VIII. Bacon, the author of "the advancement of learning," says in his "essay," entitled "of studies," that “reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man." When the good doctor is going out to dinner, he always reads Selden's "table talk" for an hour or two before starting.

IX. I am monarch of all i survey,

my right there is none to dispute;
from the centre all round to the sea,

i am lord of the fowl and the brute.
X. o solitude! where are the charms
that sages have seen in thy face?
better dwell in the midst of alarms,

than reign in this horrible place.

The hope of future happiness is a perpetual source of consolation to good men. under trouble, it soothes their minds; amidst temptation, it supports their virtue; and, in their dying moments, it enables them to say, "o death! where is thy sting? o grave! where is thy victory?"

XI. Oliver Goldsmith was b.a. of Dublin, and b.m. of Padua or Leyden. Though Southey left oxford without his b.a., he was made an ll.d. before he died. The queen was accompanied by h.r.h. the princess of Wales.*

2. RULES FOR SPELLING.

Correctness in Spelling is to be acquired chiefly by attending to the practice of the best modern writers and lexicographers.

The following are a few of the general principles to be observed in the spelling of words :

I. Monosyllables ending with f, l, or s, preceded by

* The Teacher may multiply these Exercises at pleasure, by dictating passages from any Reading-Book.

a single vowel, end in a double consonant; as, Staff, full, pass.

The only exceptions are, Of, if, as, gas, is, has, was, yes, his, this, thus, us.

II. Monosyllables ending with any consonant but f, l, or s, preceded by a single vowel, do not end in a double consonant; as, Bud, cup, man.

The exceptions are, Add, butt, buzz, ebb, egg, err, inn, odd.

III. When words ending with silent e take an affix beginning with a consonant, the e is retained; as, Pale, paleness; peace, peaceful.

Except Awe, awful; due, duly; true, truly; abridge, abridgment; acknowledge, acknowledgment; judge, judgment.

IV. When words ending with silent e take an affix beginning with a vowel, the e is omitted; as, Cure, curable; love, loving.

1. When silent e is preceded by c or g soft, the e is retained before able; as, Peace, peaceable; change, changeable. 2. When silent e is preceded by g soft, it is retained before ous; as, Courage, courageous.

3. When silent e is preceded by c soft, it is changed into i before ous; as, Grace, gracious.

V. When words ending with y preceded by a consonant, take an affix, the y is generally changed into i; as, Merry, merriment; happy, happiness; cry, cried.

1. Y preceded by a consonant is not changed in Dryness, slyly, slyness, shyness.

2. Y is not changed into i before the affixes ing and ish; as, Carry, carrying; baby, babyish.

3. When a word ending with ty takes the affix ous, the y is changed into e; as, Beauty, beauteous; pity, piteous.

4. When y is preceded by a vowel, it is not changed into i; as, Betray, betrayal.

5. Y preceded by a vowel, is changed into i, in Daily, gaiety, gaily, laid, paid, said, slain.

6. Words ending with ie change ie into y before ing; as, Die, dying; lie, lying.

VI. When monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, which end with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, receive an affix beginning with a vowel, the final consonant is doubled; as, Begin, beginner; wit, witty.

1. When a diphthong precedes the final consonant, it remains single; as Toil, toiling.

2. The final consonant also remains single, when the accent is not on the last syllable; as, Offer, offering.

3. Final is doubled, though the accent is not on the last syllable; as, Travel, traveller.

VII. When words which end with a double consonant receive an affix, both the consonants are generally retained; as, Scoff, scoffer; success, successful.

Words ending with ll generally drop one before an affix beginning with a consonant; as, Full, fulness; skill, skilful.

VIII. In words of more than one syllable, c hard is used as a final letter only when it is preceded by i or ia; as, Music, maniac.

1. In monosyllables, c hard is always accompanied by k; as Deck, lock.-Except Arc, lac, zinc.

2. A word never ends with c hard, or ck, when preceded by two vowels; as, Book, hawk.

IX. Words having ei in the last syllable admit of the suffix -tion and drop the i; as, Receive, reception. Words

having ie in the last syllable do not admit of the suffix -tion; as, Believe, reprieve, besiege.

X. When words of more than one syllable are written partly on one line, and partly on another, they are divided only at the syllables; as, Con-tentment, or

content-ment.

In monosyllables all the letters are written on the same line.

Exercise 2.

Correct the errors in the following sentences:

I. It is no great merit to spel correctly, but a great defect to do so incorrectly. Jacob worshipped his Creator, leaning on the topp of his staf. Our manners should be neither gros, nor excessively refined.

II. In the names of druggs and plants, the mistake of a word may endanger life. The finn of a fish is the limb, by which he balances his body, and moves in the water. Many a trapp is laid to ensnare the feet of youth.

III. In all our reasonings, our minds should be sincerly employed in the pursuit of truth. Rude behaviour and indecent language are peculiarly disgracful to youth of education. A judicious arrangment of studies facilitates improvment. Wisdom only is truely fair: folly merly appears so.

IV. Everything connected with self is apt to appear desireable in our eyes. Errors are more excuseable in ignorant than in well-instructed persons. We were made to be servicable to others, as well as to ourselves. An obligeing and humble disposition is totally different from a servile and cringeing spirit. Our natural defects of body are not chargable upon us.

V. We should subject our fancys to the government of We shall not be the happyer for possessing talents and affluence, unless we make a right use of them. The

reason.

year is dieing in the night. If we have denyed ourselves sinful pleasures, we shall be great gainers in the end. We may be plaiful, and yet innocent. Shiness may win friends slowly, but sliness loses them quickly. When we act against conscience, we become the destroiers of our own peace.

VI. When we bring the lawgiver into contempt, we have in effect annuled his laws. By defering our repentance, we accumulate our sorrows. We have all many faillings to lament and amend. There is no affliction with which we are visitted, that may not be improved to our advantage.

VII. Restlesness of mind disqualifies us, both for the enjoyment of peace, and for the performance of duty. The arrows of calumny fall harmlesly at the feet of virtue. The road to the blisful regions is as open to the peasant as to the king. A perverse and willful disposition is at once unamiable and sinful.

VIII. The vessel is a total wrec: the goods which have been saved will be exposed to publick auction. Can you name the twelve signs of the zodiak? Ransac the drawer for my stoc. The man of true fortitude may be compared to a castle built on a roc, which defies the attacs of the surrounding waters.

IX. A man who has once been decieved is apt to be suspicious. An honest man acts up to his beleif. Many a clever man is spoiled by conciet. Mischeif is more easily made than mended. Some are born great, some acheive greatness. Amid the roses feirce Repentance rears her snaky crest. Still to releive the wretched was his pride.

Exercise 3.

X. Divide the following words,, writing part of each at the end of one line, and the remainder at the beginning of the next: