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

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 mind is not dismaid by poverty, afflictions, or death.

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, annoyed, annoyance; joy, joyless, joyful, &c.

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, condescension 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.

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 another 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.

When we bring the lawmaker into contempt, we have in effect annuled his laws.

RULE XI.

Compounded words are generally spelled in the same manner, as the simple words of which they are formed: as, glasshouse, skylight, thereby, hereafter. Many words ending with double 1, are exceptions to this rule: as, already, welfare, wilful, fulfil: and also the words, wherever, Christmas, lammas, &c.

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 top of their forheads.

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.

ETYMOLOGY AND SYNTAX.

25

CONVERSATION III.

ETYMOLOGY AND SYNTAX.

OF NOUNS AND VERBS.

Tutor. Do you remember the explanations, which I have often given you, of the words, analysis and synthesis?

George. I remember them well. Analysis is the separating of any thing into parts, to find the elements of which it is composed; and synthesis is the joining of these parts together again, to make one whole.

Tutor. That is right; and you may now perceive that these terms may be applied to our present subject; for you have learned, that articulate sounds are the elements of language; that letters are the representatives of these sounds, and compose syllables; that syllables compose words; that words compose sentences, and that sentences compose an oration or discourse. This process, you perceive, is synthetick. But, when you take an oration, or any composition, and decompose it, or separate its different parts, and find the elements of which it is composed, you analyze it.

George. I suppose, then, when we begin upon Etymology and Syntax, our business will be to analyze sentences. And, as you told us, that after we had finished that part of Grammar, which is called Orthography, you would explain to us the two parts, which are called Etymology and Syntax, I hope you will begin this morning.

Tutor. Yes, I am quite at leisure; and I will now begin to explain to you these useful parts of Grammar; and I do it with more pleasure, because I perceive that you desire to understand your own language. It is pleasant to instruct you, when you express a wish to be informed; but it is a very disagreeable task to teach children, if they have no curiosity, C

or love of learning; if they discover no disposition to improve the minds which God has given them, and have no wish to become wiser and better.

Caroline. I am anxious that you should begin your explanations, for I think we shall understand them. There is a great pleasure in learning, when we comprehend what we are taught.

Tutor. Etymology treats of the different sorts of words, of their derivation, and various modifications on account of cases, moods, and tenses. Syntax treats of the arrangement of words in a sentence according to grammatical rules. But you cannot, at present, perfectly comprehend these definitions: I shall illustrate them more fully as we advance, and as I find you prepared to understand the subject.

Caroline. You say Etymology treats of the different sorts of words; I think there must be a great many sorts.

Tutor. Not so many, perhaps, as you imagine. Although there are nearly forty thousand words in the English language, yet there are only ten different sorts, viz. the NOUN, or subSTANTIVE, VERB, ARTICLE, ADJECTIVE, PARTICIPLE, ADVERB, PRONOUN, CONJUNCTION, PREPOSITION, and INTERJECTION. We call these different sorts of words, parts of speech.

A Substantive, or Noun, is the name of any thing that exists, or of which we have any notion. The word Noun, means name. The name of any thing which we can see, taste, smell, hear, feel, or conceive of, is a noun. Book, apple, rose, song, pin, modesty, truth, bravery, are nouns. Nouns have four different properties belonging to them, viz. person, number, gender, and case.

Nouns have two persons, the second and third. When we speak of, or about a thing, the word, which is the name of that thing, is a noun of the third person; when we speak to a person or thing, it is of the second person as, when addressing a person, I say, The book is on the table, George ;-the nouns book and table are of the third person, but George is of the second person, because, I speak of the book, and the table, but I speak to George. Girls, study your lesson. In this example, girls is a noun of the second person, and lesson of the third person.

Nouns have two numbers, the singular number, and the plural number. When a word is the name of one person or thing, it is of the singular number; when it denotes more than one, it is of the plural number. Thus, when I say, The man walks among the trees; man is a noun of the third person, singular number, but trees is a noun of the third person, plural

number. But when I say, Trees, I wish you would grow faster, trees is a noun of the second person plural. Nouns have three Genders. GENDER is the distinction of nouns with regard to sex. When a noun denotes animals of the male kind, it is of the Masculine Gender; when it denotes animals of the female kind, it is of the Feminine Gender and when it signifies objects that are neither males nor females, it is of the Neuter Gender. Neuter means neither one nor the other. A noun of the neuter gender, then, means a noun, which is neither of the masculine gender, nor of the feminine gender. Thus, when I say, The boys lent the books to the girl;boys is a noun in the third person, plural number, of masculine gender; girl is a noun of the third person, singular number, of feminine gender; and books is a noun of the third person, plural number, of neuter gender.

Nouns have three cases; the Nominative case, the Possessive case, and the Objective case. Case is the condition, or situation of the noun in relation to other words in the sentence.

At present I will explain to you, only the Nominative casè ; the others will be explained hereafter. A noun which denotes an animal or thing that does an action is in the Nominative case.* Or, in other words, when a noun is the actor or agent, it is in the nominative case. And if a noun signifies an actor, there must be some word in the sentence expressing the action.

George. What are the words, which express actions, called? Tutor.VERBS. I shall now give you only such a definition of a Verb, as is sufficient for your present purpose; and, indeed, the only one which you can yet clearly comprehend; but, as we advance, I shall give you a more complete definition. And let me remark to you, once for all, that I shall present to you only such parts of the subject as I know you are prepared to understand; and give you such definitions as you can comprehend at the time they are given. Each Conversation will prepare you for the one that will follow.

George. That is the way in which you have instructed us in other subjects; and if you can do so in this, I am sure we shall be interested in it.

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Tutor. I will proceed with the Verb. A verb is a word that expresses an action of some creature or thing. Thus, if I say, The boy runs-The ball rolls-The dog barks+The bird flies-The children play-The rain falls-you can be

* This definition is sufficient for the learner's present purpose. See Cony. XVIII, the definition in Italic.

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