If we take the written word, ewry, which is pronounced yu-re, and examine it according to the opinions of these writers, we shall find that the initial e is pronounced y; but ini_ tial y they say is a consonant; therefore e in this word is a consonant, or it is a consonant because it does not admit the article an before it.

Again, if we examine the written word walk, which is pronounced wawk, we find I takes the sound of w; but w they say is a vowel when it does not begin a word or syllable, hence 7 takes the sound of a vowel, and by their reasoning must be a vowel.

How respectable and distinguished writers could advance as truth conclusions drawn only from unexamined and traditional assumptions is not our duty to explain; yet we may here opportunely observe, that what the ear hears, and not what the eye sees, constitutes vowels and consonants in composition. In the written word ewry, the ear hears yu-re, in which there is no initial e. How absurd then to say that e is either a vowel or consonant in a word of which it forms no part! In like manner the l in the word walk is neither vowel nor consonant, as it is only seen and not heard. The foregoing absurdities have arisen from confounding writing with pronunciation. Nothing can be more ridiculous than to speak of the vowels and consonants of the written language.

Without impropriety, the vowels may be considered as the pure original notes of the English language, and the consonants as their elementary variations. Every consonant is formed by varying the beginning or ending of a vowel; as, b, c, d, g, p, t, and v are formed by varying the beginning of the vowel e, and f, l, m, n, and s are formed by varying the end of the same vowel. The other consonants are formed by similar variations.

Spelling is the art of resolving words into their constituent syllables, and then these syllables into their constituent letters.

A syllable is one of the divisions into which a word is divided by a correct and deliberate speaker.

"English spelling is attended with much uncertainty and perplexity. But a considerable part of this inconvenience may be remedied by duly attending to the general laws of formation; and for this end the learner is here presented with a view of such general maxims in spelling primitive and derivative words, as have been almost universally received.”

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RULE I.

Monosyllables ending in f, l, or s, preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant; as, staff, mill, pass, etc. The only exceptions are, of, if, as, is, has, was, yes, his, this, us, and thus."

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RULE II.

Monosyllables ending in any consonant but f, l, or s, and preceded by a single vowel, never double the final consonant, excepting add, ebb, butt, egg, err, inn, bunn, purr, and buzz."

RULE III.

"Names ending in y, preceded by a consonant, are rendered plural by changing the y into ies: as, spy, spies; fly, flies."

RULE IV.

"Verbs and adjectives ending in y, preceded by a consonant, are varied by changing y into i: as, carry, carrieth, carries, carried, carrier, happy, happier, happiest, etc. As the English language does not admit of double i, the imperfect participle is always an exception; as, carrying.”

RULE V.

"Y, preceded by a vowel, in such instances as the foregoing, is not changed; as, boy, boys, I cloy, they cloyed, etc.; except lay, pay, and say; from which are formed laid, paid, and said, and their compounds, unlaid, unpaid, and unsaid.”

RULE VI.

"Words ending in y, preceded by a consonant, upon assu ming an additional syllable beginning with a consonant, commonly change y into i; as, happy, happily, happiness; but when y is preceded by a vowel, it is rarely changed in consequence of the additional syllable; as, coy, coyly, boy, boyish, boyhood; annoy, annoyer, annoyance; joy, joyless, joyful."

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RULE VII.

Monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, ending in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double that consonant when they take another syllable beginning with a vowel; as, wit, witty; thin, thinnish; to abet, an abettor; to begin, a beginner, etc. But if a diphthong precedes, or the accent is on the preceding syllable, the consonant remains single; as, to toil, toiling; to offer, an offering; maid, maiden."

RULE VIII.

"Words ending in any double letter but ll, and taking ness, less, ly, or ful, after them, preserve the letter double; as, harmlessness, carelessness, carelessly; stiffly; successful, distressful, etc. But those words which end in ll, and take ness, less, ly, or ful, after them, generally omit one l; as, fulness, skilless, skilful."

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RULE IX.

Ness, less, ly, and ful, added to words ending in silent e, do not cut it off: as, paleness, guileless, closely, peaceful; except in a few words; as, duly, truly, awful.”

RULE X.

"Ment, added to words ending in silent e, generally preserves the e from elision; as, abatement, arrangement, incitement. The words judgment, abridgment, acknowledgment, lodgment, and argument, are deviations from the rule. These deviations have the merit of omitting an unnecessary letter without altering the pronunciation of the original words. Like other terminations, ment changes into i, when preceded by a consonant; as, accompany, accompaniment; merry, merriment."

RULE XI.

"Able and ible, when incorporated into words ending in silent e, almost always cut it off; as, blame, blamable; cure, curable; sense, sensible; but if c or g soft comes before e in the original words, the e is then preserved in words compounded with able; as, change, changeable; peace, peaceable.'

RULE XII.

"When ing or ish is added to words ending in silent e,

the

e is almost universally omitted; as, place, placing; lodge, lodging; slave, slavish; prude, prudish; blue, bluish; white, whitish."

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RULE XIII.

Compound words are generally spelled in the same manner as the simple words of which they are formed; as, glasshouse, skylight, thereby, hereafter. Many words ending in double are exceptions to this rule; as, handful, dunghil, withal, also."

Here the pupil should be prepared for the following exami

nation :

1. What is English grammar?

2. Into how many parts is grammar divided?

3. What does the first part of grammar teach? or what is the subject of the first part of grammar?

4. What is a letter?

5. How are letters divided?

6. What is a vowel?

7. What is a consonant?

8. Name the vowels.

9. Name the consonants.

10. How is a vowel formed?

11. How is a consonant formed?

12. What is spelling?

13. What is a syllable?

14. What final consonants must be doubled in monosyllables, if preceded by a single vowel; and what are the exceptions?

(Rule 1.)

15. What final consonants are not doubled in monosyllables, if preceded by a single vowel; and what are the exceptions?

(Rule 2.)

16. How are names ending in y preceded by a consonant ren(Rule 3.)

dered plural?

17. How are assertives or descriptives ending in y preceded by a single consonant varied; and what are the exceptions? (Rule 4.)

18. What words ending in y can be varied without changing

it into i?

19. What are the exceptions?

(Rule 5.) (Rule 5.)

20. What words double the final consonant, if we annex a syllable beginning with a vowel; and what words do not?

(Rule 7.)

21. Is a final e mute to be retained if we annex ness, less, ly, or ful, to the word; and what are the exceptions?

(Rule 9.)

22. Is a final e mute to be retained if we annex ment to the word; and what are the exceptions? (Rule 10.)

23. Is a final e mute to be retained when we annex able or ible; and what are the exceptions?

24. Is it retained if we annex ing; and what

tions?

(Rule 11.) are the excep

(Rule 12.)

25. How are compound words generally spelled; and what are the exceptions?

ANSWERS TO THE FOREGOING QUESTIONS.

1. See the definition of English grammar.

2. Into four parts.

3. See the beginning of part the first.

4. See the definition.

5. Into vowels and consonants.

6. See the definition of a vowel.

7. See the definition of a consonant.

8. A, e, i, o, u, and y.

9. The other twenty letters of the alphabet are the conso

nants.

10. A vowel is formed by the position of the organs without any action of one of them on another.

11. A consonant is formed by the action of one of the organs

on another.

12. The definition of spelling will answer this question.

13. See the definition of a syllable.

14. The answer to this question may be inferred from the first

rule in spelling.