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The action and reaction are equal. My father transacted business in the office to-day. Give me a minute account of all your transactions.

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Vary the expression in the following sentences by changing the parts of speech:

EXAMPLES.

1. Wisdom is better than riches. To be wise is better than to be rich. The wise are better than the rich.

2. Be humble in your whole behavior. Always behave yourself humbly. Behave yourself with humility on all occasions.

EXERCISES.

1. Piety and virtue will make our whole life happy.

2. Modesty is one of the chief ornaments of youth.

3. The eager and presumptuous are continually disappointed.

4. Friendly sympathy heightens every joy.

5. Praise is pleasing to the mind of man.

6. To deceive the innocent is utterly disgraceful.

7. A family where the great Father of the universe is duly reverenced, where parents are honored and obeyed, and where brothers and sisters dwell together in affection and harmony, is surely a most delightful and interesting spectacle.

SECTION VI.

VARIETY OF EXPRESSION (continued).

Vary the expression in the following sentences by using synonymous words and phrases:

EXAMPLE.

Wrath kindles wrath. Anger inflames anger. Strife begets strife. One angry passion excites another.

EXERCISES.

1. The avaricious man has no friend.

2. It is not easy to love those whom we do not esteem.

3. Few have courage to correct their friends.

4. Passion swells by gratification.

5. The great source of pleasure is variety.

6. Knowledge is to be gained only by study.

7. Sir Isaac Newton possessed a remarkably mild and even temper. This great man, on a particular occasion, was called out of his study to an adjoining apartment. A little dog, named Diamond, the constant but incurious attendant of his master's researches, happened to be left among the papers, and threw down a lighted candle, which consumed the almost finished labors of some years. Sir Isaac soon returned, and had the mor

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tification to behold his irreparable loss. But with his usual self-possession he only exclaimed, "Oh, Diamond! Diamond! thou little knowest the mischief thou hast done."*

SECTION VII.

WORDS SUGGESTED TO FORM SENTENCES.

Let one pupil name a subject, and each of the others, at the suggestion of the teacher, successively give a word or phrase.

Let the words and phrases be written down as they are suggested, and afterward re-written so as to make

sense:

EXAMPLE.

Name a subject. The horse. A noun common to the horse and all other animals of the same kind? Quadruped. An adjective descriptive of some property in the horse? Beautiful. An adverb to increase the signification of beautiful. Most. Is the horse the most beautiful of quadrupeds? He

appears to be so.

The horse, quadruped, beautiful, most, appears.

A noun which refers to the largeness or smallness of the horse? Size. A noun applicable to his skin? Smoothness. A noun applicable to his motions? Ease. A noun applicable to his shape? Symmetry. Adjectives descriptive of the horse, to qualify these nouns? Fine, glossy, graceful, exact. What do all these properties entitle the horse to? Distinction.

Size, skin, smoothness, motions, ease, shape, symmetry, fine, glossy, graceful, exact, entitle, distinction.

Of all quadrupeds, the horse appears to be the most beautiful. His fine size, the glossy smoothness of his skin, the graceful ease of his motions, and the exact symmetry of his shape, entitle him to this distinction.t

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IV. STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES. A SENTENCE is any number of words joined together in such a manner as to form a complete proposition. Every complete proposition or sentence contains a subject, or thing spoken of, and a predicate, or what is said of the subject.

* Pupils may be exercised, according to the two preceding sections, on their daily reading-lessons.

In answer to his suggestions and questions the teacher will get a variety of words, in selecting the most appropriate of which he may exercise the judgment and taste of his pupils. He may also make them vary the expression according to Sections V. and VI. The exercises in this section may be extended to any length.

When the affirmation is not limited to the subject, a complete proposition or sentence also contains an object.

The subject of a sentence is always a noun, or two, or more nouns joined together; a pronoun, or pronouns; the infinitive of a verb; or a part of a sen

tence.

The predicate is always a verb, or a clause containing a verb.

The object is always a noun, a pronoun, the infinitive or present participle of a verb, or a part of a sentence. The principal rules to be observed in joining words together in sentences, must be sought in the grammar,

SECTION I.

VARIETY OF CONSTRUCTION.

Vary the construction in the following sentences by changing the subjects, the predicates, or the objects:

EXAMPLE.

Temperance in eating and drinking is the best preservative of health. To be temperate in eating and drinking is the best preservative of health. To eat and drink temperately is the best preservative of health. The best preservative of health is temperance in eating and drinking. The best way to preserve health is to eat and drink temperately. Temperance in eating and drinking best preserves health. Health is best preserved by temperance in eating and drinking. To eat and drink temperately is the best way to preserve health. Temperance in eating and drinking promotes health. Health depends upon temperance in eating and drinking. Health is promoted by temperance in eating and drinking. Health is promoted by eating and drinking temperately. We must eat and drink temperately to preserve health.

EXERCISES.

1. To live soberly, righteously, and piously, is required of all men. 2. To grieve immoderately shows weakness.

3. Timid men fear to die.

4. That it is our duty to be just and kind to our fellow-creatures, admits not of any doubt in a rational and well-informed mind.

5. To cultivate piety toward God, to exercise benevolence toward others, and to be of a pure and humble mind, are the sure means of becoming peaceful and happy.

6. By observing truth you will command esteem.

SECTION II.

SIMPLE SENTENCES.

Sentences are either simple or complex.

A simple sentence contains only one proposition. A complex sentence consists of two or more simple sentences so combined as to make but one complete proposition.

Divide the following complex into simple sen

tences:

EXAMPLE.

Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joy and dividing our grief.

Friendship improves happiness. Friendship abates misery. Friendship doubles our joy. Friendship divides our grief.

EXERCISES.

1. Modesty is not properly a virtue, but it is a very good sign of a tractable disposition, and a great preservative against vice.

2. Thousands, whom indolence has sunk into contemptible obscurity, might have attained the highest distinctions, if idleness had not frustrated the effect of all their powers.

3. At our first setting out in life, when yet unacquainted with the world and its snares, when every pleasure enchants with its smile, and every object shines with the gloss of novelty, let us beware of the seducing appear ances which surround us, and recollect what others have suffered from the power of headstrong desire.

SECTION III.

ABRIDGMENT OF COMPLEX SENTENCES.

The clauses of a complex sentence are either principal or secondary.

The principal clause is that which contains the leading proposition; and it must express a complete idea, even when separated from the rest of the sen

tence.

A secondary clause is a simple sentence, or part of a sentence, modifying the principal clause.

Secondary clauses may be divided into Adjective, Relative, Participial, Adverbial, Connective or Conjunctive, Absolute, Apposition, Parenthetical, &c.

An adjective clause is introduced by an adjective.
A relative clause is introduced by a relative pro-

noun.

A participial clause is introduced by a participle, which describes some other word in the sentence. An adverbial clause is introduced by an adverb. A connective or conjunctive clause is introduced by a conjunction.

An absolute clause is not dependent upon any other word or words in the sentence.

An apposition clause contains a noun placed in apposition with the word or clause going before.

A parenthetical clause is enclosed by a parenthesis. Abridge the following passages by writing only the principal clauses, making each a separate sentence:

EXAMPLE.

Socrates, though primarily attentive to the culture of his mind, was not negligent of his external appearance. His cleanliness resulted from those ideas of order and decency which governed all his actions.

Socrates was not negligent of his external appearance. His cleanliness resulted from his ideas of order and decency.*

SECTION IV.

ABRIDGMENT OF COMPLEX SENTENCES (continued). Abridge the following passages by writing in each sentence the principal clause, and such secondary clauses only as the sense may require :†

EXAMPLE.

Sir Philip Sidney, at the battle near Zutphen, was wounded by a mus ket-ball, which broke the bone of his thigh. He was carried about a mile and a half to the camp; and being faint with the loss of blood, and prob ably parched with thirst, through the heat of the weather, he called for drink. It was immediately brought to him; but as he was putting the vessel to his mouth, a poor wounded soldier, who happened at that instant to be carried past him, looked up to it with wistful eyes. The gallant and generous Sidney took the bottle from his mouth, and delivered it to the soldier, saying, "Thy necessity is yet greater than mine."

Sir Philip Sidney was wounded by a musket-ball, which broke the bone of his thigh. He was carried to the camp; and being faint with the loss of blood, he called for drink. As he was putting the vessel to his mouth, a poor wounded soldier looked up at it with wistful eyes. The gallant and generous Sidney delivered him the bottle, saying "Thy necessity is yet greater than mine."

SECTION V.

VARIETY OF STRUCTURE.

Vary the structure of the following sentences by changing the form of the clauses:

The teacher may select exercises from any reading book, for this and the following sections.

In exercises like this, the teacher may suggest whether the secondary clauses should be adjective, relative, participial, adverbial, connective, ab solute, apposition, or parenthetical.

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