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Alexander: Young Lady and Gentleman's Guide (1833)
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <?xml-model href="../schema/schema.rng" type="application/xml" schematypens="http://relaxng.org/ns/structure/1.0"?> <grammar_book> <grammar_header> <gr_id>5</gr_id> <gr_author_id>2</gr_author_id> <gr_last_edit by="Gather, Kirsten">27.10.2015</gr_last_edit> <gr_author>Alexander, Levy</gr_author> <gr_author_gender>Male</gr_author_gender> <gr_education></gr_education> <gr_occupation></gr_occupation> <gr_title>The Young Lady and Gentleman's Guide to the Grammar of the English Language, in Verse; Adapted to the Use of Seminaries and Private Families</gr_title> <gr_short_title>Young Lady and Gentleman's Guide</gr_short_title> <gr_publisher>L. Alexander, Printer, 277, Whitechapel Road; J. Haddon, Printer, Castle-street, Finsbury</gr_publisher> <gr_place_of_publication>London</gr_place_of_publication> <gr_year_publication>1833</gr_year_publication> <gr_year_edition>1835</gr_year_edition> <gr_no_edition>2</gr_no_edition> <gr_no_of_pages>119</gr_no_of_pages> <gr_no_of_words></gr_no_of_words> <gr_language>English</gr_language> <gr_variety>British English</gr_variety> <gr_type>Teaching Grammar, Entertainment Grammar</gr_type> <gr_form>Verse</gr_form> <gr_target_institution>Other</gr_target_institution> <gr_target_audience>Intermediate</gr_target_audience> <gr_target_audience_author>Youth of Great Britain, Young Ladies and Gentlemen</gr_target_audience_author> </grammar_header> <grammar_text> <div0 description="front_matter"> <div1 description="title_page"> THE YOUNG LADY AND GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO THE GRAMMAR OF THE English Language, IN VERSE; ADAPTED TO THE USE OF SEMINARIES AND PRIVATE FAMILIES.<linebreak/> BY L. ALEXANDER, Typ. Lond. Author of the Hebrew Ritual; the Life of Benjamin Goldsmid, Esq., &c</div1> <div1 description="initial quotation">"A verse will find him who a Sermon flies."- Dr. Watts.</div1> <div1 description="imprint">LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR; AND S0LD BY SHERWOOD, GILBERT, AND PIPER, PATERNOSTER ROW, AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. 1835.</div1> <pagebreak page_no=""/> <div1 description="imprint">J. Haddon, Printer, Castle-street, Finsbury.</div1> <pagebreak page_no=""/> <div1 description="dedication" name="To the Youth of Great Britain"> <heading level="1">TO THE YOUTH OF GREAT BRITAIN.</heading> <paragraph>Youthful Readers, In this age of improvement, I have ventured to lay a trap, in order, if possible, to attract you to the study of your mother tongue; a study the most important, and indispensable to your future respectability and usefulness in society. In the work here dedicated to you, by one who seeks your welfare, you will find both amusement and instruction. The most familiar ideas are rendered <pagebreak page_no="iv"/> into verse, and the rules of languages, where it was not practicable to reduce them to Poetry, are explained and illustrated in copious Notes.</paragraph> <paragraph> To you, on whom the future destiny of our nation so much depends, this little Work is dedicated, by Your humble servant, THE AUTHOR. </paragraph> </div1> </div0> <div0 description="main_body"> <div1 description="main_text" name="Introduction"> <heading level="1">Introduction.</heading> <paragraph><small_caps>Many</small_caps> and various have been the attempts of the learned to render the acquirement of the English language easy to youth; many Grammars have been written; much has been said on the subject; and many systems have been laid before the public, all of which possess some excellencies peculiar to the plans adopted by their respective authors. Bishop Lowth's, Dr. Priestley's, and the Rev. Mr. Lindley Murray's Grammars, have been deservedly esteemed, and much used; but those eminent men themselves, when they were instructed in Latin, learned the principal part of the language from rules composed in verse, that (because found most efficacious in fixing the rules on their memory) being the method adopted in all the Grammar schools, not only in this country, but in all the nations of Europe. And the rules in the Greek Grammar used at Westminster are also composed in verse.</paragraph> <paragraph>If, then, it be found so generally necessary and advantageous to imprint the rules of the Roman and Greek languages on the minds of youth, we are at a loss to conceive why a similar advantage might not <pagebreak page_no="vi"/> be expected to arise from adopting the same method to instil into the minds of the rising generation the grammatical principles of the English language; and the more especially when we consider that children will get in memory a hundred lines of poetry in much less time than they will be able to accomplish a fourth part of that number if written in prose. Besides, it is the practice of our most celebrated and eminent schoolmasters to furnish their pupils with pieces of poetry to get in their minds, so that they may be rehearsed at the periods of their vacations; and those who have poetical extracts.to imprint on their memories receive the task with .pleasure, and perform their duty with alacrity, while those who have extracts in prose assigned them receive the mandate with dread, and labour hard to acquit themselves with decency.</paragraph> <paragraph>Such considerations have, therefore, induced us to lay before a discerning public a Grammar of the language we now speak in the most easy, familiar, and compendious method that we could possibly contrive. Nor have we rejected the usual terms of grammar, for the sake of introducing others, but. have accommodated our language to the common appellations of noun substantive, adjective, pronoun, verb, &c.</paragraph> <paragraph>And that every part of this Guide to the Grammar of the English Language might be serviceable and instructive to young ladies and gentlemen, we have been at some pains to put all the rules into as smooth <pagebreak page_no="vii"/> and sonorous verse as the nature of the subject would allow, so that nothing might appear obscure or unintelligible; and, to throw greater light on the various parts, we have, under every rule, where it seemed necessary, added an explanation in prose by way of note, which method has been adopted by some learned grammarians on the Continent, whose grammars have met with general approbation. It must, however, be acknowledged that, from the nature of the examples, it was frequently necessary to introduce some of the verses run less harmoniously than the rest; but we believe it will be seen that the number of them is not great.</paragraph> <paragraph>In all our researches we have never met with any solid objection against this method of conveying information, for its superior excellence is evident from the very nature of the thing; and we see outlines of grammar, and explanations of some arithmetical rules and tables, exhibited on cards, which have been found useful in their way. Hence it is abundantly clear, that verse is by far more easily learned, and better retained in memory than prose; and English verse, by reason of the rhymes, yields a much greater assistance to the learner than Latin verse, because the sound of the end of one line reminds the person of a similar sound in the other of the same couplet. And we are the more fully confirmed in our opinion on this subject, by what an excellent author of good reputation has advanced concerning this mode of conveying information: "All men paid great respect <pagebreak page_no="viii"/> to the poets," says he, “who gave them so delightful an entertainment. The wiser sort took this opportunity of civilizing the rest, by putting all their theological and philosophical instructions into verse, which, being learned with pleasure and retained with ease, helped to heighten and preserve the veneration already, upon other scores, paid to the poets."</paragraph> <paragraph>By the mode here laid down, no young person will be under the necessity of burdening his memory with any thing more than is absolutely necessary to furnish him with a sufficient knowledge of the principles of his mother tongue, an acquaintance with which is so requisite in all the transactions of life.</paragraph> <paragraph>Since nothing can be more proper to acquire a just knowledge of any art or science than a clear and judicious method, we have taken particular care, in the following work, to pay strict attention to all the rules of the several parts of grammar, according to the best models. Thus, we have treated,</paragraph> <paragraph>First, of <small_caps>Orthography</small_caps>, which relates to letters, syllables, and words; showing the names, sounds, and properties of the several letters of the alphabet, their combinations into syllables, and the formation of syllables into words.</paragraph> <paragraph>Secondly, <small_caps>Etymology</small_caps>, which has relation to the several parts of speech, showing their inflections or variations; and likewise the manner in which they are derived.</paragraph> <paragraph>Thirdly, <small_caps>Syntax</small_caps>, or <small_caps>Construction</small_caps>, which is the <pagebreak page_no="ix"/> right ordering of words in a sentence, so as to render the meaning clear, distinct, and intelligible.</paragraph> <paragraph>And, fourthly, <small_caps>Prosody</small_caps>, which has regard to the accent or true pronunciation of words, and the laws of versification, all which has been attended to in a more particular manner than is to be found in any other grammar. And we may, without vanity, assert that none of the public schools in this country, and perhaps in Europe, has a course of Prosody equal to that which is here laid before the student. We have here laid down rules for marking the several accents or quantities of words, and what each sort of verse requires; but, for a fuller and more ample elucidation of this subject, we refer the student to the rules and observations which we have given in that part of our Grammar which treats of prosody.</paragraph> <paragraph>It may, however, be necessary to speak somewhat more particularly; and we must therefore observe that, in the composition of the following Grammar, as before hinted, we have paid strict attention to the terms usually given by the best and most celebrated grammarians to the different parts of speech, because we are fully convinced of the justness of the observation which has been made by some of our predecessors, that it would be a very trifling, as well as a very dangerous attempt, to teach the art of English Grammar in a new language. In treating of the conjugation of verbs, we have thought it most advisable to present the scholar with an active and a passive verb regularly conjugated, without interruption, <pagebreak page_no="x"/> through all the moods, tenses, numbers, and persons; except in the appellations of the tenses, which we have thought proper to turn into English, because it is not to be supposed, that a mere English student should fully comprehend the meaning of the terms generally employed, which are borrowed from the Latin. Thus, we have called the present tense the present time or tense; the preter-imperfect, the imperfectly past; the preterite or preter-perfect, the perfectly past; the preter-pluperfect, more than past; the future-imperfect tense we have denominated the first future, or future imperfectly past; and the future-perfect tense we have called the second future, or future perfectly past; which terms, we think there can be no doubt, will be much better understood by the mere English student than those which are derived from any foreign language.</paragraph> <paragraph>On the subject of the derivation of words, which is an essential part of Etymology, we have thought fit to be rather particular, because it is as necessary that the learner should be acquainted with the proper derivation of one word from another, as it is that he should know what part of speech it belongs to. We are aware that several plans have been laid down for pointing out the derivation of words in the English, but, notwithstanding what has been advanced on this head, we may venture to say that the method contained in the following work will be found less liable to exception than that of most other grammarians.</paragraph> <pagebreak page_no="xi"/> <paragraph>We are now to speak of Syntax, which sets before us rules for the proper disposition and right ordering of words in sentences, as we have before observed, so as to render the language clear, distinct, and perfectly intelligible to the reader; or, as it is not improperly called by some, Construction. It shows the regular connexion of the words, agreeably to nature, in the formation or construction of a sentence, which is, in general, more particularly regarded by the English, and some other modern nations, in the composition of their Grammars, than by the ancients. In short, we have endeavoured to be clear, explicit, and ample, without being intricate or tedious, "because we consider this part of Grammar not only as one of the most important, but that in which many good writers are most liable to err. We readily admit that the construction of the English language is in some measure irregular, and, consequently, not so easily reducible to rules which shall hold good in every case without exception; and this, we imagine, is one of the principal reasons which have induced some grammarians to omit it altogether. Mr. Johnson, whose Grammar was greatly esteemed at one period, has comprised it in ten or twelve lines; and Dr. Johnson, in the epitome prefixed to his English Dictionary, has spoken of it in fifteen lines only. Dr. Priestley has dispatched it in somewhat less than three pages; though he appears to have supplied that defect, in some measure, by the notes and observations which he has made at the end of his Grammar.</paragraph> <pagebreak page_no="xii"/> <paragraph><reference author="Lowth, Robert" judgemental="1" type="reference">Bishop Lowth</reference>, who seems to have undertaken the composition of his Grammar principally with a design to explain the rules of Syntax, has, partly in his text, but still more copiously in his notes, treated the subject in a very clear and comprehensive manner; but the Grammars of the three last eminent scholars seem better calculated for men of letters than for youth at school. The Syntax of Mr. Lindley Murray's Grammar is, however, adapted to the service of both.</paragraph> <paragraph>To impress the rules of Syntax more firmly in the student's memory, We have inserted a separate portion on the Grammatical Resolution of Sentences, in which the various parts of speech, and the dependance of one word upon another, are carefully explained, as well with regard to the construction as to the etymology. In this part, where any word occurs oftener than once in the same example, a reference is made to the former explanation of the same word; so that every example contains a full and distinct account of every word of which it is composed.</paragraph> <paragraph>Although we have spoken of prosody before, yet it may not be improper to observe that, while the scholar is employed in learning the rules adapted to this part, he might be exercised to advantage, by reading every day an extract from one of our best poets : indeed, it is an observation that has been frequently made, that the reading of poetry is the most effectual method of learning to read even prose with propriety and elegance.</paragraph> </div1> <pagebreak page_no=""/> <div1 description="table_of_contents" name="Contents"> <heading level="1">CONTENTS.</heading> ... ... ... ... ... </div1> </div0> <pagebreak page_no=""/> <div0 description="main_body" name="An English Grammar in Verse"> <heading_undefined>AN <bold>ENGLISH GRAMMAR</bold> IN VERSE.</heading_undefined> <div1 description="main_text" name="Of Grammar in General"> <heading level="1"><small_caps>Of Grammar in General.</small_caps></heading> <paragraph> <l>Grammar doth all the art most truly teach,</l> <l>According to the use of every speech,</l> <l>How we our thoughts most justly may express,</l> <l>In words together join’d in sentences.<footnote indicator="Asterisk"><paragraph type="footnote">Grammar, therefore, is the art of communicating our thoughts by words in the plainest and most intelligible manner, and with the strictest propriety, both in speaking and writing.</paragraph> <paragraph type="footnote">It is called an art, because it consists of certain rules, drawn from the observations of learned men upon the works of the best authors. </paragraph> <paragraph type="footnote">And it is emphatically termed the art of communicating our thoughts by words, because they are other methods of conveying our ideas, such as <italic>looks</italic>, <italic>gestures</italic>, <italic>pointing</italic>, &c.</paragraph> <paragraph type="footnote">English Grammar is, consequently, the art of writing and speaking the English language with propriety and correctness.</paragraph> </footnote></l> <l>Into Four Parts the learn'd this art divide,</l> <l>The first, <small_caps>Orthography</small_caps>, we must decide;</l> <l>Which treats of letters, syllables, and words,</l> <l>Showing, by rules, what most with each accords:</l> <l>The second, <small_caps>Etymology</small_caps>, extends</l> <l>To parts of speech, and rules for them commends;</l> <l>Likewise of words it shows how they’re derived,</l> <l>By which the English tongue so much has thrived:</l> <l>Syntax, the third, on sentences does dwell,</l> <l>Showing how they are form'd in language well:</l> <l>The fourth, and last, is called <small_caps>Prosody</small_caps>,</l> <l>And treats of accent and of poetry.</l> </paragraph> </div1> <pagebreak page_no="16"/> <div1 description="main_text" name="Orthography"> <heading level="1">ORTHOGRAPHY.</heading> <div2> <heading level="2"><small_caps>Of Letters.</small_caps></heading> <paragraph> <l>A letter is an uncompounded sound,</l> <l>Of which there no division can be found:</l><footnote indicator="Asterisk">A letter, therefore, is a character, or mark, which denotes the various motions or positions of the instruments of speech, either in producing or terminating sounds: or, letters are marks or signs, which express the several sounds made use of in conveying our thoughts to each other in speech.</footnote> <l>These sounds to certain characters we fix,</l> <l>Which in the English tongue are twenty-six.</l> </paragraph> <heading_undefined><italic>The Alphabet.</italic></heading_undefined> <paragraph> <table cols="3" rows="27"> <row role="heading"> <cell>Roman</cell> <cell>Italic</cell> <cell>Name</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>a</cell> <cell><italic>a</italic></cell> <cell>ay</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>b</cell> <cell><italic>b</italic></cell> <cell>bee</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>c</cell> <cell><italic>c</italic></cell> <cell>cee<ed_note type="correction">jee</ed_note></cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>d</cell> <cell><italic>d</italic></cell> <cell>dee</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>e</cell> <cell><italic>e</italic></cell> <cell>ee</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>f</cell> <cell><italic>f</italic></cell> <cell>ef</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>g</cell> <cell><italic>g</italic></cell> <cell>jee</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>h</cell> <cell><italic>h</italic></cell> <cell>aitch</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>i</cell> <cell><italic>i</italic></cell> <cell>eye</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>j</cell> <cell><italic>j</italic></cell> <cell>jay</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>k</cell> <cell><italic>k</italic></cell> <cell>kay</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>l</cell> <cell><italic>l</italic></cell> <cell>el</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>m</cell> <cell><italic>m</italic></cell> <cell>em</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>n</cell> <cell><italic>n</italic></cell> <cell>en</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>o</cell> <cell><italic>o</italic></cell> <cell>o</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>p</cell> <cell><italic>p</italic></cell> <cell>pee</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>q</cell> <cell><italic>q</italic></cell> <cell>kew</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>r</cell> <cell><italic>r</italic></cell> <cell>ar</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>s</cell> <cell><italic>s</italic></cell> <cell>ess</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>t</cell> <cell><italic>t</italic></cell> <cell>tee</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>u</cell> <cell><italic>u</italic></cell> <cell>you</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>v</cell> <cell><italic>v</italic></cell> <cell>vee</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>w</cell> <cell><italic>w</italic></cell> <cell>double you</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>x</cell> <cell><italic>x</italic></cell> <cell>eks</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>y</cell> <cell><italic>y</italic></cell> <cell>wy</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>z</cell> <cell><italic>z</italic></cell> <cell>zed</cell> </row> </table> </paragraph> </div2> <div2> <heading level="2"><small_caps>Of Vowels.</small_caps></heading> <paragraph> <l>Under two heads the letters must be plac'd;</l> <l>The first holds vowels, consonants the last.</l> </paragraph> <pagebreak page_no="17"/> <paragraph> <l>A vowel by itself complete is found.</l> <l>Made in the throat, one full and perfect sound,<footnote indicator="Asterisk"><paragraph type="footnote">A vowel is a simple articulate sound, formed by the impulse of the voice, and by opening the mouth in a particular manner; being thereby perfectly pronounced without the aid of any other letter.</paragraph></footnote></l> <l>Five letters only we can vowels call,</l> <l>For <italic>a</italic>, <italic>e</italic>, <italic>i</italic>, <italic>o</italic>, <italic>u</italic>, comprise them all.<footnote indicator="Dagger"><paragraph type="footnote">Although we have said that <italic>a</italic>, <italic>e</italic>, <italic>i</italic>, <italic>o</italic>, <italic>u</italic>, contain the whole of the vowels, yet <italic>w</italic> and <italic>y</italic>, when at the end of syllables or words, are vowels also; but when they begin words or syllables they are consonants</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>To each of these two different sounds belong;</l> <l>One that is <italic>short</italic>, another that is <italic>long</italic>:</l> <l>Five <italic>double vowels</italic> add, to fill the vocal throng.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>Beside the <italic>long</italic> and <italic>short</italic>, to <italic>a</italic> does fall</l> <l>A sound that's <italic>broad</italic>, as in <italic>all</italic>, <italic>call</italic>, and <italic>ball</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>A</italic>'s <italic>short</italic> when single consonants conclude,</l> <l>Or two such letters in the midst intrude,</l> <l>Or seem in sound to take the middle part;</l> <l>But final <italic>e</italic> doth length to these impart:</l> <l>Thus <italic>a</italic> is short in <italic>bat</italic>, likewise in <italic>battle</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Mad</italic>, <italic>mangle</italic>, <italic>man</italic>, <italic>cat</italic>, <italic>can</italic>, and <italic>cattle</italic>.</l> <l>'Tis always short in <italic>habit</italic>, <italic>dragon</italic>, <italic>banish</italic>,</l> <l>And longer words, as <italic>natural</italic>, <italic>evanish</italic>.</l> <l>Whenever silent <italic>e</italic> is in the close,</l> <l>Then <italic>a</italic> is long we rightly do suppose;</l> <l>As will appear in <italic>bat</italic>, <italic>bate</italic>, <italic>can</italic>, and <italic>cane</italic>,</l> <l>In <italic>bad</italic>, <italic>bade</italic>; <italic>mad</italic>, <italic>made</italic>; <italic>man</italic>, <italic>mane</italic>; <italic>ban</italic>, and <italic>bane</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>E</italic> is of different sound, and various use,</l> <l>Silent itself, all vowels does produce;</l> <l>Although 'tis mute, yet sometimes it is found</l> <l>To lengthen ev'en its own preceding sound,</l> <l>As we in <italic>scene</italic> and <italic>glebe</italic>, and others find;</l> <l>But <italic>e</italic> is mostly of the shorter kind;</l> <l>As in <italic>wet</italic>, <italic>let</italic>, <italic>well</italic>, <italic>met</italic>, and <italic>rest</italic>,</l> <l>And <italic>fret</italic>, <italic>help</italic>, <italic>left</italic>, <italic>bed</italic>, <italic>den</italic>, and <italic>blest</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>I</italic> before <italic>r</italic> doth sound like <italic>u</italic>; as, <italic>flirt</italic>,</l> <l>Likewise in <italic>first</italic>, <italic>thirst</italic>, <italic>skirt</italic>, <italic>third</italic>, <italic>sir</italic>, and <italic>dirt</italic>;</l> <pagebreak page_no="18"/> <l><italic>I</italic> before <italic>r</italic> another sound does suit,</l> <l>As in <italic>irreverent</italic>, <italic>irresolute</italic>.</l> <l>It sounds like <italic>ee</italic>, as may be seen,</l> <l>In words like these, <italic>machine</italic> and <italic>magazine</italic>.</l> <l>And yet to sound like <italic>y</italic> it does incline,</l> <l>In <italic>joint</italic>, <italic>appoint</italic>, <italic>boil</italic>, <italic>broil</italic>, <italic>toil</italic>, <italic>moil</italic>, and <italic>join</italic>.</l> <l>No English word can end in naked <italic>i</italic>,</l> <l>But in its stead we always put a <italic>y</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>O</italic> doth express more sorts of sound than one,</l> <l>Long <italic>o</italic> in <italic>go</italic>, but like <italic>short u</italic> in <italic>son</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>Two sounds in <italic>u</italic> we easily do find;</l> <l><italic>Rub</italic>'s of the shorter, <italic>muse</italic> the longer kind.</l> </paragraph> </div2> <div2> <heading level="2"><small_caps>Of Double Vowels, or Diphthongs.</small_caps></heading> <paragraph> <l>When of two vowels the compounded sound</l> <l>Completely in one syllable is found,</l> <l>Of both partaking, yet distinct from all,</l> <l>This we a proper double vowel call;</l> <l>But if the sound of one be heard alone,</l> <l>'Tis then improperly so called, we own,</l> <l>Though of the proper it before were one.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>Sev'n proper double vowels we allow,</l> <l>(At th' end of words place <italic>ay</italic>, <italic>ey</italic>, <italic>oy</italic>, and <italic>ow</italic>)</l> <l>These are <italic>ai</italic>, <italic>au</italic>, <italic>ee</italic>, <italic>ei</italic>, <italic>oi</italic>, <italic>oo</italic>, and <italic>ou</italic>,</l> <l>Thus, <italic>fair</italic>, <italic>laud</italic>, <italic>feed</italic>, <italic>heir</italic>, <italic>voice</italic>, <italic>house</italic>, <italic>bay</italic>, and <italic>boy</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Prey</italic>, <italic>they</italic>, <italic>snow</italic>, <italic>know</italic>, <italic>below</italic>, <italic>embay</italic>, <italic>decoy</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>Improper diphthongs ten we have in view;</l> <l><italic>Aa</italic>, <italic>ea</italic>, <italic>eo</italic>, <italic>ei</italic>, <italic>ie</italic>, <italic>oa</italic>, <italic>oe</italic>, <italic>ue</italic>, <italic>ui</italic>, <italic>eu</italic>.</l> <l>These ev'ry youth may easily discern,</l> <l>Especially if he's inclin'd to learn.</l> </paragraph> </div2> <div2> <heading level="2"><small_caps>Of Treble Vowels, or Triphthongs.</small_caps></heading> <paragraph> <l>Three vowels too will sometimes be combined</l> <l>In one soft sound; but few of these we find:</l> <l>Thus, <italic>eau</italic> in <italic>beauty</italic>; <italic>ieu</italic> in <italic>lieu</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Adieu</italic>; and <italic>iew</italic> in <italic>view</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <pagebreak page_no="19"/> <heading level="2"><small_caps>Of Consonants.</small_caps></heading> <paragraph> <l>A consonant no proper sound obtains,</l> <l>But from its <italic>sounding with</italic> the name it gains;</l> <l>And yet it varies every vowel's sound,</l> <l>Whether before, or after it, 'tis found.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>B</italic> one unvaried sound doth always claim; Beginning, middle, end, 'tis all the same;</l> <l>Thus, <italic>baker</italic>, <italic>butler</italic>, <italic>rubber</italic>, and <italic>debase</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Rhubarb</italic> and <italic>curb</italic>, and all words in such case.</l> <l>But yet it silent is in <italic>debtor</italic>, <italic>thumb</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Doubt</italic>, <italic>subtle</italic>, <italic>lamb</italic>, as also <italic>debt</italic> and <italic>dumb</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>C</italic> the hard sound of <italic>k</italic> will ever keep</l> <l>Before <italic>a</italic>, <italic>o</italic>, <italic>u</italic>, <italic>l</italic>, and <italic>r</italic>; as <italic>creep</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Cloth</italic>, <italic>cup</italic>, <italic>cost</italic>, <italic>cat</italic>. Before <italic>e</italic>, <italic>i</italic>, and <italic>y</italic>,</l> <l>Or an apostrophe, which doth <italic>e</italic> imply,</l> <l>It mostly takes the softer sound of <italic>s</italic>,</l> <l>As <italic>centre</italic>, <italic>civil</italic>, <italic>cymbal</italic>, do confess.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>When final <italic>c</italic> without an <italic>e</italic> is found,</l> <l>'Tis hard; but silent <italic>e</italic> gives softer sound.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>C</italic> before <italic>h</italic> sounds <italic>tch</italic>, as <italic>church</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Chalk</italic>, <italic>cherry</italic>, <italic>chance</italic>, <italic>chip</italic>, <italic>chin</italic> and <italic>lurch</italic>.</l> <l>But sometimes it doth sound like <italic>k</italic>; as <italic>chart</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Scheme</italic>, <italic>chorus</italic>, <italic>distich</italic>, which a little art</l> <l>Will soon point out; and foreign names will show</l> <l>The same, as <italic>Achish</italic>, <italic>Enoch</italic> place in view.</l> <l><italic>Ch</italic> like <italic>sh</italic> sounds, as in the words <italic>machine</italic>,</l> <l>And <italic>chaise</italic> and <italic>chevalier</italic>, likewise <italic>chagrin</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>D</italic> one unvarying sound doth always choose</l> <l>At first, in midst, and at the last to use.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>F</italic> the same certain rule doth follow,</l> <l>As <italic>faithful</italic>, <italic>forfeit</italic>, <italic>fortune</italic>, <italic>fallow</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>G</italic> alters with the vowel oft its sound;</l> <l>'Tis soft 'fore <italic>e</italic> or <italic>i</italic>, else hard is found.</l> <l>When <italic>g</italic> doth close a word 'tis hard, as <italic>snug</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Bag</italic>, <italic>key</italic>, <italic>gig</italic>, <italic>frog</italic>, <italic>sing</italic>, <italic>ring</italic>, <italic>drug</italic>, <italic>dug</italic>, and <italic>pug</italic>,</l> <l><italic>G</italic> before <italic>n</italic> resigns its sound, as <italic>feign</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Gnash</italic>, <italic>gnaw</italic>, <italic>impugn</italic>, <italic>gnat</italic>, <italic>sign</italic>, <italic>vignette</italic>, and <italic>deign</italic>.</l> <pagebreak page_no="20"/> <l>Gh the sound of f takes oft in th' end,<footnote indicator="Asterisk"><paragraph type="footnote">As, <italic>laugh</italic>, <italic>cough</italic>, <italic>tough</italic>, <italic>enough</italic>, and <italic>rough</italic>.</paragraph></footnote></l> <l>But sometimes it is dropp'd the sound to mend.<footnote indicator="Dagger"><paragraph type="footnote">As in <italic>high</italic>, <italic>right</italic>, <italic>plough</italic>, <italic>mighty</italic>, <italic>bright</italic>, <italic>sight</italic>.</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>H</italic>, though deny'd a letter oft before,</l> <l>We justly to the alphabet restore.<footnote indicator="Double Dagger"><paragraph type="footnote"><italic>H</italic> is forcibly pronounced in <italic>habit</italic>, <italic>habitation</italic>, <italic>halo</italic>, <italic>ham</italic>, <italic>hand</italic>, <italic>hard</italic>, <italic>harvest</italic>, <italic>hatred</italic>, <italic>head</italic>, <italic>heart</italic>, <italic>heed</italic>, <italic>here</italic>, <italic>heaven</italic>, <italic>hell</italic>, <italic>highness</italic>, <italic>history</italic>, &c.; but it is silent after <italic>r</italic>, as <italic>rhetoric</italic>, <italic>rhubarb</italic>, <italic>rheumatism</italic>.</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>J</italic> always has the softer sound of <italic>g</italic>;</l> <l>As <italic>jargon</italic>, <italic>jocund</italic>, <italic>jointure</italic>, <italic>jeopardy</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>K</italic> sounds hard <italic>c</italic> 'fore vowels <italic>i</italic> and <italic>e</italic>,</l> <l>As in the words <italic>king</italic>, <italic>kingdom</italic>, <italic>kine</italic>, and <italic>key</italic>;</l> <l>But before <italic>n</italic> it has no sound, we trow,</l> <l>As <italic>knave</italic>, <italic>knife</italic>, <italic>knight</italic>, <italic>knock</italic>, <italic>knuckle</italic>, <italic>knowledge</italic>, <italic>know</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>L</italic> has a liquid sound, but that is soft,</l> <l>As in <italic>love</italic>, <italic>ballad</italic>, <italic>billow</italic>, <italic>coal</italic>, and <italic>loft</italic>.</l> <l>But <italic>l</italic> is sometimes mute, as <italic>calf</italic>, <italic>half</italic>, <italic>talk</italic>,</l> <l>Likewise in <italic>psalm</italic>, <italic>could</italic>, <italic>would</italic>, <italic>calves</italic>, <italic>halves</italic>, and <italic>walk</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>M</italic> never varies in the least its sound,</l> <l>As in <italic>man</italic>, <italic>manner</italic>, <italic>mummy</italic>, will be found.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>N</italic> keeps its sound in <italic>man</italic>, <italic>none</italic>, <italic>noble</italic>, <italic>tend</italic>,</l> <l>But after <italic>m</italic> 'tis mute when at the end.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>The same sound always we observe in <italic>P</italic>,</l> <l>As <italic>print</italic> and <italic>paper</italic>, <italic>parchment</italic>, <italic>prop</italic>, and <italic>pea</italic>.</l> <l>'Tis mute in <italic>psalter</italic>, <italic>psalm</italic>, and <italic>Ptolemy</italic>,</l> <l>And <italic>tempt</italic>, <italic>prompt</italic>, <italic>vampt</italic>, when between <italic>m</italic> and <italic>t</italic>.</l> <l><italic>Ph</italic> sounds <italic>f</italic>, as in <italic>geography</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Phoenix</italic>, <italic>phenomenon</italic>, <italic>philosophy</italic>.</l> <l><italic>Ph</italic> sometimes, howe'er, is dropp'd withal,</l> <l>In <italic>phthisis</italic>, <italic>phthisic</italic>, and in <italic>phthisical</italic>.</l> <l><italic>Ph</italic> in <italic>Stephen</italic> too is spoke like <italic>v</italic>,</l> <l>Likewise in <italic>nephew</italic>, as you here do see.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>Q</italic>, it doth seem, is always sounded <italic>kew</italic>,</l> <l>And ne'er is penn'd without a following <italic>u</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>To <italic>R</italic> a sound that's rough doth most obtain,</l> <l>As <italic>rage</italic>, <italic>rife</italic>, <italic>wretched</italic>, <italic>radish</italic>, <italic>rural</italic>, <italic>rain</italic>;</l> <l>But yet it hath a softer one, as <italic>bird</italic>,</l> <l>And <italic>bard</italic>, <italic>card</italic>, <italic>warmer</italic>, <italic>colder</italic>, <italic>darker</italic>, <italic>curd</italic></l> </paragraph> <pagebreak page_no="21"/> <paragraph> <l>The genuine sound of <italic>S</italic> must be acute</l> <l>And hissing; but the close that does not suit;</l> <l>There 'tis obscure, and is pronounc’d like <italic>zed</italic>,</l> <l>And also 'twixt two vowels, as <italic>pleased</italic>.</l> <l>The sound of <italic>s</italic> is lost in the words <italic>isle</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Demesne</italic> and <italic>island</italic>, <italic>viscount</italic> and <italic>Carlisle</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>T</italic> before <italic>i</italic>, t' another vowel join'd,</l> <l>Sounds like the sharp and hissing <italic>s</italic> we find;</l> <l>As <italic>nation</italic>, <italic>station</italic>, also <italic>expiation</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Expatiate</italic>, <italic>propitiate</italic>, <italic>vexation</italic>.</l> <l>But when an <italic>s</italic> or <italic>x</italic> doth <italic>ti</italic> precede,</l> <l>For its own sound it earnestly doth plead;</l> <l>As <italic>fustian</italic>, <italic>question</italic>, <italic>mixtion</italic>, <italic>bestial</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Commixtion</italic>, and the word <italic>celestial</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l><italic>V</italic> to the <italic>f</italic> by nature is allied,</l> <l>And to its final has <italic>e</italic> always tied.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>To <italic>W</italic> two natures do belong;</l> <l>'Tis consonant and vowel in our tongue:</l> <l>The first begins all words, yet none can end,</l> <l>The latter for the close doth most contend.</l> <l>Its sound 'fore <italic>r</italic> is lost or very weak,</l> <l>As <italic>wrap</italic> and <italic>wrangle</italic>, <italic>wrong</italic>, <italic>wry</italic>, <italic>write</italic>, and <italic>wreak</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>And the same right that <italic>w</italic> demands,</l> <l><italic>Y</italic> doth require, according as it stands.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>Three sev'ral sounds we now must give to <italic>X</italic>,</l> <l>Like <italic>z</italic> in <italic>Xerxes</italic>; in <italic>exit</italic> like <italic>ks</italic>;</l> <l>Like <italic>gz</italic> sometimes, as in <italic>exultation</italic>,</l> <l><italic>Exude</italic>, <italic>example</italic>, and <italic>exaggeration</italic>,<footnote indicator="Asterisk"><paragraph type="footnote">Generally, when a vowel follows <italic>ex</italic> it is sounded like <italic>gz</italic>; but if a consonant follow, it sounds like <italic>ks</italic>.</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>The <italic>Z</italic> a double consonant always is,</l> <l>And strongly tinctur’d with the sound of <italic>s</italic>;</l> <l>As <italic>zeal</italic> and <italic>zany</italic>, <italic>zealot</italic>, <italic>zealously</italic>,</l> <l>And <italic>buzzard</italic>, <italic>quizzer</italic>, <italic>zone</italic>, <italic>zoology</italic>.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>These the chief sounds of all the letters are,</l> <l>As the examples given do declare.</l> </paragraph> </div2> <pagebreak page_no="22"/> <div2> <heading level="2"><small_caps>Of Syllables.</small_caps></heading> <paragraph> <l>A syllable's a short and perfect sound,</l> <l>Where'er a single, or a double vowel's found;</l> <l>Or either join'd with consonants, and spoke</l> <l>In one entire breathing, as in <italic>smoke</italic>.<footnote indicator="Asterisk"><paragraph type="footnote">A syllable is a complete and perfect sound, uttered in one breath, by a single impulse of the voice, which sometimes consists of one vowel, or double vowel; and sometimes of one vowel, or double vowel, joined to one or more consonants. Hence a single vowel may compose a syllable, as the first syllable in the following words: <italic>a-bandon</italic>, <italic>e-jectment</italic>, <italic>i-deal</italic>, <italic>o-pium</italic>, <italic>u-nion</italic>; but no number of consonants can be sounded without the aid of a vowel.</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>As many vowels as emit a sound,</l> <l>So many syllables in words are found.<footnote indicator="Dagger"><paragraph type="footnote">Except any of those vowels be silent, as the final <italic>e</italic>, and some others, which compose improper double vowels or dipththongs, together with the <italic>e</italic> which is added to some syllables in the middle of words, for the purpose of lengthening the sound of the foregoing vowel, as <italic>rarely</italic>, <italic>rudely</italic>; except also words ending in <italic>es</italic>, without <italic>s</italic> preceding <italic>e</italic> (whether in the singular or plural number); as, Sing. <italic>James</italic>, <italic>inclines</italic>, <italic>refines</italic>; Plur. <italic>names</italic>, <italic>trades</italic>, <italic>groves</italic>, &c. But if <italic>s</italic> or the sound of <italic>s</italic> precede <italic>es</italic>, it makes another syllable; as, <italic>horse</italic>, <italic>horses</italic>; <italic>prince</italic>, <italic>princes</italic>; <italic>face</italic>, <italic>faces</italic>; <italic>prize</italic>, <italic>prizes</italic>.</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>When any single consonant is seen,</l> <l>Single or double vowels plac’d between,</l> <l>The consonant divideth with the last,</l> <l>But to the first the <italic>p</italic> and <italic>x</italic> join fast.<footnote indicator="Double Dagger"><paragraph type="footnote">A single consonant between two vowels must be joined to the latter syllable; as, <italic>de-light</italic>, <italic>bri-dal</italic>, <italic>re-form</italic>. From this rule <italic>p</italic> and <italic>x</italic> are excepted; as, <italic>up-on</italic>, <italic>ex-act</italic>.</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>In compound words its own will each retain,</l> <l>Deriv'd compounds new endings must obtain.<footnote indicator="Section Sign"><paragraph type="footnote"> In all compounded and derivative words, the single or primitive words retain their own letters. A compound word is either composed of two distinct words; as, <italic>in-to</italic>, <italic>up-on</italic>, <italic>thank-ful</italic>, <italic>coach-man</italic>, <italic>sap-less</italic>, <italic>up-hold</italic>, <italic>where-by</italic>, <italic>with-in</italic>, <italic>with-out</italic>, <italic>with-draw</italic>, &c.; or, it is made up of one word, which is called a primitive, and a syllable placed before it, which is called a particle of preposition, because it is set before the word: such are <italic>ad</italic>, <italic>en</italic>, <italic>in</italic>, <italic>un</italic>, <italic>de</italic>, <italic>dis</italic>, <italic>per</italic>, <italic>pre</italic>, <italic>re</italic>, <italic>sub</italic>, <italic>trans</italic>, &c.; whence arise such words as these, <italic>ad-equate</italic>, <italic>en-trap</italic>, <italic>in-connexion</italic>, <italic>un-bred</italic>, <italic>de-part</italic>, <italic>dis-avow</italic>, <italic>per-chance</italic>, <italic>pre-science</italic>, <italic>re-admit</italic>, <italic>sub-urb</italic>, <italic>trans-form</italic>, &c. A derivative compound word is that which comes from some other word, and is formed by an additional ending; such as, <italic>ed</italic>, <italic>en</italic>, <italic>ess</italic>, <italic>est</italic>, <italic>eth</italic>, <italic>edst</italic>, <italic>er</italic>, <italic>ing</italic>, <italic>ish</italic>, <italic>ist</italic>, <italic>ly</italic>, <italic>ous</italic>; thus, <italic>paint-ed</italic>, <italic>gold-en</italic>, <italic>count-ess</italic>, <italic>read-est</italic>, <italic>speak-eth</italic>, <italic>deliver-edst</italic>, <italic>hear-er</italic>, <italic>talk-ing</italic>, <italic>fool-ish</italic>, <italic>art-ist</italic>, <italic>covet-ous</italic>, <italic>kind-ly</italic>; in which, and all others of a similar kind, the primitive words retain their own letters.</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <pagebreak page_no="23"/> <paragraph> <l>The consonants preceding <italic>l</italic> and <italic>r</italic>,</l> <l>Follow'd by <italic>e</italic>, never divided are.<footnote indicator="Asterisk"><paragraph type="footnote">As, <italic>affa-ble</italic>, <italic>tri-fle</italic>, <italic>mi-tre</italic>. Examples to this rule seem to be included in the following.</paragraph></footnote></l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>Two consonants between two vowels plac'd,</l> <l>Fit to begin a word, go to the last.</l> <l>But those which can no word at all commence,</l> <l>Ne'er can a syllable, without offence.<footnote indicator="Dagger"><paragraph type="footnote">When two consonants, proper to begin a word, come between two vowels, they belong to the latter syllable; as, <linebreak/> <table cols="2" rows="29"> <row role="data"> <cell>Bl</cell> <cell>Able</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Cl</cell> <cell>Bar-na-cle</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Pl</cell> <cell>Ca-ta-plasm</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Sl</cell> <cell>A-sleep</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Br</cell> <cell>A-broach</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Cr</cell> <cell>A-cre</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Dr</cell> <cell>Be-drench</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Fr</cell> <cell>A-fraid</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Gr</cell> <cell>A-gree</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Pr</cell> <cell>Ca-price</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Tr</cell> <cell>Me-trical</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Wr</cell> <cell>A-wry</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Ch</cell> <cell>Ba-che-lor</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Dw</cell> <cell>Be-dwarf</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Gn</cell> <cell>Be-gnaw</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Fl</cell> <cell>A-float</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Gl</cell> <cell>De-glu-ti-ti-on</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Kn</cell> <cell>Be-know</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Sc</cell> <cell>De-scribe</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Sh</cell> <cell>A-shore</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Sm</cell> <cell>Be-smear</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Sn</cell> <cell>Be-snub</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Sp</cell> <cell>A-spire</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Sq</cell> <cell>A-squint</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>St</cell> <cell>A-stro-no-my</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Sw</cell> <cell>For-swear</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Th</cell> <cell>A-thwart</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Tw</cell> <cell>Be-tween</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Wh</cell> <cell>Mean-while</cell> </row> </table> </paragraph> <paragraph type="footnote"> To this rule, however, as well as to the former, this exception holds, that compound words keep each its part, and additional endings form distinct syllables. And where two consonants occur together that are not proper to begin a word, the former belongs to the first syllable, the latter to the last; as, <linebreak/> <table cols="2" rows="9"> <row role="data"> <cell>Ld</cell> <cell>Seldom</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Lt</cell> <cell>Mul-ti-ply</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Mp</cell> <cell>Trum-pet</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Nd</cell> <cell>En-dorse</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Nj</cell> <cell>Un-just</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Rd</cell> <cell>Ar-dent</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Bb</cell> <cell>Dib-ber</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Cc</cell> <cell>Ac-cord</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Gg</cell> <cell>Swagger</cell> </row> </table> And many others. </paragraph> <paragraph type="footnote"> But when three or more consonants meet in the middle of a word, the first consonant generally belongs to the first vowel, and the others to the latter; as, <linebreak/> <table cols="2" rows="5"> <row role="data"> <cell>Ntr</cell> <cell>Con-tract</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Ppr</cell> <cell>Op-press</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Mpr</cell> <cell>Com-pre-hend</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Xpl</cell> <cell>Ex-plode</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Nstr</cell> <cell>In-struct</cell> </row> </table> And others. </paragraph> </footnote></l> </paragraph> <pagebreak page_no="24"/> <paragraph> <l>Two vowels meeting, each with its full sound,</l> <l>Always to make two syllables are bound.<footnote indicator="Asterisk"><paragraph type="footnote"> If two vowels occur in the middle of a word, each of them having its full and proper sound, they must be divided; as, <linebreak/> <table cols="2" rows="6"> <row role="data"> <cell>Re-en-ter</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Co-a-li-tion</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Co-o-pe-ra-tion</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Pro-nun-ci-a-ti-on</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Ac-tu-ate</cell> </row> <row role="data"> <cell>Ac-cen-tu-a-ti-on</cell> </row> </table> This is the case wherever they do not form a diphthong.</paragraph> </footnote></l> </paragraph> </div2> </div1> <div1 description="main_text" name="Etymology"> <heading level="1">ETYMOLOGY.</heading> <paragraph> <l>Observe, that <small_caps>Etymology</small_caps> extends</l> <l>To parts of speech, and rules for them commends;</l> <l>Likewise of words it shows how they're deriv’d,</l> <l>By which the English tongue so much has thriv'd.</l> <l>It shows the variations of each part,</l> <l>And is a principal grammatic art.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>The parts of speech we find in number nine,</l> <l>And each of them, we now shall here define.</l> </paragraph> <paragraph> <l>And, first, the <italic>Article</italic> will surely own</l> <l>The foremost place; then <italic>noun</italic>, <italic>pronoun</italic>;</l> <l>Then <italic>verb</italic>, and <italic>participle</italic> follow on;</l> <l>With <italic>adverb</italic>, and the <italic>preposition</italic>;</l> <l><italic>Conjunction</italic>'s next in place, without a doubt,</l> <l>But <italic>interjection</italic> some would do without.</l> </paragraph> <div2 description="main_text"> <heading level="2"><small_caps>Of the Article.</small_caps></heading> <paragraph> <l>Before a noun the article must be</l> <l>Plac'd to restrict it, as below yon see:</l> <l>There are but two, viz. <italic>a</italic> or <italic>an</italic> and <italic>the</italic>.<footnote indicator="Dagger"><paragraph type="footnote"> <italic>A</italic> or <italic>an</italic> is called an indefinite article, because it is used in a vague sense, to point out one single thing of a kind; as, <small_caps>a</small_caps> <italic>man</italic>, that is, <italic>any man</italic>; <small_caps>a</small_caps> <italic>town</italic>, that is, <italic>any town</italic>: <small_caps>an</small_caps> <italic>apple</italic>, <small_caps>an</small_caps> <italic>orchard</italic>. Here observe, that <italic>a</italic> is used before a consonant, and <italic>an</italic> before a vowel, which rule must always be followed. <italic>The</italic> is called the definite article, because it distinguishes some particular person or thing; as, <italic>Give me</italic> <small_caps>the</small_caps> <italic>book</italic>, that is, <italic>the particular book</italic>. <italic>A</italic> or <italic>an</italic> can be joined to nouns in the singular number only; but <italic>the</italic> may be joined also to plurals.</paragraph> <paragraph type="footnote">These little words placed before nouns are of great importance, as may be seen in the following examples: thus, <small_caps>the</small_caps> <italic>son of</italic> <small_caps>a</small_caps> <italic>bishop</italic>; <small_caps>the</small_caps> <italic>son of</italic> <small_caps>the</small_caps> <italic>bishop</italic>; <small_caps>a</small_caps> <italic>son of</italic> <small_caps>the</small_caps> <italic>bishop</italic>. Each of these sentences has a meaning peculiar to itself, through the different application of those little words called articles. Again:<linebreak/> <l>"Extirpate the root that produces a thorn,</l> <l>But nourish the tree on which fruitage is borne.</l> <l>Extinguish the lamp of a tyrant with speed;</l> <l>The one better die than the people should bleed."</l> </paragraph> </footnote></l> </paragraph> </div2> <pagebreak page_no="25"/> <div2 description="main_text"> <heading level="2">OF NOUNS.</heading> <paragraph> </paragraph> </div2> </div1> <!-- finish Etymology --> <!-- add Syntax --> <!-- add Prosody --> </div0> <div0 description="back_matter"> <div1 description="imprint"> <paragraph>L. Alexander, Printer, 277, Whitechapel Road.</paragraph> </div1> </div0> </grammar_text> </grammar_book>