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into the quite oppofite Extreme: And most of them, I think, havę too much neglected the Peculi arities of the Language on which they wrote.

Thefe Confiderations have induced me to fuffer the following little Manuel to appear amongst my Friends, in the Manner it now does. How far it may anfwer the End propofed, I muft leave them to determine. If it has any Merit, it must be found in Concifenefs, Connection, and Application to the proper Genius of our Mother Tongue.

THE firft Impreffion of this lit the Treatife was attempted fome Years ago, purely to oblige a few of the Author's Friends, who were engaged in the Education of Youth; and therefore, at that Time, no Means were made Ufe of to recommend it to the Public.

Two Editions, however, of this little Book have been fince published in London, under the Direction of the Reverend Mr. Ryland, of Northampton, who had, as he fays, made full Trial of it in his School, for fome Years before, with fingular fuccefs.

Thus recommended, it has been well received by the Public; and this Circumftance has induced the Author to revife the original Copy, to which he has now made fome Amendments and Additions, which,

be

he flatters himself, will render it more acceptable and useful to thofe Gentlemen and Ladies, who may think proper to make Trial of it in their Schools or Families.

The Editor of the two Editions above mentioned was pleafed to give this little Manual to the Public, as The Eafieft Introduction to Dr. Lowth's English Grammar ; which Title, in Part, it fill retains; though the Author is apprebenfive it was first printed before the earliest Edition of that valuable Book: And if he has in fome few Inftances prefumed to differ from fo great a Man, yet as he has done it on Principles which to him appeared to be fatisfactory, he is confident the candid and critical Reader will not impute it to Affectation or Vanity.

An

[ix]

AN

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

GRAMMATICAL INSTITUTES.

Of the ALPHABET*, and the Sounds of the Letters.

TH

HE English Alphabet confifts of twenty-fix Letters, viz. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, ra s, t, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.

From alpha, beta, the first two Greek Letters.

Six

Six of thefe Letters, viz. a, e, i, o, u, y, are called Vowels, from Vox, a Voice or Sound, because they make diftin&t founds of themselves.

All the Letters in the Alphabet, except the Vowels, viz. b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, z, are called Confonants, from confono, to found together; because they cannot be founded without fome Vowel joined to them,

Each of the Vowels has at least three diftinct Sounds; the broad or full, the narrow or flender, and the middle or intermediate, which will more fully appear from the following Tables

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