occasionally inserted in these Exercises. The understanding and sensibility of young persons, are much underrated by those who think them incapable of comprehending and relishing this kind of instruction. The sense and love of goodness are early and deeply implanted in the human mind; and often, by their infant energies, surprise the intelligent observer : why, then, should not these emotions find their proper support and incentives, among the elements of learning? Congenial sentiments, thus disposed, besides making permanent impressions, may serve to cherish and expand those generous principles; or, at least, to prepare them for regular operation, at a future period. The importance of exhibiting to the youthful mind, the deformities of vice; and of giving it just and animating views of piety and virtue, makes it not only warrantable, but our duty also, to embrace every proper occasion to promote, in any degree, these valuable ends. In presenting the learner with so great a number of examples, it was difficult to preserve them from too much uniformity. The Compiler has, however, been studious to give them an arrangement and diversity, as agreeable as the nature of the subject would admit; and to render them interesting, as well as intelligible and instructive, to young persons. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SEVENTH EDITION +. THE Author of this volume of Exercises, perceiving that it has been well received by the public, and that the demand for it still continues to increase, has felt it incumbent upon him to give the seventh edition every improvement in his power, without enhancing the price of the book. Besides expunging some obscure and uninteresting sentences; inserting a number of examples adapted to the latest improvements in the grammar; and adding to the Syntax many useful exercises; he has subjoined to the part designed to promote perspicuous and accurate writing, a whole chapter (twelve pages) of promiscuous exercises, peculiarly adapted to this subject. As every other general division of the book was provided with a chapter of this nature, it is presumed that teachers and private students will approve of an addition so necessary to complete the plan of the work. It is calculated, at once, to confirm the learner in perspicuous and accurate writing, and to improve his taste for elegant composition. In all the additional exercises to this part of the book, the author has been careful to exhibit no inaccuracies but such as are frequently found in respectable writings. The display of vulgar and glaring errors, which no persons of education ever commit, would not be proper for a work of this nature, and could not fail to produce disapprobation and disgust. + The improvements made in the eighth edition, consist, chiefly, of "General Directions for using the Exercises," and of a new, enlarged system of Exercises in Parsing. A 4 ADVERTISEMENT TO THE TENTH EDITION. ONE of the chief improvements, made in the tenth edition of this work, consists in the adaptation of it, throughout, to an objective case of nouns. This case was adopted in the twelfth edition of the Grammar; and it is therefore indispensable, that the Exercises should conform to the alteration t. As there are some teachers, who doubt the propriety of presenting exercises of bad English to youth of the junior classes, it seems proper, in this place, to make a few observations on the subject. The author is persuaded, that exercises of this nature cannot be too soon engaged in, by the student of grammar. Simple rules, and examples of rectitude, make light impression, compared with the effect of contrast, in which errors and corrections are opposed to each other. A child generally sees and hears so many instances of erroneous construction, that, unless he is early taught to distinguish and correct them, his imitative powers will be more influenced by error than by rectitude. Besides, children, in detecting and amending errors, feel their own powers; and however small the exercise may be, it is a most pleasing and animating incentive to application and study. What they learn in this way, will not only gratify them: it will also improve their judgment and sagacity, and be long and accurately remembered. On these grounds, it is evident, that the practice of correcting errors, should be introduced into the early stages of grammatical studies. Instead of exposing children to "the danger of evil communication," as some ingenious persons have supposed, it seems to be the best means of teaching them, first, to discover the irregularities, and then, to avoid the contagion, of bad examples. + See the reasons in favour of an Objective Case for English nouns, at pages 54, 55, 56, of the Twelfth or any subsequent edition of the Grammar. GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR USING THE EXERCISES. 1. As soon as the learner has committed to memory, the definitions of the article and substantive, as expressed in the grammar, he should be employed in parsing those parts of speech, as they are arranged in this volume of the Exercises. 2. The learner should proceed, in this manner, through all the definitions of the parts of speech, contained in Etymology, regularly parsing the exercises on one definition, before he applies to another. 3. As the pupil will then be able to understand all the rules in Orthography, he should be directed to correct, in regular order, the orthographical exercises attached to the particular rules. 4. In this stage of his progress, he may vary his employment, by occasionally parsing the promiscuous exercises, contained in the ninth section of the chapter of Etymological Parsing, and by writing the plurals of nouns, &c. in the eighth section of the same chapter. 5. When the first rule of Syntax is committed to memory, the correspondent exercise in parsing, should be performed. Then the sentences of false syntax, under the rule, should be corrected, in writing. In this manner, both as to parsing and correcting, all the rules of Syntax should be treated, proceeding regularly according to their order. The pupil may now be, occasionally, employed in correcting the promiscuous exercises in Orthography. 6. The preceding directions (except those upon Orthography) respect only the leading rules of the Grammar, which are printed in the larger type. When the exercises on those general rules are completed, and not before, the learner is to apply to the first subordinate rule, contained in the smaller type. He is to read it very attentively, assisted by the teacher's explanations; and afterwards correct, in writing, the false construction of the exercises belonging to it. till the whole is finished t. Thus, he is to proceed, rule by rule, sionally, employed in parsing the promiscuous exercises, contained in the eighth section of the chapter on Syntactical Parsing. 7. When the student has corrected all the exercises appropriated to the particular rules, he should regularly proceed to rectify the promiscuous Exercises, in syntax and punctuation. In this employ, he should write over each correction, the number of the rule, principal or subordinate, by which he conceives the correction ought to be made. 8. After this progress, the learner will be qualified to enter on the Exercises respecting perspicuous and accurate writing. In this part, he is to proceed in a manner as similar to the preceding directions, as the subject will admit. 9. When all the Exercises have been regularly corrected, in writing, it would tend to perfect the pupil's knowledge of the rules, and to give him an habitual dexterity in applying them, if he were occasionally desired to correct, verbally, erroneous sentences purposely selected from different parts of the book; to recite the rules by which they are governed; and, in his own language, to detail the reasons on which the corrections are founded. The following examples will give the student an idea of the manner, in which he is to make the verbal corrections. "The man is prudent which speaks little." This sentence is incorrect; because which is a pronoun of the neuter gender, and does not agree in gender with its antecedent man, which is masculine. But a pronoun should agree with its antecedent, in gender, &c. according to the fifth rule of Syntax. Which should therefore be who, a relative pronoun agreeing with The pupil ought to review every leading rule, and again rectify a few of the sentences under it, before he enters on its subordinate rules and their correspondent exercises. |