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:

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

pects of many a youth. Plain honest truth needs no artificial covering. To live soberly righteously and piously comprehends the whole of our duty. Vicissitudes of good and evil of trials and consolations fill up the life of man. Health and peace a moderate fortune and a few friends sum up the elements of earthly felicity.

II. In spite of repeated warnings we are still unmindful of death. The path of piety and virtue pursued with a firm and constant spirit will assuredly lead to happiness. Peace of mind being secured we may smile at misfortunes. To say the least they have betrayed great want of prudence. Notwithstanding the efforts of the crew the cargo was entirely lost.

III. Continue my dear child to make virtue thy principal study. To you my worthy benefactors am I indebted under Providence for all I enjoy. Come then companions of my toils let us take fresh courage persevere and hope to the end. Hope the balm of life soothes us under every misfortune. The patriarch Joseph is an illustrious example of chastity resignation and filial affection.

IV. If greatness flatters our vanity it multiplies our dangers. No errors are so trivial that they do not deserve to be minded. Candour is a quality which all admire though few practise it. He who gives his child habits of industry provides for him better than by giving him a stock of money. Although he was poor he was always contented. That thou art happy owe to God.

V. Sensuality contaminates the body depresses the understanding deadens the moral feelings degrades man from his rank in creation. He who is a stranger to industry may possess but he cannot enjoy. The goods of this world were given to man for his occasional refreshment not for his chief felicity. Unavoidable calamities make a part but they make not the chief part of the vexations and sorrows which distress human life.

VI. Be assured then that order frugality and economy are the necessary supports of every personal and private virtue. I proceed secondly to point out the proper state of our temper with respect to one another. Gentleness is in truth the great avenue to mutual enjoyment. I shall make some observations first on the external and next on the in-ternal condition of man.

VII. Vice is not of such a nature that we can say to it hitherto shalt thou come and no further. One of the noblest Christian virtues is to love our enemies. Many too confi

dently say to themselves my mountain stands strong and shall never be removed. We are strictly enjoined not to follow a multitude to do evil.

2. THE SEMICOLON.

I. When co-ordinate clauses contain commas within themselves, or are not closely related to one another, they are separated by a semicolon; as, 'Economy is no disgrace; for it is better to live on a little, than to outlive a great deal.'

II. When a sentence contains a series of co-ordinate, dependent clauses, they are separated by semicolons; as, 'Philosophers assert that Nature is unlimited in her -operations; that she has inexhaustible treasures in reserve; that knowledge will always be progressive; and that all future generations will continue to make discoveries, of which we have not the slightest idea.'

Exercise 6.

Supply the points omitted in the following sentences:

I. The passions are the chief destroyers of our peace the storms and tempests of the moral world. Heaven is the region of gentleness and friendship hell of fierceness and animosity. The path of truth is a plain and safe path that