VIII. Biographical sketches of authors, suitable for class use: (1) _Robert Louis Stevenson_, Volume I, page 128. (2) _Eugene Field_, I, 242. (3) _Aesop_, II, 1. (4) _Hans Christian Andersen_, II, 81. (5) _Henry W. Longfellow_, IV, 62. (6) _Alice and Phoebe Gary_, IV, 116. (7) _Nathaniel Hawthorne_, IV, 180. (8) _Jonathan Swift_, V, 1. (9) _Sir Walter Scott_, VI, 26. (10) _John Howard Payne_, VI, 221. (11) _John Greenleaf Whittier_, VII, 381. (12) _William Cullen Bryant_, VII, 391. (13) _Oliver Wendell Holmes_, VII, 398. (14) _James Russell Lowell_, VII, 411. (15) _Elizabeth Barrett Browning_, VII, 419. (16) _Washington Irving_, VIII, 216. (17) _Charles and Mary Lamb_, VIII, 328. (18) _William Shakespeare_, VIII, 468. B The assistance that literature may give in reading, language, nature study, history and geography is set forth at length in other chapters of this volume, and the high school student is earnestly requested to examine those chapters carefully and utilize whatever appeals to him in his studies. Especially are the chapters on reading and language valuable. Usually the greater part of the criticisms passed upon high school work is aimed against weaknesses in English. No small portion of this criticism is just, and it comes to a considerable extent from the fact that theme work is usually assigned on subjects so abstruse and so far beyond the ready appreciation of the student that the youthful writer is more concerned in finding out what he is to write than in thinking how he shall write. The result is a carelessness that brings errors in construction and an entire lack of clearness and elegance in expression. Even the older pupils can learn more from writing upon simple subjects where the material is easily obtained and is in itself interesting than from the usual difficult and uninteresting subjects. The close analysis of a masterpiece gives fine models of expression and furnishes the best of material for discussion. The use of capital letters and punctuation marks, spelling and the choice of words are all subjects for study and are all learned best from good models, such as are found in the masterpieces of literature. Students will soon learn that the rules of grammar are not always so hard and fast as they appear and that the practice of authors and publishers varies in minor things, especially in the use of commas and capital letters. Some studies of special interest that may be based upon the masterpieces in _Journeys_ will be given below. Many of the stories, poems and essays are accompanied by notes, queries and comments that will assist in making the studies profitable. Several good lessons may be derived from each topic and may be pursued at greater length by research in the volumes of reference in the school or public library.