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PART I.

PRACTICAL EXERCISES IN THE USE OF WORDS-IN THE STRUCTURE AND ARRANGEMENT OF SENTENCES.

INTRODUCTION.

COMPOSITION IS the art of expressing ideas in written language.

To compose correctly, it is necessary to have a practical knowledge of Spelling, Punctuation, the Use of Words, and the Structure and Arrangement of Sen

tences.

To compose with perspicuity and elegance, it is also necessary to have a practical knowledge of the various qualities of Style, and of the use of Figurative Language.

To be able to write with facility, it is farther necessary to have considerable practice in Original Composition.

I.-SPELLING.

SPELLING is the art of expressing words by their proper letters.

Letters are of two forms, capitals and small letters.

SECTION I.

CAPITAL LETTERS.

CAPITAL LETTERS are used in the following situa tions:

I. The first word of every sentence.

II. The first word of every line of poetry.

III. The first word of a quotation in a direct form.

IV. The names of the Supreme Being

V. Proper names, and adjectives derived from proper names.

VI. The names of the days of the week, and of the months of the year.

VII. Any very important word; as, the Reformation.

VIII. The pronoun I, and the interjection O.

IX. Generally the name of an object personified

EXERCISES.

Correct the errors in the following passages:

1. The love of praise should be kept under proper subordination to the principle of duty. in itself, it is a useful motive to action; but when allowed to extend its influence too far, it corrupts the whole character. to be entirely destitute of it, is a defect. to be governed by it, is depravity. How many clear marks of benevolent intention appear every where around us! what a profusion of beauty and ornament is poured forth in the face of nature! what a magnificent spectacle presented to the view of man! what a supply contrived for his wants!

On whom does time hang so heavily, as on the slothful and lazy? to whom are the hours so lingering? who are so often devoured with spleen, and obliged to fly to every expedient, which can help them to get rid of *hemselves?

II. Restless mortals toil for naught;

bliss in vain from earth is sought;
bliss, a native of the sky,
never wanders. mortals, try;
there you cannot seek in vain,
for to seek her is to gain.

III. An ancient heathen king, being asked What things he thought most proper for boys to learn, answered: "those which they ought to practice, when they come to be men." a wiser than this heathen monarch has taught the same sentiment: "train up a child in the way he should go, and, when he is old, he will not depart from it."

A celebrated philosopher expressed in his motto, That time was his estate: An estate, which will produce nothing without cultivation; but which will abundantly repay the labors of industry.

IV.

There lives and works

a soul in all things, and that soul is god.
the lord of all, himself through all diffused,
sustains, and is the life of all that lives.

these are thy glorious works, parent of good.
Salmighty! thine this universal frame!

V. Our fields are covered with herbs from holland, and roots from ger many; with flemish farming, and swedish turnips; our hills with forests of the firs of norway. the chestnut and the poplar of the south of europe adorn our lawns, and below them flourish shrubs and flowers, from every clime, in great profusion. arabia improves our horses, china our pigs, north america our poultry, and spain our sheep.

VI. We left home on monday morning, arrived at liverpool on tuesday, went to manchester, by the railway, on wednesday, and reached this tlace on thursday evening.

Blessed that eve!

the sabbath's harbinger, when, all complete,
in freshest beauty, from jehovah's hand,
creation bloom'd; when eden's twilight face
smiled like a sleeping babe.

VII. The first monarch of great britain and ireland, after the revolution of 1688, was william the third. the reign of his successor, queen anne, was rendered remarkable by the victories of the duke of Marlborough on the continent of europe, and the union between england and scotland. VIII. I am monarch of all i survey,

men.

my right there is none to dispute ;
from the centre all round to the sea,
i am lord of the fowl and the brute.

IX. o solitude! where are the charms
that sages have seen in thy face?
"better dwell in the midst of alarms,
than reign in this horrible place.

The hope of future happiness is a perpetual source of consolation to good under trouble, it soothes their minds; amid temptation, it supports their virtue; and, in their dying moments, it enables them to say, o death! where is thy sting? o grave! where is thy victory ?"

SECTION II.

RULES FOR SPELLING.

Correctness in Spelling is to be acquired chiefly by attending to the practice of the best modern writers and lexicographers; by frequent copying from books; and by writing from the dictation of the teacher, which should be pursued till perfect accuracy is attained.

II. PUNCTUATION.

THE POINTS used in Composition are the Comma (,), the Semicolon (;), the Colon (:), the Period (.), the Point of Interrogation (?), the Point of Exclamation (!), the Dash (-), and the Parenthesis ( ).

For Rules of Punctuation, consult Grammars.

No instructer, or intelligent pupil, can read the following remarks on Punctuation (extracted from the "Young Ladies' Own Book"), and not be thoroughly convinced, and that in a manner the most amusing, of the necessity of acquiring a practical knowledge of this art--the art of so pointing our sentences as to convey our meaning without ambiguity.

PUNCTUATION IS A MATTER OF THE UTMOST CONSEQUENCE IN EVERY SPECIES OF COMPOSITION: without it there can be no clearness, strength, or accuracy. Its utility consists in separating the different portions of what is written, in such a manner, that the subjects may be properly classed and subdivided, so as to convey the precise meaning of the writer to the reader; to show the relation which the various parts bear to each other; to unite such as ought to be connected, and to keep apart such as have no mutual dependance.

The same words, by means of different modes of punctu

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:

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(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 .. 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. elo here ceases to be a lawyer; there is no longer a fogner 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 signification 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.

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