OBS. 20.—In respect to the orthography of words ending in able or ible, it is sometimes difficult to determine which of these endings ought to be preferred; as whether we ought to write tenable or tenible, reversable or reversible, addable or addible. In Latin, the termination is bilis, and the preceding vowel is determined by the conjugation to which the verb belongs. Thus, for verbs of the first conjugation, it is a; as, from arare, to plough, arabilis, arable, tillable. For the second conjugation, it is i; as, from doc=ere, to teach, docibilis, or docilis, docible or docile, teachable. For the third conjugation, it is i; as, from vend=ere, to sell, vendibilis, vendible, salable. And, for the fourth conjugation, it is i; as, from sepelire, to bury, sepelib~ilis, sep'elible,[125] buriable. But from solvo and volvo, of the third conjugation, we have ubilis, uble; as, solubilis, sol'uble, solvible or solvable; volubilis, vol'uble, rollable. Hence the English words, rev'oluble, res'oluble, irres'oluble, dis'soluble, indis'soluble, and insol'uble. Thus the Latin verbals in bilis, are a sufficient guide to the orthography of all such words as are traceable to them; but the mere English scholar cannot avail himself of this aid; and of this sort of words we have a much greater number than were ever known in Latin. A few we have borrowed from the French: as, tenable, capable, preferable, convertible; and these we write as they are written in French. But the difficulty lies chiefly in those which are of English growth. For some of them are formed according to the model of the Latin verbals in ibilis; as forcible, coercible, reducible, discernible; and others are made by simply adding the suffix able; as traceable, pronounceable, manageable, advisable, returnable. The last are purely English; and yet they correspond in form with such as come from Latin verbals in abilis.

OBS. 21.—From these different modes of formation, with the choice of different roots, we have sometimes two or three words, differing in orthography and pronunciation, but conveying the same meaning; as, divis'ible and divi'dable, des'picable and despi'sable, ref'erable and refer'rible, mis'cible and mix'able, dis'soluble, dissol'vible, and dissol'vable. Hence, too, we have some words which seem to the mere English scholar to be spelled in a very contradictory manner, though each, perhaps, obeys the law of its own derivation; as, peaceable and forcible, impierceable and coercible, marriageable and corrigible, damageable and eligible, changeable and tangible, chargeable and frangible, fencible and defensible, pref'erable and referrible, conversable and reversible, defendable and descendible, amendable and extendible, bendable and vendible, dividable and corrodible, returnable and discernible, indispensable and responsible, advisable and fusible, respectable and compatible, delectable and collectible, taxable and flexible.

OBS. 22.—The American editor of the Red Book, to whom all these apparent inconsistencies seemed real blunders, has greatly exaggerated this difficulty in our orthography, and charged Johnson and Walker with having written all these words and many more, in this contradictory manner, "without any apparent reason!" He boldly avers, that, "The perpetual contradictions of the same or like words, in all the books, show that the authors had no distinct ideas of what is right, and what is wrong;" and ignorantly imagines, that, "The use of ible rather than able, in any case, originated in the necessity of keeping the soft sound of c and g, in the derivatives; and if ible was confined to that use, it would be an easy and simple rule."—Red Book, p. 170. Hence, he proposes to write peacible for peaceable, tracible for traceable, changible for changeable, managible for manageable; and so for all the rest that come from words ending in ce or ge. But, whatever advantage there might be in this, his "easy and simple rule" would work a revolution for which the world is not yet prepared. It would make audible audable, fallible fallable, feasible feasable, terrible terrable, horrible horrable, &c. No tyro can spell in a worse manner than this, even if he have no rule at all. And those who do not know enough of Latin grammar to profit by what I have said in the preceding observation, may console themselves with the reflection, that, in spelling these difficult words entirely by guess, they will not miss the way more than some have done who pretended to be critics. The rule given by John Burn, for able and ible, is less objectionable; but it is rendered useless by the great number of its exceptions.

OBS. 23.—As most of the rules for spelling refer to the final letters of our primitive words, it may be proper for the learner to know and remember, that not all the letters of the alphabet can assume that situation, and that some of them terminate words much more frequently than others. Thus, in Walker's Rhyming Dictionary, the letter a ends about 220 words; b, 160; c, 450; d, 1550; e, 7000; f, 140; g, 280; h, 400; i, 29; j, none; k, 550; l, 1900; m, 550; n, 3300; o, 200; p, 450; q, none; r, 2750; s, 3250; t, 3100; u, 14; v, none; w, 200; x, 100; y, 5000; z, 5. We have, then, three consonants, j, q, and v, which never end a word. And why not? With respect to j and v, the reason is plain from their history. These letters were formerly identified with i and u, which are not terminational letters. The vowel i ends no pure English word, except that which is formed of its own capital I; and the few words which end with u are all foreign, except thou and you. And not only so, the letter j is what was formerly called i consonant; and v is what was called u consonant. But it was the initial i and u, or the i and u which preceded an other vowel, and not those which followed one, that were converted into the consonants j and v. Hence, neither of these letters ever ends any English word, or is ever doubled. Nor do they unite with other consonants before or after a vowel: except that v is joined with r in a few words of French origin, as livre, manoeuvre; or with l in some Dutch names, as Watervleit. Q ends no English word, because it is always followed by u. The French termination que, which is commonly retained in pique, antique, critique, opaque, oblique, burlesque, and grotesque, is equivalent to k; hence we write packet, lackey, checker, risk, mask, and mosk, rather than paquet, laquey, chequer, risque, masque, and mosque. And some authors write burlesk and grotesk, preferring k to que.

OBS. 24.—Thus we see that j, q, and v, are, for the most part, initial consonants only. Hence there is a harshness, if not an impropriety, in that syllabication which some have recently adopted, wherein they accommodate to the ear the division of such words as maj-es-ty, proj-ect, traj-ect,—eq-ui-ty, liq-ui-date, ex-cheq-uer. But v, in a similar situation, has now become familiar; as in ev-er-y, ev-i-dence: and it may also stand with l or r, in the division of such words as solv-ing and serv-ing. Of words ending in ive, Walker exhibits four hundred and fifty—exactly the same number that he spells with ic. And Horne Tooke, who derives ive from the Latin ivus, (q. d. vis,) and ic from the Greek [Greek: ikos], (q. d. [Greek: ischus]) both implying power, has well observed that there is a general correspondence of meaning between these two classes of adjectives—both being of "a potential active signification; as purgative, vomitive, operative, &c.; cathartic, emetic, energetic, &c."—Diversions of Purley, Vol. ii, p. 445. I have before observed, that Tooke spelled all this latter class of words without the final k; but he left it to Dr. Webster to suggest the reformation of striking the final e from the former.

OBS. 25.—In Dr. Webster's "Collection of Essays and Fugitiv Peeces," published in 1790, we find, among other equally ingenious improvements of our orthography, a general omission of the final e in all words ending in ive, or rather of all words ending in ve, preceded by a short vowel; as, "primitiv, derivativ, extensiv, positiv, deserv, twelv, proov, luv, hav, giv, liv." This mode of spelling, had it been adopted by other learned men, would not only have made v a very frequent final consonant, but would have placed it in an other new and strange predicament, as being subject to reduplication. For he that will write hav, giv, and liv, must also, by a general rule of grammar, write havving, givving, and livving. And not only so, there will follow also, in the solemn style of the Bible, a change of givest, livest, giveth, and liveth, into givvest, livvest, givveth, and livveth. From all this it may appear, that a silent final e is not always quite so useless a thing as some may imagine. With a levity no less remarkable, does the author of the Red Book propose at once two different ways of reforming the orthography of such words as pierceable, manageable, and so forth; in one of which, the letter j would be brought into a new position, and subjected sometimes to reduplication. "It would be a useful improvement to change this c into s, and g into j;" as, piersable, manajable, &c. "Or they might assume i;" as, piercibe, managible, &c.—Red Book, p. 170. Now would not this "useful improvement" give us such a word as allejjable? and would not one such monster be more offensive than all our present exceptions to Rule 9th? Out upon all such tampering with orthography!

OBS. 26.—If any thing could arrest the folly of innovators and dabbling reformers, it would be the history of former attempts to effect improvements similar to theirs. With this sort of history every one would do well to acquaint himself, before he proceeds to disfigure words by placing their written elements in any new predicament. If the orthography of the English language is ever reduced to greater regularity than it now exhibits, the reformation must be wrought by those who have no disposition either to exaggerate its present defects, or to undertake too much. Regard must be had to the origin, as well as to the sounds, of words. To many people, all silent letters seem superfluous; and all indirect modes of spelling, absurd. Hence, as the learner may perceive, a very large proportion of the variations and disputed points in spelling, are such as refer to the silent letters, which are retained by some writers and omitted by others. It is desirable that such as are useless and irregular should be always omitted; and such as are useful and regular always retained. The rules which I have laid down as principles of discrimination, are such as almost every reader will know to be generally true, and agreeable to present usage, though several of them have never before been printed in any grammar. Their application will strike out some letters which are often written, and retain some which are often omitted; but, if they err on either hand, I am confident they err less than any other set of rules ever yet formed for the same purpose. Walker, from whom Murray borrowed his rules for spelling, declares for an expulsion of the second l from traveller, gambolled, grovelling, equalling, cavilling, and all similar words; seems more willing to drop an l from illness, stillness, shrillness, fellness, and drollness, than to retain both in smallness, tallness, chillness, dullness, and fullness; makes it one of his orthographical aphorisms, that, "Words taken into composition often drop those letters which were superfluous in their simples; as, Christmas, dunghil, handful;" and, at the same time, chooses rather to restore the silent e to the ten derivatives from move and prove, from which Johnson dropped it, than to drop it from the ten similar words in which that author retained it! And not only so, he argues against the principle of his own aphorism; and says, "It is certainly to be feared that, if this pruning of our words of all the superfluous letters, as they are called, should be much farther indulged, we shall quickly antiquate our most respectable authors, and irreparably maim our language."—Walker's Rhyming Dict., p. xvii.

OBS. 27.—No attempt to subject our orthography to a system of phonetics, seems likely to meet with general favour, or to be free from objection, if it should. For words are not mere sounds, and in their orthography more is implied than in phonetics, or phonography. Ideographic forms have, in general, the advantage of preserving the identity, history, and lineage of words; and these are important matters in respect to which phonetic writing is very liable to be deficient. Dr. Johnson, about a century ago, observed, "There have been many schemes offered for the emendation and settlement of our orthography, which, like that of other nations, being formed by chance, or according to the fancy of the earliest writers in rude ages, was at first very various and uncertain, and [is] as yet sufficiently irregular. Of these reformers some have endeavoured to accommodate orthography better to the pronunciation, without considering that this is to measure by a shadow, to take that for a model or standard which is changing while they apply it. Others, less absurdly indeed, but with equal unlikelihood of success, have endeavoured to proportion the number of letters to that of sounds, that every sound may have its own character, and every character a single sound. Such would be the orthography of a new language to be formed by a synod of grammarians upon principles of science. But who can hope to prevail on nations to change their practice, and make all their old books useless? or what advantage would a new orthography procure equivalent to the confusion and perplexity of such an alteration?"—Johnson's Grammar before Quarto Dict., p. 4.

OBS. 28.—Among these reformers of our alphabet and orthography, of whose schemes he gives examples, the Doctor mentions, first, "Sir Thomas Smith, secretary of state to Queen Elizabeth, a man of real learning, and much practised in grammatical disquisitions;" who died in 1597;—next, "Dr. Gill, the celebrated master of St. Paul's School in London;" who died in 1635;—then, "Charles Butler, a man who did not want an understanding which might have qualified him for better employment;" who died in 1647;—and, lastly, "Bishop Wilkins, of Chester, a learned and ingenious critic, who is said to have proposed his scheme, without expecting to be followed;" he died in 1672.

OBS. 29.—From this time, there was, so far as I know, no noticeable renewal of such efforts, till about the year 1790, when, as it is shown above on page 134 of my Introduction, Dr. Webster, (who was then only "Noah Webster, Jun., attorney at law,") attempted to spell all words as they are spoken, without revising the alphabet—a scheme which his subsequent experience before many years led him to abandon. Such a reformation was again attempted, about forty years after, by an other young lawyer, the late lamented Thomas S. Grimke, of South Carolina, but with no more success. More recently, phonography, or phonetic writing, has been revived, and to some extent spread, by the publications of Isaac Pitman, of Bath, England, and of Dr. Andrew Comstock, of Philadelphia. The system of the former has been made known in America chiefly by the lectures and other efforts of Andrews and Boyle, of Dr. Stone, a citizen of Boston, and of E. Webster, a publisher in Philadelphia.

OBS. 30.—The pronunciation of words being evidently as deficient in regularity, in uniformity, and in stability, as is their orthography, if not more so, cannot be conveniently made the measure of their written expression. Concerning the principle of writing and printing by sounds alone, a recent writer delivers his opinion thus: "Let me here observe, as something not remote from our subject, but, on the contrary, directly bearing upon it, that I can conceive no [other] method of so effectually defacing and barbarizing our English tongue, no [other] scheme that would go so far to empty it, practically at least and for us, of all the hoarded wit, wisdom, imagination, and history which it contains, to cut the vital nerve which connects its present with the past, as the introduction of the scheme of 'phonetic spelling,' which some have lately been zealously advocating among us; the principle of which is, that all words should be spelt according as they are sounded, that the writing should be, in every case, subordinated to the speaking. The tacit assumption that it ought so to be, is the pervading error running through the whole system."—R. C. Trench, on the Study of Words, p. 177.

OBS. 31.—The phonographic system of stenography, tachygraphy, or short-hand writing, is, I incline to believe, a very great improvement upon the earlier methods. It is perhaps the most reliable mode of taking down speeches, sermons, or arguments, during their delivery, and reporting them for the press; though I cannot pronounce upon this from any experience of my own in the practice of the art. And it seems highly probable, if it has not been fully proved, that children may at first be taught to read more readily, and with better articulation, from phonetic print, or phonotypy, as it has been called, than from books that exhibit words in their current or established orthography. But still it is questionable whether it is not best for them to learn each word at first by its peculiar or ideographic form—the form in which they must ultimately learn to read it, and which indeed constitutes its only orthography.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

ERRORS IN SPELLING.

UNDER RULE I.—OF FINAL F, L, OR S.

"He wil observe the moral law, in hiz conduct."—Webster's Essays, p. 320.

[FORMULES—1. Not proper, because the word "wil" is here spelled with one l. But, according to Rule 1st, "Monosyllables ending in f, l, or s, preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant." Therefore, this l should be doubled; thus, will.

2. Not proper again, because the word "hiz" is here spelled with z. But, according to the exceptions to Rule 1st, "The words as, gas, has, was, yes, his, &c., are written with single s." Therefore, this z should be s; thus, his.]

"A clif is a steep bank, or a precipitous rock."—See Rhyming Dict. "A needy man's budget is ful of schemes."—Old Adage. "Few large publications in this country wil pay a printer."—Noah Webster's Essays, p. x. "I shal, with cheerfulness, resign my other papers to oblivion."—Ib., p. x. "The proposition waz suspended til the next session of the legislature."—Ib., p. 362. "Tenants for life wil make the most of lands for themselves."—Ib., p. 366. "While every thing iz left to lazy negroes, a state wil never be wel cultivated."—Ib., p. 367. "The heirs of the original proprietors stil hold the soil."—Ib., p. 349. "Say my annual profit on money loaned shal be six per cent."—Ib., p. 308. "No man would submit to the drudgery of business, if he could make money az fast by lying stil."—Ib., p. 310. "A man may az wel feed himself with a bodkin, az with a knife of the present fashion."—Ib., p. 400. "The clothes wil be ill washed, the food wil be badly cooked; and you wil be ashamed of your wife, if she iz not ashamed of herself."—Ib., p. 404. "He wil submit to the laws of the state, while he iz a member of it."—Ib., p. 320. "But wil our sage writers on law forever think by tradition?"—Ib., p. 318. "Some stil retain a sovereign power in their territories."—Ib., p. 298. "They sel images, prayers, the sound of bels, remission of sins, &c."—Perkins's Theology, p. 401. "And the law had sacrifices offered every day for the sins of al the people."—Ib., p. 406. "Then it may please the Lord, they shal find it to be a restorative."—Ib., p. 420. "Perdition is repentance put of til a future day."—Old Maxim. "The angels of God, which wil good and cannot wil evil, have nevertheless perfect liberty of wil."—Perkins's Theology, p. 716. "Secondly, this doctrine cuts off the excuse of al sin."—Ib., p. 717. "Knel, the sound of a bell rung at a funeral."—Johnson and Walker.

"If gold with dros or grain with chaf you find, Select—and leave the chaf and dros behind."—Author.

UNDER RULE II.—OF OTHER FINALS.

"The mobb hath many heads, but no brains."—Old Maxim.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "mobb" is here spelled with double b. But, according to Rule 2d, "Words ending in any other consonant than f, l, or s, do not double the final letter." Therefore, this b should be single: thus, mob.]

"Clamm, to clog with any glutinous or viscous matter."—Johnson's Dict. "Whurr, to pronounce the letter r with too much force."—Ib. "Flipp, a mixed liquor, consisting of beer and spirits sweetened."—Ib. "Glynn, a hollow between two mountains, a glen."—Churchill's Grammar, p. 22. "Lamm, to beat soundly with a cudgel or bludgeon."—Walker's Dict. "Bunn, a small cake, a simnel, a kind of sweet bread."—See ib. "Brunett, a woman with a brown complexion."—Ib. and Johnson's Dict. "Wad'sett, an ancient tenure or lease of land in the Highlands of Scotland."—Webster's Dict. "To dodd sheep, is to cut the wool away about their tails."—Ib. "In aliquem arietare, CIC. To run full but at one."—Walker's Particles, p. 95. "Neither your policy nor your temper would permitt you to kill me."—Philological Museum, Vol. i, p. 427. "And admitt none but his own offspring to fulfill them."—Ib., i, 437. "The summ of all this Dispute is, that some make them Participles," &c.—Johnson's Gram. Com., p. 352. "As, the whistling of winds, the buz and hum of insects, the hiss of serpents, the crash of falling timber."—Blair's Rhet., p. 129; Adam's Lat. Gram., p. 247; Gould's, 238. "Vann, to winnow, or a fan for winnowing."—Walker's Rhyming Dict. "Creatures that buz, are very commonly such as will sting."—Author "Begg, buy, or borrow; butt beware how you find."—Id. "It is better to have a house to lett, than a house to gett."—Id. "Let not your tongue cutt your throat."—Old Precept. "A little witt will save a fortunate man."—Old Adage. "There is many a slipp 'twixt the cup and the lipp."—Id. "Mothers' darlings make but milksopp heroes."—Id. "One eye-witness is worth tenn hearsays."—Id.

"The judge shall jobb, the bishop bite the town, And mighty dukes pack cards for half a crown."—POPE: in Joh. Dict., w. Pack.

UNDER RULE III.—OF DOUBLING.

"Friz, to curl; frized, curled; frizing, curling."—Webster's Dict., 8vo. Ed. of 1829.

[FORMULE—Not proper, because the words "frized" and "frizing" are here spelled with the single z, of their primitive friz. But, according to Rule 3d, "Monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, when they end with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double their final consonant before an additional syllable that begins with a vowel." Therefore, this z should be doubled; thus, frizzed, frizzing.]

"The commercial interests served to foster the principles of Whigism."—Payne's Geog., Vol. ii, p. 511. "Their extreme indolence shuned every species of labour."—Robertson's Amer., Vol. i, p. 341. "In poverty and stripedness they attend their little meetings."—The Friend, Vol. vii, p. 256. "In guiding and controling[126] the power you have thus obtained."—Abbott's Teacher, p. 15. "I began, Thou beganest, He began; We began, You began, They began."—Alex. Murray's Gram., p. 92. "Why does began change its ending; as, I began, Thou beganest?"—Ib., p. 93. "Truth and conscience cannot be controled by any methods of coercion."—Hints on Toleration, p. xvi. "Dr. Webster noded, when he wrote 'knit, kniter, and knitingneedle' without doubling the t."—See El. Spelling-Book, 1st Ed., p. 136. "A wag should have wit enough to know when other wags are quizing him."—G. Brown. "Bon'y, handsome, beautiful, merry."—Walker's Rhyming Dict. "Coquetish, practicing coquetry; after the manner of a jilt."—Webster's Dict. "Potage, a species of food, made of meat and vegetables boiled to softness in water."—See ib. "Potager, from potage, a porringer, a small vessel for children's food."—See ib., and Worcester's. "Compromit, compromited, compromiting; manumit, manumitted, manumitting."—Webster. "Inferible; that may be inferred or deduced from premises."—Red Book, p. 228. "Acids are either solid, liquid, or gaseous."—Gregory's Dict., art. Chemistry. "The spark will pass through the interrupted space between the two wires, and explode the gases."—Ib. "Do we sound gases and gaseous like cases and caseous? No: they are more like glasses and osseous."—G. Brown. "I shall not need here to mention Swiming, when he is of an age able to learn."—Locke, on Ed., p. 12. "Why do lexicographers spell thinnish and mannish with two Ens, and dimish and ramish with one Em, each?"—See Johnson and Webster. "Gas forms the plural regularly, gases."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 38. "Singular, Gas; Plural, Gases."—S. W. Clark's Gram., p. 47. "These are contractions from sheded, bursted."—Hiley's Grammar, p. 45. "The Present Tense denotes what is occuring at the present time."—Day's Gram., p. 36, and p. 61. "The verb ending in eth is of the solemn or antiquated style; as, he loveth, he walketh, he runeth."—P. Davis's Gram., p. 34.

"Thro' freedom's sons no more remonstrance rings, Degrading nobles and controling kings."—Murray's Sequel, p. 292.

UNDER RULE IV.—NO DOUBLING.

"A bigotted and tyrannical clergy will be feared."—Brown's Estimate, Vol. ii, p. 78.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the final t of bigot is here doubled in "bigotted." But, according to Rule 4th, "A final consonant, when it is not preceded by a single vowel, or when the accent is not on the last syllable, should remain single before an additional syllable." Therefore, this t should be single; thus, bigoted.]

"Jacob worshipped his Creator, leaning on the top of his staff."—Key in Merchant's Gram., p. 185. "For it is all marvelously destitute of interest."—Merchant's Criticisms. "As, box, boxes; church, churches; lash, lashes; kiss, kisses; rebus, rebusses."—Murray's Gram., 12mo, p. 42. "Gossipping and lying go hand in hand."—Old Maxim. "The substance of the Criticisms on the Diversions of Purley was, with singular industry, gossipped by the present precious secretary of war, in Payne the bookseller's shop."—See Key. "Worship makes worshipped, worshipper, worshipping; gossip, gossipped, gossipper, gossipping; fillip, fillipped, fillipper, fillipping."—Nixon's Parser, p. 72. "I became as fidgetty as a fly in a milk-jug."—Blackwood's Mag., Vol. xl, p. 674. "That enormous error seems to be rivetted in popular opinion."—Webster's Essays, p. 364. "Whose mind iz not biassed by personal attachments to a sovereign."—Ib., p. 318. "Laws against usury originated in a bigotted prejudice against the Jews."—Ib., p. 315. "The most criticcal period of life iz usually between thirteen and seventeen."—Ib., p. 388. "Generallissimo, the chief commander of an army or military force."—See El. Spelling-Book, p. 93. "Tranquillize, to quiet, to make calm and peaceful."—Ib., p. 133. "Pommeled, beaten, bruised; having pommels, as a sword or dagger."—Webster and Chalmers. "From what a height does the jeweler look down upon his shoemaker!"—Red Book, p. 108. "You will have a verbal account from my friend and fellow traveler."—Ib., p. 155. "I observe that you have written the word counseled with one l only."—Ib., p. 173. "They were offended at such as combatted these notions."—Robertson's America, Vol. ii, p. 437. "From libel, come libeled, libeler, libeling, libelous; from grovel, groveled, groveler, groveling; from gravel, graveled and graveling."—See Webster's Dict. "Wooliness, the state of being woolly."—Ib. "Yet he has spelled chappelling, bordeller, medallist, metalline, metallist, metallize, clavellated, &c. with ll, contrary to his rule."—Cobb's Review of Webster, p. 11. "Again, he has spelled cancelation and snively with single l, and cupellation, pannellation, wittolly, with ll."—Ib. "Oilly, fatty, greasy, containing oil, glib."—Rhyming Dict. "Medallist, one curious in medals; Metallist, one skilled in metals."—Johnson, Webster, Worcester, Cobb, et al. "He is benefitted."—Town's Spelling-Book, p. 5. "They traveled for pleasure."—S. W. Clark's Gram., p. 101.

"Without you, what were man? A groveling herd, In darkness, wretchedness, and want enchain'd." —Beattie's Minstrel, p. 40.

UNDER RULE V.—OF FINAL CK.

"He hopes, therefore, to be pardoned by the critick."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 10.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "critick" is here spelled with a final k. But, according to Rule 5th, "Monosyllables and English verbs end not with c, but take ck for double c; as, rack, wreck, rock, attack: but, in general, words derived from the learned languages need not the k, and common use discards it." Therefore, this k should be omitted; thus, critic.]

"The leading object of every publick speaker should be to persuade."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 153. "May not four feet be as poetick as five; or fifteen feet, as poetick as fifty?"—Ib., p. 146. "Avoid all theatrical trick and mimickry, and especially all scholastick stiffness."—Ib., p. 154. "No one thinks of becoming skilled in dancing, or in musick, or in mathematicks, or logick, without long and close application to the subject."—Ib., p. 152. "Caspar's sense of feeling, and susceptibility of metallick and magnetick excitement were also very extraordinary."—Ib., p. 238. "Authorship has become a mania, or, perhaps I should say, an epidemick."—Ib., p. 6. "What can prevent this republick from soon raising a literary standard?"—Ib., p. 10. "Courteous reader, you may think me garrulous upon topicks quite foreign to the subject before me."—Ib., p. 11. "Of the Tonick, Subtonick, and Atoniek elements."—Ib., p. 15. "The subtonick elements are inferiour to the tonicks in all the emphatick and elegant purposes of speech."—Ib., p. 32. "The nine atonicks, and the three abrupt subtonicks cause an interruption to the continuity of the syllabick impulse."—Ib., p. 37. "On scientifick principles, conjunctions and prepositions are but one part of speech."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 120. "That some inferior animals should be able to mimic human articulation, will not seem wonderful."—Murray's Gram., 8vo, Vol. i, p. 2.

"When young, you led a life monastick, And wore a vest ecelesiastick; Now, in your age, you grow fantastick."—Johnson's Dict.

UNDER RULE VI.—OF RETAINING.

"Fearlesness, exemption from fear, intrepidity."—Johnson's Dict.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "fearlesness" is here allowed to drop one s of fearless. But, according to Rule 6th, "Words ending with any double letter, preserve it double before any additional termination not beginning with the same letter." Therefore, the other s should be inserted; thus, fearlessness.]

"Dreadlesness; fearlesness, intrepidity, undauntedness."—Johnson's Dict. "Regardlesly, without heed; Regardlesness, heedlessness, inattention."—Ib. "Blamelesly, innocently; Blamlesness, innocence."—Ib. "That is better than to be flattered into pride and carelesness."—TAYLOR: Joh. Dict. "Good fortunes began to breed a proud recklesness in them."—SIDNEY: ib. "See whether he lazily and listlesly dreams away his time."—LOCKE: ib. "It may be, the palate of the soul is indisposed by listlesness or sorrow."—TAYLOR: ib. "Pitilesly, without mercy; Pitilesness, unmercifulness."—Johnson. "What say you to such as these? abominable, accordable, agreable, &c."—Tooke's Diversions, Vol. ii, p. 432. "Artlesly; naturally, sincerely, without craft."—Johnson. "A chilness, or shivering of the body, generally precedes a fever."—Murray's Key, p. 167. "Smalness; littleness, minuteness, weakness."—Rhyming Dict. "Gall-less, a. free from gall or bitterness."—Webster's Dict. "Talness; height of stature, upright length with comparative slenderness."—See Johnson et al. "Wilful; stubborn, contumacious, perverse, inflexible."—Id. "He guided them by the skilfulness of his hands."—Psal. lxxviii, 72. "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof."—Murray's Key, p. 172. "What is now, is but an amasment of imaginary conceptions."—GLANVILLE: Joh. Dict. "Embarrasment; perplexity, entanglement."—See Littleton's Dict. "The second is slothfulness, whereby they are performed slackly and carelesly."—Perkins's Theology, p. 729. "Instalment; induction into office; part of a large sum of money, to be paid at a particular time."—See Johnson's Dict. "Inthralment; servitude, slavery."—Ib.

"I, who at some times spend, at others spare, Divided between carelesness and care."—Pope.

UNDER RULE VII.—OF RETAINING.

"Shall, on the contrary, in the first person, simply foretels."—Murray's Gram., p. 88; Ingersoll's, 136; Fisk's, 78; Jaudon's, 59; A. Flint's, 42; Wright's, 90; Bullions's, 32.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "foretels" does not here retain the double l of tell. But, according to Rule 7th, "Words ending with any double letter, preserve it double in all derivatives formed from them by means of prefixes." Therefore, the other l should be inserted; thus, foretells.]

"There are a few compound irregular verbs, as befal, bespeak, &c."—Ash's Gram., p. 46. "That we might frequently recal it to our memory."—Calvin's Institutes, p. 112. "The angels exercise a constant solicitude that no evil befal us."—Ib., p. 107. "Inthral; to enslave, to shackle, to reduce to servitude."—Walker's Dict. "He makes resolutions, and fulfils them by new ones."—Red Book, p. 138. "To enrol my humble name upon the list of authors on Elocution."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 12. "Forestal; to anticipate, to take up beforehand."—Walker's Rhym. Dict. "Miscal; to call wrong, to name improperly."—Johnson. "Bethral; to enslave, to reduce to bondage."—See id. "Befal; to happen to, to come to pass."—Rhym. Dict. "Unrol; to open what is rolled or convolved."—Johnson. "Counterrol; to keep copies of accounts to prevent frauds."—See id. "As Sisyphus uprols a rock, which constantly overpowers him at the summit."—Author. "Unwel; not well, indisposed, not in good health."—See Red Book, p. 336. "Undersel; to defeat by selling for less, to sell cheaper than an other."—See id., p. 332. "Inwal; to enclose or fortify with a wall."—See id., p. 295. "Twibil; an instrument with two bills, or with a point and a blade; a pickaxe, a mattock, a halberd, a battle-axe."—See Dict. "What you miscal their folly, is their care."—Dryden. "My heart will sigh when I miscal it so."—Shakspeare. "But if the arrangement recal one set of ideas more readily than another."—Blair's Rhet., p. 130.

"'Tis done; and since 'tis done, 'tis past recal; And since 'tis past recal, must be forgotten."—Dryden.

UNDER RULE VIII.—OF FINAL LL.

"The righteous is taken away from the evill to come."—Perkins's Works, p. 417.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "evill" is here written with final ll. But, according to Rule 8th, "Final ll is peculiar to monosyllables and their compounds, with the few derivatives formed from such roots by prefixes; consequently, all other words that end in l, must be terminated with a single l." Therefore, one l should be here omitted; thus, evil.]

"Patroll; to go the rounds in a camp or garrison, to march about and observe what passes."—Webster's Amer. Dict., 8vo. "Marshall; the chief officer of arms, one who regulates rank and order."—See Bailey's Dict. "Weevill; a destructive grub that gets among corn."—See Rhym. Dict. "It much excells all other studies and arts."—Walker's Particles, p. 217. "It is essentiall to all magnitudes, to be in one place."—Perkins's Works, p. 403. "By nature I was thy vassall, but Christ hath redeemed me."—Ib., p. 404. "Some, being in want, pray for temporall blessings."—Ib., p. 412. "And this the Lord doth, either in temporall or spirituall benefits."—Ib., p. 415. "He makes an idoll of them, by setting his heart on them."—Ib., p. 416. "This triall by desertion serveth for two purposes."—Ib., p. 420. "Moreover, this destruction is both perpetuall and terrible."—Ib., p. 726. "Giving to severall men several gifts, according to his good pleasure."—Ib., p. 731. "Untill; to some time, place, or degree, mentioned."—See Red Book, p. 330. "Annull; to make void, to nullify, to abrogate, to abolish." "Nitric acid combined with argill, forms the nitrate of argill."—Gregory's Dict., art. Chemistry.

"Let modest Foster, if he will, excell Ten Metropolitans in preaching well."—Pope, p. 414.

UNDER RULE IX.—OF FINAL E.

"Adjectives ending in able signify capacity; as, comfortable, tenable, improvable."—Priestley's Gram., p. 33.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "improveable" here retains the final e of improve. But, according to Rule 9th, "The final e of a primitive word is generally omitted before an additional termination beginning with a vowel." Therefore, this e should be omitted; thus, improvable.]

"Their mildness and hospitality are ascribeable to a general administration of religious ordinances."—Webster's Essays, p. 336. "Retrench as much as possible without obscureing the sense."—James Brown's Amer. Gram., 1821, p. 11. "Changable, subject to change; Unchangeable, immutable."—Walker's Rhym. Dict. "Tameable, susceptive of taming; Untameable, not to be tamed."—Ib. "Reconcileable, Unreconcileable, Reconcileableness; Irreconcilable, Irreconcilably, Irreconcilableness."—Johnson's Dict. "We have thought it most adviseable to pay him some little attention."— Merchants Criticisms. "Proveable, that may be proved; Reprovable. blameable, worthy of reprehension."—Walker's Dict. "Moveable and Immovable, Moveably and Immovably, Moveables and Removal, Moveableness and Improvableness, Unremoveable and Unimprovable, Unremoveably and Removable, Proveable and Approvable, Irreproveable and Reprovable, Unreproveable and Improvable, Unimproveableness and Improvably."—Johnson's Dict. "And with this cruelty you are chargable in some measure yourself."—Collier's Antoninus, p. 94. "Mothers would certainly resent it, as judgeing it proceeded from a low opinion of the genius of their sex."—British Gram., Pref., p. xxv. "Titheable, subject to the payment of tithes; Saleable, vendible, fit for sale; Loseable, possible to be lost; Sizeable, of reasonable bulk or size."—Walker's Rhyming Dict. "When he began this custom, he was puleing and very tender."—Locke, on Ed., p. 8.

"The plate, coin, revenues, and moveables, Whereof our uncle Gaunt did stand possess'd."—Shak.

UNDER RULE X.—OF FINAL E.

"Diversly; in different ways, differently, variously."—Rhym. Dict., and Webster's.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "Diversly" here omits the final e of its primitive word, diverse. But, according to Rule 10th, "The final e of a primitive word is generally retained before an additional termination beginning with a consonant." Therefore, this e should be retained; thus, Diversely.]

"The event thereof contains a wholsome instruction."—Bacon's Wisdom of the Ancients, p. 17. "Whence Scaliger falsly concluded that articles were useless."—Brightland's Gram., p. 94. "The child that we have just seen is wholesomly fed."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 187. "Indeed, falshood and legerdemain sink the character of a prince."—Collier's Antoninus, p. 5. "In earnest, at this rate of managment, thou usest thyself very coarsly."—Ib., p. 19. "To give them an arrangment and diversity, as agreeable as the nature of the subject would admit"—Murray's Pref. to Ex., p. vi. "Alger's Grammar is only a trifling enlargment of Murray's little Abridgment."—Author. "You ask whether you are to retain or omit the mute e in the word judgment, abridgment, acknowledgment, lodgment, adjudgment, and prejudgment."—Red Book, p. 172. "Fertileness, fruitfulness; Fertily, fruitfully, abundantly."—Johnson's Dict. "Chastly, purely, without contamination; Chastness, chastity, purity."—Ib., and Walker's. "Rhymster, n. One who makes rhymes; a versifier; a mean poet."—Johnson and Webster. "It is therefore an heroical achievment to dispossess this imaginary monarch."—Berkley's Minute Philos., p. 151. "Whereby, is not meant the Present Time, as he imagins, but the Time Past."—Johnson's Gram. Com., p. 344 "So far is this word from affecting the noun, in regard to its definitness, that its own character of definitness or indefinitness, depends upon the name to which it is prefixed."—Webster's Philosophical Gram., p. 20.

"Satire, by wholsome Lessons, wou'd reclaim, And heal their Vices to secure their Fame." —Brightland's Gr., p. 171.

UNDER RULE XI.—OF FINAL Y.

"Solon's the veryest fool in all the play."—Dryden, from Persius, p. 475.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "veryest" here retains the final y of its primitive very. But, according to Rule 13th, "The final y of a primitive word, when preceded by a consonant, is generally changed into i before an additional termination." Therefore, this y should be changed to i; thus, veriest.]

"Our author prides himself upon his great slyness and shrewdness."—Merchant's Criticisms. "This tense, then, implys also the signification of Debeo."—B. Johnson's Gram. Com., p. 300. "That may be apply'd to a Subject, with respect to something accidental."—Ib., p. 133. "This latter accompanys his Note with a distinction."—Ib., p. 196. "This Rule is defective, and none of the Annotators have sufficiently supply'd it."—Ib., p. 204. "Though the fancy'd Supplement of Sanctius, Scioppius, Vossius, and Mariangelus, may take place."—Ib., p. 276. "Yet as to the commutableness of these two Tenses, which is deny'd likewise, they are all one."—Ib., p. 311. "Both these Tenses may represent a Futurity implyed by the dependence of the Clause."—Ib., p. 332. "Cry, cries, crying, cried, crier, decrial; Shy, shyer, shyest, shyly, shyness; Fly, flies, flying, flier, high-flier; Sly, slyer, slyest, slyly, slyness; Spy, spies, spying, spied, espial; Dry, drier, driest, dryly, dryness."—Cobb's Dict. "Cry, cried, crying, crier, cryer, decried, decrier, decrial; Shy, shyly, shily, shyness, shiness; Fly, flier, flyer, high-flyer; Sly, slily, slyly, sliness, slyness; Ply, plyer, plying, pliers, complied, compiler; Dry, drier, dryer, dryly, dryness."—Webster's Dict., 8vo. "Cry, crier, decrier, decrial; Shy, shily, shyly, shiness, shyness; Fly, flier, flyer, high-flier; Sly, slily, slyly, sliness, slyness; Ply, pliers, plyers, plying, complier; Dry, drier, dryer, dryly, dryness."—Chalmers's Abridgement of Todd's Johnson. "I would sooner listen to the thrumming of a dandyzette at her piano."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 24. "Send her away; for she cryeth after us."—Felton's Gram., p. 140. "IVYED, a. Overgrown with ivy."—Todd's Dict., and Webster's.

"Some dryly plain, without invention's aid, Write dull receipts how poems may be made."—Pope.

UNDER RULE XII.—OF FINAL Y.

"The gaiety of youth should be tempered by the precepts of age."—Mur. Key, p. 175.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "gaiety" does not here retain the final y of the primitive word gay. But, according to Rule 12th, "The final y of a primitive word, when preceded by a vowel, should not be changed into i before an additional termination." Therefore, this y should be retained; thus, gayety.]

"In the storm of 1703, two thousand stacks of chimnies were blown down, in and about London."—See Red Book, p. 112. "And the vexation was not abated by the hacknied plea of haste."—Ib., p. 142. "The fourth sin of our daies is lukewarmness."—Perkins's Works, p. 725. "God hates the workers of iniquity, and destroies them that speak lies."—Ib., p. 723. "For, when he laies his hand upon us, we may not fret."—Ib., p. 726. "Care not for it; but if thou maiest be free, choose it rather."—Ib., p. 736. "Alexander Severus saith, 'He that buieth, must sell: I will not suffer buyers and sellers of offices.'"—Ib., p. 737. "With these measures fell in all monied men."—SWIFT: Johnson's Dict. "But rattling nonsense in full vollies breaks."—POPE: ib., w. Volley. "Vallies are the intervals betwixt mountains."—WOODWARD: ib. "The Hebrews had fifty-two journies or marches."—Wood's Dict. "It was not possible to manage or steer the gallies thus fastened together."—Goldsmith's Greece, Vol. ii, p. 106. "Turkies were not known to naturalists till after the discovery of America."—See Gregory's Dict. "I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkies."—See Key. "Men worked at embroidery, especially in abbies."—Constable's Miscellany, Vol. xxi, p. 101. "By which all purchasers or mortgagees may be secured of all monies they lay out."—TEMPLE: Johnson's Dict. "He would fly to the mines and the gallies for his recreation."—SOUTH: Ib.

"Here pullies make the pond'rous oak ascend."—GAY: ib.

——————"You need my help, and you say, Shylock, we would have monies."—SHAKSPEARE: ib.

UNDER RULE XIII.—OF IZE AND ISE.

"Will any able writer authorise other men to revise his works?"—Author.

[FORMULES.—1. Not proper, because the word "authorise" is here written with s in the last syllable, in stead of z. But, according to Rule 13th, "Words ending in ize or ise sounded alike, as in wise and size, generally take the z in all such as are essentially formed by means of the termination." Therefore, this s should be z; thus, authorize.

2. Not proper again, because the word "revize" is here written with z in the last syllable, in lieu of s. But, according to Rule 13th, "Words ending in ize or ise sounded alike, as in wise and size, generally take the s, in monosyllables, and all such as are essentially formed by means of prefixes." Therefore, this z should be s; thus, revise.]

"It can be made as strong and expressive as this Latinised English."—Murray's Gram., p. 295. "Governed by the success or the failure of an enterprize."—Ib., Vol. ii, pp. 128 and 259. "Who have patronised the cause of justice against powerful oppressors."—Ib., pp. 94 and 228; Merchant, p. 199. "Yet custom authorises this use of it."—Priestley's Gram., p. 148. "They surprize myself, * * * and I even think the writers themselves will be surprized."—Ib., Pref., p. xi. "Let the interest rize to any sum which can be obtained."—Webster's Essays, p. 310. "To determin what interest shall arize on the use of money."—Ib., p. 313. "To direct the popular councils and check a rizing opposition."—Ib., p. 335. "Five were appointed to the immediate exercize of the office."—Ib., p. 340. "No man ever offers himself [as] a candidate by advertizing."—Ib., p. 344. "They are honest and economical, but indolent, and destitute of enterprize."—Ib., p. 347. "I would however advize you to be cautious."—Ib., p. 404. "We are accountable for whatever we patronise in others."—Murray's Key, p. 175. "After he was baptised, and was solemnly admitted into the office."—Perkins's Works, p. 732. "He will find all, or most of them, comprized in the Exercises."—British Gram., Pref., p. v. "A quick and ready habit of methodising and regulating their thoughts."—Ib., p. xviii. "To tyrannise over the time and patience of his reader."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. iii. "Writers of dull books, however, if patronised at all, are rewarded beyond their deserts."—Ib., p. v. "A little reflection, will show the reader the propriety and the reason for emphasising the words marked."—Ib., p. 163. "The English Chronicle contains an account of a surprizing cure."—Red Book, p. 61. "Dogmatise, to assert positively; Dogmatizer, an asserter, a magisterial teacher."—Chalmers's Dict. "And their inflections might now have been easily analysed."—Murray's Gram., 8vo, Vol. i, p. 113. "Authorize, disauthorise, and unauthorized; Temporize, contemporise, and extemporize."—Walkers Dict. "Legalize, equalise, methodise, sluggardize, womanise, humanize, patronise, cantonize, gluttonise, epitomise, anatomize, phlebotomise, sanctuarise, characterize, synonymise, recognise, detonize, colonise."—Ibid.

"This BEAUTY Sweetness always must comprize, Which from the Subject, well express'd will rise." —Brightland's Gr., p. 164.

UNDER RULE XIV.—OF COMPOUNDS.

"The glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward."—COMMON BIBLES: Isa., lviii, 8.

[FORMULE—Not proper, because the compound word "rereward" has not here the orthography of the two simple words rear and ward, which compose it. But, according to Rule 14th, "Compounds generally retain the orthography of the simple words which compose them." And, the accent being here unfixed, a hyphen is proper. Therefore, this word should be spelled thus, rear-ward.]

"A mere vaunt-courier to announce the coming of his master."—Tooke's Diversions, Vol. i, p. 49. "The parti-coloured shutter appeared to come close up before him."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 233. "When the day broke upon this handfull of forlorn but dauntless spirits."—Ib., p. 245. "If, upon a plumbtree, peaches and apricots are ingrafted, no body will say they are the natural growth of the plumbtree."—Berkley's Minute Philos., p. 45. "The channel between Newfoundland and Labrador is called the Straits of Bellisle."—Worcester's Gaz. "There being nothing that more exposes to Headach." [127]—Locke, on Education, p. 6. "And, by a sleep, to say we end the heartach."—SHAK.: in Joh. Dict. "He that sleeps, feels not the toothach."—ID., ibid. "That the shoe must fit him, because it fitted his father and granfather."—Philological Museum, Vol. i, p. 431. "A single word, mispelt, in a letter, is sufficient to show, that you have received a defective education."—Bucke's Gram., p. 3. "Which mistatement the committee attributed to a failure of memory."—Professors' Reasons, p. 14. "Then he went through the Banquetting-House to the scaffold."— Smollett's England, Vol. iii, p. 345. "For the purpose of maintaining a clergyman and skoolmaster."—Webster's Essays, p. 355. "They however knew that the lands were claimed by Pensylvania."—Ib., p. 357. "But if you ask a reason, they immediately bid farewel to argument."—Red Book, p. 80. "Whom resist stedfast in the faith."—SCOTT: 1 Peter, v, 9. "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine."—Acts, ii, 42. "Beware lest ye also fall from your own stedfastness."—2 Peter, iii, 17. "Galiot, or galliott, a Dutch vessel, carrying a main-mast and a mizen-mast."—Web. Dict. "Infinitive, to overflow; Preterit, overflowed; Participle, overflown."—Cobbett's E. Gram., (1818,) p. 61. "After they have mispent so much precious Time."—British Gram., p. xv. "Some say, two handsfull; some, two handfulls; and others, two handfull."— Alex. Murray's Gram., p. 106. "Lapfull, as much as the lap can contain."—Webster's Octavo Dict. "Darefull, full of defiance."— Walker's Rhym. Dict. "The road to the blissfull regions, is as open to the peasant as to the king."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 167. "Mis-spel is mis-spell in every Dictionary which I have seen."—Barnes's Red Book. p. 303. "Downfal; ruin, calamity, fall from rank or state."—Johnson's Dict. "The whole legislature likewize acts az a court."—Webster's Essays, p. 340. "It were better a milstone were hanged about his neck."—Perkins's Works, p. 731. "Plum-tree, a tree that produces plums; Hog-plumbtree, a tree."—Webster's Dict. "Trisyllables ending in re or le, accent the first syllable."—Murray's Gram., p. 238.

"It happen'd on a summer's holiday, That to the greenwood shade he took his way." —Churchill's Gr., p. 135.

UNDER RULE XV.—OF USAGE.

"Nor are the modes of the Greek tongue more uniform."—Murray's Gram., p. 112.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word "modes" is here written for moods, which is more common among the learned, and usually preferred by Murray himself. But, according to Rule 15th, "Any word for the spelling of which we have no rule but usage, is written wrong if not spelled according to the usage which is most common among the learned." Therefore, the latter form should be preferred; thus, moods, and not modes.]

"If we analize a conjunctive preterite, the rule will not appear to hold."—Priestley's Gram., p. 118. "No landholder would have been at that expence."—Ib., p. 116. "I went to see the child whilst they were putting on its cloaths."—Ib., p. 125. "This stile is ostentatious, and doth not suit grave writing."—Ib., p. 82. "The king of Israel, and Jehosophat the king of Judah, sat each on his throne."—Mur. Gram., p. 165, twice; Merchant's, 89; Churchill's, 300. "The king of Israel, and Jehosaphat the king of Judah, sat each on his throne."—Lowth's Gram., p. 90; Harrison's, 99; Churchill's, 138; Wright's, 148. "Lisias, speaking of his friends, promised to his father, never to abandon them."—Murray's Gram., Vol. ii, pp. 121 and 253. "Some, to avoid this errour, run into it's opposite."—Churchill's Gram., p. 199. "Hope, the balm of life, sooths us under every misfortune."—Merchants Key, p. 204. "Any judgement or decree might be heerd and reversed by the legislature."—Webster's Essays, p. 340. "A pathetic harang wil skreen from punishment any knave."—Ib., p. 341. "For the same reezon, the wimen would be improper judges."—Ibid. "Every person iz indulged in worshiping az he pleezes."—Ib., p. 345. "Most or all teechers are excluded from genteel company."—Ib., p. 362. "The Kristian religion, in its purity, iz the best institution on erth."—Ib., p. 364. "Neether clergymen nor human laws hav the leest authority over the conscience."—Ib., p. 363. "A gild is a society, fraternity, or corporation."—Red Book, p. 83. "Phillis was not able to unty the knot, and so she cut it."—Ib., p. 46. "An aker of land is the quantity of one hundred and sixty perches."—Ib., p. 93. "Oker is a fossil earth combined with the oxid of some metal."—Ib., p. 96. "Genii, when denoting aerial spirits: Geniuses, when signifying persons of genius."—Mur.'s Gram., i, p. 42. "Genii, when denoting aeriel spirits; Geniuses, when signifying persons of genius."—Frost's Gram., p. 9. "Genius, Plu. geniuses, men of wit; but genii, aerial beings."—Nutting's Gram., p. 18. "Aerisius, king of Argos, had a beautiful daughter, whose name was Danae."—Classic Tales, p. 109. "Phaeton was the son of Apollo and Clymene."—Ib., p. 152. "But, after all, I may not have reached the intended Gaol."—Buchanan's Syntax, Pref., p. xxvii. "'Pitticus was offered a large sum.' Better: 'A large sum was offered to Pitticus.'"—Kirkham's Gram., p. 187. "King Missipsi charged his sons to respect the senate and people of Rome."—See ib., p. 161. "For example: Gallileo invented the telescope."—Ib., pp. 54 and 67. "Cathmor's warriours sleep in death."—Ib., p. 54. "For parsing will enable you to detect and correct errours in composition."—Ib., p. 50.

"O'er barren mountains, o'er the flow'ry plain, Extends thy uncontroul'd and boundless reign."—Dryden.

PROMISCUOUS ERRORS IN SPELLING.

LESSON I.—MIXED.

"A bad author deserves better usage than a bad critick."—POPE: Johnson's Dict., w. Former. "Produce a single passage superiour to the speech of Logan, a Mingo chief, delivered to Lord Dunmore, when governour of Virginia."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 247. "We have none synonimous to supply its place."—Jamieson's Rhetoric, p. 48. "There is a probability that the effect will be accellerated."—Ib., p. 48. "Nay, a regard to sound hath controuled the public choice."—Ib., p. 46. "Though learnt from the uninterrupted use of gutterel sounds."—Ib., p. 5. "It is by carefully filing off all roughness and inequaleties, that languages, like metals, must be polished."—Ib., p. 48. "That I have not mispent my time in the service of the community."—Buchanan's Syntax, Pref., p. xxviii. "The leaves of maiz are also called blades."—Webster's El. Spelling-Book, p. 43. "Who boast that they know what is past, and can foretel what is to come."—Robertson's Amer., Vol. i, p. 360. "Its tasteless dullness is interrupted by nothing but its perplexities."— Abbott's Teacher, p. 18. "Sentences constructed with the Johnsonian fullness and swell."—Jamieson's Rhet., p. 130. "The privilege of escaping from his prefatory dullness and prolixity."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. iv. "But in poetry this characteristick of dulness attains its full growth."—Ib., p. 72. "The leading characteristick consists in an increase of the force and fullness."—Ib., p. 71. "The character of this opening fulness and feebler vanish."—Ib., p. 31. "Who, in the fullness of unequalled power, would not believe himself the favourite of heaven?"—Ib., p. 181. "They marr one another, and distract him."—Philological Museum, Vol. i, p. 433. "Let a deaf worshipper of antiquity and an English prosodist settle this."—Rush, on the Voice, p. 140. "This phillipic gave rise to my satirical reply in self-defence."— Merchant's Criticisms. "We here saw no inuendoes, no new sophistry, no falsehoods."—Ib. "A witty and humourous vein has often produced enemies."—Murray's Key, p. 173. "Cry holla! to thy tongue, I pr'ythee: it curvetts unseasonably."—Shak. "I said, in my slyest manner, 'Your health, sir.'"—Blackwood's Mag., Vol. xl, p. 679. "And attornies also travel the circuit in pursute of business."—Red Book, p. 83. "Some whole counties in Virginia would hardly sel for the valu of the dets du from the inhabitants."—Webster's Essays, p. 301. "They were called the court of assistants, and exercized all powers legislativ and judicial."—Ib., p. 340. "Arithmetic is excellent for the guaging of liquors."—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 288. "Most of the inflections may be analysed in a way somewhat similar."—Ib., p. 112.

"To epithets allots emphatic state, Whilst principals, ungrac'd, like lacquies wait." —C. Churchill's Ros., p. 8.

LESSON II.—MIXED.

"Hence it [less] is a privative word, denoting destitution; as, fatherless, faithless, pennyless."—Webster's Dict., w. Less. "Bay; red, or reddish, inclining to a chesnut color."—Same. "To mimick, to imitate or ape for sport; a mimic, one who imitates or mimics."—Ib. "Counterroil, a counterpart or copy of the rolls; Counterrolment, a counter account."—Ib. "Millenium, the thousand years during which Satan shall be bound."—Ib. "Millenial, pertaining to the millenium, or to a thousand years."—Ib. "Thraldom; slavery, bondage, a state of servitude."—See Johnson's Dict. "Brier, a prickly bush; Briery, rough, prickly, full of briers; Sweetbriar, a fragrant shrub."—See Johnson, Walker, Chalmers, Webster, and others. "Will, in the second and third Persons, barely foretels."—British Gram., p. 132. "And therefor there is no Word false, but what is distinguished by Italics."—Ib., Pref., p. v. "What should be repeted is left to their Discretion."—Ib., p. iv. "Because they are abstracted or seperated from material Substances."—Ib., p. ix. "All Motion is in Time, and therefor, where-ever it exists, implies Time as its Concommitant."—Ib., p. 140. "And illiterate grown persons are guilty of blameable spelling."—Ib., Pref., p. xiv. "They wil always be ignorant, and of ruf uncivil manners."—Webster's Essays, p. 346. "This fact wil hardly be beleeved in the northern states."—Ib., p. 367. "The province however waz harrassed with disputes."—Ib., p. 352. "So little concern haz the legislature for the interest of lerning."—Ib., p. 349. "The gentlemen wil not admit that a skoolmaster can be a gentleman."—Ib., p. 362. "Such absurd qui-pro-quoes cannot be too strenuously avoided."—Churchill's Gram., p. 205. "When we say, 'a man looks slyly;' we signify, that he assumes a sly look."—Ib., p. 339. "Peep; to look through a crevice; to look narrowly, closely, or slyly."—Webster's Dict. "Hence the confession has become a hacknied proverb."—Wayland's Moral Science, p. 110. "Not to mention the more ornamental parts of guilding, varnish, &c."—Tooke's Diversions, Vol. i, p. 20. "After this system of self-interest had been rivetted."—Brown's Estimate, Vol. ii, p. 136. "Prejudice might have prevented the cordial approbation of a bigotted Jew."—SCOTT: on Luke, x.

"All twinkling with the dew-drop sheen, The briar-rose fell in streamers green."—Lady of the Lake, p. 16.

LESSON III.—MIXED.

"The infinitive mode has commonly the sign to before it."—Harrison's Gram., p. 25. "Thus, it is adviseable to write singeing, from the verb to singe, by way of distinction from singing, the participle of the verb to sing."—Ib., p. 27. "Many verbs form both the preterite tense and the preterite participle irregularly."—Ib., p. 28. "Much must be left to every one's taste and judgment."—Ib., p. 67. "Verses of different lengths intermixed form a Pindarick poem."—Priestley's Gram., p. 44. "He'll surprize you."—Frost's El. of Gram., p. 88. "Unequalled archer! why was this concealed?"—KNOWLES: ib., p. 102. "So gaily curl the waves before each dashing prow."—BYRON: ib., p. 104. "When is a dipthong called a proper dipthong?"—Infant School Gram., p. 11. "How many ss would goodness then end with? Three."—Ib., p. 33. "Q. What is a tripthong? A. A tripthong is the union of three vowels, pronounced in like manner."—Bacon's Gram., p. 7. "The verb, noun, or pronoun, is referred to the preceding terms taken seperately."—Ib., p. 47. "The cubic foot of matter which occupies the center of the globe."—Cardell's Gram., 18mo, p. 47. "The wine imbibes oxigen, or the acidifying principle, from the air."—Ib., p. 62. "Charcoal, sulphur, and niter, make gun powder."—Ib., p. 90. "It would be readily understood, that the thing so labeled, was a bottle of Madeira wine."—Ib., p. 99. "They went their ways, one to his farm, an other to his merchandize."—Ib., p. 130. "A dipthong is the union of two vowels, sounded by a single impulse of the voice."—Russell's Gram., p. 7. "The professors of the Mahommedan religion are called Mussulmans."—Maltby's Gram., p. 73. "This shews that let is not a sign of the imperative mood, but a real verb."—Ib., p. 51. "Those preterites and participles, which are first mentioned in the list, seem to be the most eligible."—Ib., p. 47. "Monosyllables, for the most part, are compared by er and est; and dyssyllables by more and most."—Ib., p. 19. "This termination, added to a noun, or adjective, changes it into a verb: as modern, to modernise; a symbol, to symbolize."—Churchill's Gram., p. 24. "An Abridgment of Murray's Grammar, with additions from Webster, Ash, Tooke, and others."—Maltby's title-page. "For the sake of occupying the room more advantagously, the subject of Orthography is merely glanced at."—Nutting's Gram., p. 5. "So contended the accusers of Gallileo."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., 12mo, 1839, p. 380. "Murray says, 'They were traveling past when we met them.'"—Peirce, ib., p. 361. "They fulfil the only purposes for which they are designed."—Ib., p. 359. "On the fulfillment of the event."—Ib., p. 175. "Fullness consists in expressing every idea."—Ib., p. 291. "Consistently with fulness and perspicuity."—Ib., p. 337. "The word verriest is a gross corruption; as, 'He is the verriest fool on earth.'"—Wright's Gram., p. 202. "The sound will recal the idea of the object."—Hiley's Gram., p. 142. "Formed for great enterprizes."—Bullions's Prin. of E. Gram., p. 153. "The most important rules and definitions are printed in large type, italicised."—Hart's Gram., p. 3. "HAMLETTED, a. Accustomed to a hamlet; countrified."— Bolles's Dict., and Chalmers's. "Singular, spoonful, cup-full, coach-full, handful; plural, spoonfuls, cup-fulls, coach-fulls, handfuls."—Bullions's Analyt. and Pract. Gram., p. 27.

"Between Superlatives and following Names, OF, by Grammatick Right, a Station claims." —Brightland's Gram., p. 146.



CHAPTER V.—QUESTIONS.

ORDER OF REHEARSAL, AND METHOD OF EXAMINATION.

[Fist][The student ought to be able to answer with readiness, and in the words of the book, all the following questions on grammar. And if he has but lately commenced the study, it may be well to require of him a general rehearsal of this kind, before he proceeds to the correction of any part of the false grammar quoted in the foregoing chapters. At any rate, he should be master of so many of the definitions and rules as precede the part which he attempts to correct; because this knowledge is necessary to a creditable performance of the exercise. But those who are very quick at reading, may perform it tolerably, by consulting the book at the time, for what they do not remember. The answers to these questions will embrace all the main text of the work; and, if any further examination be thought necessary, extemporaneous questions may be framed for the purpose.]

LESSON I.—GRAMMAR.

1. What is the name, or title, of this book? 2. What is Grammar? 3. What is an English Grammar? 4. What is English Grammar, in itself? and what knowledge does it imply? 5. If grammar is the art of reading, writing, and speaking, define these actions. What is it, to read? 6. What is it, to write? 7. What is it, to speak? 8. How is grammar to be taught, and by what means are its principles to be made known? 9. What is a perfect definition? 10. What is an example, as used in teaching? 11. What is a rule of grammar? 12. What is an exercise? 13. What was language at first, and what is it now? 14. Of what two kinds does the composition of language consist? and how do they differ? 15. What are the least parts of language? 16. What has discourse to do with sentences? or sentences, with points? 17. In extended compositions, what is the order of the parts, upwards from a sentence? 18. What, then, is the common order of literary division, downwards, throughout? 19. Are all literary works divided exactly in this way? 20. How is Grammar divided? 21. Of what does Orthography treat? 22. Of what does Etymology treat? 23. Of what does Syntax treat? 24. Of what does Prosody treat?

PART FIRST, ORTHOGRAPHY.

LESSON II.—LETTERS.

1. Of what does Orthography treat? 2. What is a letter? 3. What is an elementary sound of human voice, or speech? 4. What name is given to the sound of a letter? and what epithet, to a letter not sounded? 5. How many letters are there in English? and how many sounds do they represent? 6. In what does a knowledge of the letters consist? 7. What variety is there in the letters? and how are they always the same? 8. What different sorts of types, or styles of letters, are used in English? 9. What are the names of the letters in English? 10. What are their names in both numbers, singular and plural? 11. Into what general classes are the letters divided? 12. What is a vowel? 13. What is a consonant? 14. What letters are vowels? and what, consonants? 15. When are w and y consonants? and when, vowels? 16. How are the consonants divided? 17. What is a semivowel? 18. What is a mute? 19. What letters are reckoned semivowels? and how many of these are aspirates? 20. What letters are called liquids? and why? 21. What letters are reckoned mutes? and which of them are imperfect mutes?

LESSON III.—SOUNDS.

1. What is meant, when we speak of the powers of the letters? 2. Are the sounds of a language fewer than its words? 3. How are different vowel sounds produced? 4. What are the vowel sounds in English? 5. How may these sounds be modified in the formation of syllables? 6. Can you form a word upon each by means of an f? 7. Will you try the series again with a p? 8. How may the vowel sounds be written? and how uttered when they are not words? 9. Which of the vowel sounds form words? and what of the rest? 10. How many and what are the consonant sounds in English? 11. In what series of words may all these sounds be heard? 12. In what series of words may each of them be heard two or three times? 13. What is said of the sounds of j and x? 14. What is said of the sounds of c and g? 15. What is said of sc, or s before c? 16. What, of ce, ci, and ch? 17. What sounds has the consonant g? 18. In how many different ways can the letters of the alphabet be combined? 19. What do we derive from these combinations of sounds and characters?

LESSON IV.—CAPITALS.

1. What characters are employed in English? 2. Why should the different sorts of letters be kept distinct? 3. What is said of the slanting strokes in Roman letters? 4. For what purpose are Italics chiefly used? 5. In preparing a manuscript, how do we mark these things for the printer? 6. What distinction of form belongs to each of the letters? 7. What is said of small letters? and why are capitals used? 8. What things are commonly exhibited wholly in capitals? 9. How many rules for capitals are given in this book? and what are their titles? 10. What says Rule 1st of books? 11. What says Rule 2d of first words? 12. What says Rule 3d of names of Deity? 13. What says Rule 4th of proper names? 14. What says Rule 5th of titles? 15. What says Rule 6th of one capital? 16. What says Rule 7th of two capitals? 17. What says Rule 8th of compounds? 18. What says Rule 9th of apposition? 19. What says Rule 10th of personifications? 20. What says Rule 11th of derivatives? 21. What says Rule 12th of I and O? 22. What says Rule 13th of poetry? 23. What says Rule 14th of examples? 24. What says Rule 15th of chief words? 25. What says Rule 16th of needless capitals?

[Now turn to the first chapter of Orthography, and correct the improprieties there quoted for the practical application of these rules.]

LESSON V.—SYLLABLES.

1. What is a syllable? 2. Can the syllables of a word be perceived by the ear? 3. Under what names are words classed according to the number of their syllables? 4. Which of the letters can form syllables of themselves? and which cannot? 5. What is a diphthong? 6. What is a proper diphthong? 7. What is an improper diphthong? 8. What is a triphthong? 9. What is a proper triphthong? 10. What is an improper triphthong? 11. How many and what are the diphthongs in English? 12. How many and which of these are so variable in sound that they may be either proper or improper diphthongs? 13. How many and what are the proper diphthongs? 14. How many and what are the improper diphthongs? 15. Are proper triphthongs numerous in our language? 16. How many and what are the improper triphthongs? 17. What guide have we for dividing words into syllables? 18. How many special rules of syllabication are given in this book? and what are their titles, or subjects? 19. What says Rule 1st of consonants? 20. What says Rule 2d of vowels? 21. What says Rule 3d of terminations? 22. What says Rule 4th of prefixes? 23. What says Rule 5th of compounds? 24. What says Rule 6th of lines full?

[Now turn to the second chapter of Orthography, and correct the improprieties there quoted for the practical application of these rules.]

LESSON VI.—WORDS.

1. What is a word? 2. How are words distinguished in regard to species and figure? 3. What is a primitive word? 4. What is a derivative word? 5. What is a simple word? 6. What is a compound word? 7. How do permanent compounds differ from others? 8. How many rules for the figure of words are given in this book? and what are their titles, or subjects? 9. What says Rule 1st of compounds? 10. What says Rule 2d of simples? 11. What says Rule 3d of the sense? 12. What says Rule 4th of ellipses? 13. What says Rule 5th of the hyphen? 14. What says Rule 6th of no hyphen?

[Now turn to the third chapter of Orthography, and correct the improprieties there quoted for the practical application of these rules.]

LESSON VII.—SPELLING.

1. What is spelling? 2. How is this art to be acquired? and why so? 3. Why is it difficult to learn to spell accurately? 4. Is it then any disgrace to spell words erroneously? 5. What benefit may be expected from the rules for spelling? 6. How many rules for spelling are given in this book? and what are their titles, or subjects? 7. What says Rule 1st of final f, l, or s? 8. Can you mention the principal exceptions to this rule? 9. What says Rule 2d of other finals? 10. Are there any exceptions to this rule? 11. What says Rule 3d of the doubling of consonants? 12. Under what three heads are the exceptions to this rule noticed? 13. What says Rule 4th against the doubling of consonants? 14. Under what four heads are the apparent exceptions to this Rule noticed? 15. What says Rule 5th of final ck? 16. What monosyllables, contrary to this rule, end with c only? 17. What says Rule 6th of the retaining of double letters before affixes? 18. Under what three heads are the exceptions to this rule noticed? 19. What says Rule 7th of the retaining of double letters after prefixes? 20. What observation is made respecting exceptions to this rule?

LESSON VIII.—SPELLING.

21. What says Rule 8th of final ll, and of final l single? 22. What words does this rule claim, which might seem to come under Rule 7th? and why? 23. What says Rule 9th of final e omitted? 24. Under what three heads are the exceptions, real or apparent, here noticed? 25. What says Rule 10th of final e retained? 26. Under what three heads are the exceptions to this rule noticed? 27. What says Rule 11th of final y changed? 28. Under what three heads are the limits and exceptions to this rule noticed? 29. What says Rule 12th of final y unchanged? 30. Under what three heads are the exceptions to this rule noticed? 31. What says Rule 13th of the terminations ize and ise? 32. Under what three heads are the apparent exceptions to this rule noticed? 33. What says Rule 14th of compounds? 34. Under what seven heads are the exceptions to this rule noticed? 35. What says Rule 15th of usage, as a law of spelling?

[Now turn to the fourth chapter of Orthography, and correct the improprieties there quoted for the practical application of these rules and their exceptions.]



CHAPTER VI.—FOR WRITING.

EXERCISES IN ORTHOGRAPHY.

[Fist] [The following examples of false orthography are inserted here, and not explained in the general Key, that they may he corrected by the pupil in writing. Some of the examples here quoted are less inaccurate than others, but all of them, except a few shown in contrast, are, in some respect or other, erroneous. It is supposed, that every student who can answer the questions contained in the preceding chapter, will readily discern wherein the errors lie, and be able to make the necessary corrections.]

EXERCISE I.—CAPITALS.

"Alexander the great killed his friend Clitus."—Harrison's Gram., p. 68. "The words in italics are parsed in the same manner."—Maltby's Gram., p. 69. "It may be read by those who do not understand latin."—Barclay's Works, Vol. iii, p. 262. "A roman s being added to a word in italics or small capitals."—Churchill's Gram., p. 215. "This is not simply a gallicism, but a corruption of the French on; itself a corruption."— Ib., p. 228. "The Gallicism, 'it is me,' is perpetually striking the ear in London."—Ib., p. 316. "'Almost nothing,' is a common Scotticism, equally improper: it should be, 'scarcely any thing.'"—Ib., p. 333. "To use learn for teach, is a common Scotticism, that ought to be carefully avoided."—See ib., p. 261. "A few observations on the subjunctive mood as it appears in our English bible."—Wilcox's Gram., p. 40. "The translators of the bible, have confounded two tenses, which in the original are uniformly kept distinct."—Ib., p. 40. "More like heaven on earth, than the holy land would have been."—Anti-Slavery Mag., Vol. i, p. 72. "There is now extant a poetical composition, called the golden verses of Pythagoras."— Lempriere's Dict. "Exercise of the Mind upon Theorems of Science, like generous and manly Exercise of the Body, tends to call forth and strengthen Nature's original Vigour."—Harris's Hermes, p. 295. "O that I could prevail on Christians to melt down, under the warm influence of brotherly love, all the distinctions of methodists, independents, baptists, anabaptists, arians, trinitarians, unitarians, in the glorious name of christians."—KNOX: Churchill's Gram., p. 173. "Pythagoras long ago remarked, 'that ability and necessity dwell near each other.'"—Student's Manual, p. 285.

"The Latin Writers Decency neglect, But modern Readers challenge more Respect." —Brightland's Gram., p. 172.

EXERCISE II.—SYLLABLES.

1. Correct Bolles, in the division of the following words: "Del-ia, Jul-ia, Lyd-ia, heigh-ten, pat-ron, ad-roit, worth-y, fath-er, fath-er-ly, mar-chi-o-ness, i-dent-ic-al, out-ra-ge-ous, ob-nox-i-ous, pro-di-gi-ous, tre-mend-ous, ob-liv-i-on, pe-cul-i-ar."—Revised Spelling-Book: New London, 1831.

2. Correct Sears, in the division of the following words: "A-quil-a, hear-ty, drea-ry, wor-my, hai-ry, thor-ny, phil-os-o-phy, dis-cov-e-ry, re-cov-e-ry, ad-diti-on, am-biti-on, au-spici-ous, fac-titi-ous, fla-giti-ous, fru-iti-on, sol-stiti-al, ab-o-liti-on."—Standard Spelling-Book: "New Haven," 1826.

3. Correct Bradley, in the division of the following words: "Jes-ter, rai-ny, forg-e-ry, fin-e-ry, spic-e-ry, brib-e-ry, groc-e-ry, chi-can-e-ry, fer-riage, line-age, cri-ed, tri-ed, su-ed, slic-ed, forc-ed, pledg-ed, sav-ed, dup-ed, strip-ed, touch-ed, trounc-ed."—Improved Spelling-Book: Windsor, 1815.

4. Correct Burhans, in the division of the following words: "Boar-der, brigh-ten, cei-ling, frigh-ten, glea-ner, lea-kage, suc-ker, mos-sy, fros-ty, twop-ence, pu-pill-ar-y, crit-i-call-y, gen-er-all-y, lit-er-all-y, log-i-call-y, trag-i-call-y, ar-ti-fici-al, po-liti-call-y, sloth-full-y, spite-full-y, re-all-y, sui-ta-ble, ta-mea-ble, flumm-er-y, nesc-i-ence, shep-her-dess, trav-ell-er, re-pea-ter, re-pressi-on, suc-cessi-on, un-lear-ned."—Critical Pronouncing Spelling-Book:[128] Philadelphia, 1823.

5. Correct Marshall, in the division of the following words: "Trench-er, trunch-eon, dros-sy, glos-sy, glas-sy, gras-sy, dres-ses, pres-ses, cal-ling, chan-ging, en-chan-ging, con-ver-sing, mois-ture, join-ture, qua-drant, qua-drate, trans-gres-sor, dis-es-teem."—New Spelling-Book: New York, 1836.

6. Correct Emerson, in the division of the following words: "Dus-ty mis-ty, mar-shy, mil-ky, wes-tern, stor-my, nee-dy, spee-dy, drea-ry, fros-ty, pas-sing, roc-ky, bran-chy, bland-ish, pru-dish, eve-ning, a-noth-er."—National Spelling-Book: Boston, 1828.

"Two Vowels meeting, each with its full Sound, Always to make Two Syllables are bound."—Brightland's Gram., p. 64.

EXERCISE III.—FIGURE OF WORDS.

"I was surprised by the return of my long lost brother."—Parker's Exercises in English Composition, p. 5. "Such singular and unheard of clemency cannot be passed over by me in silence."—Ib., p. 10. "I perceive my whole system excited by the potent stimulus of sun-shine."—Ib., p. 11. "To preserve the unity of a sentence, it is sometimes necessary to employ the case absolute, instead of the verb and conjunction."—Ib., p. 17. "Severity and hard hearted opinions accord with the temper of the times."—Ib., p. 18. "That poor man was put into the mad house."—Ib., p. 22. "This fellow must be put into the poor house."—Ib. p. 22. "I have seen the breast works and other defences of earth, that were thrown up."—Ib., p. 24. "Cloven footed animals are enabled to walk more easily on uneven ground."—Ib., p. 25. "Self conceit blasts the prospects of many a youth."—Ib., p. 26. "Not a moment should elapse without bringing some thing to pass."—Ib., p. 36. "A school master decoyed the children of the principal citizens into the Roman camp."—Ib., p. 39. "The pupil may now write a description of the following objects. A school room. A steam boat. A writing desk. A dwelling house. A meeting house. A paper mill. A grist mill. A wind mill."—Ib., p. 45. "Every metaphor should be founded on a resemblance which is clear and striking; not far fetched, nor difficult to be discovered."—Ib., p. 49. "I was reclining in an arbour overhung with honey suckle and jessamine of the most exquisite fragrance."—Ib., p. 51. "The author of the following extract is speaking of the slave trade."—Ib., p. 60. "The all wise and benevolent Author of nature has so framed the soul of man, that he cannot but approve of virtue."—Ib., p. 74. "There is something of self denial in the very idea of it."—Ib., p. 75. "Age therefore requires a well spent youth to render it happy."—Ib., p. 76. "Pearl-ash requires much labour in its extraction from ashes."—Ib., p. 91. "Club, or crump, footed, Loripes; Rough, or leather, footed, Plumipes."—Ainsworth's Dict.

"The honey-bags steal from the humble bees, And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs." —SHAK.: Joh.'s Dict., w. Glowworm.

"The honeybags steal from the bumblebees, And for night tapers crop their waxen thighs." —SHAK.: Joh.'s Dict., w. Humblebee.

"The honey bags steal from the humble-bees, And, for night tapers crop their waxen thighs." —Dodd's Beauties of Shak., p. 51.

EXERCISE IV.—SPELLING.

"His antichamber, and room of audience, are little square chambers wainscoted."—ADDISON: Johnson's Dict., w. Antechamber. "Nobody will deem the quicksighted amongst them to have very enlarged views of ethicks."—LOCKE: Ib., w. Quicksighted. "At the rate of this thick-skulled blunderhead, every plow-jobber shall take upon him to read upon divinity."—L'ESTRANGE: Ib., m. Blunderhead. "On the topmast, the yards, and boltsprit would I flame distinctly."—SHAK.: Ib., w. Bowsprit. "This is the tune of our catch plaid by the picture of nobody."—ID.: Ib., w. Nobody. "Thy fall hath left a kind of blot to mark the fulfraught man."—ID.: Ib., w. Fulfraught. "Till blinded by some Jack o'Lanthorn sprite."—Snelling's Gift, p. 62. "The beauties you would have me eulogise."—Ib., p. 14. "They rail at me—I gaily laugh at them."—Ib., p. 13. "Which the king and his sister had intrusted to him withall."—Josephus, Vol. v, p. 143. "The terms of these emotions are by no means synonimous."—Rush, on the Voice, p. 336. "Lillied, adj. Embellished with lilies."—Chalmers's Dict. "They seize the compendious blessing without exertion and without reflexion."—Philological Museum, Vol. i, p. 428. "The first cry that rouses them from their torpour, is the cry that demands their blood."—Ib., p. 433. "It meets the wants of elementary schools and deserves to be patronised."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 5. "Whose attempts were paralysed by the hallowed sound."—Music of Nature, p. 270. "It would be an amusing investigation to analyse their language."—Ib., p. 200. "It is my father's will that I should take on me the hostess-ship of the day."—SHAK.: in Johnson's Dict. "To retain the full apprehension of them undiminisht."—Phil. Museum., Vol. i, p. 458. "The ayes and noes were taken in the House of Commons."—Anti-Slavery Mag., Vol. i, p. 11. "Derivative words are formed by adding letters or syllables to primatives."—Davenport's Gram., p. 7. "The minister never was thus harrassed himself."—Nelson, on Infidelity, p. 6. "The most vehement politician thinks himself unbiassed in his judgment."—Ib., p. 17. "Mistress-ship, n. Female rule or dominion."—Webster's Dict.

"Thus forced to kneel, thus groveling to embrace, The scourge and ruin of my realm and race." —POPE: Ash's Gram., p. 83.

EXERCISE V.—MIXED ERRORS.

"The quince tree is of a low stature; the branches are diffused and crooked."—MILLER: Johnson's Dict. "The greater slow worm, called also the blindworm, is commonly thought to be blind, because of the littleness of his eyes."—GREW: ib. "Oh Hocus! where art thou? It used to go in another guess manner in thy time."—ARBUTHNOT: ib. "One would not make a hotheaded crackbrained coxcomb forward for a scheme of moderation."—ID.: ib. "As for you, colonel huff-cap, we shall try before a civil magistrate who's the greatest plotter."—DRYDEN: ib., w. Huff. "In like manner, Actions co-alesce with their Agents, and Passions with their Patients."—Harris's Hermes, p. 263. "These Sentiments are not unusual even with the Philosopher now a days."—Ib., p. 350. "As if the Marble were to fashion the Chizzle, and not the Chizzle the Marble."—Ib., p. 353. "I would not be understood, in what I have said, to undervalue Experiment."—Ib., p. 352. "How therefore is it that they approach nearly to Non-Entity's?"—Ib., p. 431. "Gluttonise, modernise, epitomise, barbarise, tyranise."—Churchill's Gram., pp. 31 and 42. "Now fair befal thee and thy noble house!"—SHAK.: ib., p. 241. "Nor do I think the error above-mentioned would have been so long indulged," &c.—Ash's Gram., p. 4. "The editor of the two editions above mentioned was pleased to give this little manuel to the public," &c.—Ib., p. 7. "A Note of Admiration denotes a modelation of the voice suited to the expression."—Ib., p. 16. "It always has some respect to the power of the agent; and is therefore properly stiled the potential mode."—Ib., p. 29. "Both these are supposed to be synonomous expressions."—Ib., p. 105. "An expence beyond what my circumstances admit."—DODDRIDGE: ib., p. 138. "There are four of them: the Full-Point, or Period; the Colon; the Semi-Colon; the Comma."—Cobbett's E. Gram., N. Y., 1818, p. 77. "There are many men, who have been at Latin-Schools for years, and who, at last, cannot write six sentences in English correctly."—Ib., p. 39. "But, figures of rhetorick are edge tools, and two edge tools too."—Ib., p. 182. "The horse-chesnut grows into a goodly standard."—MORTIMER: Johnson's Dict. "Whereever if is to be used."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 175.

"Peel'd, patch'd, and pyebald, linsey-woolsey brothers." —POPE: Joh. Dict., w., Mummer.

"Peel'd, patch'd, and piebald, linsey-woolsey brothers." —ID.: ib., w. Piebald.

EXERCISE VI.—MIXED ERRORS.

"Pied, adj. [from pie.] Variegated; partycoloured."—Johnson's Dict. "Pie, [pica, Lat.] A magpie; a party-coloured bird."—Ib. "Gluy, adj. [from glue.] Viscous; tenacious; glutinous."—Ib. "Gluey, a. Viscous, glutinous. Glueyness. n. The quality of being gluey."—Webster's Dict. "Old Euclio, seeing a crow-scrat[129] upon the muck-hill, returned in all haste, taking it for an ill sign."—BURTON: Johnson's Dict. "Wars are begun by hairbrained[130] dissolute captains."—ID.: ib. "A carot is a well known garden root."—Red Book, p. 60. "Natural philosophy, metaphysicks, ethicks, history, theology, and politicks, were familiar to him."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 209. "The words in Italicks and capitals, are emphatick."—Ib., p. 210. "It is still more exceptionable; Candles, Cherrys, Figs, and other sorts of Plumbs, being sold by Weight, and being Plurals."—Johnson's Gram. Com., p. 135. "If the End of Grammar be not to save that Trouble, and Expence of Time, I know not what it is good for."—Ib., p. 161. "Caulce, Sheep Penns, or the like, has no Singular, according to Charisius."—Ib., p. 194. "These busibodies are like to such as reade bookes with intent onely to spie out the faults thereof"—Perkins's Works, p. 741. "I think it every man's indispensible duty, to do all the service he can to his country."—Locke, on Ed., p. 4. "Either fretting it self into a troublesome Excess, or flaging into a downright want of Appetite."—Ib., p. 23. "And nobody would have a child cramed at breakfast."—Ib., p. 23. "Judgeship and judgment, lodgable and alledgeable, alledgement and abridgment, lodgment and infringement, enlargement and acknowledgment."—Webster's Dict., 8vo. "Huckster, n. s. One who sells goods by retail, or in small quantities; a pedler."—Johnson's Dict.