d up a strong moral character and to imbue our children with an
intelligent love of Faith and Country. The methods are those approved by
the most experienced and progressive teachers of reading in Europe and
America.

These Readers have also been specially designed to elicit thought and
facilitate literary composition. In furtherance of this idea, class
talks, word study, the structure of sentences, drills on certain correct
forms of expression, the proper arrangement of ideas, explanation of
phrases and literary expressions, oral and written reproductions of
narrations and descriptions, and exercises in original composition, all
receive the attention which their importance demands. Thus will the
pupils, while learning to read and from their earliest years, acquire
that readiness in grasping the thoughts of others and that fluency in
expressing their own, which are so essential to a good English
education.

In teaching the art of Reading as well as that of Composition, the
principle of order should in a great measure determine the value of the
methods to be employed. In the acquisition of knowledge, the child
instinctively follows the order of nature. This order is first,
_observation_; second, _thought_; third, _expression_. It becomes the
duty of the teacher, consequently, to lead the child to observe
_accurately_, to think _clearly_, and to express his thoughts
_correctly_. And text-books are useful only in so far as they supply the
teacher with the material and the system best calculated to accomplish
such results.

It is therefore hoped that the present new series of Readers, having
been planned in accordance with the principle just enunciated, will
prove a valuable adjunct in our Catholic schools.

* * * * *

_3_

INTRODUCTION

In this Fifth Reader of the De La Salle Series the plan of the preceding
numbers has been continued. The pupil has now mastered the mechanical
difficulties of learning to read, and has acquired a fairly good working
vocabulary. Hence he is prepared to read intelligently and with some
degree of fluency and pleasure. Now is the time to lead him to acquire a
taste for good reading. The selections have been drawn mainly from
authors whose writings are distinguished for their moral and literary
value, and whose style is sure to excite a lasting interest.

In addition to giving the pupil practice in reading and forming a basis
for oral and w