The former edition of this work was prepared simply as a supplement toShaw's "Choice Specimens of English Literature." Though it extended toa larger size than had been anticipated, and was therefore issued in aseparate volume, it still proved so straitened in point of space as tobe in some important respects defective and inadequate. The decision ofthe publishers to reprint it in an enlarged form furnishes to the editora welcome opportunity to correct its deficiencies, and to make severalimportant emendations.When the work of collecting suitable extracts from the great body of ourliterature was fairly entered upon, it soon became apparent that littleaid could be had from the earlier manuals. Besides being in greatmeasure obsolete, they were from the beginning disproportionate, andgeographically too local in subject and spirit; both of which may bedeemed grave defects.The last twenty years have made great changes in American authorship.Many new names must now be added to the older lists, and many formerlyfamiliar ones must be dropped from them. Hence these extracts have forthe most part been derived, with assiduous care, directly from thecollected works of our standard authors. This part of my labor has beengreatly facilitated by the courtesy of the gentlemen connected with the --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.