5-8-68 ADVERTISEMENT. Ir is remarkable that in none of the Publications of a cheap and popular character are the people addressed as if they were the possessors of the greatest Literature of the modern world. Their ability to read is either applied to the most exciting and dangerous ends; or modern ingenuity is taxed to produce some new and mostly ephemeral literary currency. Of the treasures in their STANDARD WRITERS they know. little or nothing. THE HALF-HOURS WITH THE BEST AUTHORS; Selected and arranged with short biographical and critical notices, supplies this want. The selection, whether in POETRY or PROSE-whether ESSAYSCHARACTERS STORIES-DESCRIPTIVE, NARRATIVE, or DRAMATIC VERSE-RE MARKABLE ADVENTURES-MORAL and RELIGIOUS EXHORTATIONS—is confined · to pieces of sufficient length to occupy half an hour's ordinary reading—or to pieces which can be so connected as to supply the same amount of instruction and amusement. Every seventh day being selected from some theological writer of universal acceptation and authority. The larger extracts, forming distinct "Half-Hours," are selected from different writers. In the smaller pieces, which are grouped under some general head, will be found selections from about forty writers, who have not contributed to the larger extracts. The volume, therefore, contains SPECIMENS OF ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY WRITERS. CHARLES KNIGHT. |