As the ellipsis occurs in almost every sentence in the English language. numerous examples of it might be given; but only a few more can be admitted here. In the following instance, there is a very considerable one: "He will often argue, that if this part of our trade were well cultivated, we should gain from one nation; and if another, from another;" that is, "He will often argue, that if this part of our trade were well cultivated, we should gain from one nation; and if another part of our trade were well cultivated, we should gain from another nation.' i. e. 66 66 66 66 The following instances, though short, contain much of the ellipsis: "Wo is me;" i. e. "wo is to me.' "To let blood;" i. e. "to let out blood." "To let down;" i. e. " to let it fall or slide down." "To walk a mile;" to walk through the space of a mile." To sleep all night;" i. e. to sleep through all the night." To go a fishing;" "To go a hunting" i. e. to go on a fishing voyage or business;' "to go on a hunting party." "I dine at two o'clock;" i. e. " at two of the clock." by land, on shore ;" i. e. "by the sea, by the land, on the shore." What is said of the ellipsis of the interjection? "Oh, my father! Oh, my friend! how great has been my ingratitude!" (1.) 9. 'By sea, "Oh, piety! virtue! how insensible have I been to your charms!" (2.) 10. The examples that follow are produced to show the impropriety of ellipsis in some particular cases. "The land was always possessed, during pleasure, by those intrusted with the command;" it should be, those persons intrusted;" or, "those who were intrusted." "If he had read farther, he would have found several of his objections might have been spared;" that is, "he would have found that several of his objections," &c. 16 There is nothing men are more deficient in, than knowing their own characters;" it ought to be, "nothing in which men," and, "than in knowing.' I scarcely know any part of natural philosophy would yield more variety and use;" it should be," which would yield," &c. "In the temper of mind he was then;" that is, "in which he then was." "The little satisfaction and consistency to be found in most of the systems of divinity I have met with, made me betake myself to the sole reading of the Scriptures;" it ought to be," which are to be found," and which I have met with." desired they might go to the altar together, and jointly return their thanks to whom only they were due;" that is, "to him to whom," &c. "There is nothing men are more deficient in, than in knowing their own characters.' Will you correct this sentence "That is a property most men have, or at least may attain." (3.) "Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days ?" (2.) "The show bread, which is not lawful to eat, but for the priests alone."(2.) 10. He "Most, if not all, the royal family RULE XXXI. RULE XXII. All the parts of a sentence should correspond to each other: a regular and dependent construction, throughout, should be carefully preserved. The following sentence is, therefore, inaccurate : "He was more beloved, but not so much admired, as Cinthio." It should be, "He was more beloved than Cinthio, but not so much admired." (1.) Reject one word. (2.) Insert one word. (3) Insert three words. (4.) Insert two words. The first example under this rule presents a most irregular construction, namely, "He was more beloved as Cinthio." The words more and so much are very improperly stated as having the same regimen. In correcting such sentences, it is not necessary to supply the latter ellipsis; because it cannot lead to any discordant or improper construction, and the supply would often be harsh or inelegant. As the 31st rule comprehends all the preceding rules, it may, at the first view, appear to be too general to be useful. But, by ranging under it a number of sen tences peculiarly constructed, we shall perceive that it is calculated to ascertain the true grammatical construction of many modes of expression, which none of the particular rules can sufficiently explain. "This dedication may serve for almost any book, that has, is, or shall be published;" it ought to be, "that has been, or shall be published." "He was guided by interests always different, sometimes contrary to, those of the community;" "different from;" or, "always different from those of the community, and sometimes contrary to them." "Will it be urged that these books are as old, or even older than tradition ?" the words "as old," and "older," cannot have a common regimen; it should be," as old as tradition, or even older." "It requires few talents to which most men are not born, or at least may not acquire;" "or which, at least, they may ot acquire." "The court of chancery frequently mitigates and breaks the teeth of the common law." In this construction, the first verb is said to mitigate the teeth of the common law, which is an evident solecism. Mitigates the common law, and breaks the teeth of it," would have been grammatical. " "They presently grow into good humor and good language towards the crown;" "grow into good language," is very improper. There is never wanting a set of evil instruments, who, either out of mad zeal, private hatred, or filthy lucre, are always ready," &c. We say properly, "A man acts out of mad zeal," or, "out of private hatred;" but we cannot say, if we would speak English, "he acts out of filthy lucre." To double her kindness and caresses of me:" the word kindness requires to be followed by either to or for, and cannot be construed with the preposi tion of. "Never was man so teased, or suffered half the uneasiness, as I have done this evening" the first and third clauses, namely, "never was man so teased," "as I have done this evening," cannot be joined without an impropriety; and to connect the second and third, the word that must be substituted for as; " or suffered half the uneasiness that I have done;" or else, "half so much uneasiness as I have Buffered." The first part of the following sentence abounds with adverbs, and those such as are hardly consistent with one another: "How much soever the reformation of this degenerate age is almost utterly to be despaired of, we may yet have a more comfortable prospect of future times." The sentence would be more correct in the following form: "Though the reformation of this degenerate age is nearly to be despaired of," &c. "Oh! shut not up my soul with the sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty; in whose hands is wickedness, and their right hand is full of gifts." As the passage introduced by the copulative conjunction and, was not intended as a continuation of the principal and independent part of the sentence, but of the dependent part, the relative whose should have been used instead of the possessive their; namely, "and whose right hand is full of gifts." "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." There seems to be an impropriety in this instance, in which the same noun serves in a double capacity, performing at the same time the offices both of the nominative and objective cases. "Neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things," &c. would have been regular. "We have the power of retaining, altering, and compounding those images which we have once received, into all the varieties of picture and vision." It is very proper to say, "altering and compounding those images which we have once received, into all the varieties of picture and vision;" but we cannot with propriety say, "retaining them into all the varieties;" and yet, according to the manner in which the words are ranged, this construction is unavoidable for retaining, altering, and compounding are participles, each of which equally refers to and governs the subsequent noun, those images; and that noun, again, is necessarily connected with the following preposition, into. The construction might easily have been rectified, by disjoining the participle retaining from the other two participles, in this way: "We have the power of retaining those images which we have once received, and of altering and compounding them into all the varieties of picture and vision;" or, perhaps, better thus: "We have the power of retaining, altering, and compounding those images which we have once received, and of forming them into all the varie ties of picture and vision." "This dedication Why is the first example under this rule inaccurate? may serve for almost any book, that has, is, or shall be published." you point out the inaccuracies in this sentence, and correct them? Will "Several alterations and additions have been made to the work." (1.) "The first proposal was essentially different, and inferior to the second." (2.) "He is more bold and active, but not so wise and studious as his companion." (3.) "Thou hearest the sound of wind, but thou canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth." "Neither has he, nor any other persons, suspected so much dissimulation." "The court of France or England (4.) was to have been the umpire." (5.) "In the reign of Henry II. all foreign commodities were plenty in England." (6.) "There is no talent so useful towards success in business, or which puts men more out of the reach of accidents, than that quality generally possessed by persons of cool temper, and is, in common language, called discretion." (7.) "The first project was to shorten discourse, by cutting polysyllables into one.' (8.) "I shall do all I can to persuade others to take the same measures for their cure which I have." (9.) "The greatest masters of critical learning differ among one another." "Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me.' " (10.) "I do not suppose, that we Britons want a genius, more than the rest of our neighbors." (10.) "The deaf man whose ears were opened, and his tongue loosened, doubtless glorified the great Physician." (11.) 66 Groves, fields, and meadows are, at any season of the year, pleasant to look upon; but never so much as in the opening of the spring.' (12.) "The multitude rebuke them, because they should hold their peace.” "The intentions of some of these philosophers, nay, of many, might and probably were good." (13.) "It was an unsuccessful undertaking; which, although it has failed, is no objection at all to an enterprise so well concerted." (14.) "The reward is his due, and it has already, or will hereafter be given to him." (15.) "By intercourse with wise and experienced persons, who know the world, we may improve and rub off the rust of a private and retired education." (16.) "Sincerity is as valuable, and even more valuable, than knowledge." (17.) "No person was ever so perplexed, or sustained the mortifications, as he has done to-day." (18.) "The Romans gave not only the freedom of the city, but capacity for employments, to several towns in Gaul, Spain, and Germany." (19.) "Such writers have no other standard on which to form themselves, except what chances to be fashionable and popular." (20.) "Whatever we do secretly, shall be displayed and heard in the clearest light." (21.) "To the happiness of possessing a person of so uncommon merit, Boethius soon had the satisfaction of obtaining the highest honor his country could bestow." (3.) "active (1.) "This work has received," &c. (2.) "was inferior to the second, and-from it." than his." (4.) Insert "have." (5.)" or that of." (6.) "plentiful." (7.) Insert "more" and "which." (8.) "by reducing-to words of one syllable." (9.) Insert a participle. (10.) Reject one word. (11.) Insert two words, and reject one. (12.) Insert "so." (13.) Insert "have been." (14.) "the failure of which is, however.” (15.) Insert been." (16.) End with, "and rub off its rust.” (17.) "as knowledge, and." (18.) Insert "been" for "done," and end with "such mortification.” (19.) "the inhabitants of." (20.) Reject one word. (21.) "displayed in the clearest." PROSODY. PROSODY consists of two parts: the former teaches the true PRONUNCIATION of words, comprising ACCENT, QUANTITY, EMPHASIS, FAUSE, and TONE; the latter, the laws of VERSIFICATION. OF PRONUNCIATION. OF ACCENT. ACCENT is the laying of a peculiar stress of the voice on a certain letter or syllable in a word, that it may be better heard than the rest, or distinguished from them; as, in the word presume, the stress of the voice must be on the letter u, and second syllable sume, which take the accent. OF QUANTITY. The QUANTITY of a syllable is that time which is occupied in pronouncing it. It is considered LONG or SHORT. A vowel or syllable is long, when the accent is on the vowel, which occasions it to be slowly joined in pronunciation with the following letter; as, fall, tale, mood, house, feature. A syllable is short, when the accent is on the consonant, which occasions the vowel to be quickly joined to the succeeding letter; as, ănt, bonnet, hùngĕr. A long syllable generally requires double the time of a short one in pronouncing it; thus māte and nōle should be pronounced as slowly again as măt and not. OF EMPHASIS. By EMPHASIS is meant a stronger and fuller sound of voice, by which we distinguish some word or words on which we design to lay a particular stress, and to show how they affect the rest of the sentence. Sometimes the emphatic words must be distinguished by a particular tone of voice, as well as by a greater stress. OF PAUSES. PAUSES OF RESTS, in speaking and reading, are a total cessation of the voice, during a perceptible, and in many cases, a measurable space of time. OF TONES. TONES are different both from emphasis and pauses, consisting in the modulation of the voice, the notes or variations which we employ in the expression of our sentiments. OF VERSIFICATION. VERSIFICATION is the arrangement of a certain number and variety of syllables, according to certain laws. RHYME is the correspondence of the last sound of one verse to the last sound of another. What is prosody? What is accent? What is the quantity of a syllable? When is a vowel or syllable long? When short? Give xamples of each. How much more time does the pronunciation of a long syllable occupy, than a short one? What is emphasis? What are pauses? What are tones? What is versification? What is rhyme ? (187) OF POETICAL FEET. A certain number of syllables connected form a foot. They are called feet, because it is by their aid that the voice, as it were, steps along through the verse in a measured pace. All feet used in poetry consist either of two, or of three syllables, and are reducible to eight kinds-four of two syllables, and four of three-as follows: DISSYLLABLE. A Trochee, An Iambus, A Spondee, A Pyrrhic, TRISYLLABLE. A Dactyl, An Amphibrach, An Anapæst, A Tribrach, A Trochee has the first syllable accented, and the last unaccented; as, "Hateful, péttish." An Iambus has the first syllable unaccented, and the latter accented; as, "Betray, consist." A Spondee has both the words or syllables accented; as, mōōn. "The pale A Pyrrhic has both the words or syllables unaccented; as, "on the tall tree. A Dactyl has the first syllable accented, and the two latter unaccented; as, Labörěr, possible." An Amphibrach has the first and last syllables unaccented, and the middle one accented; as, Delightful, doméstic." 64 An Anapæst has the two first syllables unaccented, and the last accented; as, Conträvēne, acquiésce." A Tribrach has all its syllables unaccented; as, able." Numĕrăble, conquer. Some of these may be denominated principal feet, as pieces of poetry may be wholly or chiefly formed of any of them. Such are the Iambus, Trochee, Dactyl, and Anapast. The others may be termed secondary feet, because their chief use is to diversify the numbers, and to improve the verse. PUNCTUATION. PUNCTUATION is the art of dividing a written composition into sentences, by points or stops, for the purpose of marking the different pauses which the sense and an accurate pronunciation require. The Comma represents the shortest pause; the Semicolon, a pause double that of the comma; the Colon, double that of the semicolon; and the Period, double that of the colon. OF THE COMMA. The Comma usually separates those parts of a sentence which, though very closely connected in sense and construction, require a pause between them. RULE 1.-With respect to a simple sentence, the several words of which it is composed, have so near a relation to each other, that, in general, no points are requisite, except a full stop at the end of it; as, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." "Every part of nature swarms with living creatures." A simple sentence, however, when it is a long one, and the nominative case is accompanied with inseparable adjuncts, may admit of a pause im mediately before the verb; as, "The good taste of the present age, has not allowed us to neglect the cultivation of the English language.' "To be totally indifferent to praise or censure, is a real defect in character." What constitutes a poetical foot, and why is it so called? Of how many syllables do poetical feet consist? How many kinds of feet are there, and what are they? What is a Trochee? an lambus? a Spondee? a Pyrrhic? a Dactyl? an Amphibrach? an Anapest? a Tribrach? Will you give an example of ach? Which are called principal feet? Which secondary? Why? What is punctuation? What does the comma repre sent? the semicolon? the colon? the period? How is the comma used? "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Does this sentence require a pause in it? Will you give the rule for sentences of this kind? "The good taste of the present age has not allowed us to neglect the cultivation of the English language." Does this |