attractive, by removing, in a plain and rational manner, the veil of mystery in which mere rules of the science necessarily leave it enveloped. You have happily succeeded in rendering English Grammar perspicuous and familiar to the juvenile mind, by giving the rationale of every rule; and the judicious arrangement, gradually proceeding from the elementary to the most abstruse parts, enables the learner to comprehend, without difficulty, what is presented at every step of his progress. The recapitulations are admirably adapted to this end, while the exercises in parsing, accompanying every new acquisition, are calculated to fix them in the mind, and confirm and illustrate the rules. Such a plan is entirely new; I admire its ingenuity, and confidently anticipate its universal adoption in our seminaries of learning. Instead of servilely following your predecessors, you have struck out a new path, where every thing is simple, satisfactory and inviting. Wishing that your work may meet with the encouragement it so well merits, I remain, dear sir, yours sincerely, A. O. STANSBURY." "I have examined' Conversations on English Grammar,' by Charles M. Ingersoll, Esq. and fully concur in the opinion as given above. HEZEKIAH G. UFFORD, A. M." May 21, 1821. "I have read Conversations on English Grammar, by Charles M. Ingersoll, Esq.' and have no hesitation in saying that, in my opinion, it offers greater advantages to pupils, who are studying English Grammar, than any other book now in use. May 14th, 1821. JOSEPH HOXIE, Philom. Academy." "In the above opinion I fully concur. JOHN D. HOLBROOK." "Charles M. Ingersoll, Esq. "Sir-I have examined 'Conversations on English Grammar,' with care, and I am happy to say, that I think it better adapted to the purpose intended than any other with which I am acquainted. "I have, for many years, been accustomed to instruct in that branch, and have found, in all systems, many difficulties and imperfections; particularly the want of intelligible explanation, of regular gradation, and of just adaptation of the subject, to the progress of the pupil: these you have happily fallen upon the true method of obviating. "I hope and trust that we shall soon find your book in general use. "Yours, &c. J. W. KELLOGG." "Messrs. Wiley and Halsted-I have examined with attention, and with pleasure, Conversations on English Grammar,' by Charles M. Ingersoll, Esq. and have no hesitation in saying that, in my opinion, it is incomparably the best English Grammar, for the use of schools, that has been laid before the public. I trust that the facilities which it offers to young learners, will induce parents who consult their own interest and that of their children, and teachers who intend to do their duty to both, to unite in giving this book an immediate introduction into all our schools. J. PERRY, "Teacher of the Classical and Grammar School, No. 142 Fulton-street.” New York, May 14th, 1821. The following by N. H. Carter, Esq. late Professor of Languages in Dartmouth College, is an extract from the Statesman. "Mr. Ingersoll has brought to his subject a clear and philosophical mind; an extensive and accurate knowledge of the principles of universal grammar, and of the English language in particular; much experience in the science on which he has written; and a happy faculty of expressing and illustrating his ideas. It would exceed the limits of a newspaper paragraph to enter into a full explanation of his system. Suffice it to say, that he has, in our opinion, introduced many valuable improvements both in matter and manner. He has reversed many parts of the system of grammar, putting the first, last, and the last, first, and following the order of the understanding, instead of the artificial and unnatural arrangement which his predecessors have adopted. His investigations have stripped the science of many of its technicalities, and of much of the mystery in which it has been enveloped; and by relieving the pupil from the severest and most irksome of all tasks-that of committing to memory what he does not comprehend, Mr. Ingersoll has rendered the study of grammar at once easy, pleasing, and profitable. Able and experienced instructors have pronounced it to be decidedly the best system which they have met with, and there is a prospect of its coming into general On the whole, we fully concur in the favourable opinions which others have expressed, and believe it to be a work highly creditable to its author, and worthy of public patronage." use. William Coleman, Esq. editor of the Evening Post, copied the whole article, and said, "As an evidence of our acquiescence in the above remarks of Mr. Carter, we have republished the above article. Mr. Ingersoll, in the course of this work, discovers an extensive and thorough acquaintance with the English grammarians who have preceded him; sometimes agreeing and sometimes disagreeing with them, and always states his reasons in language at once plain and perspicuous." "Mr. Charles M. Ingersoll, "Sir-I have read with much satisfaction your 'Conversations on English Grammar.' The work contains all that is useful in Murray, Lowth, and other writers on grammar; and the instruction is conveyed on a plan entirely new, and well adapted to fix it methodically and permanently on the mind. Its introduction into our seminaries of education would facilitate the progress of the pupil, and I certainly hope that you may receive the patronage which the distinguished merits of this work demand. I am, sir, your most obedient servant, J. V. N. YATES, "Secretary of State, and ex-officio Superintendent of Common Schools." Albany, Sept. 1821. Extract of a letter from the Rev. D. Wilkie, Principal of a Classical and English Grammar School at Quebec, to T. Carey, Jun. bookseller. "Quebec, August 3d, 1821. "Dear Sir-I have had an opportunity of looking into Mr. Ingersoll's Grammar of the English Language, and think it a very judicious work. I think it would prove a very useful work in families and for private teachers. It seems peculiarly calculated for the advantage of those who desire to advance their knowledge of the English language by private study. I am your obedient servant, D. WILKIE." Letter from Dr. Abercrombie, to the Author. "Philadelphia, July 10, 1821. "Sir-In reply to your favour of the 5th inst. requesting my opinion of your recent publication, entitled, 'Conversations on English Grammar,' I do not hesitate to express my highest approbation of the mode you have adopted to inculcate that essentially necessary branch of science. Its novelty will induce attention: and the very lucid and familiar manner in which you have communicated instruction, renders it a work equally well calculated for the school and for the closet. Its merit will, I hope, be justly appreciated, and its use generally adopted. I am, sir, your most humble servant, JAS. ABERCROMBIE." Extract from the Montreal Courant, of August 11th, 1821. "Education-We again introduce the subject of Mr. Ingersoll's new system of Grammar, from the firm conviction of its superiority over any other work on the same subject." The following remarks are by Orville L. Holley, Esq. of Hudson, New York, who is well known as a scholar, both for his critical accuracy, and extent of learning. "We have just had a new system of English Grammar put into our hands, digested and arranged by C. M. Ingersoll, Esq. We have read it carefully through, and justice to the author, no less than a deep sense of the importance of the subject, compels us to say, that, in our opinion, it is the best exposition of the principles of English Grammar that we have ever seen. It is remarkably clear and simple in its definitions, explanations, and illustrations; and it is, therefore, peculiarly well adapted to the capacity and wants of the learner. It is arranged in a just and natural method; for it proceeds from the plainest principles to the most abstruse, by easy and closely connected steps, and renders each topic perfectly intelligible before a new one is introduced. It is scarcely less convenient to the instructer, also, than it is advantageous to the pupil; for it saves to the former a vast amount of trouble and perplexity, which, in using other systems, he is doomed to undergo, in the endeavour to render the abstractions of grammar intelligible, while at the same time it furnishes the latter with the soundest distinctions, and clearest conceptions in regard to the nature and offices of words, and the principles of construction." "Having been presented with a system of English Grammar, lately published by Charles M. Ingersoll, and having examined it, I do most cheerfully recommend it to the public as being a work better calculated to aid Instructers and assist Youth in the acquisition of English Grammar than any publication now extant with which I am ac quainted. Its arrangement, combination, and exercises are such, in my estimation, as place it supereminently above any work of the kind now in use. I am persuaded that it needs only to be known to entitle it to the universal patronage of Schools and Academies throughout our country. JOHN KELLY." Ballston Spa, 25th August, 1821. XII. Of Conjunctions and Interjections, XIII. Of Nouns and Pronouns connected by Conjunc- tions, and Nouns and Pronouns in apposition, XIV. Of the Nominative Case Independent. Of deriva- XV. Of the Moods and Tenses of Verbs, XVII. Of the Potential, Infinitive, and Imperative XVIII. Of Passive and Neuter Verbs, XIX. Of the Auxiliary Verbs, and of the Tenses, parsing exercises, annexed to each conversation, composed exclusively of the matter previously explained, and to combine in each successive exercise, all the principles, presented in those which precede. Thus, at every step, what is new is associated with what is known; and what is known becomes more familiar by repetition. In conformity to this plan, the verb is parsed, for a considerable time, without regard to the moods and tenses; the explanation of these being deferred, till the nature and character of this part of speech are well understood. The explanations of the passive and neuter verbs, are also deferred, till the active verbs, and all the moods and tenses, are thoroughly known. After having explained the Etymology and Syntax of the language, and enabled the pupil to parse fluently, the form of conversation is dropped, and the remaining instructions are divided into sections, in which all the rules are recapitulated, accompanied with remarks on the structure of the language; and appended to each section, are appropriate exercises in false syntax, which will serve also as a convenient series of exercises in parsing. These exercises have been taken from Mr. Murray's book of Exercises, which afforded as good a collection as could be found; and the notes which accompany them, with such alterations only as were necessary, have been copied from Mr. Murray's Grammar; and, throughout the work, whatever has been found convenient and unexceptionable, has been taken from this judicious grammarian and excellent writer. It may not be deemed impertinent, to say a |