improves the amiable part of our species in every thing that is laudable; so nothing is more destructive to them, when it is governed by vanity and folly." "Experience teaches us, that an entire retreat from worldy affairs, is not what religion requires; nor does it even enjoin a long retreat from them." "Straws swim upon the surface; but pearls lie at the bottom." "Philosophers assert, that Nature is unlimited in her operations; that she has inexhaustible treasures in reserve; that knowledge will always be progressive; and that all future generations will continue to make discoveries, of which we have not the least idea.” COLON. The Colon is used to divide a sentence into two or more parts, less connected than those which are separated by a semicolon; but not so independent as separate distinct sentences. The Colon may be properly applied in the three following cases. (v.) When a member of a sentence is complete in itself, but followed by some supplemental remark, or further illustration of the subject; as, "Nature felt her inability to extricate herself from the consequences of guilt: the gospel reveals the plan of Divine interposition and aid." "Nature confessed some atonement to be necessary the gospel discovers that the necessary atonement is made.” (v 2.) When several semicolons have preceded, and a still greater pause is necessary, in order to mark the connecting or concluding sentiment: as, 66 A divine legislator, uttering his voice from heaven; an almighty governor, stretching forth his arm to punish or reward; informing us of perpetual rest prepared hereafter for the righteous, and of indignation and wrath awaiting the wicked: these are the considerations which overawe the world, which support integrity, and check guilt." (v 3.) The Colon is commonly used when an example, a quotation, or a speech is introduced: as, "The Scriptures give us an amiable representation of the Deity, in these words: God is love.'" "He was often heard to say: I have done with the world, and I am willing to leave it.'"" (v 4.) The propriety of using a colon, or semicolon, is sometimes determined by a conjunction's being expressed, or not expressed: as, "Do not flatter yourselves with the hope of perfect happiness: there is no such thing in the world." " Do not flatter yourselves with the hope of perfect happiness; for there is no such thing in the world." PERIOD. (w.) When a sentence is complete and independent, and not connected in construction with the following sentence, it is marked with a period. (w.) Some sentences are independent of each other, both in their sense and construction; as, "Fear God. Honour the king. Have charity towards all men." Others are independent only in their grammatical construction; as, "The Supreme Being changes not, either in his desire to promote our happiness, or in the plan of his administration. One light always shines upon us from above. One clear and direct path is pointed out to man." The period should be used after every abbreviated word; as, "M. S. P. S. N. B. A. D. O. S. N.S." &c. Besides the points which mark the pauses in discourse, there are others that denote a different modulation of voice, in correspondence to the sense. These are, (x.) (y.) as, The Interrogative point? "Are you sincere ?" "How excellent is a grateful heart!" "Know then this truth, (enough for man to know,) "Virtue alone is happiness below." The following characters are also frequently used in composition. An Apostrophe, marked thus'; as, "tho', judg'd." am "I A diligent." 66 A Caret, marked thus ▲; as, A Hyphen, which is thus marked -; as, Lap-dog, to-morrow." The Acute Accent, marked thus; as, "Fan'cy." The Grave Accent, thus; as, "Fa'vour." The proper mark to distinguish a long syllable, is this; as, "Rōsy" and a short one, this; as, "Folly." This last mark is called a Breve. The Broad Accent is marked with a Circumflex; as, in "Hall." A Diær'esis, thus marked, shows that two vowels form separate syllables; as, "Creator." A Section is thus marked §. A Paragraph, thus T. (z.) A Quotation has two inverted commas at the beginning, and two direct ones at the end, of a phrase or passage: as, "The proper study of mankind, is man." Crotchets or Brackets serve to inclose a particular word or sentence. They are marked thus [ ]. An Index or Handpoints out a remarkable passage. A Brace } unites three poetical lines; or connects a number of words, in prose, with one common term. An Asterisk or little star* directs the reader to some note in the margin. for King. An Obelisk, which is marked thus †, Double Obelisk thus, and Parallels thus, together with the letters of the alphabet, and figures, are used as references to the margin. CAPITALS. The following words should begin with capitals: 1st, The first word of every book, chapter, letter, paragraph, &c. 2d, The first word after a period, and frequently after the notes of interrogation and exclamation. 3d, The names of the Deity; as, God, Jehovah, the Supreme Being, &c. 4th, Proper names of persons, places, ships, &c. 5th, Adjectives derived from the proper names of places; as, Grecian, Roman, English, &c. 6th, The first word of an example, and of a quotation in a direct form; as, "Always remember this ancient maxim: 'Know thyself." " 7th, The first word of every line in poetry. 8th, The pronoun I, and the interjection O! 9th, Words of particular importance; as, the Reformation, the Restoration, the Revolution. QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION. The figures, in the margin, denote the page of the book on which the answers may be found. 12. Which is the second part of 14. How many articles are there in Grammar? What does it treat of? English? When does a become an? How many sorts of words are there Why is a or an styled the indefi in English? Name them in their order. 13. What is an Article ? nite article? What is the sole use of this arti cle?-See note*, page 14. 14. Why is the called the definite ar-18. ticle? How is a substantive, without an article to limit it, taken? What are proper names or sub- 15. What are common names or sub- In what maarer may proper names Give examples of the Collective nouns ? Give examples of the Abstract nouns? Give examples of the Verbal or participial nouns ? What four things belong to substantives? What is Gender? What does the masculine gender denote? What the feminine? What the neuter? ending in y, with no other vowel in the syllable before it? How when preceded by a vowel? 19. What does the nominative case express? 16. How are some substantives, natu- 20. rally neuter, converted into the masculine or feminine gender? What is this Figure of Speech called? See note*, page 16. How many methods are there in English of distinguishing the sex? Which is the First? Which the Second? 17. Which the Third ? What is number? What does the singular number express? What does the plural number signify? What nouns have a singular form only? What only a plural? What are the same in both numbers ? How is the plural number of nouns generally formed? When nouns end in x, ch, sh, or ss, how is the plural formed? How is the plural formed of nouns ending in f or fe? 18. How is the plural formed of nouns ending in ff? How are the plurals formed of nouns What does the possessive case express? How is the possessive case formed? When the plural ends in s, how is it formed? When the singular terminates in ss, how is it formed? What does the objective case éxpress? What is the difference between the nominative and the objective case? Ans. The former is commonly the subject, and the latter, the object of a verb. Decline the words, man, mother, book, pen, through the numbers and cases? Of what variation does it admit? Which are the degrees of comparison? What does the positive state express? How does the comparative degree affect the positive state? How does the superlative degree affect the positive state? How does the simple word or positive become comparative? How superlative ? What diminishing termination may be accounted an additional de-. gree of comparison? How are monosyllables for the most part compared? How are dissyllables compared? How do you compare these irregular adjectives, good, bad, little, much or many, near, late, old? How does an adjective become a substantive? 21. What is a Pronoun ? How many kinds of pronouns are there? Which are the personal pronouns and their plurals? Of what do personal pronouns admit? 21. How many persons have pronouns 26. the Verb Active, be distinguished in each number? How many numbers have they? Which person only of the pronouns, does gender respect or distinguish? 22. How many cases have pronouns? Decline the prouns I, Thou, He, She, It? What do compound Personal and Possessive Adjective Pronouns form? Or what do they denote? 23. Decline myself, thyself, himself, herself, and itself? How are relative pronouns defined? What is said of the relative what? How should who and which be applied? How is the relative that often used and applied? 24. Decline who, which, that, and what? Which are the Interrogative pronouns? How are Adjective pronouns de fined? 27. 23. To what do this and that relate, How are the Indefinite defined? Decline One? Other? How may a verb be distinguished What does a Verb Active-intransi How may those verbs, which are both active and neuter, be de. termined to which class they belong? How may a Neuter verb become Active? What does a Verb Passive express? What does a Verb Neuter express ? What are auxiliary or helping verbs? Which are the principal of them? What belong to verbs? How many Numbers? Persons? Moods? Tenses? What is mood? Name all the moods? What does the Indicative mood indicate? For what is the Imperative mood used? What does the Potential mood imply? How does the Subjunctive mood represent a thing, and by what is it preceded? How does the Infinitive mood represent a thing? What is the Participle? How is the participle distinguished from the adjective? Besides conveying the notion of time, what do participles signify and govern? How many and which are the participles? How is Tense defined? How does the Present Tense represent an action or event? Under what circumstances is the Present tense used, to point out the relative time of a future action? In what kind of narrations is the How does the Imperfect Tense re- 30. How does the First Future Tense represent the action? What does the Second Future Tense intimate concerning the |