RULE IV.

Words ending with y, preceded by a consonant, upon assuming 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 very rarely changed in the additional syllable; as, coy, coyly; boy, boyish, boyhood; annoy, annoyed, annoyance; joy, joyless, joyful, &c.

It is a great blessing to have a sound mind, uninfluenced by fancyful humours.

Common calamities, and common blessings, fall heavyly upon the envious.

The comelyness of youth are modesty and frankness; of age, condescension and dignity.

When we act against conscience, we become the destroiers of our own peace.

We may be plaiful, and yet innocent; grave, and yet corrupt. It is only from general conduct, that our true character can be portraied.

RULE V.

Monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, ending with 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.

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,

&'c.

When we bring the lawmaker into contempt, we have in effect annuled his laws.

By defering our repentance, we accumulate our

sorrows.

The pupils of a certain ancient philosopher, were

not, during their first years of study, permited to ask any questions.

We all have many faillings and lapses to lament and recover.

There is no affliction with which we are visitted, that may not be improved to our advantage.

The Christian Lawgiver has prohibitted many things, which the heathen philosophers allowed.

RULE VI.

Words ending with any double letter but 1, and taking, ness, less, ly, or ful, after them, preserve the letter double: as, harmlessness, carelessness, carelessly, stiffly, successful, distressful, &c. But those words which end with double 1, and take ness, less, ly, or ful, after them, generally omit one 1, as, fulness, skil less, fully, skilful, &c.

Restlesness of mind disqualifies us, both for the enjoyment of peace, and the performance of our duty.

The arrows of calumny fall harmlesly at the feet of virtue.

The road to the blisful regions, is as open to the peasant as to the king.

A chiliness or shivering of the body generally precedes a fever.

To recommend virtue to others, our lights must shine brightly, not dullly.

The silent stranger stood amaz'd to see
Contempt of wealth, and willful poverty.

RULE VII.

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

The warmth of disputation, destroys that sedatness of mind which is necessary to discover truth.

All these with ceasless praise his works behold,
Both day and night.

In all our reasonings, our minds should be sincerly employed in the pursuit of truth.

Rude behaviour, and indecent language, are peculiarly disgracful to youth of education.

The true worship of God is an important and aweful service.

Wisdom alone is truely fair: folly only appears so.

RULE VIII.

Ment, added to words ending with silent e, gene rally preserves the e from elision; as, abatement, chastisement, incitement, &c. The words judgment, abridgment, acknowledgment, are deviations from the rule.

Like other terminations it changes y into i, when preceded by a consonant: as, accompany, accompaniment, merry, merriment.

The study of the English language is making daily advancment.

A judicious arrangment of studies facilitates improvment.

To shun allurments is not hard,

To minds resolv'd, forewarn'd, and well prepar'd

RULE IX.

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

Every person and thing connected with self, is apt to appear good and desireable in our eyes.

Errors and misconduct are more excuseable in ignorant, than in well-instructed persons.

The divine laws are not reverseible by those of

men.

Gratitude is a forceible and active principle in good and generous minds.

Our natural and involuntary defects of body, are not chargable upon us.

、

We are made to be servicable to others, as well as to ourselves.

RULE X.

When ing or ish is added to words ending with şiTent e, the e is almost universally omitted: as place, placing; lodge, lodging; slave, slavish; prude, pru

dish.

An obligeing and humble disposition, is totally unconnected with a servile and cringeing humour.

By solaceing the sorrows of others, the heart is improved, at the same time that our duty is performed.

Labour and expense are lost upon a droneish spirit.

The inadvertences of youth may be excused, but knaveish tricks should meet with severe reproof.

RULE XI.

Words taken into composition, often drop those letters which were superfluous in their simples: as handful, dunghil, withal, also, chilblain, foretel.

Love worketh no ill to our neighbour, and is the fullfilling of the law.

That which is sometimes expedient, is not allways so.

We may be hurtfull to others, by our example, as well as by personal injuries.

Where diligence opens the door of the understanding, and impartiality keeps it, truth finds an entrance and a wellcome too.

CHAP. II.

Containing instances of false ORTHOGRAPHY, promiscuously disposed.

As the learners must be supposed to be tolerably versed in the spelling of words in very familiar use, the Compiler has generally selected, for the following exercises, such words as are less obviously erroneous, and in the use of which young persons are more likely to commit mistakes. Though the instances which he gives of these deviations are not very numerous, yet, it is presumed, they are exhi-` bited with sufficient variety, to show the necessity of care and attention in combining letters and syllables; and to excite the ingenious student to investigate the principles and rules of our Orthography, as well as to distinguish the exceptions and variations which every where attend them.

In rectifying these exercises, the Compiler has been governed by Doctor Johnson's Dictionary, as the standard of propriety. This work is, indisputably, the best authority for the Orthography of the English language; though the author in some instances, has made decisions, which are not generally approved, and for which it is not easy to account.

SECT. I.

Neglect no oppurtunity of doing good.
No man can stedily build upon accidents.

How shall we keep, what sleeping or awake,
A weaker may surprize, a stronger take?