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Ct\Ml''ENlll.'\J~l
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OF

ACCOMPANIED BY AN

fJONTAINlNG

A NEW SYSTEMATiC MODE 01'' PARSING·$
LlKEWIME

EX_ERCISES IN FALSE SYNTAX,
AND

A KEY TO THE EXERCISES:
1'ESIGNED FOR THE USE OF PRIVATE LEARNERS
AND SCHOOLS,

nr S.9..11URL

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'

!fIRKH.11.l'rI, .Tr.

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~

VREDERICK·TOWN:

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f'R'r!i'l:Ell J.T 'rllE HERALD PRESS, DY JOllN P. TllOMSOJ!f,

FOR 'l'llE AU'l'HOR,

\-----------""!!!e---:!.

1823.
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REOOMMENDATIONS.
n;."trirt nf -~frr'""'!rmi.:/,

i'~,_,,., ):t-t.''27:.~~t.--:!,rt,~.~~ :'.":':-:!~ ~f t;":r; tc:ti:-z:r::.i:z.f;;. :--ccci'::cd tz: t.'tc ... 27-tr':-:··'

fo .,..:, ~

lh:~1T n1:.,1r:'111rnrn, Tl1~1f nn i1w· h v· f'1d,· <•irr1ilh
day uf July, in lhe fm·ty-eigh!h }'. :1.r >Jf llH•. IH<l<"ji;,J!.J::l!Cf'
of the United St:ttes. uf At!1erie!.!, 8~!-tl'.E!.- :K11tt'.t:U:.!1, Jt:_~~.

i·f-·-

·

of the said District, hath deposited in this office the title of
a book, the right whereof he claims as propriet01, jn the
words following, to wit:

"A Compenclium of English Grammar, accompanied by
an Appendix in Familiar Lectures; containing a new
system:otic morle of P:tr•ing; likewise exercises in
false Syntax, and a key to the exercises : rlesigne<l
for the use of prirnte learners and school!. Hy
Samuel Kirkham, Junr."

In conformity \'!ith the

2~t

of the

~an::?t!'~s

of the United

Stales. eulillcci, " An acl for lhc cucm11af{Um.nl vi kani~Pf':!ll"ing the ccpies of m!!p~,. ch!lrt~.,. !lnrl hn~~~. . t~
th~: :u111iors :1.ll<l prnpticlnrs qfs11rh r nvic~ rl11ri11rr d11' ff1nrx-"',
thrt~ln ml"'ntlonrtl ;-'' ~nrl ~l~n tn thf'I" ·~,-r·tl f'TI+Ttt~rtJ u _'I~
:.tel supplcment:uy \'J th~ act, cnlitlc<l, .\n act fur tlic cu-

ing-hy

couragemenl ol le1nning by securing the COJ>ies uf maps,
charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such
~opies ,luring •!1,. liw .. s 1h,.,.ein m,.ntinn,.<l, im<l "Xt.. wling
the benefits thereof' to the arts of dePigning, engral'ing, anct
etching historical and other prin1H"
PlllLIP l\IOflRF., C/e1·k
ef t1u: DiRt1·ict of .Mcwyla'Tlil:

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Vrom the lien]. !\tr. KNox, Principal of the Frederick
A c:ulemy, the Ur~·. l\f r. l>.ffrngo!<, P1·ofessor of l\lathe1m1tic~. &c. an<l :\Ir. S. J\IAntu:J.L, Teacher of the Monotorial School, in the same institution.
:\Ir.

K1uRnA111,

Sir,-Prum all the attention which it has been in 011r
"Compemlium,
entitled to the
pnt ron~~'-' of ihe public, :ind c:-alculatecl, especially, for tlie
pow<'~, hnt imperfectly, lo pay to your
~ ... of F.nglish Grammar," we consider it

1nt:f1•tu•f1nn t1f thn.cp. ...,Ju,.,,..,• .,. ~ot th~ ".:'t';'"'=-"!"~~~~+j'"

..~.f"' ,..,..,.._

!"~!.:t te~cher
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t·' 1 ·~1n '.\ • ' !H · t·;, ~ i · lh 1' t-1-rr·n

tJ.t1.:::',..i:t_<i<; \!'{ ,._~: ld1t1>.\, .of
eompe-nrlious nn PXtent" "'comprehends: a

~ette?· d?t;!:'S-! ~:l ~;y::--tcm, antl nn ~ p!~n more c:t~Y and £i!np le.
lor the yo11ng-er dasses in public schools.
Sinc,.1 el_v tlr.~ir<ms that yo•1r labours may meet with ade ..
•l'•~t<· s1wr.r·s~ an<I enc<Jurngement, we remain, very respr.ctfully, &c.
SA ~IUEJ, KNOX, A. 1\T . l'r of Fred. Ar.ml.
l'.i\ TUTCK DAVJTlSON, Prof of \falh's.etc.
S. 11f.\HKF,1.L, TencherMonotoria-l Schue!.
l're1lerirk l\cNdemy, 'Id. 'l,
fiP-ptemher lfi, 1823.
5

lfnving carefully ex:imine<l llfr. S Kirklrnm's nrw system
of English C.r:1mmar "in familiar L ectures," I am sntislled,
that the pre-eminent advantages it possesses over onr com·
mn11 systems, will soon convince the public thnt it is not
on<:> of tho~c feeble efforts of quackery which hal'e so often
obtr11cler~ •11wn onr nutic:-e. To i<ny that the Author hllS
brough_t 1~to a sm_nll eompass a greater siumber of important p1·mr.1ples, disencmnhered of all unnecessrry matter..,

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Jff.COMMENDA TTOJ"S .

UF.COMi\IRNnATIOXs.

than is comprised in almost any other elem~ntary lr<'alisc
r.rammar, i::. nl/l {1, 1 .in~r t·1::~11~l'· 1n ~hr mr·1·Tt!:i rifhT~ .... n,.;..
1ts decided superiority ~;Y·~r all others~ ,,tt·ms., consi,o..ls in
adapting the subject-matter to the capacity of the young
learner, and the happy mode adopted of co1111111mfratillg it to
~li9 mln{1 Jn fl TI1:111TI(>l' ~f\ Clf'.Rr nnd f;lrnplP_, n·rnt l1P ,-.~n
'!ti

K>:1~i1y n'm11rthf'1Hl 1\ir-- 1w\,Jl'(~
!tl i11r·i1~Je th·.tt c!lmt·~ befr" liim

:111d ~1r\'r1<':t!;n!\ nf ~ Y-"1 \

Hy lcacl1iu15 llie oen-l;cginr.cr to p;<r;;c t;;:;:·y p:': ~ d
speech systematically, as soon as it is explained to him, nm.I
by exercisin&' him in false Syntax, the theory of the science
becomes happily blended with practice; nnd thus his attention is immediately 11rrested, and his labours are rcu•lerecl pleasing and advantageous. Jn short, all the inlricn·
des of the science arc elucidated so clearly, lam confident
that even a private lean1er, of common docility, cnn, by pe:rusing this system attentircly, acquire a better f'1·nctical
knowledge of this important branch of literntnre in th1·ee
months, than ill ordin11rily obtained in one year.
If this work be generally adopted in schools, il will 1111<lnuhti'!rlly pro;·e to be of great utility in the in~1rm:1.i0n uf
'11t1 1

1:n_•de·t'i<J;~ S-ept.

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if'S~!'.ln~. 'YOH fpntHl tltt"" !tfHHtH~' t h-1~--~ \~· hH ~
1ncnd it . - tmp t'fff'·f'f .:.1.0: t1 1" (11'.1,ti · 11 l 111· .,

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.-inced that much time should be spent to a-cq11ire n know·
icdge of those more p!'rfei:-t, I ai:-knr>wll'rlg,.. that I am at

once in opposition to nny innovations.
You ha,·e been pleased lo put into my hands for examination, a copy of your Grnmmar. I have attentiYely review~d i~, and, although I may differ from your ''iews, in 11 few
points, yet, I tnke plen~nre in ha,·ing it in my power to cledare, that I prefer your English GrnmrnnT lo any I hnl·e
e,·e1• seen. Itespeetfully, llAYIU F. 8(;JJAl~FFF.lt, A. l\f.
PMlor of the EYaf!. Luth. Church
l'rederic'k, Set>tember 17, 18~~.

Cn1·lisl!', ))ec. J 9, 182 2.

JOHN S. EllAUGIJ y D !\I
Iml\'RY WALES, ' . . •.
WM. C. CIIAJ\lllERS.

From the Jte,·d • A • M'C r.F.T.L\Nn Professor fJ' IT
0
• •C es Lettrcs
nn(l i\Ioral l'hilosoiih"
• k" ·
11 re
J
rnson College.

ii;

. mn·ing attended 1\Jr. K" ·kfm1:·~1e, Pebn1m·y 14, 1823.
Ins pupils in English Gram:~ in;n j gencrnl examination of
pressing the surprise a~d pl ar, . •av~ no hesitation in exJin I
easrn e \t·Juch I receil·ed 'l'I ·
p rogress
- ·
• s iceD remarkable
I
·
leir
tha• thev cnn stand comp·i ·
' ~ 11 ' I mny l·enture to sn},
··
·
·
"
·•~on wrt 1 m
mo11t11s 111 ncr111iri 11 .,. snnilnr· fi
.
nny. \I·J 10 Iia\·e spent'
K'ir kl rnm .rs equally" remarkable
' m ormahon
' t em of. l\tr_
fo . . .Th
. e SJS
• Al EXANJJEJ' r sitnpliczty and ncrm·ucy.
J
•
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ll1'Cl,ELLAND, A. M.

1

CONTRNTK

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Page .
LECTURE
7
I. General divisions of Grammar,
9
Orthography,
1(}
II. Etyrilology and Syntax,
11
Of Nouns,
13
Of Verbs,
14
Of the Nominative Case ofNonns,
16
Of the Possessive Case of Nouns,
Of Transitive Verbs,-Objective Case of
19
Nouns,
20
Of Intransitive Verbs,
22
II I. Of A rt.ides,
26
IV. Of Adjectives,
29
V. Of Participles,
32
VJ. Of Ad1·crhs,
VII. Of Prepositions,
40
Of Compound Verbs,
ih.
\'III. Of Pronouns,
41
Of Personal Pronouns,
4.5
Of Adjective Pronouns,
47
Of Relative Pronouns,
48
Of the relatives, That and "IV/Jat,
52
1X. OfConjunctions,-a ~entence, &c.
55
X. Of l,nterjections,
Of the Nominative Case Independent, &c. 56
59
XI. Of the Moods and Tenses of Verbs,
63
Of the Conju~ationof regular Verbs,
68
XII. Of Irregular Verbci,
12
Xlll. Of Neuter and Passive Verbs,
ib.
Conjug.1tion of the neuter verb to Be,
Of Passim Verbs,-and Active, Passive, and
Neuter Nominatives,
73
Conjugation of the passive verb to Be loved, 75
XIV. (.1fthe Auxiliary and Defective Verbs,
77
Poetry Transposed,
79
Supplementary Notes in Syntax, and addition•
81
al Exercises i~ false Syntax, &c.
Key to the Exercises,
:
•.
84.

TO put the learn~r in possession of a brief and compi'e,.
hensive system of grammar, which will more rapidly facili.
tate his progress than those in 11eneral use, is the design
of the author in presenting this httle treatise to the public.
If it have the desired effect, no other apology will be necessary. The author does not wish, like a vain peClant, to
inveigh against his predecessors; but he is very sanguine
in the belief, that public opinion will support him in pro•
nouncing a great majority of our authors ,·ery defective, at
least, in mm111er, if they are not in matter. It is trne, that
many valuable impro\·ements ha\•e been made by some or
our modern writers, who have encleavorecl to simplify and
render this science intelligible to the new beginner; but
they have all overlooked the most important point, viz. a
:ystematic 0Pde1• ofpnr8illg. The author is aware that some
will discard his pl:la on account ofits ttimplicity: but he de·
pends chiefly on its simplicity for s11ccess.
_
tn writing this woric, he has not inchtiged himseit'in chi.:
merical speculations, which are calcnlatecl to bewilder the
young mind in a perplexing labyrinth of gloomy doubt,
insteatl of conducting it into the direct and delightful paths
of this noble science ;-nor has he attempted to make a
dispfay of erudition, by writing a voluminous and philoso.
11hical treatise mert>ly to plen~e the learned ;-but, it has
l/een his object, by gh·ing clear nnd familiar illustrations, to
,Jisperse those clouds of obscurity thllt are so often cast
aro11nd thlil young student's bewildered imagination, ancl to
smooth his wny, by removing those obstacles that generally
retard his progres~ ;-nm? thereby to renrler the pursuit of
this science, which hns been most commonly considered a
tedious, dry, nn<l irksome task, n pleasing, easy, and inter.
esting stwly. The nu th or hns endeavonrt>d, by adopting a.
correct and easy system, in" hi ch pleas11re is blender] with
the labours or the pupil, to eJtcite in his mincl an emulous
spirit or enterprize which will call forth every latent fal'l1lty of his mental powers into active nnd useful exercise

!

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P.JtEF ACI!~.

HINTS TO TEJ._UHERS
/J,,!OfJ P JUF/l 1'E LE.fJ.R,;VEilS.
1\S this work propn_i;:cq

:l.

ne'\.

1notl~ of

parsing-, it mf\j.

if fh" :1111 hnr gi\'c some dl1 e(';\i'ln~·
~tl thn..:.P \\. hn ni:ir f: ·1• J di--p.ri.t··<>,\ In q : · it_
I) 111h1h..~~1".· 111;\n~· .
1
\'\h('}l f!l< ' V 1!!' ... J lnot: :if f!J1• P-l"dt'I nj' p:'t[ ·i np\ -\\ ill tltll {'( 1;J
sid,.,.r it ~rr.·!~. hnr. ~ mndn 'qJlfY "''n""' t1d . 'i)•-rJ ~(l!1lf' v;·ritr·1"-

not he cl::t"rncd

i111protH~r,

h·~y,...~ int - l, r:1 i l~ '111 . !_tt~nq'if. '.lf ~, l·! •11 - -~'i1~:..'.-':.~ '. ···• ~ :tniLt " ;
h1.1t t h1~.r h~u·e ~ll t:dtr-11 f:H" ~:hnr! nt rr-dqr111.r~ the nH1di::- rit
r·1r"'ins: f q r' ~-,,_,·:~··1-.'1.1•· ','' '·
\!t !h,. pl:111<::
1;~}~('·:~1' ! hy

wtit-e.1s, (_ '..\:ith one e.xccpti011_,J t';..:tpd.11.~ th.c t;..:'-'.o...J.cr to

i;d;,.J·-

the pupil as he p1·oceeJs; ot· else he is pe1·mittetl to
p<iti;("' vdthnHf ~~vlnR ~n:· l"'"'{pl.1n;i.~lonr.;
·:·he .;;!:1'f.-·iot·11f-.'1'rf'!.1' bid '.k•wn 1!1 t!"!!l3 '·' urk, tt rntsuetl by the pupil, requii•:::::J hiru tn apply every dcfinitlvn and ndc: that appc:·M

1·ogrlli!

,,.._·r~·:~ ·wn:·,! hr" p·p·i:;,."'~, \Vi~hn11 t h iv-4nf ·' fJ>J•·..;!f,-,n
hint b_:r th-2" t-e~•.:l~•.'i'; & 1 )•J, fH ~·.• d•.Jin;_;·, -fie t.\f:tb.ill::t
·-~r.._·n· ~~0;11 l"ul1Y ;?..<., L~· ~IH..' -:-: .:dulH~-.
rlii-; C{lll\':-i"l' ("Jj,t~dn.;.
~)1': l ·t '· 1 ~~ l' :11 J!.rn-~;: · 1 l H ~'t" 1H'1l \ .. '.; 1 11; ; ~t:·i i pr-"v\·L~. ~lt lb1.:..

t;dnr.:

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l
t;' I ~! 1 l d ~I ~ "H ( ' [ I I , , ,• ir·,d t >.:·_\i!q1li·;,:~ tlt,'l.} ·h1•
!:1H11..:::1!.l~!"h' .~"..!:-:_r!i:Jt:::d. ·rh1::: q·s:.>.:·111 {~!q:fa!e~ Uie necf-'f,-:::itv
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of parsuing- such a cour:;~ ot rirndgt:ry.

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l'hc nc\V bcgirlff..'\V wi.oulrq) h~t·e 1~H tl1e m_p~:t

important (1efiniiio11!-l and t'tde.s pe-rl°eclh- c-u1uu1ii.lt::d, sitnnlv

b} applyin!f~
·
· •
If this pl~the author confi,Jently be.
Jle,·es that every teacher who i~ desirous to consnlt, eithel:'
his own convenience, or the arlvanl:\ge of his pupils, will
teadily pnrRtH it in preference to the old method. He is
Yery sangnine in this belief, from the experience he has
had in teaching (his scieMr.e for many years pnst. lh pursuing this systPm, he can, with leiis l:\honr, advance a pupil
farther in a practic:il knowfe,Jge of this ahstruse scif'nce.
in h•• tno11tk•, than l'e r.oul<I in 011r !JP<ll" when he taught in
·"the ol1I routine w:\\ " It is presumed that no inst1·11ctor
will doubt the truth of this assertion, who once giv"s this
IJStem a fair and effectnal trial. Perhaps some may, on a.
L"8t view of the work, disapprove of the transposition of:

A2

Yi

HINTS TO TEACHERS,

&c.

m:.rny parts; but whoever examines it attentively, will fint\
that, although the author ha3 not followed the common
"artificial aml unnatural arrangement adopted by inos1 oF
his pred!lcessors," yet he has endeavored to pursue a more
judicious one, viz. "the order of the understanding."
The learner should commence, 11ot by com111itting aml re.
he!lrsing, but by reading attentively the first t"IJJo Lecture•
several times over. He should then parse the exercises
given for that pmpose,according to thesyde11iatic order.
The Compenclium may be considered an " Ocular A naly·
sis of the English language," for it presents to the eye of
the learner, a comprehensive view of the whole science.
:By its use the young student is enabled to apply all his defi·
nitions and rules from the very commencement of his pars·
ine-. This mode of procedure may seem rather too tedious
to some; but it must apr.ear obvious to every person of
discernment, that a pupil will learn more by parsing.five
words effectually, amt explaining them fully, than he would
by parsing.fifty words superficially without understanding
them. The teacher is not under the necessity of hearing
l1is pupils recite a single lesson of cleji11itio116 committed to
memory, for he has a fnir opportunity of discovering their
knowledge ot these as they parse. As soon as the learner
aan apply his definitions and rules with facility and accuracy,
the Compendium may be dispensed with: and as soon as
he understands their application and real utility, he may
· parse without applying them. All other directions neces·
aary for the private learner, will be given in the succeeding
pages of this work.
The author considers it a duty devolving upon himself, to
express his gratitude to those friends of literature who
llave so LIBERALLY patronized bis work anterior to its pub·
1ication. Should these feeble efforts sur.cessfully prol'e a
saving of much time ancl expense to those young persons
who may feel disposed to purime this sc.ience with avidity,
by enabling them easily to acquire a critical knowledge of
a branch of education so importantaml desirable, the fond•
est anticipations of the author will be fully realized; but,
should his work fall into tl1e hands of any who are expect•
ing by the acquisition, to become grammRrians, ancl yet,
have not sufficient perHverance to. make themselves ac.
quaintetl with its contents, it is sincerely hoped, that the.
blame for their non-improvement will nol be.. thrown upon
him.
Re that the golden treasure of this nrt woulcl fine!,
Must store its elemental beauties in his mind.
S. KIRKHAM, Ja~

ON

LECTURE I.
DIVISIONS 01" GRAMMAR.-ORTHOGRAPHV .
TO '1'11/IJ I.EARNER.

YOU are now about to enter upon one
of the most useful, and, when rightly pursued one of
the most interesting studies in the world. Th~reforc
if you ar~ under the. impression that the study of
g1·am111ar is dry and irksome, and a matter or little
consequence, you must endeavor, before you proceed
any further, to remoYe all such absurd notions and
prejudices from your mind; for I will convince you
~efore I. close these le?tures, that this is not only a~
mterestmg and a pleasing study, but a science of real
and substantial utility.
You hav~ undoubtedl)- heard some persons make
the declaratlon, that they could speak and write so aa
· to be under8too1 with~ut poss~ssing a. knowledge of
grammar, I will admit that this asserUon may sometimes prove true, but it will not in every instance. If
you m~e in a habit of noticing those scenes that daily
transpire around you, probably you have many hund·
red times heard persons, for the want of an acquaintance with the rules and prindples of this science express themselves in so imp1oper and obscure a 1~rnn­
ner, that it was impossible for any one to m1dtrMa11d
them. Yon might, imleecl, g11r.s.9 at their meaning;
but you could not possibly tell whethe1· you guessed

8

lllVISIONS OF GRAMMAR.

ORTHOGRAPHY.

right or wrong, for the words they employed convcre<l no meaning at all. I will show you, by-and-by,
that men have frequently written, and caused lo be
published, not only bad sense, but nonsense ;-not only
what they did not mean, but the very re,·ersc of what
thev meant : ancl tlrn i1ole r.m1se of all this. was. thev
W('l"'e dcfcctiH: in thf' app!icatioll of' t\w r11\1'S of l~l':\ll;­
lJI :1 L

Although this is a YCI)' W!'f11l sci!'llC". ;-d it ;, ''
YU'} diff:cuJtrnallcr fort!Jc )'VUllg;k~\l ll"l' i'u!\y J() r <>!lrprehend it. I shall, therefore, as t proceed, make use

of plain language, and enlleavor to illustrate eYery
point in a manner so clear and simple, that you will
be eble to understand em• y principle that comes befot·e you : for I would rather gh-e yon one useful
idea, than fifty high, sounding words the meaning of
which you would be unable to comprehend. llut, l
wish you particularly to remem~r, that I am all the
while conversing with youn1rif, even you who are now
reading these Jines, and not with somebody else ;
therefore, I presume you will not read a single sen·
tence without reAecting upon its meaning ; for, if
yon read without exercising your mind, you would d!il
better not to read at all.
GnAMllfA n teaches us hMu to uu ~uord.• rn a firof1er
.,;nanne1·. The most important use of that faculty called speech, is, to convey our thoughts to others. If
we ha\'e a store of words, and even know what they
signify, they will be of no real use to us unless we can
also apply them to practice, and make them answer
the purposes for which they were invented. Grammar, well unde1·stood, enables us to express our
thoughts fully and clearly; and in a manner which
will defy the ingenuity of man to give om words any
other meaning than that whic,h we ourselves intend
th~m to express.
Grammar may be divided into two sorts, Uni-t•rr8al
and Particular. Universal Grammar explains those
fundamental principles which are common to all Ian ..
guages, Particular Gram~ applies those princi~

pies to a particular language, adapting them accordmg to th_e mlalogy of that language, and the established practice of the best .and most correct speakers and

'r'

'vrlters who make use of it.
Grammar is divided into four parts ;
I. OH I H<HifiAl'!IY,

~3. SYi\T.i\X,

2.

4-.

E t \ MOT,or-;.y

J'HOSOJ)\··,

(ht·1 nnnH 'PHY nic:ins 7P1rrf .. nta.Z.t11ff,

It te:1 1 ,l11·,; 114 tn '<'111hin,, kttcr~
~1 llaLltls iulo wot·lhs.

' !

01·

~~/!1·-!ting

i11Lu syllauks, awl

It is not necessary for me to dwell long upon this
part of grammar, for I presume you already understand the natur~ and powers of letters, and the just
met~od of spelh~g words. This humble business has
not~m.g lo do with parsing, or analyzing language ;
hut It 1s one of your first steps in the path of literature.
Under the head of Etymology you will however
meet with some directions in which vo~ueta' ancl com1o:
nant11, 111q~o:nill?hlt;11 anrl dia11ylloblea, Ste. are mention• ·
ed ; tl_lerefore It 1s 11ecessary to give you a brief ex•
planatlon of them.
I. LETTERS. A Letter is the first principle, or
~~ast part of .a w~rd. I' here are twenty-six Jetter&\
J hey are d1v1ded mto Vowels and Consonants
•
~ ~·o"Wel ~~ n letter which mm be perfectly s~undecl
by Itself. I he vowels are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes
wand y. 1V and ~ are consonants when they hegin a
word or syllable ; m every other situation they are
vowels.
'All Jette• s except the vowels, are con11onant11. A
consonant c.llmot be perfectly sounded without the aid
of a vowel.
A difl_t!iong i~ the unio.nof twr, vowels ; as, ea in heat,
A tri/1thong ts the tm1on of tfJree vowels ; as mu in
beau.
'
11. 8n.L.A BT.E~. A syllable is a distinct sound, uttered by a smg-le impulse of the voice; as, a11, ant.
A word of one syllabic, is termed a t\fonosyllable.
Of two,
a Dissyllable.
Of three,
a Trissyllahfo.
Of four or more,
a Polysyllable.·

.. !'

'i
i

!f

~

f.

t<.

i.}
j,

If,
!'"

.i..'l
I

,,

ETYMOLOGY AND SYNTAX.

OF NOUNS ANU

1II. W 01rns. \V ords are articulate so11nds, used
f>y common consent, as signs of our ideas.
A f1rimitiv1 word is that which cannot be 1·educed to
a simpler word ; as, man, good. •
A derfoative worcl is that which may be reduced tfl
a. simple1· word ; as, manful, goodness.

LECTURE II.
ETYMOLOGY AND SYNTAX.
OF NOUN!> AND Yf.nnc; ,

1
l
i
,!

The word ETYMOT.oov is <lPrin'rl from two Cn·dt
\Vordc;. w-llich siRlll f\· in F.n~(li<-;h., thf~ n;·igfn ~(ff/:~ d/,r.trt·r
rJ,f ;no1-rf.<.
J-'.ty~nnl~g)' trt>at<, nnt only nf llw origin of
W')l'dll, hut, also. of the d1fferent sorts of w,_,,,1,,, and
the y;irious ch;tngcs lhal n1ay \)p marlr nn thr:rn.
The worcl SYNTAX means sentence-making. Syntax
treats of the agreement, government, ancl proper ar·
rnngement of ,\·ords and sentences.
•
Oi-t!zrigrajlfly teaches ym1 to put lettet·s t()gether in
such a manner as to form words ; 1<:t1pnology teaches
you the different sorts of words and their reh1tionship~
how words grow out of each other, and how they are
varied in their Iett("rs in order lo correspond with the
variation in the circumstances to which they apply ;
and Sr.;nta:x: teaches you how to give all words their
prope.r place or situatio1i when you form them int8
sentences.
There are ten sorts of words called parts of speech ;
the NOUN, or SUBSTANTIVE, VEllB, ARTICLE, ADJF.C•
1"1VE,

PARTICIPLE,

ADVF.llB,

PIH~POSITION1

PRO•

and INTERJECTION.
'
The NouN and YF.nn arc the most impnrtant and
leading parts of speech : the rest, (except_ the Interjection1) are f.'ithcr :ippcnch ~"s m· conncct1n>~ .
I'IOUN, CON.I UNCTION,

v:r,nns.

NouNs. The word Noun signifies name.
The
name of any tiling* w<e can sec, hear, foe], taste, smell,
or think of, is a noun. Pajzcr, fzm, a/1/zlc,.ficld, !zous~,
mod1·11ty, 11irtur, coU1·age, danger, are all nouns. l norder that you may easily distinguish this part of speech
from others, I will giYe you a sign, which will be useful to yon when you can not tell it by the srnsr. Any
word that 1~ill make sense with thF befo1·e it, is a 11011n.
Try the following words hy this sign, and see if thcy
are nouns : tree, niountain, soul, mind, conscience,
understanding. 'J'hr tree, the mountain, the soul, &c.
You perceive that they will make sense with tit(' prefixed, therefore you know they arc norms. There
arc, howen~r, exceptions to this r11le ; for some nouns
will not make sPnse with tllf' prefixed. These you will
l1f· ~hl(· ln rlisti11g11ish, if ym1 exercise your mind, hy
r1/ t!trTns,Irr.v: !.tS,,tfr;odnrss, l·i'Oln-·i1 ry,
nscd :1s 1·crhs,
a1H! Yt.:rlis. as w1u11s. I his point 1 will c·splain tow.mis
Lia· dusc ol 1l11s l,1;«1nrc, 1\·lwn Y"U wili \.Jc JH'ep;ned

th('ll

n111!..-1ng

.11t1nr

htJ/u'.i111mrn·tufi11r . Nrn111c; a1·c· sn111e1i111cs

to co111p1dw11d ii.

Nouns arc of two kinds, common and proper.
A common 1101111 is the name of a sort or species of
thin P'S.
.r:\'111·of1er 1101111 is the name of nn indiddual.
The word.v person, place, river, mo11ntain, lake, &c.
are co111111011 l!Gm1«, because they arc names of whole
sftrdrs, or classes of things containing many sorts ;
but the namr.< of persons, places, rivers, mountains,
lakes, &c. are fwofw1· nouns, because they denote individual.• ; as, AuRUstus, Baltimore, Alps, Huron. Jl{issis.v1/1fli is a f1rnf1er 1101111, because all rivers have not
this 1mn.1c; !Jut .riv1·r is a c0111mon noun, because the
name rzve1· is ~tven to all rivers.
• "Th.e word. thing, is.almfJst unlimit<"d in it• meaning. Tb
IS app!1ecJ, With propriety, to e\•ery an'maJ and cre:iture in
the umverse, exc,,pt to the humnn species. By the t<'rm
creature,. [ mean that which l~as been created ; as, n dog,
wa~er, dirt. 1;J1e, wo1·cl t!11ng 1s, also, freq1ientlr applied to
actions :. as? . '1 o get. rfrunk is a beastly tiring." Jn thi~
phrase, ti s1g111fies ne1thf'r tmimfll no1· c,.eat11re; but it re-.
presents merely an 1Wio11, therefore this acti~n i11 the tl\.i11w;

