Guy's Royal Victoria spelling book for very young children

unimpeded by too sudden a change, or the unexpected appearance of some hard word, will be apt to lose that disrelish which many of them now feel, in learning the first elements of literature.

It will be observed from the present work, that the author has confined himself to writing a Spelling Book only, or to such subjects as it properly includes; namely, Primer, Spelling Book, and Reader. Formerly it might have been needful to introduce a variety of other matter into its pages; but at the present day, Grammars, Geographies, Catechisms, &c., are so numerous, and to be obtained at such moderate prices, that it would be imposing an unfair tax upon little learners, by adding to the cost of their First Book, to countenance any longer an excrescence with which a modern Spelling Book has nothing to do; as infants, and such as require a book of this kind, do not in general learn those branches, or need not do so, from a Spelling Book.

The Author has, however, in the course of this work pointed out the proper books for studying those subjects; he having written them purposely for preparatory instruction. January, 1850.

METHOD OF TEACHING.

THE Spelling Task should be read over many times by the child, before the Reading Lesson which follows it be attempted. Each Reading Lesson should be repeated till it can be read off with tolerable ease, before entering upon the next one. In teaching children to read, no plan is worse than hurrying them with too much rapidity from one lesson to another, and before that which precedes has been well learnt. One lesson thoroughly known will greatly accelerate their progress through each that succeeds. Children love repetition.