ning in this thing, which you should well understand for your encouragement, and that is-learning to read is a key by which you can unlock and open the richest treasures of good things on earth-the treasures of knowledge and wisdom, which you can make your own, and enjoy at your pleasure and leisure, as fast

you understand the meaning of words; for by this means you can receive instructions from the wisest and best people of all past ages and nations, or those who have lived before you, or are so far off that you cannot hear them speak.

Well, now my dear, to the business in hand. Look here; see, 26 different marks, called letters. Come, count them; you can count.-Yes, 26. These all mean sounds, which go to make words, that speak to the mind by the eye, as my words speak to your mind by the ear. They, together, are called the Alphabet, or A, B, C. 1 will give you four at a lesson. This will make of the whole six lessons and a half. See how soon you can say the 26 letters, and read words made by them. Do then, my dear child, be attentive, and try to learn to read words from pretty little books, as well as to hear them.

NOTE 1. Teach a lesson to one only at a time; but two or three others may stand around and look on, if you think best. Interest them, but do not fatigue them.

3. Teach and illustrate the meaning of words much by oral instruction.

First, take this round mark, which looks like a ring or a wheel, O. Look at it. What is its name? 5. Make it on the sand-board with your finger. What is it? It is O. It stands for the sound O. When it is put alone in a book, it stands for the word O, a word you often speak, as when you say, "O dear!-O do let me go and play!" You have now, so quickly, learned the letter O, which stands for the sound O and

the word O. This letter O has other sounds, which you will learn hereafter, or by and by.

Make it on

Take another letter, s. Look at it. the sand-board. What is its name? es. It stands for the hissing sound, which you cannot speak aloud by itself; but which you make with your tongue and fore teeth, in a kind of hissing whisper, when you say the words so, us. It is related to z pretty strongly. Take this letter, the name and meaning of which you have now learned, and put it close before O, and it will make the word so, a word you know and often speak, as when you say, "It is so hard-O, so I go -Must I do so ?-O, it is so pretty." So you have learned to read two letters, and two words, O so. This letters has another sound, as in nose, rose.

Here is a third letter, i or I, two forms, one small, the other large. Make both. What is their name and sound? ie-not ai, nor oi, nor ei, but ie, as in

fire, shine, tire. It has another sound put upon it which is very short, as in stick, in, this, pin. This letter also, as well as O, stands not only for the sound i, but for the word I, which you use very much, as when you say, "I love to play-I will be good." Take this letter and word I, and put it after the other words that you have learned, and then you can look on three words, and read them one after another-O so I.

Now take a fourth letter, g. Look at it, and make it. Its name is gee. Take this and put it close before the letter O, which you already know, and they to gether make go, a word you know and often say, as,

I go to bed-I go to meeting-I go to play." It is somewhat like k, though not so close, sharp, and quick. It is often used for j, as in gill, gem. Take this word and put it next after your other three words, and you will have a little sentence of four words, which has some meaning, and tells something-O so I go.

You have now got through the first lesson of the alphabet, or A, B, C, and can read one sentence-0 so I go. Spell these words. Look at this sentence, and read it again-O so I go. You must think of it, and say it, and read it more, so that you shall not forget it. Write the letters again, and then the sentence.

LESSON 2.

The first letter of this lesson is e. Look on it, and make it or form it on the sand board. Its name is ee, and its sound is that of e in feet. It is often short, as e in met, net, pet. This is another sound put on it. It does not make any word by itself. Look on it, and sound it more, that you may not forget it-e, we, be, me; ee, see, gee.

The second letter is h. It looks somewhat like one side of a chair. Look at it carefully, and form it handsomely. Its name is aitch, but it should be he. Take this letter and place it close before e, and it causes a strong and close breathing which makes the word he, and which you know well, and say much, as "he learns he plays-he works." You have now learned half of the lesson, and can read the word he.

The next letter is 1. See how it looks, and make it. Its name is el. It looks like a walking-stick. It is a pretty letter and an easy sound, as in long, love, bell. You can speak its sound aloud and alone, as el; and it sometimes by itself makes the last syllable of a word, as in little, brittle. Say its sound again. Put it close before o, i, e, which you have learned, and it makes the words lo, lie, lee; and put it close after them and it makes the words eel, I'l, old. You must

love the letter 1, for it is one of the best we have, and it helps form look, like, love, link and live.

The last letter of this lesson is V, another pretty and easy one. Its name is ve. It has some sound alone, but not enough to make a syllable by itself. It has some relation to f, but is more open and flat. See how well you will make it, and sound it. Put this letter, also, close before e, i, o, which you know, and after them too, and it makes the words ve, vie, vote; eve, I've, over. In this lesson you have learned to read e, h, 1, v, and the words he, lo, lie, eve, I've, I'l, old.

LESSON 3.

The first letter of this lesson is y. It is a handsome letter, and you should make it handsomely. Its name is wie, but it should be ye. It never has sound enough to make a syllable by itself, unless it stands for ie, as in by, any. It is properly used only at the be. ginning of a syllable, as in your, year, yes, yonder, yesterday. Learn well its shape, its name, and

sound.

The next letter is u. Examine it carefully, and form it well. It name is yu, and its sound is sometimes yu, as in use; sometimes eu, as in June, you, duke; and sometimes uh and yuh, as in but, bur, stature; and sometimes ooh, as in full, pull. Before s, it makes us; and before se, it makes use and abuse.

The third letter is a. This is a very important letter, and makes a word by itself, as-a man, a boy, a girl. Its name is ae. Its sound is heard in late, fate, mate, pate. It has many other sounds put upon it, which you will find out by and by-such as those in hall, hat, &c.

The fourth is n. It is easily made and sounded. Its name is en. It has some sound in itself, and sometimes makes a light syllable at the end of words, as in even, driven. Its common sound is well expressed in nun, none, noon, nonsense. It needs the nostrils to make its sound well.

In these two last lessons you have learned è, h, k, v, y, u, a, n; and with these, and two of those you learned in the first lesson, o, s, you can make another sentence He leaves you alone. The word he you well know; the a and second e in leaves are silent and useless, and should not be there; and nothing but foolish old fashion keeps them there, or any silent letters in any words. But we must, for the present, put them all in very carefully, or people will laugh at us for what they call "bad spelling." The s in the word leaves has not the sound which you learned in the first lesson as belonging to it. Here it has the sound of z, which is another very bad old fashion, which we cannot now help. The o in you is silent. In the word alone, the last e is silent. I think you can now read this sentence--He leaves you alone. Spell these four words. You know the meaning of all these words, and can read the sentence by the letters and words on the paper, and understand it as well by reading it as when I or any other person speak it to you, and say, "He leaves you alone.'

LESSON 4.

This lesson begins with d. See how it looks-somewhat like a broad-ax set on its head. Make it well. Its name is de. Its sound is well expressed in do, did, dread, odds. It is somewhat like t in sound; but much duller, slower, and flatter.