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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.

reason.

The

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:

Ancient, ashes, beneficent, capricious, cherish, coalition, coeval, dangerous, epistle, February, gridiron, heinously, idleness, jocularly, knighthood, lapidary, musician, nominative, optical, physician, qualify, receive, sovereign, transient, union, voluntary, women, yeomanry, zealous.

Exercise 4.

Write the following sentences from dictation:—

Neglect no opportunity of doing good. Neither time nor misfortunes should erase the remembrance of a friend. The acknowledgment of our transgressions must precede the forgiveness of them. Let us show diligence in every laudable undertaking. Judicious abridgments often aid the studies of youth. We must resolutely perform our duty, however disagreeable. Few reflections are more distressing than those which we make on our own ingratitude. Strait is the gate, and narrow the way, that lead to eternal life. There is an inseparable connexion between piety and virtue. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Integrity conducts us straight forward, disdaining all crooked paths. To be faithful among the faithless, argues great strength of principle. A steady mind may receive counsel; but there is no hold on a changeable humour.*

SECTION II.-PUNCTUATION.

Punctuation is the art of using points, in writing and printing, to indicate breaks in the sense. I. These points are also useful in elocution; for a pause is naturally made in reading, where a break occurs in the

sense.

II. The placing of these points is regulated by Analysis, or the division of sentences into their leading members.

* The Teacher will find, that to make his Pupils write from dictation, is the best mode of giving them a practical knowledge of Orthography. He may multiply Exercises at pleasure from any Reading-Book.

III. In the following rules, the members of a sentence are spoken of as single words, phrases, or clauses. A clause contains a subject and verb within itself; a phrase does not. A subordinate clause explains some part of a principal clause. Co-ordinate clauses are independent of one another, or have a common dependence on a superior clause.

The points used in Composition are:—

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I. When two or more words follow one another in the same construction, commas are placed between them; as, 'Alfred was a brave, pious, and patriotic prince.'

1. When two words in the same construction are joined by a conjunction, they do not require a comma between them; as, 'Relgiion purifies and ennobles the mind.'

2. When words in the same construction follow each other in pairs, a comma is placed between each pair; as, 'Truth is fair and artless, simple and sincere, uniform and constant.'

II. Explanatory phrases, when independent or emphatic, are separated from the context; as, 'His father dying, he succeeded to the estate;' To confess the truth, I was greatly to blame.'

III. Words denoting the person or object addressed, and words placed in apposition, are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas; as, My son, give me

thy heart;' 'Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, was eminent for his knowledge and zeal.'

When nouns placed in apposition are single, or form only one proper name, they are not separated by commas; as, 'The emperor Antoninus wrote an excellent book.'

IV. Subordinate clauses are separated from the principal clause, and from one another, by commas; as, 'Wherever he went, he was received with enthusiasm, which proves how great a favourite he was;' 'Though deep, it is yet clear.'

When the relative clause defines the Antecedent, it must not be separated from it by a comma; as, 'He who cares only for himself, has but few pleasures.'

V. When co-ordinate clauses are simple, and have no points within themselves, they are generally separated by commas; as, 'Virtue supports in adversity, and moderates in prosperity;' 'He was learned, but not pedantic.'

VI. The modifying words and phrases, nay, however, finally, in short, at least, etc., are usually separated from the context by commas; as, 'Finally, let me repeat what I stated before;' 'A kind word, nay, even a kind look, often affords comfort to the afflicted.'

VII. Words supposed to be spoken, or which are taken from another writer, but not formally quoted, are preceded by a comma; as, 'It hurts a man's pride to say, I do not know.'

Words directly spoken or quoted, are marked by inverted commas above the line; as, “My dear son," said Phocion, "I entreat you to serve your country as faithfully as I have done."

Exercise 5.

Supply the points omitted in the following sentences:—

I. Self-conceit presumption and obstinacy blast the pros

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