun,s o. many tA0usAtf'a! hour
HILLARp's SMITH READER, P. l62.
The nolsele.s haunt. ofmany ahougAtlsss hour
SHAKESPEARE,
would not have believed Aim, No tongue bu,
lluberts,
HlLLlND's SMITH RaADgR, p. l5I.
would net have believed no tumgue bn,. lIu.
bert's,
These specimens Of hybrid literature
must suffice for the prcscnt, And are they
not enough 10 show the INSCRIPTIONS
care Of both the author and the critic 2
Aud this is not all. The punctuation
throughout Hillard's Sixth Reader will
not bear the test Of the most approved rules
on that subject. There are many neon
sislencles in the use Of the comma and
semieolon and the dash is used quite too
frequently, and therefore improperly. The
dash is usually employed as the most con-
ven'ent mark of punctuation, by careless
authors, and those unacquainted with the
rules Of punctuation. Words in regard to
the unintelligible and impractcable system
of elocution in this Reader would be vast
ed. Some teachers, with all due Difference
to It's author, may, perhaps, acknowledge
il "among the discoreries Of the age" yet,
being unable to fathom its depths pro-
found, it practically becomes TO them lit
tie more than "dead letter."
The preface informs us that "much care
has been gwen TO the Introductory notices"
The, following extracts will answer for
specimens of this care -
Page leo. I" lie depicts BARRON, a
kitchen, court of justice, or a prison. in
such a way as to be next TO seeing them.
He sometimes uses these gifts 10 a greater
extent than the taste of his readers app
prore.n Page 2S2. " He enjoyed a fame
and consideration which in as calmness
and serenity resembled the unbiased
judgment Of posterity."
Tire examples of false syntax in ,ro
of these Introductory notices, are quite as
many as are consistent with tho preface,
to say nothing of the literary reputation
claimed for Mr.. Hillard.
We have room for only one more ex-
tract from these notices and We make II
merely 10 call the critics attention, for a
from DR.. Wise and other writers
named in his criticism to what Mr.. Hill
lard say. OF the author of one Of his Sc
lectons. Page 81, His Laurence
Sterues) writings are defaced by grave
offences against decorum, his style Is de-
hcIeut IN Simplclty;and his sentlmentahty
is often exaggerated and mawkish. Few
persons now read Stearne as whole, "
Other references might be made but it
Is hoped enough has been said to induce
the critic to eramine Mr.. IIillard's Sixth
Reader before again commencing it 10 the
public.
1t viii he seen that We have not under
taken review Of Mr.. Hiilard's entire
series. Neither have We attempted an
exhaustive review Of his Sixth Reader.
It would require too much space to
notice each error, inaccuracv, and
blunder which it contains, and so We have
spared the feelings OF the critic by men
tloning only certain kinds Of faults, and
but few examples of each kind. At an
other time, If need be, We may enlghten
him still further IN regard to the whole
series for we have not exhausted 1.-THE
of our material even on the Sixth Reader,
which is the least objectionable of any
number Of the series.
iiut there Is another point that will be
by every parent and guardian
IN Vermont Town and Holbrook's Pro-
gressl;e Fifth Reader, containing 90 pages
Of matter more than Hllard'S Sixth, is
furnished 10 the pupil for 81 20, while fer
IIIIiari's Sixth, to give the retailer equal
profits. he must pay Sl.36. A compari-
son of the other corresponding numbers Of
the two series would be equally favorable
TO the Progressive, IN respect TO merit. size,
and price. But enough for the present