ation, may be made to express two meanings exactly opposite to each other; an ambiguous passage may frequently be rendered clear by a comma; and the sense of an unintelligible sentence be made manifest by the simple remedy of a couple of colons, judiciously applied. Were many letters to be read aloud, precisely as they are written, they would sound like the mere "farrago of nonsense."

To acquire the leading principles of punctuation, no better plan can be adopted, than to copy page after page of good editions of modern authors-copying the points as well as words. It is also advisable to copy occasionally a page or two without capitals or points; and after it has been laid aside a few days, to endeavor to write it again with the proper points. By a subsequent comparison with the original, the writer may discover the errors made, and guard against similar blunders in future exercises.

To show the necessity of not merely using points, but of punctuating properly, examine the following passage:

"The persons inside the coach were Mr Miller a clergyman his son a lawyer Mr Angelo a foreigner his lady and a little child"

This passage, thus written without points, is unintelligible by different modes of punctuating it, several alterations may be made in its sense; not only as to the number of persons in the coach, but, also, as to their country, professions, and relationship to each other. By a change of points, the lady may be described as the wife of either one of two persons: Mr. Miller's son may be made a clergyman, or a lawyer, at will; or his son may be taken from him and given to a clergyman, whose name is not mentioned.

The following variations, by use of points, will equally amuse and instruct:

(1.) "The persons inside the coach were Mr. Miller, a clergyman, his son, a lawyer, Mr. Angelo, a foreigner, his lady, and a little child."

By this mode of pointing, it would appear that there were eight individuals in the coach, namely, a clergyman, a lawyer, a foreigner and his lady, a little child, Mr. Miller, Mr. Angelo, and the clergyman's son.

(2.) "The persons inside the coach were Mr. Miller, a clergyman; his son, a lawyer; Mr. Angelo, a foreigner; his lady; and a little child."

This change in the punctuation would reduce the parties in the coach, exclusive of the lady and child, to three per

sons; and make Mr. Miller himself a clergyman, Mr. Miller's son a lawyer, and Mr. Angelo a foreigner.

(3.) "The persons inside the coach were Mr. Miller; a clergyman, his son; a lawyer, Mr. Angelo; a foreigner, his lady, and a little child."

Here Mr. Miller's son becomes a clergyman, Mr. Angelo a lawyer, and the lady and child those of a foreigner who is nameless.

(4.) "The persons inside the coach were Mr. Miller; a clergyman, his son; a lawyer; Mr. Angelo; a foreigner, his lady; and a little child."

Mr. Angelo here ceases to be a lawyer; there is no longer a foreigner who is the husband of the lady and the father of the child; but the lady is described as being a foreigner, and Mr. Angelo's wife; and the child is not understood as being akin to any person in the coach.

Other alterations might be made in the sense of this passage by altering the punctuation; but sufficient has been done to show the necessity of pointing a passage so as to accord with the fact it is intended to relate.

III.-USE OF WORDS.

WORDS are divided, according to their use in expressing ideas, into nine classes, namely:

I. Articles, or words which limit the significa

tion of other words.

II. Nouns, or names of persons, places, and
things.

III. Adjectives, or words which qualify nouns.
IV. Pronouns, or words used in place of nouns.
V. Verbs, or words which affirm.

VI. Adverbs, or words which qualify verbs, adjec-
tives, or other adverbs.

VII. Prepositions, or words which show the relation of one thing to another.

VIII. Conjunctions, or words which connect words and sentences.

IX. Interjections, or words which express sudden emotion.

our wishes, and

our

The

a good

formed. will they arrive?
the lark sings!

the progress is gradual. We are often

desert.

he is often

this imprudence he was plunged new difficulties. best preparation all the uncertainties futurity, consists conscience, and a cheerful submission the will Heaven. VIII. My father mother are in town, my brother is in the country. We must be temperate, we would be healthy. advised, he does not reform. prosperity proved him. Her talents are more brilliant useful. on earth stable to assure us of undisturbed rest, to afford us constant protection.

IX. Virtue how amiable thou art! Thou who reignest above! trifles.

joy.

adversity has imThere is nothing powerful

me! what shall I do!

! I have been too often occupied with , Simplicity! source of genuine

! the delusions of hope. ! how the tempest rages!

to dwell together in unity!

1. An most

! how pleasant it is for brethren

terms of sincere

youth lamented,
parent. His companion

, the death of to console by

bough

their

his friend's himself in

off to

tervals, provisions for the

in

sorrow,

duty, tender"while parent

instances

atonement." of honey;

They soon

flowers,

with the various

late to

forward in

careless and

herbs, the most

: the one against the

other

to any thing

his present

hung beneath

a wide-mouthed vial,

his thighs, at inwinter;

a peach-tree, with honey ready tempered, and exposed to

the the other , sipped little

ger,

thoughtless epicure, in

into the vessel, resolving to of sensuality. His philosophic caution;

and flowers; where, by the

being

meals,

improved his relish the enjoyment them. the evening

he

upon his friend, to inquire
in sweets,

the hive; but he found him
to leave to enjoy.
frame

of

, on

of dan

of

he would he was as

and his

his

a taste indulgence

enfeebled in his enervated, was just able to

Clogged in his

adieu; and to

with his

breath, that

to

SECTION II.

WORDS TO FORM SENTENCES.

Take the following words, and connect and arrange them so as to make sense :

EXAMPLE.

Prompts, others, relieve, compassion, to, wants, the, of, us
Compassion prompts us to relieve the wants of others.

1. Heart, has, in, true, its, politeness, the, seat.

2. Unwilling, pain, a, give, to, good, is, mind.

3. Evils, great, is, by, a, human, ourselves, proportion, of, created. 4. Vanity, if, greatness, our, flatters, our, multiplies, it, dangers.

5. For, preparing, another, in, world, this, must, life, we, duties, the, neglect, of not.

6. Amiable, there, and, is, more, nothing, respectable, life, in, than, human, humble, benevolent, character, man, the, of, a, truly, and.

7. In, multitudes, obscure, the, stations, most, broils, are, petty, in, not, less, their, eager, by, nor, passions, tormented, their, less, contend, than, if, they, princely, for, which, prize, were, the, honours.

8. Parent, anxious, with, does, what, the, care, hen, together, call, her, and, offspring, them, wings, her, with, cover! Suggest, mother, does, to, your, this, you, of, not, the, sight, and, tenderness, affection? Helpless, watchful, infancy, protected, her, care, you, in, period, the, of, nourish, when, milk, she, with, you, her, and, move, to, your, taught, limbs, and, accents, its, tongue, unformed, to, your, lisp. Childhood, in, your, griefs,

she, your, little, over, mourned, delights, in, your, rejoiced, innocent, healing, to, sickness, administered, the, balm, in, you, and, mind, of, instilled, the, wisdom, into, love, your, truth, and, of, virtue.

SECTION III.

WORDS TO FORM SENTENCES (continued).

Supply such words as are necessary to make sense of the following exercises:

EXAMPLE.

Old, age, joyless, dreary, season, arrive, unimproved, corrupted, mind. Old age will prove a joyless and dreary season, if we arrive at it with an unimproved or a corrupted mind.

EXERCISES.

1. No, errors, trivial, deserve, mended.

2. Work, dull, performance, capable, pleasing, neither, understanding, imagination.

3. When, Socrates, fell, victim, madness, truth, virtue, fell.

4. Gay, pleasing, sometimes, insidious, dangerous, companions.

5. Taste, useful, knowledge, provide, great, noble, entertainment, other, leave.

6. Anxious, votary, riches, negligent, pleasure.

7. Perseverance, laudable, pursuits, reward, toils, effects, calculations. 8. Changes, continually, place, men, manners, opinions, customs, private, public.

9. Religious, unjustly, romantic, visionary, unacquainted, world, unfit, live.

SECTION IV.

DERIVATIVE WORDS.

Make out a list of derivatives from the following primitive words, and then write a sentence, either quoted or original, containing each of them:

EXAMPLE.

Act, actor, actress, action, active, activity, actively, actual, actually, actuary, actuate, counteract, enact, exact, exactly, exactor, exactness, exaction, inaction, inactive, inactivity, overact, react, reaction, transact, transaction.

I scarcely know how to act in the matter. Like a dull actor now, I have forgot my part. Who is the most celebrated actress of the present day? Both the body and the mind should be kept in action. The steward is an active man of business. Do not remit your activity. We are actively employed. Every man is daily guilty of actual transgression. How often is old age actually arrived before we suspect it. The actuary of the court died very lately. Our passions too frequently actuate our conduct. Counteract the mischief by doing all the good you can. It is enacted in the laws of Venice.

I now exact the penalty. John was here exactly at the hour. Exactions and exactors overspread the land. You have performed the task with great exactness. I lie in a refreshing kind of inaction. Inactive youth will be followed by profitless old age. Virtue concealed is inactivity at best. You overact when you should underdo. The son reacts the father's crimes.