An English accidence: or, abstract of grammar; for the use of those who, without making grammar a study, wish to speak and write correctly. With rules for reading prose and verse. By the Rev. Dr. John Trusler.

ABSTRACT OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR.

Of the denomination of Words.

THE only words necessary to be known gram∣matically, are Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Verbs, Adverbs, and Participles.

A Noun is the name of a thing, as Horse, Boat, Knife, &c.

A Pronoun is a substitute for a Noun, as I, he, she, &c.

An Adjective expresses the quality of a Noun, as a sound Horse; an open Boat; a sharp Knife; here sound, open, and sharp, are Verbs.

A Verb implies the action of the Noun, and an Adverb the action of the Verb, as the horse gallops, the boat sails, the knife cuts: Here galloping is the action of the horse; sailing the action of the boat; and cutting the action of the knife; of course, gallops, sails, and cuts are Verbs.

An Adverb expresses the action of the Verb. Thus the horse gallops quick; the boat sails briskly; the knife cuts badly. Here quick expresses the action of galloping; briskly that of sailing, and badly that of cutting; of course quick, briskly, and badly are Adverbs, that is, addition to Verbs.

A Participle partakes of the qualities of both Noun and Verb, and implies, acting or being acted on.

These are the different parts of speech, I would wish my pupil to be acquainted with. I will treat of them in their order.

Of NOUNS.

Nouns Substantives are the general names o•• things, except proper names, which are particular ones. A horse, for example, is a general name, it may be my horse or yours, so is a boat, a knife, &c. but proper names are particular ones, as Thomas, the name of a man: Jolly, the name of a horse, &c. Horse, boat, knife, &c. then are Nouns.

Nouns have two numbers, the singular and the plural.

The singular number expresses an individual, as a horse, a boat, a knife; the plural expresses many, as horses, boats, knives, &c.

In other languages Nouns have a variety of cases, that is, vary in their terminations, but in English there are but two: these correspond with the geni∣tive and accusative. Thus, instead of the head of a horse, we say, a horse's head, (not horses, which is the plural number of horse, but horse's, which we call the genitive case singular); so boat's, knife's, as the boat's side, the knife's edge.

Plurals ending in s have no genitive cases, we write womens, not women's; mens, not men's; and so on.

No Nouns have accusative cases, but Pronouns; these vary their terminations when they follow or are acted upon by verbs.

I preceding a verb, is changed to me when fol∣lowing one.

• We to us.
• Thou to thee or you.
• Ye to you.
• He to him.
• She to her.
• They to them.
• Who to whom.

Thus we say, "I love you." I here precedes the verb love; but I could not follow the same verb with propriety, it would be rendered me. We should not say "You love I," but "you love me." So again, "Thou lovest me;" "I love thee." Thou before the verb, thee after it. "We love God;" "God loves us;" and so on.

The words who and whom require a little further explanation. We say, "Kings are personages whom we revere." Here, though, in the present mode of speech, whom precedes the verb revere, it is nevertheless used in the accusative case, being the word which the verb revere governs and acts upon, answering to them, when we say "we revere them." So in the following example: "William was the person who came to me." Here the pro∣noun who precedes the verb came, and governs it. "William was the person to whom I spoke." Here whom, though it precedes, or is placed, before the verb spoke, (to render it more agreeable to the ear) is governed or acted on by it.

English Nouns are then thus declined, none hav∣ing accusative cases but the Pronouns.

Sing.	Horse	Gen.	Horse's	Plur.	Horses.
Sing.	Boat	Gen.	Boat's	Plur.	Boats.

Note, The genitive case implies of or belonging to

The word whose is sometimes used as the geni∣tive of which, and chiefly in poetry.

"—The fruit "Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste "Brought death into the world." MILTON

But of which is now most common. "The mat¦ters of which I spoke." Though whose may be used with propriety, when it refers to persons; as "This is the young woman whose worth I know."

The genitive of the other Pronouns are as fol∣low:

I	Gen. mine or my
Thou	Gen. thine or thy
He	Gen. his
She	Gen. hers
we	Gen. ours or our
ye	Gen. yours or your
they	Gen. theirs or their
It	Gen. its

Mine, thine, ours, yours or theirs, may be used without a noun annexed, but my, thy, our, your, their, never. Thus, "Whose book is this?" The answer may be mine, or thine, or ours, or yours, or theirs, alone; but if we use my, thy, our, your, or their, we must add the noun book to it, a say, my book, thy book, our book, your book, or their book.

When the word own is added to the pronouns my, thy, his, hers, our, your, or their, it is to render the expression more emphatical; as, "I live in my own house;" "I did it with my own hand." &c.

The plural number is formed, by adding s at the end of the singular number, as in the following:

Sing.	Plur.	Sing.	Plur.
House	Houses	Table	Tables
Walk	Walks	Sister	Sisters
Stool	Stools	Outrage	Outrages, &c.
Lance	Lances

But there are some exceptions to this general rule, as the following irregular plurals will shew.

Sing.	Plur.	Sing.	Plur.
Loaf	Loaves	Foot	Feet
Calf	Calves	Church	Churches
Shelf	Shelves	Fish	Fishes
Half	Halves	Box	Boxes
Self	Selves	Ox	Oxen
Sheaf	Sheaves	Man	Men
Thief	Thieves	Sow	Swine
Wife	Wives	Child	Children
Wolf	Wolves	Brother	Brethren
Knife	Knives	Woman	Women
Louse	Lice	Penny	Pence
Mouse	Mice	Body	Bodies
Die	Dice	Mercy	Mercies
Goose	Geese	Enemy	Enemies
Tooth	Teeth	Witness	Witnesses, &c.
and
This	These	That	Those

The singular and plural of some few words are the same, as sheep, deer, fern, hose, in which case the singular number is pointed out by a going be∣fore them, as a sheep, a deer.

Some words also have no singular number, as annals, arms, ashes, bellows, breeches, cresses, en∣trails, ides, lungs, means, nones, scissars, sheers, snuf∣fers, thanks, tongs, wages, dregs, news, &c.

Proper names of men, cities, rivers, countries, &c. have no plurals. This rule, however, is not without some exceptions. We say, "There were ten Williams in company." And when speaking of families, we say, the Marlboroughs, the Cavendishes, the Howards, &c.

I can, at no better time, mention the proper use of the pronouns who, which, and what, as interro∣gatives or not.

Who is used only when speaking of persons, as, "Who is that man, or that woman?" Which, when we speak of things, as, "Which is your cane? What, when we are speaking of the kind, quality, or order of persons or things, as, "What lady is that?" "What house is this?" "What (or which) place do you chuse?"

When who and which are not interrogatives, that is, do not ask a question, they are used with the same distinction, that is, who for persons, and which for things. We say, "William was the person who came to me." "This is the horse which I bought."

Now we are upon the subject of nouns, it is pro∣per to say something of gender.

There are three genders the male, female, and neuter.

The male and female distinguish the two sexes; whereas the neuter is applied to things without life, as not properly belonging to either of the other, as table, st••ne, rock, &c.

When we speak of the male gender, we use the pronoun he; when of the female gender, she; when of the neuter, it. Thus,

The bridegroom, he came from the barn; The bride, she came in from the field; The table, it fell on the floor.

We indeed deem most things that contain any thing within them to be of the female gender, as the earth, a ship, a house, &c. and in poetry, where writers will frequently give slight to their fancy, and personify inanimate substances, they are deemed o the male or female gender, according to the idea of the Poet. Thus Death, Time, the Sun, &c. are generally of the male gender; Faith, Hope, Cha∣rity, &c. of the female, as being of the softer virtues.

But our language, in many instances, save us the necessity of adding pronouns to express genders, for we often distinguish the different sexes by di∣stinct words; as for example,

Male.	Female.	Male.	Female.
Father	Mother	Sloven	Slut
Husband	Wife	Man	Woman
Brother	Sister	Rake	Jilt
Uncle	Aunt	Boar	Sow
Widower	Widow	Buck	Doe
Master	Mistress	Cock	Hen
Nephew	Niece	Dog	Bitch
Wizzard	Witch	Drake	Duck
Bachelor	Maid or Vir∣gin	Gander	Goose
	Horse	Mare
Bridegroom	Bride	Ram	Ewe
Whoremonger	Whore or Strumpet.	Steer	Heifer
	Boy	Girl	Bull	Cow
King	Queen	Lad	Lass
Lord	Lady	Duke	Duchess
Milter	Spawner	&c.

There are also some few words, which distin∣guish the female sex from the male, by the ending;

Male	Female.	Male.	Female.
Abbot	Abbess	Shepherd	Shepherdess
Actor	Actress	Executor	Executrix
Baron	Baroness	Adminis∣trator	Aministra∣trix
Heir	Heiress
Prior	Prioress	&c.
Lion	Lioness

Where there are no words to distinguish the sexes, we frequently add one to answer the pur∣pose. Thus we say, a male-child, a female-child, a he-goat, a she-goat, a man servant, a maid-servant, a cock-sparrow, a hen-sparrow, or the like.

Of ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives are words which cannot stand alone, but are added to nouns to express their quality, as black, white, wise, foolish, round, square, &c. Thus we say, a black dog, a wise man, a round table.

There are three degrees of Adjectives, called degrees of Comparison, the positive, comparative, and superlative.

• 1. The positive degree is the quality itself, simply, as black, white, wise, &c.
• 2. The comparative expresses more of any one thing than another, and is formed by adding er to t••e positive, as blacker, whiter, wiser: sometimes, in∣stead of saying blacker, we say more black; for white, more white; for wiser, more wise, &c.
• 3. The superlative degree implies the highest, and is formed ••y the termination es••, or the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 most before the positive. Thus blackest, 〈…〉〈…〉 black; whitest, or most white; wisest or mo•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Some superlatives are formed, by adding 〈…〉〈…〉 most as a termination; thus nether 〈…〉〈…〉

outer, outermost; under, undermost; upper, upper∣most; in, inner, innermost, &c.

Many Adjectives do not admit of comparison by terminations, but are only compared by more and most, as benevolent, more benevolent, most benevolent. Some authors have used shadiest, virtuousest, famousest, mortalest, naturallest, powerfullest, inventivest, trifling∣est, &c. but these are liberties which every one cannot take, and are inelegant after all.

Some again are irregularly compared, as,

Positive.	Compar.	Superl.
Good	Better	Best
Bad	Worse	Worst
Little	Less	Least
Near	Nearer	Nearest
Much	More	Most
Late	Later	Last

Indeed, the comparison of Adjectives is very un∣certain, and being much regulated by the ear or agreeableness of sounds, cannot well be reduced to rules.

When a noun is substituted for an adjective, and added to another noun by hyphen (-), such two words are called compound words, as Turkey-Leather, Mountain-wine, man-servant, sea-fish, &c.

Of VERBS.

Verbs, as I observed, express the action of Nouns.

A Verb is said to have several moods and tenses. We shall have occasion only to name the Infinitive mood, which is known by the word to preceding it, as to love, to hate, &c. and two of the Tenses, the present, and the past: these two are expressed

by terminations, the other tenses are expressed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the auxiliary verbs shall, will, and have, precedin•• them, of course it is not necessary to mention ther•• as we have nothing to do but with the right use words themselves.

The present time or tense is expressed by the ve•••• itself, as burn, love, hate; the past time by the ter∣mination ed, as burned, loved, hated.

A Verb has also three persons, 1st, 2d, and 3•••• and, like Nouns, two numbers, singular and plur••••.

The three persons in the singular of verbs are thou, and he or she; in the plural, We, ye, a•••• they. Thus,

Persons.	Present tense, singular.
1.	I love
2.	Thou lovest
3.	He or she loveth or love••
Plural.
1.	We love
2.	Ye love
3.	They love.
Past time, singular.
1.	I loved
2.	Thou lovedst
3.	He or she loved.
Plural.
1.	We loved
2.	Ye loved
3.	They loved.
Infinitive mood.	To love.
Participle present.	Loving.
— past.	Loved.

There are two sorts of verbs, active and passive. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 love is a verb active; to be loved, a verb passive; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 still, according to my first definition of a verb, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 love, or be loved, implies the action of the person ••••ving.

The passive verb is formed by the addition of the ••••xiliary or assisting verb, to be. Thus, in the pre∣••••nt tense or time,

Sing.	I am, thou art, he or she is.
Plur.	We are or be, ye are or be, they are or be.
Past tense or time.
Sing.	I was, thou wast or was, he or she was.
Plur.	We were, ye were, they were.
Participle present.	Being.
— past.	Having been.
Infinitive mood.	To be.

Now, by adding the word love to each, it will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thus:

I am loved, Thou wast loved, He was loved, &c. And so through the whole.

The other auxiliary verbs are have, shall, will, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, may, can. Have being the principal, we will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 through the tenses of this.

Present tense or time.
Sing.	I have, thou hast, he or she hath or has.
Plur.	We have, ye have, they have.
Past tense.
Sing.	I had, thou hadst, he or she had.
Plur.	We had, ye had, they had.

Participle present.	Having.
— past.	Had.
Infinitive mood.	To have.

There is still another form of English ver•••• in, which the sign of the Infinitive mood to added to the verb do, which it is necessary to learn.

Present tense.
Sing.	I do, thou dost, he or she doth.
Plur.	We do, ye do, they do.
Past tense.
Sing.	I did, thou didst, he or she did.
Plur.	We did, ye did, they did.

In the subsequent tenses, did is changed to do I have done, I had done, &c.

Infinitive mood.	To do; or to have done.
Participle present.	Doing.
— past.	Done.

By rapid utterance, or poetical contraction, love is often used for loved; snatch'd for snatch•••• dwelt for dwelled; smelt for smelled; and so on.

But not to multiply rules, and burthen the learn∣er's memory with terms, the following list of regular Verbs in their present and past tenses w•••••• be sufficient to instruct. These he should well ••••¦member.

Present time.	Past.	Participle.
Awake	awoke	awoke
Abide	abode	abode
Be	been	being, been
Bend	bent	bent
Bear	bore, bare	borne
Begin	began	begun

Present time.	Past.	Participle.
Bereave	bereft	bereft
Beseech	besought	besought
Beat	beat	beaten, beat
Bind	bound	bound
Bite	bit	bitten
Bleed	bled, blooded	bled
Blow	blew	blown
Break	broke	broken
Breed	bred	bred
Bring	brought	brought
Buy	bought	bought
Catch	caught, catched	caught
Chide	chid	chidden
Chuse	chose	chosen
Cleave	clave, clove	cleft, cloven
Come	came	come
Creep	crept, creeped	crept
Crow	crew, crowed	crown
Dare	dared, durst	dared
Die	died	dead
Do	did	done
Draw	drew	drawn
Dream	dreamed, dreamt	dreamt
Drank	drank	drunk
Drive	drove	driven
Dwell	dwelled, dwelt	dwelt
Eat	eat, ate	eaten, eat
Fall	fell	fallen
Feed	fed	fed
Feel	felt	felt
Fight	fought	fought
Find	found	found
Flee	fled	fled
Fling	flung	flung

Present time.	Past.	Participle.
Fly	flew, fled	flown
Forsake	forsook	forsaken
Freight	freighted	fraught
Geld	gelded, gelt	gelt, gelded
Get	got	gotten, got
Give	gave	given
Gild	gilded, gilt	gilded, gilt
Gird	girded, girt	girded, girt
Grind	ground	ground
Go	went	gone
Grow	grew	grown
Hang	hung, hanged	hung
Have	had	had, having
Hear	heard	heard
Help	helped, helpt	holpen
Hew	hewed	hewn
Hid	hid	hidden, hid
Hold	held	holden
Keep	kept	kept
Know	knew	known
Lay	laid	laid
Lead	led	led
Leave	left	left
Leap	leaped, leapt	leapt
Lie	lay	lain
Lose	lost	lost
Make	made	made
Mean	meant	meant
Mow	mowed	mown
Meet	met	met
Rend	rent	rent
Ride	rode, rid	ridden
Ring	rang	rung
Rise	rose	risen

Present time.	Past.	Participle.
Run	ran	run
Say	said	said
See	saw	seen
Seek	sought	sought
Seethe	sod	sodden
Sell	sold	sold
Send	sent	sent
Shake	shook	shaken
Shear	sheared, shore	shorn
Shew	shewed	shewn
Shine	shined	shone
Shoot	shot	shot
Shrunk	shrank	shrunk
Sing	sang	sung
Sink	sank, sunk	sunk
Sit	sat	sat
Slay	slew	slain
Slide	slid	slidden
Sleep	slept	slept
Sling	slang	slung
Smell	smelt	smelt
Smite	smote	smitten
Speak	spoke	spoken
Spell	spelled, spelt	spelt
Spill	spilled, spilt	spilt
Spend	spent	spent
Spin	span	spun
Spit	spat	spun
Spring	sprang	sprung
Stand	stood	stood
Stick	stuck	stuck
Sting	stung	stung
Steal	stole	stolen
Stink	stank	stunk

Present time.	Past.	Participle.
Strike	struck	stricken
Strive	strove	striven
Swear	swore	sworn
Sweep	sweeped, swept	swept
Swell	swelled	swoln
Swing	swang, swung	swung
Swim	swam, swum	swum
Take	took	took, taken
Tear	tore	torn
Teach	taught	taught
Tell	told	told
Think	thought	thought
Thrive	throve	thriven
Throw	threw	thrown
Tread	trod	trodden
Weep	wept	wept
Win	won	won
Wind	wound	wound
Wear	wore	worn
Weave	wove	woven
Write	wrote, writ	written, writ
Work	worked, wrought	wrought
Wring	wrung	wrung

These rules premised, the great art in writing and speaking correctly, is to avoid false concords; that is, the singular number must never be coupled with the plural, &c. Also,

• 1. The noun or pronoun, and the verb following it, must be of the same number and person. We must not say, I were, I being the first person, were the second, but I am, both in the first person; nei∣ther should we say, thou were, thou being singular, and were plural, but thou wert, both singular.
• ...

• 2. We must take care to use the proper word to express the right time, whether it be present or past. In the irregular verbs, the foregoing list will point out the word, in the regular ones, the termination ed will always express the past time. Thus, for example, we must not say, "he breaked the bowl," but broke it; not "he come home," but came.
• 3. In the use of the words this and that, which in the plural number are these and those, we must take care that they agree with the number of he word they refer to. We must not say this men or that men, the one being singular, the other plural, but this or that man, these or those men. But where a noun has no singular number, we may add this or that to the plural of such words: thus we may say with propriety, "by this or that means." So nouns wanting a singular number are sometimes joined to a verb singular, but inelegantly, as, "the news is sta••e;" "your wages is small."
• 4. Two or more names or things in the singular number, require the verb to be in the plural. Thus "William and John are (not is) good lads," "The sun and wind overcame (not overcome) me."
• 5. Names of a multitude may have either a sin∣gular or a plural verb. Thus we may say, "The Parliament is or are sitting."
• 6. When two or more nouns, of different num∣bers, follow each other with the word or or nor be∣tween them, and are equally related to a common verb; the verb should agree with the noun next it. For example, "Either the husband, the wife, or their children, are in the house", "Neither the husband, the children, nor the wife, is in the house.".
• ...

• 7. Two negatives make an affirmative. "I wasn't good for nothing," implies, "It was good so something." "I can't eat no more," means, "can eat more."
• 8. The participle present is frequently substituted for the In••initive mood of a verb, and with ele∣gance. Thus, instead of "I like to work," we may say "I like working." "For he delights to walk, we may say, "He delights in walking."
• 9. After the auxiliary verb have, it would be improper to put the past time; the participle should always follow. Thus, it would be ingrammatica•• to say, "I have saw, or "I have wrote;" it should be, "I have seen," or "I have written."
• 10. When the leading adverbs are whether o•• either, or must follow in the same sentence; where the leading adverb is neither, nor must follow Thus, "Whether you or I shall go, is not yet de∣termined." "Either your or I must ride." "Nei∣ther you nor I must speak."
• 11. All repetitions of the same word, nay of words which express the same thing, are carefully to ••voided, except when the sense would be otherwise obscure, or when it is to excite the atten∣tion. For example, a repetition of the word from in the following sentence is allowable: the passage would not be clear without it. "It proceeds not from stupidity, or a slothful neglect, but from a generous liberality of soul. When it is to excite attention, a repetition is beautiful. "Every acti∣on, nay every attention, every design of man, is known to the Almighty."
• 12. With respect to Adjectives, none should be used but such as are necessary to explain the subject more fully. To say burning or shining fire, is in∣elegant,

• because the first idea of fire is, that it burns and shines; but if necessary, we may employ adjectives to express its other qualities, as consum∣ing, sparkling, brisk, &c.

In short, the words of a sentence ought generally to be as different from one another, both in sense and sound, as the nature of the subject and the har∣mony of the period will admit. On this the beauty of a sentence depends, the sound being, as it were, an echo to the sense, and, independent of this, on the smoothness of the words, the choice of adjec∣tives, and the easy flow of its diction. And in general, the shorter the period, the more nervous and emphatical it is.

An OBSERVATION or two on WRITING and READING.

In writing, never use capital letters to begin a word, unless it be a proper name, or at the begin∣ning of a sentence. Note, A full stop, or note of admiration (!) or interrogation (?), always ends a sentence.

If you quote an Author in his own words, always begin the quotation with a capital letter.

The word I or Oh should be always written with a capital. Every word you wish to mark as em∣phatic, should begin with a capital, and have a line drawn under it; thus, Mark.

In order to read well,

• 1. Every one should read in an easy familiar tone, as if he were speaking, (expect it be a prayer,

• in which case, a degree of solemnity is required) and should adapt his voice to the subject-matter he is reading.
• 2. When reading, cast your eye forwards to the words following, that you may have seen them before you are to pronounce them. This will prevent stammering, or a disagreeable pause.
• 3. Attend to the stops, and pause at a comma, (,) whilst you can count one; at a semicolon, (;) two; at a colon, (:) three; and at a full stop, (.) four, Notes of interrogation (?) and admiration, (!) are full stops. A line (thus, —) intimates a longer pause than that of full stop, and at every fresh paragraph we are to pause longer still.
• 4. Never fetch or draw the breath, where there is no stop; nor pass a stop without a pause. Pause proportionably at every stop, utter each word di∣stinctly, sound the last letter of every word, read slow, and you will read very intelligibly.
• 5. In reading a sentence, the voice should be gently raised, until you get to the middle, (and the middle of a sentence is generally marked with a colon) and then should gradually fall to the end of it: but take care, that at the end of a sentence, you drop not the voice too low, so as not to be well heard to the last word.
• 6. In questions and passages of admiration, the voice should not fall, as at a full stop, but be kept up higher and higher to the end.
• 7. To give spirit and energy to a sentence, the leading or principal word, should be pronounced emphatically. To find out which is the emphatical word, consider the chief design of the writer, and that word which shews such design most, is the word to be uttered emphatically.

When a noun is the emphatical word, and at∣tended with an adjective, the stroke of the voice should be on the noun, and the adjective be only swelled; unless it appears that the stress is to be laid on the adjective. The emphatic words in the fol∣lowing passage are printed in Italics.

Hail, Source of Beings! universal Soul Of Heav'n and Earth, essential Presence, hail!

But where two words are set in opposition to each other, and one is pronounced emphatically, the other should be so too; as in the sentence. "If they attack, we will attack; for our cause is as good as theirs."

The emphasis is of such importance in reading and speaking, that wrong placing it may alter the sense materially. The following line is an old ex∣ample upon this subject.

Will you ride to town to-day?

By laying the emphasis on will, the answer may be yes or no.

By laying it on you, the answer may be, "No, but my son will."

By laying it on ride, the answer may be, "I in∣tend to walk."

By placing it on the word town, the answer may be, "No, I shall ride to my farm."

And laying it on to-day, the answer may be, "Not until to-morrow."

Last of all, lay no emphasis on words where there should none be laid; for this is as great a mark of ignorance, as not laying it where it should be laid.

Rules for reading English verse.

The general rule is to pronounce it, as if it wer•• prose, but with more deliberation; to observe th•• stops with great exactness, placing the accent whe•••• it ought to be placed, (as will be shewn hereafter and the emphasis upon the proper words on each line. Though there should be no stop at the end of the line, the reader should pause whilst he can count one, merely to give notice to the hearer that the line is ended; and if the last word will bear two sounds, (as words ending in y will) give it tha•• which chymes best with its sister line. I mean that line with which it is designed to rhyme.

For example,

Were I but once from bondage free, I'd never sell my liberty.

Here ty in liberty, is sounded as tee; but in the following line it should be sounded as ti.

My soul ascends above the sky, And triumphs in her liberty.

However, whether pronounced as tee or ti, the last syllable should be so feebly uttered, as not to fix any stop or accent upon it.

If verse be read with the above attention, and still sound harsh upon the ear; the fault is not in the reader, but the poet, for those verses are not well penned, that cannot be read gracefully by the common rules of pronunciation.

In verses of three syllables, the accent is to be placed on the 1st and 3d. Thus,

He´re we ma´y Thin´k and pra´y, E´re that De´ath Sto´ps our brea´th.

In verses of four syllables, the accent is to be placed on the 2d and 4th. Thus,

With ra´vish'd ea´rs, The Mo´narch hea´rs. DRYDEN.

In verses of six syllables, on every other syl∣lable. Thus,

Though i´n the u´tmost pea´k Awhi´le we do´ remai´n, Amo´ngst the mou´ntains ble´ak, Expo´s'd to sle´et or ra´in, No spo´rt nor hou´rs shall brea´k, To e´xerci´se our ve´in. DRAYTON.

In verses of seven syllables, in the 1st, 3d, 5th, and 7th. Thus,

Fai´rest pie´ce of well´-form'd ear´th Ur´ge not thu´s your hau´ghty bir´th.

In those of eight, which is the usual measure of short poems, on the 2d, 4th, 6th, and 8th. Thus,

And ma´y at la´st my wea´ry ag´e Find ou´t the pe´aceful He´rmitag´e. MILTON.

In those of ten, which is heroic or tragic poetry on the 2d, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th. Thus,

Confu´s'd and chi´ding, li´ke the ho´llow ro´ar Of ti´des, rece´ding fro´m th' insu´lted sho´re. DRYDEN.

In those of twelve syllables, on every other syl¦lable, beginning with the 2d.

Of a´ll the Cam´brian shi´res their he´ads that bea´ so hi´gh, And far´th´st surve´y their soi´ls with a´n ambi´tiou•• ey´e, Mervi´nia fo´r her hi´lls, as fo´r their ma´tchles•• crou´ds, The nea´rest tha´t are sai´d to ki´ss the wan´dring clou´ds, Espe´cial au´dience cra´ves, offen´ded wi´th th•• thron´g, That she´, of a´ll the re´st, neglec´ted wa´s so lon´g DRAYTON

In those of fourteen, as in those of twelve Thus, And a´s the mi´nd of suc´h a ma´n that ha´th a lo´ng way go´ne, And ei´ther kno´weth no´t his wa´y, or els´e woul•• le´t alon´e His pur´pos'd jour´ney, i´s distrac´t. CHAPMAN

The verse of fourteen syllables is now broken in∣alternate lines of eight and six. Thus,

When a´ll shall prai´se, and ev'´ry la´y Devo´te a wre´ath to the´e That da´y; for co´me it will´, that da´y Shall I´ lamen´t to see´.

The Alexandrine verse of twelve syllables is now 〈◊〉〈◊〉 used to diversify heroic lines of ten. Thus,

Waller was smooth, but Dryden taught to join The varying verse, the full-resounding line, The long majestic march—and energy divine.

In pronouncing this line of twelve syllables, the ••••ce must pause at the end of the sixth.

In verses of quick measure, the words are ac∣••••••ted as below.

May I go´vern my pa´ssions with a´bsolute swa´y, And grow wi´ser and be´tter, as li´se wears awa´y.

So again,

Dio´genes sur´ly and prou´d. I thin´k not of I´ris, nor I´ris of me´.

So in verses with double rhymes, They nei´ther ad´ded nor´ confoun´ded; They nei´ther wan´ted nor´ aboun´ded.

'Twas whe´n the sea´s were ro´aring With ho´llow bla´sts of win´d, A dam´sel lay´ deplor´ing All on´ a roc´k recli´n'd.

When ter´rible tem´pests assai´l us, And mou´ntainous bi´llows affri´ght, Nor pow´er nor we´alth can ava´il us, But ski´lful Indus´try steers ri´ght.

For resi´stance I´ could fea´r none, Bu´t with twen´ty ship´s had done Wha´t thou, bra´ve and hap´py Ver´non, Has´t atcchie´v'd with si´x alo´ne.

FINIS.