deciding differences of this natureappears to be necessary; and where can we find one of equal pretensions with Dr. Johnson's Dictionary? though a few of his decisions do not appear to be warranted by the principles of etymology and analogy, the stable foundations of his improvements." As the weight of truth and reason (says Nares in his " Elements of Orthoepy") is irresistible, Dr. Johnson's Dictionary has nearly fixed the external form of our language. Indeed, so convenient is it to have one acknowledged standard to recur to; so much preferable, in matters of this nature, is a trifling degree of irregularity, to a continual change, and fruitless pursuit of unattainable perfection; that it is earnestly to be hoped that no author will henceforth, on light grounds, be tempted to innovate."

With a view to remedy, in some measure, the inconvenience arising from the uncertainty and perplexity, with which the orthography of the English language is attended, the learner is here presented with such general maxims in spelling primitive and derivative words, as have been almost universally received,with appropriate exercises under each rule.

RULE I.

Monosyllables ending with f, l, or s, preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant; as, staff, mill, pass, &c. The only exceptions are, of, if, as, is, has, was, yes, his, this, us, and thus.

Exercises in False O thography-It is no great merit to spel properly; but a great defect to do it incorrectly. Jacob worshipped his creator, leaning on the top of his staf.We may place too little, as wel as too much stres upon dreams-Our manners should be reither gros, nor excessively refined.-Can you tel nss any news ?-The vicious mas is hiss own greatest enemy.-Snakes his.-A tal man should walk with a long staf.

RULE II.

Monosyllables ending with any consonant but ƒ, l, or s, and preceded by a single vowel, never double the final consonant; excepting add, ebb, butt egg, odd, err, inn, bunn, purr, and buzz.

Exercises in False Orthography.-A carr signifies a chariot of war, or a small carriage, of burden. In the names of druggs and plants, the mistake in a word may endanger life. Nor undelightful is the ceaseless humm,

To him, who muses through the woods at noon.

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.-Many thousand families are support. ed by the simple business of making matts.

RULE III.

Words ending with y, preceded by a consonant, form the plurals of nouns, the persons of verbs, verbal nouns, past participles, comparatives, and superlatives. by changing y into i; as, spy, spies; I carry, thou carriest; he carrieth, or carries; carrier, carried; happy, happier, happiest.

The present participle in ing, retains the y, that i may not be doubled; as, carry, carrying; bury, burying,

But y, preceded by a vowel, in such instances as the above, is not changed; as, boy boys; I cloy he cloyed, &c.; except in lay, pay, and say; from which are formed, laid, paid, and said ; and their compound, unlaid, unpaid, unsaid, &e.

Exercises in False Orthography.—We should subject our fancys to the government of reason.—If thou art seeking for the living among the dead, thou wearyest thyself in vain. -If we have denyed ourselves sinful pleasures, we shall be great gainers in the end.-We shall not be the happyer for possessing talents and affluence, unless we make a right use of them.-The truly good man is not dismaied by poverty, afflictions, or death.-The debt still remains unpayed-They layed him in the grave.-The monies, thence arising, were appropriated to charitable uses -Delaies are dangerous.—The partys appeared by their attornies. The chimnies want sweeping.-These vallies are deep,-They make long journies.

RULE IV.

Words ending with y, preceded by a consonant, upon assuming an additional syllable beginning with a consonant, commonly change y into i; as, happy, happily, happiness, But when y is preceded by a vowel, it is very rarely changed in the additional syllable; as, coy, coyly; boy, boyish, boyhood; annoy, an– noyer, annoyance; joy, joyless, joyful.

Exercises in Fulse Orthography.—It is a great blessing to have a sound mind, uninfluenced by fancyful humours.-Common calamities and common blessings fall heavyly upon the envious.-The comelyness of youth are modesty and frankness; of age, con. descension and dignity-When we act against conscience, we become the destroiers of our peace.—We may be plaiful, and yet innocent; grave and yet corrupt.-It is only from general conduct, that our true character can be portraied-Many fold blessings at tend us on every side.

RULE V.

Monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, ending with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double that consonant, when they take an other syllable beginning with a vowel; as, wit, witty; thin, thinnish; to abet, an abettor; to begin, a beginner.

But if a diphthong precedes, or the accent is on the preceding syllable, the consonant remains single; as, to toil, toiling; to offer, an offering; maid, maiden, &c.

Exercises in False Orthography.-When we bring the lawmaker into contempt, we have in ffect annuled his laws. By defering our repentance, we accumulate our sorrows.— The pupil of a certain ancient philosopher were not, during their first years of study, per. amited to ask any questions.-'We all have many failling and lapses to lament and recov er. There is no affliction, with which we are visitted, that may not be improved to our advantage. The christian law,iver has prohibitted many things, which the heathen philosophers allowed.

RULE VL

Words, ending with any double letter but 1, and taking ness, less, ly, or ful, after them, preserve the letter double; as, harmlessness, carelessness, carelessly, stiffly, successful, distressful, &c. But those words which end with double l, and take ness, less, ly, o1 ful, after them, generally omit one ; as, fulness, skilless, fully, skilful, &c.

Exercises in False Orthography.-Restlesness of mind disqualifies us, both for the enjoy. ment of peace, and the performance of our duty.—The arrows of calumny fall barmlesly at the feet of virtue-l'he road to the blisful regions is as open to the peasant, as the king. A chillness, or shivering of the body, generally precedes a fever.-To recom. mend virtae to others, our lights must shine brightly and not dullly.

The silent stranger stood amazed to see

Contempt of wealth, and willful poverty.

RULE VII.

Ness, less, ly, and ful, added to words ending with silent e, do not cut it off; as paleness, guileness, closely, peaceful; except in a few words; as, duly, truly, awful.

Exercises in False Orthography

The warmth of disputation destroys that sedatness of

mind, which is necessary to discover truth.

All these with ceasless praise his works behold,

Both day and night.

In all our reasoning, our mind should be sincerly employed in the pursuit of truth. Rule behaviour and indecent language are peculiarly disgracful to youth of education. The true worship of God is an important and awetul service. Wisdom alone is truely fair; folly only appears so.

RULE VIII.

a

Ment, added to words ending with silent e, generally preserves the e from alision; as. abatement, chastisement, incitement, &c. The words, judgment, a. bridgment, acknowledgment, are deviations from the rule.

Like other terminations, ment changes y into i, when preceded by a conso nant; as accompany, accompaniment ; merry, merriment.

Exercises in False Orthography-The study of the English language is making daily advanement.—A judicious arrangment of studies facilitates improvment.--The judgements of heaven will surely overtake the wicked. There are many abridgements of Murrray's grammar.

To shan allurments is not hard,

To minds resolv'd, forewarn'd, and well prepar'd.

RULE IX.

Able and ible, when incorporated into words ending with silent e, almost always cut it off; as, blame, blamable; cure, curable; sense, sensible, &c.; but if c or g soft comes before e in the original word, the e is then preserved in words compounded with able; as, change, changeable ; peace, peaceable, &c.

Exercises in False Orthography--Every person and thing connected with self, is apt to appear good and desireable in our eyes. Errors and misconduct are more excuseable in ignorant, than in well instructed persons. The divine laws are not reverseible by those of men.-Gratitude is a forceible and active principle in good and generous minds. Our natural and involuntary defects of body are not chargable upon us. We are made to be servicable to others, as well as to ourselves.

RULE X.

When ing or ish is added to words ending with silent e, the e is almost uni versally omitted; as, place, placing; lodge, lodging; slave, slavish; prude, prudish.

Exercises in False Orthography-An obligeing and humble disposition is totally un connected with a servile and cringeing humour. By solaceing the sorrows of others, the heart is improved, at the same time, that our duty is performed. The inadvertencies of youth may be excused, but knaveish tricks should meet with severe reproof.

RULE XI.

Compounded words are generally spelled in the same manner, as the simple words of which they are formed; as, glasshouse, thereby, hereby. Many words ending with double l, are exceptions to this rule; as, already, welfare, wilful, fulfil-and also the words, wherever. christmas, lammas, &c.

Exercises in False Orthography.The pasover was a celebrated feast among the Jews. A virtuous woman looketh well to the ways of her houshold. These people salute one another, by touching the tops of their for heads. That, which is somtimes expedient, is not allways so. We may be hurtfull to others, by our example, as well as by personal injuries. In candid minds, truth finds an entrance, and a wellcome too~Our passtimes should be innocent, and they should not occur too frequently.

SECTION 4.-Promiscuous Exercises in False Orthography.

1. Instances of False Orthography promiscuously disposed, to be rectified by the pre

ceding Rules.

His father omited nothing in his education, that might render him virtuous and usefull. The daw in the fable was dressed in pilferred ornaments.—A favour, confered with deli cacy, doubles the obligation.-They tempted their Creator and limitted the Holy One of Israel.-The precepts of a good education have often recured in the time of need.— We are frequently benefitted by what we have dreaded.—It is no great virtue to live loveingly with good natured and meek persons.-The Christian religion gives a more lovly character of God, than any religion ever did.-Any thing, commited to the trust and care of another, is a deposit.—It deserves our best skil to inquire into those rules, by which we may guide our judgment.-Food, clotheing, and habitations are the rewards of industry.

Receive his counsel, and securly move;

Entrust thy fortune to the Power above.

The acknowledgement of our transgressions must precede the forgiveness of them.—Judicious abridgements often aid the studys of youth.—Calico is a thinn cloth made of cot ton; sometimes stained with livly colours. They have made ungratefull returns.-A ram will but with his head, though he be brought up tame, and never saw the action.-The

king of Great Britain is a limitted monarch. The hive is in the best condition, when there is the least buz in it.-Batterring rams were anciently used to beat down the walls of a city. The barmlesness of many animals should plead for them against cruel useage.We may be very busy to no usefull purpose.-We cannot plead in abatment of our guilt, that we are ignorant of our daty.-If we sow spareingly we shall reap accordingly.

A fit of sickness is often a kind chastisment.-It is a happyness to young persons, when they are preserved from the snares of the world, as in a garden enclosed.-Health and peace, the most valueable possessions, are obtained at small expense.-True happyness is an enemy to pomp and noise.-The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.

Examine how thy humour is inclin❜d.

And which the ruleing passion of thy mind.

The harvest truely is plenteous, but the labourers are few. The greater our incitments to evil, the greater will be our victory and reward.-Virtue is placed between two extremes, both of which are equally blameable.—To be faithfull among the faithless argues great strength of principle.-Proper seasons should be alloted for retirement.-Many have heen visitted with afflictions, who have not profitted by them--We may be succesfull, and yet disappointed.~To maintain opinions stiffly is no evidence of their truth, or of our moderation. The wicked are often ensnared in the trapp, which they lay for others.It is hard to say what diseases are cureable; they are all under the management of Heaven.—Instructers should not only be skillfall in those sciences, which they teach; but have skil in the method of teaching, and patience in the practice.

How has kind Heaven adorn'd the happy land,

And scatter'd blessings with a wastful hand!

A steady mind may receive counsel; hut there is no hold on a changable humour.— Excessive merryment is the parent of greif--We should study to live peacably with all men.-The voice is sometimes obstructed by a hoarsness, or viscous phlegm.-If we are so conceited as obstinatly to reject all advice, we must expect a dereliction of friendsChronology is the science of computeing and adjusting the periods of time.-Let us show diligence in every laudable undertakeing.

A soul that can securly death defy,
And count it nature's privilege to die.

2.-Instances of False Orthography promiscuously disposed, to be rectified by Johnson's Dictionary.

Neglect no oppurtunity of doing good.-No man can stedily build upon accident.Neither time nor misfortunes should eraze the rememberance of a friend.-Moderation should preside, both in the kitchin and the parlor-Shall we recieve good at the Divine hand, and shall we not receive evil ?—In many designs, we may succede and he miserable.-We should have sence and virtue enough to receed from our demands when they appear to be unresonable.-All our comforts procede from the Father of Goodness.-The Frain of a state is generally preceeded by a universal degenaracy of manners, and a contempt of religion.-Without sinisterous views, they are dextrous managers of their own interest.-If we lie no restraint upon our lusts, no controul upon our apetites and passions, they will hurry us into guilt and misery.An independant is one who, in religious affairs, holds that every congregation is a compleat church.

Following life in cretures we disect,

We lose it in the moment we detect.

-He faulters at the question;

His fears, his words, his looks, declare him guilty.

The glazier's business was unknown to the antients.-The antecedant, in grammer, is the noun or pronoun to which the relative refers.-Be not affraid of the wicked; they are under the controul of Providence. Consciousness of guilt may justly afright us-Convey to others no inteligence which you would be ashamed to avow.— Many are weighed in the ballance and found wanting.-How many disapointments have, in their consequences saved a man from ruin !-A well-poized mind wakes a chearful countenance.-Cinamon is a fragrant bark of a low tree in the iland of Ceylon-We percieve a piece of silver in a bason, when water is poured on it, though we could not discover it before.-Virtue imbaꞌms the memory of the good.-The phisician may dispence the medicin, but Providence alone can bless it.-In many persuits we imbark with pleasure, and land sorrowfully.—Rocks, mountains, and caverns, are of indispensible use, both to the earth and to man.-The roughnesses found on our enterance into the paths of virtue and learning, grow

smoother as we advance. That which was once the most beautifull spot of Italy, coverred with pallaces, imbellished by princes, and cellebrated by poets, has now nothing to show but ruins.-Jocky signifies a man who rides horses in a race; or who deals in horses. However disagreable, we must resolutely perform our duty.-Incence signifies perfumes exhailed by fire, and made use of in religious ceremonies.-There is an inseperable connection between piety and virtue.

Many actions have a fair complection, which have not sprung from virtue.- Which way soever we turn ourselves, we are incountered with sensible demonstrations of a Deity. If we forsake the ways of virtue, we cannot alledge any color of ignorance, or want of instruction.-l'here are more cultivaters of the earth, than of their own hearts.-Man is incompassed with dangers innumerable—We should not encourage persons to do what they beleive to be wrong-We should continually have the gaol in our view, which would direct us in the race. The goals were forced open, and the prisoners set free.—It cannot be said that we are charitible doners, when our gifts proceed from selfish motives. Straight is the gate, and narrow the way, that lead to life eternal.-Integrity leads us strait forward, disdaining all doubleings, and crooked paths.-Licenciousness and crimes pave the way to rain.-Words are the countres of wise men, but the money of fools.Recompence to no man evil for evil.-He was an excellent person; a mirrour of antient faith in early youth.-Meekness controuls our angry passions ; candor, our severe judgements. He is not only a pious descendent from pious ancesters, but an inheriter too of their virtues-A dispensatory is a place where medicines are dispensed; a dispensary is a book in which the composition of them is described.-Faithfulness and judgment are peculiarly requisit in testamentory executors.-Mountains appear to be like so many wens or unatural portaberancies on the face of the earth. In some places the sea in croaches upon the land; in others, the land upon the sea- Philosophers agreed in despizing riches, as the incumberances of life.-Fishes encrease more than beasts or birds, as appears from their numrous spaun. The piramids of Egypt have stood more than thres thousand years.-Precepts have small influence when not enforced by example. A friend exaggarates a man's virtues, an enemy enflames his crimes.-It is laudable to enquire bɛ• fore we determin.— The experience of want inhances the value of plenty -Horehound has been famous for its medecinal qualities, but it is now little used.-Science strengthens and inlarges the minds of men.

We may enure ourselves by custom, to bear the extremities of whether without injury. Air is sensable to the touch by its motion, and by its resistance to bodies moved in it. A polite address is sometimes the cloke of malice. To practice virtue is the sure way to love it. Many things are plausable in theory, which fail in practise.-Whatever pro motes the interest of the soul, is also condusive to our present felicity.-Let not the sterness of virtue afright us; she will soon become amiable.

The spatious firmament on high,
With all the blue etheriel sky,

Aud spangled heav'ns a shineing frame,
Their great Originel proclame.

Passion is the drunkeness of the mind; it supercedes the workings of reason.—If we are sincere, we may be assured of an advocate to intersede for us.- -We ought not to consider the encrease of another's reputation, as a diminution of our own.-The reuma tism is a painful distemper, supposed to procede from acrid humors.-The beautiful and accomplished, are too apt to study behaivour rather than virtue.-The peazant's cabbin contains as much content as the soverein's pallace.—True valor protects the feeble, and humbles the oppressor.-David, the son of Jesse, was a wise and valient man.-Prophe cies and miracles proclaimed Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world.-Esau sold his birthright for a savory mess of pottage.—A regular and virteous education, is an inesteemable blessing.

Honor and shame from no condition rise;

Act well your part; there, all the honor lies.

The rigor of monkish disciplin often conceals depravity of heart.-We should recollect, that however favorable we may be to ourselves, we are rigorously examined hy others. Virtue can render youth, as well as old age, honorable.-Rumor often tells false tales. Weak minds are ruffled by triffing things.-The cabage-tree is very common in the Caribbee islands, where it grows to a prodigious heighth.-Visit the sick, feed the hungry, cloath the naked. His smiles and tears are too artificial to be relied on.-The most es essensial virtues of a Christian, are love to God and benevolence to man.-should be chearful without levity.-A calender signifies a register of the year; and a calendar, a press in which clothier's smooth their cloth.-Integrity and hope are the sure paliatives of sorrow.-Camomile is an odoriferous plant, and possesses considerable medi cinel virtues. The gaity of youth shonld be tempered by the precepts of age.➡Certainty, even on distresful occasions, is sometimes more elligible than suspence.

-We