BETWEEN A GOVERNESS AND HER

PUPILS.

ON ORTHOGRAPHY AND THE PRACTICAL USE OF

GRAMMAR.

Mentoria.

My dear ladies, as you have gone through your différent exercises intirely to my fatisfac*tion, I shall now lay down fome rules to accelerate your progrefs in English Grammar. As you have in the courfe of your leffons acquired the knowledge of nouns, pronouns, adverbs, and participles, it fhall be my prefent endeavour to reduce them to a practical system. It is needlefs to inform your ladyships, that thofe who are defective in orthography, though in an exalted station of life, are never ranked in the class of what is ufually tiled good company. Their elevation renders their imperfections more confpicuous, and the reflection that they have neglected to make a proper use of the opportunities granted them to improve their talents, fubjects them to ridicule and contempt; whilst the poor, whofe fituation in life excludes from every fource of mental cultivation, excite our pity, and demand our affiftance. their ignorance cannot be imputed as a fault, the errors which are the natural conféquences of it, should never

N

As

be

be noticed, but from the humane motive of difpelling the darkness which obfcures their understanding. This is a task of fuch a tender nature, it requires the hand of a kilful artist to perform the operation; left while we mean to heal, we wound.

Lady Mary. I am much obliged to you, my dear madam, for the pains you take to improve me and Lady Louifa; and hope, by our affiduity, to make you a fuitable return. I am very defirous to speak and write correctly: The attention I pay to your instructions, I hope will, in a fhort time, produce the defired effect.

Lady Louifa. My good madam, I have formed the fame refolution; which I hope will make amends for my former negligence.

Your attainments will Infancy, like the fpring, which first blossoms, then

Ment. If, my dears, your future conduct shall be con. fiftent with your present declaration, I cannot doubt the advance of your improvement. be the reward of my labours. is the time to fow the feed; comes to full maturity, and at laft decays. I hope the foil of your understanding is fo fertile, and the culture fo well attended to, that the buds of knowledge will expand before the ufual time, and be prematurely ripe.

Lady M. How rejoiced, my dear Mentoria, you will be to fee us more accomplished than young ladies of our age ufually are.

Ment. I fhould be exceedingly mortified, to find you defective in any branch of your education. I think at present there feems no probability of my fuffering any inconvenience on that account. I will now

pur.

parfue my scheme, and endeavour to make some obfervations on the ufe of Grammar; which, I hope, will be of future ufe to you. I fhall begin by fuppofing you in company with a little girl about your own age, who would, perhaps, fay, "Pray, Lady Mary, when were you at the play? When my aunt and I was there, it was vaftly full of company. Sir George and Lady S. defires their compliments to you, and hopes you are well, and wishes to know how them pretty flowers of yours goes on." I hear you reply, my governefs, Mifs Simple, teaches me, when I speak in, or of the plural, always to fay were, inftead of was; or, if I address my difcourfes in the fingular number, to make ufe of the words, defires, fends, hopes, enquires, wishes. And when I fpeak of perfons, the directs me to fay, they, those, them, who, whom ; but when I mention inanimate things, always to substitute the word which, for whom. Examples: To whom do you speak? or who told you fo? Are those things yours? which of thefe apples do you

choofe?

Lady L. I clearly comprehend thefe examples, but wish to know the distinction of these and those.

Ment. I will readily comply with your requeft. The term thefe, implies poffeffion. Example: " These flowers in my hand ;" and is often used to exprefs the present time, as in this inftance: "In these days of refinement." Whilft thofe is a word relative, or used in reference to fome diftant object: as those books on the table," and is frequently used to denote a palt tranfExample: "In thofe early days fuperftition

action

N 2

pre

prevailed."I fhall now proceed to explain the words, hence, thence, and whence, and their connection with bare, there, and where. For inftance: Whilst I am here, I will ride; but when I go from hence, I will walk. I intend to read the Spectators when I am there; but when I go from thence, I purpofe to embroider a fire fcreen. From whence did you bring this?" which implies, where did you meet with it? I fhall conclude this differtation, by inquiring whether you remember the epicene nouns.

Lady M. Are they not those which may with equal propriety be applied to the mafculine and feminine gender?

Ment. You are perfectly right as to the general idea. I fhall enumerate a few particular inftances, which I hope will enable you to form a competent know. ledge of this branch of Grammar. Example: The terms, Parent, Children, Friend, Neighbour, Coufin, Servant, are all epicenes.

Lady M. My dear Mentoria, nothing can be more clear. Lord and Lady H. are my parents; Lord George and myself are their children; the Duke and Duchefs of D. are my friends; Sir Charles and Lady F. my neighbours.; Lord W. and Lady S. my coufins, and Thomas and Kitty, my servants.

Ment. It gives me great pleasure to find your ladyfhip fo attentive to my inftructions: You could not poffibly have given me a ftronger proof of your profiting by them, than the juft comparison you have drawn.

Lady

Lady L. I hope 1 fhall foon be able to exprefs myfelf with great accuracy. I am fure, my good madam, you will learn me to fpeak and write juft as I ought to do.

Ment. There requires nothing more to produce this happy change, than a fixed determination to obferve and imitate the conversation and conduct of those who

are eminent for their great attainments. You was guilty of a palpable mistake in the fpeech you have juft made. You faid I fhould learn you to fpeak well; when in reality the inftructor teaches and the fcholar learn. I fhall beg you, for the future, to attend to this diftinction. Perfection in any art or fcience, is not eafily attained. You must not imagine you have gotten to your journey's end, when in reality you are advanced. but a few paces; yet be encouraged by the pleafing af furance, that every step you take, removes you further from ignorance, and will at last conduct you to the goal of wisdom !!

Lady M. As you have frequently injoined me to äsk the meaning of every word I do not comprehend, I beg will inform me what Science is?

you

Ment. You have anticipated my intention, as it was my fixed purpose to referve the difcuffion of that point to fome future opportunity. A laconic, or concife answer, must fuffice for the prefent; as I intend to fubjoin a few remarks on the articulation of letters and words; and alfo point out fome capital mistakes, as they appear to me neceffary appendages for the foregoing obfervations. Science is a general form for all human learning;

though