The Sixth Reader

The Sixth Reader, by Lewis Baxter Monroe, is a nineteenth-century English-language reader compiled for school use. It divides into two parts: Practical Elocution, which teaches essential vocal technique—tone quality, articulation, inflection, rate, and transition—and a long unit of Reading Lessons, featuring prose, poetry, and dramatic pieces by notable authors (Dickens, Shakespeare, Scott, Burke, Everett, Longfellow, and many others). The selections are arranged to model expressive reading and moral instruction, with introductory directions and an index of authors. Preface explains the author’s aim to improve written and oral expression, provide models of virtue, and elevate character through literature. It served as a classroom companion for teachers and students, combining technical training with moral and civic sentiment.