“Unfortunately, the attribution of the work to Poe is sustained by neither internal nor external evidence.”
− Springf’d Republican p6 Jl 19 ’20 600w The Times [London] Lit Sup p305 My 13 ’20 160w + The Times [London] Lit Sup p595 S 16 ’20 600w
QUILLER-COUCH, SIR ARTHUR THOMAS (Q., pseud.). On the art of reading. *$2.75 Putnam 028
20–16869
The spirit of the volume can perhaps best be illustrated by two extracts from the preface: “The real battle for English lies in our elementary schools, and in the training of our elementary teachers. It is there that the foundations of a sound national teaching in English will have to be laid, as it is there that a wrong trend will lead to incurable issues,” and “that a liberal education is not an appendage to be purchased by the few; that humanism is, rather, a quality which can, and should, condition all our teaching; which can, and should, be impressed as a character upon it all, from a poor child’s first lesson in reading up to a tutor’s last word to his pupil on the eve of a tripos.” Contents: Apprehension versus comprehension; Children’s reading; On reading for examinations; On a school of English; The value of Greek and Latin in English literature; On reading the Bible; On selection; On the use of masterpieces; Index.
“We find it as hard to conceive that undergraduates did not enjoy hearing these lectures on ‘The art of reading’ as that ‘Q’ did not enjoy delivering them. The elements of an ideal professor were always in him. To communicate a gusto, a vivid and thrilling delight in literature for its own sake, as a delectable duchy where no passport, save the fact of your own enjoyment, is required, is a gift given to few. ‘Q’ is among them.” J. M. M.
+ Ath p234 Ag 20 ’20 2000w
“Especially useful to elementary teachers.”
+ Booklist 17:147 Ja ’21 + Dial 70:108 Ja ’21 50w