6. Synonimous words are words which resemble each other in signification, but differ in pronunciation. 7. The Homonymy of a word is the various senses in which it is used. 8. The Grammatical or Proper Sense of a word is its real or literal meaning. 9. The Rhetorical or Figurative Sense of a word is a borrowed or imaginary signification which it assumes. RULES FOR SPELLING. 1. Monosyllables generally terminate with a single conso nant; the terminations ff, ll, and ss, preceded by a single vowel, are excepted. 2. Y before an assumed termination beginning with any vowel, except i, is changed into i; y between two vowels, or preceded by a vowel, is not changed. 3. Derivatives, before assumed terminations beginning with a vowel, reject silent e final of their primitives. 4. Derivatives, after c and g soft, and before assumed 'terminations beginning with a consonant, retain the silent e final of their primitives. 5. Derivatives, on assuming a termination beginning with a vowel, double the accented final consonant of their primitives. RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES. 1. If two vowels come together, and do not make a diphthong, they must be divided, as ru-in, li-on. 2. Two of the same consonants must be parted, as ab-bot, ad-der. 3. A single consonant between two vowels must go to the latter, as ba-con, ma-ny; except r and z, as ex-ist, haz-ard. 4. A single vowel between two consonants must go to the former in primitive words, as par-si-mo-ny. 5. Grammatical terminations make syllables by themselves, as in-struct-ed, lead-er, teach-est, hear-eth, hear-ing, so-cial, partial, Per-sian, Ve-ne-tian, pas-sion, na-tion; there are a few exseptions, as re-joi-ceth, en-ga-ging. 6. Compound words should be reduced to their component parts, as with-out, un-tru-ly. 7. Consonants, especially liquids, that readily coalesce, should go together in the same syllable, as de-throne, con-template. 8. Syllables generally begin with consonants, and not with vowels. RULES FOR THE USE OF CAPITALS. 1. It is proper to begin with a capital letter the first word of every sentence, the first word of every line of poetry, and the first word of every verse in the Bible. 2. The pronoun I, the interjection O! and the first letter of every proper name, are always to be made capitals. 3. Adjectives derived from proper names, and substantives denoting power or excellence, generally require a capital at the beginning, as the British Navy, the Royal Society. 4. Quotations, examples, and apostrophes, after a colon, point of interrogation, or point of admiration, begin with a capital. 5 Capitals are to be used only at the beginning, and never in the middle or end of words, unless the whole word be written with capitals, as in title pages, and a few other instances. 6. The use of capitals in title pages, remarkable phrases, law terms, medical prescriptions, abbreviations, and the like, can only be learned by reading and observation. RULES FOR THE USE OF POINTS. 1. The Comma (, ) serves to connect words with one another, after the manner of a conjunction; or to distinguish the several parts, or clauses of a sentence, after the manner of a parenthesis. The grammatical construction of sentences, and even the sense, may frequently be changed by altering the position of the comma. 2. The Semicolon ( ;) serves to connect and unite sentences, which in sense and construction have an intimate connexion with one another. It is generally placed between cause and effect; premises and induction or conclusion; similitude or contrast, and the object compared. 3. The Colon (:) serves to connect and unite sentences, and to supply the place of a semicolon and conjunction. It is usually placed nearer the end than the beginning of a sentence, and is put before examples, quotations, and pith observations. 4. The Period ( . ) marks the close of a sentence. 5. The Point of Interrogation (?) is used after a question. 6. The Point of Admiration or Exclamation (!) is used after addresses, invocations, and as a sign of emotion or surprise; it also accompanies interjections. 3 DIRECTIONS FOR READING WELL. 1. Recollect, when you read to please or instruct others, that your own instruction and amusement become only secondary considerations. 2. If you understand what you read, it will be easy to guide the minds of your hearers into an understanding of the same, and to read with propriety. 3. Let the chief excellence of your pronunciation consist in plainness and propriety, avoiding all affectation and vulgarity. 4. Elevate your voice so as to be heard by the more distant part of your audience, but not to exceed such a pitch as may be natural in itself, and agreeable to the whole audience. The voice in reading should never sink below the ordinary tone of conversation. 5. In public speaking let your voice be rather strong than weak, your utterance rather slow than quick, your rhetorical emphases rather few than many, and your gesticulation languid rather than violent. 6. Study rather to inflame the minds of your hearers by your own moderation, than by an intemperance of voice and action to overwhelm their understanding. 7. It is natural that loudness and slowness of voice should accompany each other in reading; and in like manner lowness and quickness. 8. The pauses in reading are regulated partly by the meaning, and partly by the use of stops. The comma is the shortest pause, the semicolon is twice as long, the colon thrice as long, and the period four times as long. There is a sort of imperceptible pause between all words, however closely connected. 9. Pronounce every syllable fully and distinctly, and let the final consonants be distinctly heard. 10. In general, the pronunciation of a discourse in public ought to be grave in the beginning, forcible in the middle, and animated towards the close. 11. Dishonour not your own eyes, nor the ears of your hearers, by reading compositions that are impious, seditious, nonsensical, quibbling, querulous, visionary, or enthusiastic. Truth requires no support from human weakness. 12. Peculiarity of manner in delivery is always allowable to a certain degree. A provincial or vulgar pronunciation, distorted looks, untoward gestures, and every thing that betrays distraction, timidity, or levity of mind, ought to be avoided by those who covet just applause. The first requisite in public spcaking is modesty, and the second confidence. DIRECTIONS FOR WRITING WELL. As Learners are frequently at a loss for some printed instructions relative to both Penmanship and Letter-writing, and as little or no assistance is to be had on these subjects from the common elementary books of education, it was deemed advisable to introduce some general hints on these heads in this place, and they are submitted to the diligent perusal of youth. I. Penmanship is an imitative art, and is to be learned only by attending closely to the instructions of your Teacher, and by carefully imitating his copies. It writing be done at all, it ought to be well done. 1. Strokes are either straight or crooked, thick or thin. The different letters of the alphabet generally contain each more or less of all the four kinds of strokes. Let that which ought to be made straight, or crooked, or thick, or thin, be made accordingly. 2. Strokes are also either long or short. The long should have a common length, whether they fall above or below the line, as in capitals, and the stems of b's, q's, &c. only that the upper part of the letters p and t in writing ought to be shorter than other stems. The length of long strokes is in round hand about double that of short ones: in running hand the proportion is still greater. 3. Let all your strokes be clear, and let them be, in general, straight as possible, equidistant, parallel, and sloping. But the turns at the top and bottom of a letter ought to be round, not angular or pointed. The slope should form an angle of from 51 to 56 degrees with the line on which you write.* 4. Learn to write a good round hand before you begin to write running haud; frequently practise round hand; and never write without lines. Write slowly at first. When you can write tolerably well, you will improve by writing faster. 5. Lift your hand from off the paper as seldom as possible, and never in the middle of a letter. All the strokes of the same word should be joined. 6. Neglect none of the minutiæ in writing, as dots to i's, strokes to t's, hyphens, apostrophes, points, &c. 7. If there be two or more ways of writing a letter or character, use only one of them, and adopt that which is most common, simple, and conformable to the Roman prototype. 8. Take care to avoid making mistakes or blots in your writing. It is generally better to correct with the pen alone, than with the pen and pen-knife together. But there are cases in which no correction can be allowed. 9. It is easier to learn to write in a sitting than in a standing posture, The position of the head, shoulders, arms, chest, and hands, is to be attended to. The head and chest ought to incline somewhat towards the writing, but the breast should not press against the desk or table on which you write. The elbows are to be kept moderately close to the body, and the arms are not to press heavily on the table. The pen must be held fairly to the paper, and gently pressed by the fingers; and the several motions of the pen are to be performed by the movement of the fingers, and not of the hand. 10. Learn to make your own pens, to rule your paper, and to use a round as well as a flat ruler. Make use of India rubber in cleaning your paper, and rubbing out black lead lines. 11. After finishing your writing, compare it with the copy, or with the rules here laid down, or with any other rules you may remember, and see that you improve in every performance. * It has been found sometimes useful to apply a gnomon or ruler, which may be made of wood or any other convenient substance, cut to an angle of about fifty-six degrees, to the lines which are to be filled, for the purpose of drawing faint parallels to show the slopes correctly. II. As Letters ought not to be written in a slovenly manner, so neither ⚫ught they to be composed in a careless style. 1. Consider whether your subject be compound or complex. A 2. A complex subject, in which there are two or more series of things in 4. In private correspondence, when the subject is complex, it is proper 5. Congratulations, thanks, complaints, are generally mentioned in the first part of a letter, owing, probably, to their relation to past time, and to the importance we wish to attach to them; and promises, presents, compliments, are mentioned last, on account, we may suppose, of modesty, and of their relation to futurity. 6. Represent both sides of a question fairly, whether they be favourable or unfavourable to your cause; because from truth partially spoken, or partially understood, do commonly arise more disputes, more animosities, and uncharitable dealings, than from any other cause whatever. 7. If you request a favour, take care that your request be reasonable.— 8. Do not introduce the same topic in different places of your letter. 10. Do not express yourself abruptly, nor too copiously. The great, the busy, and the humble, generally write short letters; the grave, the gay, and the learned, long ones. 11. Consult the opinion of your friends concerning the merit of your juvenile performances. Be not too much elated by praise, and carefully amend what is faulty. An attention to the writing, stops, capitals, &c. is of course necessary. 12. Be regular in your correspondence with your friends, and exact in fulfilling your promises. On receiving a letter, either answer it immediately, or as soon after as you conveniently can. EXPLANATION OF ACCENTS, MARKS, AND FIGURES. Accents. The Hyphen (-) marks a long vowel; at the end of a line and elsewhere, it shews the continuation of a word, and it is sometimes used contractedly form or n, as fate, for-tune, champió. The Breve () marks a short vowel, as fancy. The Grave Accent (') lays the emphasis on a long syllable, as minor, lively. * Accents are seldom to be met with in English, except in Dictionaries. They occur, however, in other languages, and their uses vary. C |