The English academy, or, A brief introduction to the seven liberal arts grammar, arithmetick, geometrie, musick, astronomie, rhetorick & logic : to which is added the necessary arts and mysteries of navigation, dyaling, surveying, mensuration, gauging & fortification, practically laid down in all their material points and particulars, highly approved to be known by the ingenious, and as such are desirous to profit, or render themselves accomplished : chiefly intended for the instruction of young scholars, who are acquainted with no other than their native language, but may also be very useful to other persons that have made some progress in the studies of the said arts / by John Newton.

CHAP. VI. Of Dividing of Words into Syllables.

FOr the dividing of Words into Syllables there are four Rules.

1. Two Vowels which make no Dipthong, must be divided; as, ie, iu, ua; as in qui-et, tri-umph, mutu-al.

2. Those Consonants which are doubled in the middle of a Word, must be divided; as in Abba, accord, adder.

Except they be needlesly doubled, as in words of the Plural Number; as in crabbs, rodds.

Except such words in which they are dou∣bled for distinction sake; as in the words, Ann, Cann, Inn.

3. Rule. When a Consonant cometh be∣tween two Vowels, it is to be joyned to the latter; as in a-vail, a-ni-mate.

But to this Rule there are four Exceptions

1. Except Words ending in es, as in Nouns, of the Plural Number, and Verbs of the third person Singular, in which this particle is for the most part swallowed up, in the for∣mer Syllable; but in all proper Names, ex∣cept Charles and James, it makes a distinct Syllable.

2. Except Words that are compounded of such Simple Words, as are significant a∣part,

in which each Simple Word must re∣tain its own letters; as, Trades-man, safe-guard, hence-forth.

3. Except Derivative Words, whose ad∣dition to the Primitive, doth signifie nothing of it self, in which the Primitive must be sounded by it self, and the addition by it self; as, hope-less, lov-ing, joyn-ing, and such like.

4. Except such Words in which x cometh between two Vowels, in which it must be joyned to the first Vowel; as, ox-en, ex∣ercise.

5. Rule. Any two or three Consonants, which may be joyned together in the begin∣ning of a word, are not to be seperated in the middle; as in a-gree, bestow, en-thrall; destruction; but in compounded words, each simple word must retain its own Letters.

When you are to write any hard long word, mark how many sounds or Syllables it hath, as if you were to write disdainfullness, universalitie, or the like, before you write it, say thus to your self; dis-dain-full-ness, u-ni-ver-sa-li-tie, and you shall hardly miss in the writing thereof.