McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson LXV · Part 7: Lessons LXI-LXX: Brutus and Cassius to Hayne
71. Sorrow for the Dead (Washington Irving)
Goal: Your student reads a reflective essay and explains why Irving says we cherish this one sorrow.
You'll need
- The book, or the scan beside this guide
- A notebook and pen
- A dictionary
What's in the book
Irving's meditation on grief for the dead and the lesson it teaches for how we treat the living.
The lesson, step by step
Words and meanings
Before reading, find these words in the selection and look up any your student does not know: divorced, affliction, solitude, contrite.
About the author
Irving's life is told in the author note to Lesson XLVII: born in New York in 1783, he lived seventeen years in Europe, was Minister to Spain, and wrote The Sketch Book, the Life and Voyages of Columbus and the Life of Washington.
Read it aloud
Read the opening together:
The sorrow for the dead is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be divorced.
Every other wound we seek to heal; every other affliction, to forget; but this wound we consider it a duty to keep open.
Your student reads on, slowly.
Talk about it
SayWhy, according to Irving, do we keep this one wound open?
SayRead: "Oh, the grave! the grave! It buries every error, covers every defect, extinguishes every resentment!" What does he mean?
SayWhat warning does Irving give at the end about how we treat the living?
SayIs he right? Has it been true for you or your family?
Tell it back
Your student explains Irving's main thought and his closing advice.
Copywork and memory
Copy and learn:
The sorrow for the dead is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be divorced.
Write (optional)
Write a paragraph about someone you are grateful for, and tell them.
Tip
This may touch a recent loss. Let your student talk as much or as little as they want.