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McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic ReaderWilliam Holmes McGuffey

McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader

by OpenStories

Original author: William Holmes McGuffey

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"McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader" by William Holmes McGuffey is a graded textbook published in the 1840s. Part of a revolutionary series that shaped American education, this sixth-level reader contained excerpts from renowned English and American writers like Lord Byron, John Milton, and Daniel Webster. Designed to teach advanced vocabulary, formal public speaking, and moral values, it challenged students through increasingly difficult literature. The McGuffey Readers sold 120 million copies and influenced America's first mass-literate generation, making works like Shakespeare's plays widely accessible across the nation.

McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader, by William Holmes McGuffey. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #16751.

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148 Chapters

  1. 1.Front Matter971 words
  2. 2.Introduction1,745 words
  3. 3.Chapter I: Articulation. (11)1,276 words
  4. 4.Chapter II: Inflection. (18)3,063 words
  5. 5.Chapter III: Accent and Emphasis. (33)1,292 words
  6. 6.Chapter IV: Instructions for Reading Verse. (39)1,471 words
  7. 7.Chapter V: The Voice. (46)2,287 words
  8. 8.Chapter VI: Gesture. (55)1,701 words
  9. 9.Chapter I: Anecdote of the Duke of Newcastle1,103 words
  10. 10.Chapter II: The Needle. (67)202 words
  11. 11.Chapter III: Dawn. (68)839 words
  12. 12.Chapter IV: Description of a Storm. (70)618 words
  13. 13.Chapter V: After the Thunderstorm. (72)282 words
  14. 14.Chapter VI: House Cleaning. (73)1,618 words
  15. 15.Chapter VII: Schemes of Life Often Illusory. (78)1,271 words
  16. 16.Chapter VIII: The Brave Old Oak. (81)212 words
  17. 17.Chapter IX: The Artist Surprised. (82)1,915 words
  18. 18.Chapter X: Pictures of Memory. (88)316 words
  19. 19.Chapter XI: The Morning Oratorio. (90)1,315 words
  20. 20.Chapter XII: Short Selections in Poetry. (94)311 words
  21. 21.Chapter V: Old Age and Death. (95)300 words
  22. 22.Chapter XIII: Death of Little Nell. (96)1,502 words
  23. 23.Chapter XIV: Vanity of Life. (100)416 words
  24. 24.Chapter XV: A Political Pause. (102)509 words
  25. 25.Chapter XVI: My Experience in Elocution. (104)1,224 words
  26. 26.Chapter XVII: Elegy in a Country Churchyard. (108)1,111 words
  27. 27.Chapter XVIII: Tact and Talent. (113)571 words
  28. 28.Chapter XIX: Speech Before the Virginia Convention. (115)1,367 words
  29. 29.Chapter XX: The American Flag. (119)498 words
  30. 30.Chapter XXI: Ironical Eulogy on Debt. (121)1,111 words
  31. 31.Chapter XXII: The Three Warnings. (124)742 words
  32. 32.Chapter XXIII: The Memory of Our Fathers. (128)686 words
  33. 33.Chapter I: Dryden and Pope169 words
  34. 34.Chapter II: Las Casas Dissuading From Battle. (130)184 words
  35. 35.Chapter III: Action and Repose. (131)112 words
  36. 36.Chapter IV: Time and Change. (131)142 words
  37. 37.Chapter V: The Poet. (132)116 words
  38. 38.Chapter VI: Mountains. (132)160 words
  39. 39.Chapter XXV: The Jolly Old Pedagogue. (133)606 words
  40. 40.Chapter XXVI: The Teacher and Sick Scholar. (135)1,789 words
  41. 41.Chapter XXVII: The Snow Shower. (141)706 words
  42. 42.Chapter XXVIII: Character of Napoleon Bonaparte. (143)875 words
  43. 43.Chapter XXIX: Napoleon at Rest. (146)393 words
  44. 44.Chapter XXX: War. (148)980 words
  45. 45.Chapter XXXI: Speech of Walpole in Reproof of Mr. Pitt. (151)463 words
  46. 46.Chapter XXXII: Pitt's Reply to Sir Robert Walpole. (152)674 words
  47. 47.Chapter XXXIII: Character of Mr. Pitt. (154)536 words
  48. 48.Chapter XXXIV: The Soldier's Rest. (156)624 words
  49. 49.Chapter XXXV: Henry V. to His Troops. (158)632 words
  50. 50.Chapter XXXVI: Speech of Paul on Mars Hill. (160)417 words
  51. 51.Chapter XXXVII: God Is Everywhere. (161)203 words
  52. 52.Chapter XXXVIII: Lafayette and Robert Raikes. (163)1,479 words
  53. 53.Chapter XXXIX: Fall of Cardinal Wolsey. (167)916 words
  54. 54.Chapter XL: The Philosopher. (171)1,507 words
  55. 55.Chapter XLI: Marmion and Douglas. (176)602 words
  56. 56.Chapter XLII: The Present. (178)215 words
  57. 57.Chapter XLIII: The Baptism. (180)1,984 words
  58. 58.Chapter XLIV: Sparrows. (185)246 words
  59. 59.Chapter XLV: Observance of the Sabbath. (186)1,035 words
  60. 60.Chapter XLVI: God's Goodness to Such as Fear Him. (189)543 words
  61. 61.Chapter XLVII: Character of Columbus. (192)1,805 words
  62. 62.Chapter XLIX: Description of a Siege. (197)1,561 words
  63. 63.Chapter L: Marco Bozzaris. (202)640 words
  64. 64.Chapter LI: Song of the Greek Bard. (205)1,078 words
  65. 65.Chapter LII: North American Indians. (209)719 words
  66. 66.Chapter LIII: Lochiel's Warning. (211)1,059 words
  67. 67.Chapter LIV: On Happiness of Temper. (215)1,066 words
  68. 68.Chapter LV: The Fortune Teller. (218)1,078 words
  69. 69.Chapter LVI: Rienzi's Address to the Romans. (221)1,742 words
  70. 70.Chapter LVIII: Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. (226)396 words
  71. 71.Chapter LIX: Necessity of Education. (228)832 words
  72. 72.Chapter LX: Riding on a Snowplow. (231)1,071 words
  73. 73.Chapter LXI: The Quarrel of Brutus and Cassius. (234)1,000 words
  74. 74.Chapter LXII: The Quack. (238)825 words
  1. 75.Chapter LXIII: Rip Van Winkle. (242)1,285 words
  2. 76.Chapter LXIV: Bill and Joe. (246)646 words
  3. 77.Chapter LXV: Sorrow for the Dead. (249)696 words
  4. 78.Chapter LXVI: The Eagle. (251)395 words
  5. 79.Chapter LXVII: Political Toleration. (253)941 words
  6. 80.Chapter LXVIII: What Constitutes a State? (255)165 words
  7. 81.Chapter LXIX: The Brave at Home. (256)268 words
  8. 82.Chapter LXX: South Carolina. (257)544 words
  9. 83.Chapter LXXI: Massachusetts and South Carolina. (259)1,076 words
  10. 84.Chapter LXXII: The Church Scene From Evangeline. (262)1,087 words
  11. 85.Chapter LXXIII: Song of the Shirt. (266)564 words
  12. 86.Chapter LXXIV: Diamond Cut Diamond. (269)1,962 words
  13. 87.Chapter LXXV: Thanatopsis. (275)718 words
  14. 88.Chapter LXXVI: Indian Jugglers. (278)1,192 words
  15. 89.Chapter LXXVII: Antony Over Caesar's Dead Body. (281)1,200 words
  16. 90.Chapter LXXVIII: The English Character. (286)1,157 words
  17. 91.Chapter LXXIX: The Song of the Potter. (290)387 words
  18. 92.Chapter LXXX: A Hot Day in New York. (292)1,244 words
  19. 93.Chapter LXXXI: Discontent.--An Allegory. (295)2,056 words
  20. 94.Chapter LXXXII: Jupiter and Ten. (301)341 words
  21. 95.Chapter LXXXIII: Scene From "the Poor Gentleman."1,921 words
  22. 96.Chapter LXXXIV: My Mother's Picture. (310)576 words
  23. 97.Chapter LXXXV: Death of Samson. (312)790 words
  24. 98.Chapter LXXXVI: An Evening Adventure. (315)708 words
  25. 99.Chapter LXXXVII: The Barefoot Boy. (317)1,293 words
  26. 100.Chapter LXXXIX: The Folly of Intoxication. (322)628 words
  27. 101.Chapter XC: Starved Rock. (325)743 words
  28. 102.Chapter XCI: Prince Henry and Falstaff. (327)1,431 words
  29. 103.Chapter XCII: Studies. (332)662 words
  30. 104.Chapter XCIII: Surrender of Granada. (334)1,704 words
  31. 105.Chapter XCIV: Hamlet's Soliloquy. (339)263 words
  32. 106.Chapter XCV: Ginevra. (340)1,041 words
  33. 107.Chapter XCVI: Inventions and Discoveries. (344)967 words
  34. 108.Chapter XCVII: Enoch Arden at the Window. (347)855 words
  35. 109.Chapter XCVIII: Lochinvar. (350)507 words
  36. 110.Chapter XCIX: Speech on the Trial of a Murderer. (352)1,194 words
  37. 111.Chapter C: The Closing Year. (355)759 words
  38. 112.Chapter CI: A New City in Colorado. (358)1,347 words
  39. 113.Chapter CII: Importance of the Union. (362)654 words
  40. 114.Chapter CIII: The Influences of the Sun. (364)575 words
  41. 115.Chapter CIV: Colloquial Powers of Franklin. (366)762 words
  42. 116.Chapter CV: The Dream of Clarence. (368)703 words
  43. 117.Chapter CVI: Homeward Bound. (371)1,407 words
  44. 118.Chapter CVII: Impeachment of Warren Hastings. (375)1,344 words
  45. 119.Chapter CVIII: Destruction of the Carnatic1,118 words
  46. 120.Chapter CIX: The Raven1,189 words
  47. 121.Chapter CX: A View of the Colosseum. (389)877 words
  48. 122.Chapter CXI: The Bridge. (392)292 words
  49. 123.Chapter CXII: Objects and Limits of Science. (394)736 words
  50. 124.Chapter CXIII: The Downfall of Poland. (396)337 words
  51. 125.Chapter CXIV: Labor. (398)1,039 words
  52. 126.Chapter CXV: The Last Days of Herculaneum. (401)1,099 words
  53. 127.Chapter CXVI: How Men Reason. (405)760 words
  54. 128.Chapter CXVII: Thunderstorm on the Alps. (408)466 words
  55. 129.Chapter CXVIII: Origin of Property. (410)1,809 words
  56. 130.Chapter CXIX: Battle of Waterloo. (415)1,029 words
  57. 131.Chapter CXXI: The New England Pastor. (419)389 words
  58. 132.Chapter CXXII: Death of Absalom. (420)1,083 words
  59. 133.Chapter CXXIII: Abraham Davenport. (424)487 words
  60. 134.Chapter CXXIV: The Falls of the Yosemite. (426)1,189 words
  61. 135.Chapter CXXV: A Psalm of Life. (429)175 words
  62. 136.Chapter CXXVI: Franklin's Entry Into Philadelphia. (431)1,168 words
  63. 137.Chapter CXXVII: Lines to a Waterfowl. (434)182 words
  64. 138.Chapter CXXVIII: Goldsmith and Addison. (435)606 words
  65. 139.Chapter II: Addison. (436)494 words
  66. 140.Chapter CXXIX: Immortality of the Soul. (438)328 words
  67. 141.Chapter CXXX: Character of Washington. (440)1,297 words
  68. 142.Chapter CXXXI: Eulogy on Washington. (444)651 words
  69. 143.Chapter CXXXII: The Solitary Reaper. (446)420 words
  70. 144.Chapter CXXXIII: Value of the Present. (447)1,308 words
  71. 145.Chapter CXXXIV: Happiness. (451)794 words
  72. 146.Chapter CXXXV: Marion. (453)1,018 words
  73. 147.Chapter CXXXVI: A Common Thought. (456)309 words
  74. 148.Chapter CXXXVII: A Definite Aim in Reading. (457)2,480 words