AN EPITOME OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR; CALCULATED TO FACILITATE THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, WITH QUESTIONS FOR EXAMIMATION AT THE END OF EACH DIVISION; AND AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING EXERCISES IN PARSING; DESIGNED FOR THE YOUNGER CLASSES OF LEARNERS, By J. W. LONDON JONATHAN WACEY, FOREIGN BOOKSELLER, BROAD-STREET, ROYAL EXCHANGE; AND F. S. HOPKINS, BISHOPS- GATE-STREET, WITHIN. MDCCCXXXIX. [ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.] TO INSTRUCTORS AND PUPILS. It will be perceived that each division of this introductory work is numbered; and the questions at the end of the divisions are numbered to accord with it; thus forming a Key to the Grammar. It is proposed to teachers, that each child in the class, should, on the first assay, have her book open before her; the teacher then to ask the questions, and allow the pupils to find the replies in their books. Let this be gone over a few times, the teacher requiring a correct reply to each question, and not allowing the pupil to advance more than the question proposed. By this means the children's under standings will be prepared, and they will readily commit to memory that portion which they have previously studied: after which, let the class be heard with closed books, not allowing the omission of a letter. 66 TO YOU MY YOUNG FRIENDS, I shall merely observe upon the first number in your Grammar, which says; English Grammar is the art of speaking and writing the English Language with propriety.' By this you will perceive that Grammar is an art; and that it is necessary to acquire this art, to enable you to speak correctly. If then you cannot speak properly without a correct knowledge of Grammar, you must perceive the indispensable necessity of fixing it deeply and lastingly upon your memory. Grammar is not a light study, the spirit of which may be acquired by reading it over with attention; it must be so accurately learned, that your mind may, at any moment, be ready to apply its rules, otherwise how can you write and speak with propriety? GREENWICH, 1st February, 1839. ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 1. English Grammar is the art of speaking and writing the English language with propriety. 2. It is divided into four parts, viz: ORTHOGRAPHY, ETYMOLOGY, SYNTAX and PRO SODY. ORTHOGRAPHY. 3. Orthography teaches the nature and power of LETTERS, and the just method of SPELLING Words. 4. A letter is the FIRST PRINCIPLE, or least part, of a word. 5. The letters of the English language, called the English alphabet, are twenty-six in number. 6. These letters are the representatives of certain articulate sounds, the elements of the language. B |