SELECTED AND EDITED

BY

HAMMOND LAMONT, A.B.

INSTRUCTOR IN ENGLISH IN HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

H CO

NEW YORK

HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

1896

PREFACE.

THIS book, though compiled primarily for college classes in English Composition, should also be of use in the most advanced classes of preparatory schools. Both in school and in college the pupil ought to be familiar, not only with those models of style which he himself must analyze, but with those from which the teacher draws illustrations for lectures and criticisms. Such necessary familiarity is, as a matter of fact, impossible, unless the pupil own the book, or books, containing these models; but, unluckily for his pocket, no one volume, indeed, no one writer, either appeals to all interests or exhibits all excellences. These practical difficulties, in so far as they touch argumentative writing, have been overcome in Professor George P. Baker's "Specimens of Argumentation; " and this compilation attempts to overcome them for another kind of writing-exposition. By means of typical expositions from such leading branches of study as science, government, history, economics, philosophy, theology, philology, and literature, the editor has tried to reach different tastes and show methods of handling different sorts of matter.

For valuable suggestions in the preparation of this volume thanks are due Professor Barrett Wendell, of Harvard University, Professor George Rice Carpenter,