PREFACE. ‘x preparing for publication a new work on Penmanship, ‘the authors have been impelled hy a desire to meet a demand hitherto unmet. And if any doubt had existed as to the factiveness of this demand, it would have been many times removed by the gratifying interest which has been manifest= ‘ed by teachers and aspirants in'all parts of the country since ‘the public announcement of the fortheoming of the « Gems.” In our eamest endeavor to meet the reasonable expesta= ‘ions thus excited, we hare covered a wider field than has before been attempted within the measure of one volume; and if we have not treated each part of the subject with « fulness due to its individual importance, we honestly feel that, snothing has been omitted neceseary to a fair presentment of ‘the best claims of the whole subject Writing, as an art, and more especially as a department of education, is rapidly attaining an important position in ‘his country, The advantages possessed by those who write Yo teal in scouring good positiis and yapid advancement are 0 palpable that vary few of our young man undervalue this Aequirement, ‘Much has been dove by Authors, and muck more through the elforts of fllfal teachers, to render this value able accomplishment eagy and sure of acquisition, Good and ‘ene men have devoted themselves exclusively to the profes sion of teaching tho art, and qualifying others to do so} and tho appreciation of the public has been so prompt aud Remus nerative that the profession has grown in extent and impor- ‘ance beyond all reasonable anticipation. One ehiet good hich has grown out of the healthful competition thus en- endored isthe progress whiet has been made in the methods of instruction. The old system of teaching by submitting aodels for imitation has given place to selentife aualyses of form, and the enforcement of tho natural laws of movement, | as the basis of exceution, so that the student, though relying