AN

·'

ENG1LISH GRAMMAR
FOR

This table, seen -..ertically, from top ti : 2d, de J
horizontal lines, all th at relates 4cLE, &c.
then turning the eye along bet we.anti )) /lo ~1J
.which will" be jo11.ncl between th4 showl be
shouldfold the fir st column ba~~ colmn~.
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:AC'CORDING TO THS

ELE1\1ENTARY METHOD.
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==:;c._1V_1~TH~F PA~·-_: _,_
z::>
0

z

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D e nne th e 1~or<l .
1 itl A N
What part of speech? A nom, , An
Material or immaterial? Wigo1r An
Common or prope1:? W hy? ot j(afl no '
First, second , or third person· , A co
Singul~r or plur'.11. num be r? ! o~F'~/"
Masculine, femmme, or nei
4. P
7
, · • nu
Wh Y ·
.
RSe>biect
Norn. poss. or objective case ?~h!
fl ive th e rule .
Jne.

A,,;

,i

-, P:SS'l'ALOZZ?;:.
CONTAINING

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EASY d:sso ·:rrn
IN

COMPOSITION,
WHERF.~Y YOUN~ PERSONS MAY ACQUIRE TH E . •·· ~
HABIT OF SPEAIO~G AND WRitfifo:;-c:cr .. .
CORRECTLY.

~ \

• -··-. .. p,, ,(:',

--:.......J - - ' ,,. -~(~.. .l ")• ":~..,
<.r..f"!/·o.J/?.,
o'~
lo t..mmg •~y thini>;; at little,1houll ..('p';.,;~..i ;,.:ill ,·f
(;\
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' once at is po111ble1 ind that befog undentood ud ~OJI
~

r mtutered. to ,Proeeed t9lhe next adjoining par(
, ~ , ~ yet , unkuor n.-_LOCKE.

1

·hf JOHN LocKE,M. n. /717.:.. ff'-~~ :

A.utiihr oj "_'.. Outl~rlet
.
. o}

Botany"
p nncipa
. . l "'
Af"
. . I\ dMJ
1~
J'Ci_n cinnati FemalMt'iz.de1f"!J· .

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.CINCINNATI:

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" \f. M: l!i o. FAn.lllSWORTH, m. PRIN TEl\l>., ·.
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············
1827.

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C,(JNTEN,TS,

\,.\ v '.~·
:Dtslricl oJ Ohio; to u:it:' ·
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PAO ~.,

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BE rtE~!EMllli:llED, that on tho
IT

fo11~teenth day of , Dec"rnbc r, in the
yea,r. of our Lord on e thon , :ind eight
hundred nnd Twenty Six, a nu in the
, ,
Fifty F:iret Year of th e A1rt P,ri can lnd cjl~nrlence, John L ock e , .Of the sa id District, ha th deposited in thi ~ Office, tlie 'fitle of a Book, the right
\vh~reo r he claim ~ as i\nthot anrl Pto prie tor,-in th o
"tTords and fig nrcs .following, to wit: "An English
O;ramniar for Children, according to th e elen1 et1ta ry
-' me thod !of Pest;tJ oiz,i: conta ining easy L essons in
Compo~ition, wh crebJ Young Pet'3Ci ns may acquire
'
'
· the h;tbit of 'lpc:1king and Writing Correctly. By
J ohn .J.>c>ck e, M. D.". In conformity to the /\ c t of
th \' Congress of th e United States of Ameri ca , entitl ed, "An .Act for th e encouragement of L cnrrying,
by scouring th e Copies of Map., C ha rts, a ncl !looks,
.• : ~p thc.,Autliors 1111'<1 PropriHdrs of·sudi Copi es, during
tile. tim es . therein mentioned," and also, the Ac t cn. tltie~, "an .(\,ct Sup[ifornentary to an Ac t, .entitled
ah Act for' the ehconrageli\ent of Learniti.~ by sccur'ing !lie Copies of Maps·, Ch a rts, and Book•, to t.h c
Authors and Proprictot:s of such Copies, durini; th e
thnes f.h ereiil mentioned; fl llrJ extending- th e bct1Pfit
thefoo.f to the '~ . rt> cit D esigning, E:nrravin tr, and
E"tChing Hi1f0rir~ J ) and 6t!;1T I'1i ril(;. ' 1

'VM 1{r.y nn :·~D~
f: 'r r~ (~ rr. -: ]] , 1. J. , .' ·( lJ,:j " ~

b IALOG UE; ' J.
· ·: ·,., ,

Preface,

· -

Language in

g~nera1,

II. . Lettel's,

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2t

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.~:.t;~;~.:~}' :: ~~: . ri:;!~~owets,_
""'·-·,. ·,. .
V. ·Vowels,
;::t... . vr. DiphthOngs,
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23

24
M

35
4$

VII. S_y llal;iles,
.
VIII. \V or<ls in general arid
, r~les for spelliri~, ·

ix.

50
52

of

Origin l;tnguage,
57
Etymology~ noun, &c. - 60

x.
.xr. Person,
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·XII.
XIII.

6"

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Number,

64-

Genrler,

69

Case of nouns,
xv . Parsing-, &r,,
XVI. The article,
XVH. Pronouns,
XIV.

XLX .

xx.
xxr

x \.i I.
:X.\ ll I.
X.1'i 'v.

·xxv.

H e lat1YP. p ron 1H n 1s ,

Adjecli 1 es,

70
78

100
ilJ4
i"?
l 'i 8

/, d,irc tJ l"C t ~TP JHJI, : ~ ."~
i\lndc:-: nf ,·erli:;:,

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J.l

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r.':· \ Ci Ls,
h uw:iplcs,

T'c11..-:;('..:.:

Nrnte r nncl
'1':rr 1~,,~ ,

pa:<sin~

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CONTENTS;
'l'ii)

Outooul!!.
XXVI. Adverb!f,

xxvn.

xxvm.

Prepo~ition,

Conjunctions,

XXIX. Interjections,

!

I

Syntax,
Rules of syritax,
Punctuation,
Capitals, •

PAGE; ~

201
206
208
217
21B

219
225
!i!28

.JO~HUA L. WILSON,

D. n.

P astor of the First Presby1e1·ian Church o.f"
C incinnat-i.
· TnE days of bigotry are passing· away. A

mod e.rn Copernicus may ventnre to publi sh
his <liscove ries ; nor would a Galileo be no~
imprisoned for telling the wonders he bad
seen in the planetary heavens. Our modern.
enli ghtened divines,believing the Scriptures to
be true, arid knowing that no two trnths in
nature can disag ree or contradict each other,
are not alarmed at the progress of philosophical investigation. They are, therefore, eqmllly
the s.upporter~_ of true learning and true reJ j....
gion;·· ·
I am happy in enjoying, in yourself, a fri end
· ;;o distinguished for morality and piety, and so ·
active .in the cause of education and virtue.
When I reflect that this work has been I.he
result of~ my la~ours among the youth of Cin··
cinnati, some of \\'horn have been your own
children-that yon have often , been wi th us,
and taken an active part in intere~ting scenes,.
it is, indeed, with ~omething more than a form
of words that Toffer it to your-notice.
~fost cordially,your friend,
·
JOHN LOCKE....
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~i11.~1~~ikF®GZ~ .9.ro~cmy 1 Jan. I~ UJ:i7";
c.~

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Crititk.'•Why. in the name of conimon sense have·
we another grammar? Have all who have written
upon. that subject faile<l to <lo it.i.ustice1 o.r does th e
Erlglish L:in ~uage ch:rngc so rapidly thnt 1~ ncc<ls a
new deschpbon as often as th e seasons require a new
almanack 1 .
·
.fl_utlwr. We prernm e neither, si r. The changes of
the Engl,ish Language have, for many y~ars, been
very gradual; and many auUmrs have· written very
lea rnedly nnd very correctly, as we conceive, upon
th~ principles ()four tongue.
We do not expec t to ·
. excel the111. ' But they have written in th e sty le of
· · learifed dissertation, requirin g so me degree of maturity · of 'knowl edge to eomprel1 cnd them. It i~
evident that most of them prernmed th eir reader• to
hnve ' n previous knowledge of Greek aii cl La tin •
.G~ammar has of late yenrs been gr:idually d es~e nd. irig \0.]9~tiger;:~nil a.till young~r students, until it is
· nQw lllill;,M 'U study;arter learning to react. · Although
the .tfo&;tites whfol!·they study are excellent in them~elves!· yet.they ' ate sb little adapted to the capacitiiis of1those who study them th at they arc oblio-cd to
.CO!Jlmil'to ineinory a whole volume of word s, without
th.e least ide_a of .their meaning; n task as injuriou~
, , to their intellects as it is unpl easant to th eir feelings.
W e have endeavoured to compose a grammar which .
shall be undel'9tood and applied by CHILDREN at
every step \b~y take in it.
'
Cri~ck. It 'l 's a subject ~o which I have indeed pairl
but little attention, but I perceive th a t if children
.mijst study gramma r, they should have a book a dapt·
lld to. theit ~apacities; ·

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f>REFACE.

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. S~nce you ha~e mcn tio_? ~ <l the snhject, T feel it ci:..
. ~1cls1ty tu learn 111 _what 1rtanner gram:uar is actually
trtpgh t rn our van,ous schools, and the cliaractcr of
each.

"'7' ,

Jlut.br: As far ~ s my oliservation h as r.:;tcnrletl,
.rrammar is ta;1 rrht 1~ ~~orn e one of the fo llnwin~ way a:
11

•r'~~.~~h~i~'fG;"~~~~~~:r~'c;~f!~n~~n~~~~ ~~~J"~~~;·~~;:•
1

prt:; 1i :1~"\~ r rrtg«, without ,making any nDr li cati on oi'
it whatever. \'Vorse than useless.-S cholars di slik e>
~he ~ lutly a1~ t~ aro llisorrl ., rJy- tcache rs puni ' h th em.
,.: ,,
. - ~- ., I,n .a1i111trnn to memorizin g, :i.s :1bove,. thcy ar~
) J
r,eq'ulr_e1l t o memorize n kind of porsin~ '' with ont
kHowrn~ why Or 1vh ~tefore. Of no mc~an irkS8 mC
tasf< to th e sc h o l a r~puni shm l' nts necessary.
·
, 3. Schobrs memori ze, parse, and e;i,·e their rcasonr.
. '.or-l:~er.y thin g th ey say. This rnai be tise ful . Pun ..
-. . i_s~1Ml\to hanl)y needed .
·.11 : · S chol~r s learn clear id eas of thin e;>, antl le.urn
~ ; Ml~,'td, !!xprc~~ those id eas properly by vrnrds; am
,
J, !in'~~.1e~ t~ rarse, to give a reason for evrr_y j.eni)
·i: ~ije,.r, u~e,..and to, a_rpl_y th eir principles to practjcc in
· ' 1'.'rtt/n! a~d. ~peakrng. Most useful --'sc hola rs pl e:1Secl .
. ..
·• 1"11 sh.~\V' that · the ch:.irnoter I have gh·en of th e
\. ,
Ml'.lli?flztng schools is not e;rnggm'atcrl, let fa cts sr•n k
fof thernwlves: I have' seen a pupil, memorizi ng hj i;
les~on, Beat lus forehead ancl repeat, " gram mar is
the art of-- grammar is tbe art of-- gra mmar is
th~ ..n.rt o(," &_c: Th en," speakin~ ancl writing-~p_et1klng, ~vntm g," &n. "The E1i gli sh lnngurt1""tl
-.ti.th ('T~priety-- English langungc prop1'iet_y ." {, .Jo
,this manner was the lesson connecl. Now for the
. rflcllatiori.
.
'·l; ~e_dC!iin ."What is grammar~"
1
·:·u~ild. ~ Grninma'r is art of- of- of- Eaglish
.. ,.: Jd1g1/ii.<>e· proprity."
., . .•': " . · ''. T,ea~tr. ".Thn~ is not quite ri,ght bnt it will do."
l}i'~:\~!l he<trcl cl:nlcl!en at school tell very promrtly
tn}) fia~ and ~ircufni{e'rence · of th e .earth; but
~~e~ lls~eil
ii. Yisiter (he rneaninp;of diameter a nil
- cn:~f~en:ee they coula i-iot tell. Nor di<l it ap pea l'
. ~.t)iey li.aJl &tly t;O!li:eption .of JYh~t js !Jl.Ci\Ilt by ef.-

ll.r

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, J have Hearl a yonfig gentleman at school
1'

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p~r se:

"Or, quick effluvia darting through the brain,
Vic of 3: rose in aromatick pain."
And although heparse<l 'it to the entire satisfaction..
of his. teachh, yet, when asked by a visiter what he
thought M.r. Pope mt>ant by "Die of a rose," he
answ~red~,f' 1think he m~ans the colour of the r_ose."
I <lo not e'.(ldace these examples os extruonhnary
ones, but.as specimen of what is very common._ .
Now all of this goes by the narrie of ctlucat1on •.
Such i9 the 111anner in which a very large pa rt of the
youth of the United States are wasting their time
and their wits. The general introduction of a more
rational system of eiemcntary educa tion than that
which 'is at present in use throughout our counlrJ, is
an object worthy of the efforts of the g.r eat and the
good. What is Oll,l.Jed educatio.n in grammar is
mostly a f\JaSs of affectation and peclnntick nonsense.
Many judicious persons perceiving this._ have refused
to have ,their children instructed i.n th.e common way •.
'I;he:)',have)efused to t each them to call one word a·
·:noun add -another a verb; hut have taught them a
proper l!Se of language by correcting their speaking
and writing without using the tcchni ck s of grammar.
It ls, indeed, one thing to teach children to kHOlV
. -w:hat correct . Jiu;iguage is, and another to form in
' ffiem}ll!3 ~AliIT of speaking a,nd writin!) according
to that:ltnowledge, ' It is ext~emely difficult to pre·
vent a .N/llV.·Englandcr from saying ' "Hadent onght
.to;" a Kentuckiim from saying ".Mighty weak;" or
a Pen~sylv<1nian from sayi.ng "J ·~en him.''
Critick. I cam1ot yet belieVQ that committing
gramina'r to memory i's "worse than useless" as you
express it under your llrst cla,sa of schools. How is it
worse than useless 1
.11.uthor. I i_nust a nswer you by an anecdote. l ·
once asked a 'c hild, who had been thoroughly trained
in memerising, the following question: "What is the
difference bet"'een a feather bed and a stone~'' Th e
child, knowing the question to be intended as a ques·
'ion in oa.umA.n, thought for amotnent, and finding

a

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,j1r1tt'd.11ti:etofJtll~~l~i! ~(' 6f Liagi1~/;~ i~hith
'

n,othing in its

,,_r

maga~1.·ie
grmnmnr Tc11m;ng mori
gave the :llfo llowii1 ~ for an amwcr 9

appror,riate,
'f Nom i tiv ~ ca se govc' rns n verb.''
·
I a fterw.trd s p~t I.he s111nc qu estio n lo r.Iiss P.. C.
:wh? was t<'n .rears ol d. a·1d ha<'l n0ver st.udi <'ll f>; r>LJU •
il;mr at. nil, •rnd h:Hl the following ilial or;nc with her:
Question. H ow does a feittl1 e r hed differ from I!
Jton o1 .
.· ./J1wr- er. A fe •tlh er b•):\ i "> soft, but n 8to nc> i~ hard.
iJy wh :<t wo.r•ls hav~:rou e .,p re~sed th eir diffor.
tn\ qna Iiti rs?
.!J. "\Qftnndlwrd.
Q . \V•n t re m •trk :•.bl e qu1.lity has ic e~
./1. I• is eold .
'· Q. ·v11a( q•1ality h as <;now bi>sides hrin!j colr1~
· ./J. ' rt is whitf'.
·Q. What rpptlit.: h as l<·ad ~
,
.A. . LH e rP- she In'l<le a cnmi d erable pauoe, lll't
~a.Uy ans1,-~re1l.] It is &l11e .
. ',Q. Ditl .vou CVN lak u ;1 a rinn" of l !> ~d ~
.1 ..!#. No sir.
_., .. Q. d)i.t( yon lrnu w that )encl is heav11 J
;_ ,q,' No, sir. lHcre slw c:xprcsse<l n wi oh to lif't 'l
pi ~ctj of lead to a scertain, th e quality. ]
. It •e,e rn cd t~at the won! heavy, a• a '.'pli')\l to l cn rl 1
e,xj1rnsfo d .an icl e<t whir!i was not yet i•• ln:r mind .
'
'lnw !Pave it •.o you rself, J\1r. Criti · -., 1o ,1.,10..~
min e whii:h of t h P.~e ch ildren's mind s "' " " in the hc.:f

'

vari<lttS dia.logncs arc such

:-l-\

hilVP. a r; tn all y fln «;c:; .. rl

b e tw fle n the author and his pupil s. Th e q11c•t!1Jns
~a,\<C alway,s b ~e n mo<Ffi ~ d nncl chnn.c:ed nntil ih <'.Y'
wer ~ uri<lcrstoo<l. Chil<lren have be e n~ our rcvic·.· ers
anrl odticks. It. has b0en 0 11r a mhi1 ior> (n in k rC'•t
t~ eHI; and if
<lo not fail in thi ·' , we s h~ II he rcwn rdc~
f!r Ollf lapour, W (l ~ave Jlr~sl!ra~oi. t he s bil<I td h1w11

we

§,·ho ltr"; put I rolricd home a s ;or; ,1· a s
1i1T·'I 01'r tbocfest :'"t
'.1' • h_v hi ~ v., rb5 .mml ed a n11 romtd;
j~l!i g~olle.<t. that li r. ll:t• itcq 11i f• " · :tn
., )1ti1"irhf 1h 3 d·~ ·: uli•r a1frl ·:,r1.« . : ling'
l'< lltlr ' J an ~ 11 h.~I!- And that h~ ;., . ms
ikl,Ons; riot ' h,v' •1irrc imi i.ntion, Lut hy
_. , W il l'1 lfve e 11cl cavui 1re ~l to take thi s 1· a •ly
0

ii.

·. ~...~ '') -.

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J 1'; fi\t1ilfrre, ~cary• acqui'r<•<f immediately wi<-"out
a.tfy seMiblc 'process of rcaqu J1i l1 g- .
·
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0

. ~ow:, ~ ir, in answer 1o !he q11('stion, " \Vh.Y hav11 •.vf!
·;inothp,r 11:rn 1n mar 1' ' I r!.'p ly th at it is 11 0t to r ha" g: ~ .
gram mar it•clf, l)l]t to change, if possible , th" m•: d<' of'
teaching it t o young children . .
.Jn .composin g this work we h'lV'! been p;oYe rn ~ f'!
e~ieily · ~.Y e x r c ri cnce ·in , t each in g ch il dren.
Th "

f!.tpo \fr tl'~li\'r e of lh'i1gtrn 1::<' , is cvideut
fai'sl\' llh11\t.1 crs, · · ' ' •· '
iiY ~\·:-" Ma; hro th f>r r'1'dtli.cd ~w'ay nnd

.

· q,.

coru1ition .

ciiiltifc n

~~M·ly'1 i' T h .lt -th uy h av<· ttn lnt11 i 1i -. c•

ltfl n ' •

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•.•~So,me pcrspns may be incli110rl to rHi cnle snr,h ntl
a~~~1' ~iorl · t2 .•1l1c. e"X1>rl!ssiotis o.f .r,hih!rt J' a• 1nili11 g:
~~ , >f0~Jl""1Ji0 lin c<l .t? com1ill'r 11.nn rn11 •r,.·t ont.
~
" ·~ tl.(.'lnl(,fttnl philo ~ophy, rsrrr ially froli• the
'
• ii:'1~'i'~~:,to :"'.!1ich it n1'ay· h e ap plit" l in ('< 1'1ra-•
':ll~1~ OJlllHOn i~O hr1i•c th n COlli: l!JT ('DCP ol
a · e,vo'r't!l's .in their l' XCP IJr,J)t trcntisr. on Ed11c:t'·
ii)(ti{',, t,~ee~ns tlun th~ bov q11ot c <~ "bo,,., 'l'"k" ac• ~rt!1ng J~ . an~logy ~and th r. b/,mr/r," if \le ma; ll 'C
, '•

',,
'

• !li ~n; jgl on thP p:trt of lhr lnnt~ lla !!'c '''"lf!
'ntliiHri' lliese point', b,Y a11 n1ilhoriz ,·rl, 11•~'ttinn l c()IJ'tsl.',· a thing, of"%ch the boy

; il!IJ} '". ~ . .

1\ 6bsiJrvatiuns

.

of. chiJc]i'~n , P'\' N ' in IJ y
~
ltVC bc·e rrtn11ght to thinl< an d rx,.rc •s
..... , , : hlcii•,. ai'll tct.v in grniom a nrl nri;i"'' I. I
'". ·::. '1·1.!
n}f4~,,t'!>1Y1Wing· ~.-orthy of ·n oti1·1• :
•
,· , . . si· .G:.:lt·y en.rs !'If ngc, was "'keel wliaf 1•11mi';is·1;1i· :tllrb kt'rTcs iri th• •rntcnrr The'" "! /;ir!·· f/, r
·~<tlf9'jma'WNctt: in the rlnral n11mhf'!'. Win ' - li e
w'.U:).'!t~lt~d ; :··,.~r.ea1de tli c hny kirks /hr l•rr/l irn;r f/un t
cin~;: w~Hhti nil!!~er. Now; if pl:;ra li t.-,· c:<11 h• •tt taP.hell·ta Ure ''/orb ·in it <r lf, i rnlrnrnt!r:•t .. :· "" wrn ill!lti.vo q1tso, it must co n<i<t in 1J ... rrpdi'/inn of th ~·
il'Ction;·.wlikh wa~ '"hat the ch ilcl pcrc ci vtd.

rREFA Cl3.

Kil

pe~ ee ptlon of.grammar, we may say, as our starting
pofot. To this we make our constant a ppeal in th e
comaienccmcnt, dntil we advance the pupil, by a
very g:radt\al progr ess, to a real und erst andin g of the,
~cc h111 ck s of gram1:nar, anrl the various regu la r arnl
irrcg11l.a r construction of our ln.n guage. But we do
not pretend to give all the minutire of th at struc ture
in this small volum e. Our tl esign has been to i;ivc tho
child .a ration.al commencement merely. The pa rt
~hich. the chi!</ has to pe~f~rm in an~we r!n g, or attcm~trng to a nswer, th e varions qu estwns m th e dialogues, a nrl in composing sentences according to the
directions, has th e effect to k eep up his attention,
a?d to render the suhj ec t interestin g a nd amu sin g !.o
lnm.
Critick. I perceive that your gramma r is not en•
ti rely ori11 in al ; wh y have you not given us a new
•ysti;m nlto ~cthcr~
·•..l.lit!hor. ~ el<n. u •e my object h as been merely t~
1)llange the mode of teaching. I have therefore made·
as fpw nlrcmtions as possibl e; and ret a ining the
usual definition s, chie fly those. of Murra.y , have pre·
fix P.d !.o each a preparatory lesson intenrled to enable
the child to c.omprehend . the definition when he
C\Hn es to it. · I ha:vc offered an original vi ew of th e
to ,be,"'.a nd also of.th e tert ses of participles. The
usual number Of narts of speech has been followed:
for it is a m:ittcr o f littfo moment whe t.hn voe ma kti
three parts of <pcech or twenty , provid c1l we arc
enabl ed lo give a just idea of th e na ture, use, and
stru ctnre of lan guac:c.
Critick. I ha vP, he>tr<i rnme remnrks made against
your c:ram mnr; how happened that~
tlluthor. 1'he'e remark" were mad e before th e work
was publisher); . a nrl th erefo re wr .co11cl111ln that th ey
were mnrle bv somr self-interest r.d irulivi1l11 a l.
Critick. Wecrit itk' have sometimrs bP.en accused
of nuhli shin g onr revie we of works bPfore we ha.ve
l'Cnd them th ciron t>:hly. But to n.ttempt to prejudice
th e nuhli c by attackin g a work before it has been

verb

4

This I found suggested in'' Ncef' s Sketch. "

'I''

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·,.

TO

TEACHERS~·

. €i·itN'fLl;MEN,

I .reco 111m r.ncl to th ose of y ou who c hoose (i)-,
use ~f this ~ork, that c hildren sh o uld be tau;hl;
grammar in th e tollowtn?' 1nnnn er.
L That they shou ld be' t ,iught, w ithout books, th ro
J'UME •> of sHrh subjr,cts as m ay he present to thei r
~e n ses : as ch a ir , table , book, pc nknifo, f.re, house ,
tree, &c . ,
always present,
. . Or lake. a stt l.>j~ct wh ich shall
TtZ: .~h<; . hu~an body; and te:J.cll th e pu pils to n:ime·
I.he p.1r,s of it: m hnn<l, fa ce, torC'hcad , eyr:s, no,e,.
, t.h eck~1 mouth , lips, tee th, to11g1w, a rm s, hahds, fin. g!lrs, &c . . Th ey may or may not be told at first that
lh.<J!tj ,names are called ·n·ou11 s.
·
~ .' That they be t ~ught the QUAJ.TTIES of thos~
OhJlj C[S tlf· '.'·hi ~h Wey .h a ve just iearncd the names .:
~s, ~ tnhlc 1s .•qMte 6t round; a pPr1k11ife is sharp; the.
Jire is great, hot, /,right, &c.; th e hou se is higfi.:; the
!tee is green nnd high ; or of the huma n 1'bdy-tho
h'~ ad is spheric~/ an<! hard; th e eyes ure globtilar, bliie,
-grey , blac'.c, moi~t, moveabl~, .\oc . ; the Ii ps it re red, $oft,
·~n<l moist rnwle; th e teeth arc. white, hard, and.
·:•tr.o_nff: They may or mny n o t be told that the wor<le
-wh ich <'Xpress th ese qualities a rc called adjectives .
!.L That they b ~ taught th e ACTIONS oflhc obj ec ts of
''.h1 ch they have .1.ust learn ed the n a mes and th e quali_.t ies-: as the P"nk111fe cuts ; thP. fire burns, rortr.<, &c . ; the
frceg.r o•r:s ; tlw,hcad move.1, n otl.t, lums, &c ; the eyes
.~r..e , spande, turn , move, &c . th l" U OSP. smr.l/.<; tho·
'mouth taste.•: ea.l.<, -'piti, talks, .<pea.ks, sings, &c. the
brs. m ove, kis.< , ponl, &c . tb c teeth bil1' ch ew and
i< omctimrs .ache; the ton guo more.• ,. arti~ulatc.i; &:~ .
~1 ake

be

7•

·.
,_TO TEAC!ll!'.as.

IDEAS which they never bad. This is evidently :iu•
,• urd. THF. IDEAS SHO ULD RE ORTMNED Fms·r;
AND· THE PRoi•ER MODllJ OF ~;XPRESSING THOS]i)o
IDEAS AFTERWARDS.
I would recommernl, th a t, after having attended
to objects immediate ly present to th eir sense~, they
should attempt to , form rliRtinct images of th e snml'I
objects in th€ir minds, without hnYing th em prernnt.
That every care be ta ke'] tbat th e•e images be clear,
stro'ng, and correct. That lVhen a n ide a be presente!I.
to th rim in words, a little ' time be allowed for th eir
attention to be properly_ fixed, und drawn from the
words to the thing:, as, when yo11 would give th em
the construction of the sentence "The boy sawn.
horse running;;' say to, them after repea,ting the senf!Jllce,, do you form in your minds an image of what
that sentence mea ns1 Do you SEE in your minds thii
boy and the horse l·unning J Wh en the idea has been
sh'ongly conceived, then attend to th e words.
'So far I have recomnienrled an attention fo sensih,le objects only: but I would by no means stop here.
l;tom this last.abstrac ted iinage of sensible obj ects, I
r~bommend to lead th eir attenti01i to those existence!
which appear to u s only in th ei r effects. This opens
to them the great field of MORALS and RELIGION .
I have alrea_d y suggested that children ~hould re-•
ceive some,lesrnhs before they u se their book&. \Vhen
they commence studying this book, every cil~ should
be taken that they do not memorize th e words merely.
The teacher should comrose examrles parallel to
those in this book, and rut them to their pupils in
, orrlc-r to determine wheth er th ey can EXTEND the
aj>pli cation of the principl e illustrated. I have
omitted to mak e u se o f th e human body as a subject
of illiistfatio,n, in orrl er to give the terrcher a chance
to dii:,it 'e xtemporancoi1sly.
,
_
'I'he, te~chcr should vary the _illu strations t~ adapt
them to the· humour and capacity of the pupil. He
should do -this until it is evid ent that Ji ,, uniter~tands . Every littl e cireum stnnce whi ch can b ..
l!f'ized upon at the time to interest thP. chihl, will pr(>,

..

• i . .

-..vi'i
'\ lute the happiest effects; for th e ntlenl:i on ()f a ch il d
mtl st be c ngriged ;-its ow11 voli111tnry fccl 111 ~s m_nst:
be chliStc<l Iii or lcr to ma k e rt dPop a nd laslrn g 1m ·
pres•ion 011 the mPm ory. Th c 0 e. th in g• :trP, or c_Olll''<' ,
ltift t1>'lhe ' kindnc~s an1l active rndu slry of tli e 1mmc<ll11-je:'teil:ch~ •.-.
:·~lt·'.i)l.jll'.ilRp~ar si11!\t1l ar l o rn mc tlrnt we . sh o ulr~
' iiliikiJ U~e Qt the human boil y a.l a II a s a ·snbj c<:lt fo1
illii!f iltion:" To such we st:itc, tlrn.t it i• not t o teac h
a cliild that he has e11cs, or that hn srr,< with th em, hot
to ditect hi.3 attmtio1i to scnr. i/Jle ulifec ls, rmd fo lc(1,mlt1.ni
l(fue,~hi; ~wl• fa citltics. It .is not alto::;-c lh cr ab>iml
tliiit !ra 'machine has been rn vc ntcd to a nswer th e
e:hne pµrp osc ;-bnt th e .human hotly cari he mrrilc a
hotter " !\ra mumr mach111 e" _th : ~n an y o~ h c r; a nr\
bas the additional recomm cn1ln ti on of hern r; c h cap
aiul easily obtained on eve ry occ n•ion . . Bnt we rlo
, not take to ourseh•es th e crcrlit of aprly1nµ; th <> llllmnn bocly fo this 1isc-it was fir s.t tlon c by Pestn 1.ozzi.
Chavan'n()s frives us tho follow111µ; a ccount nf ll :-" Pcstaloizi c li"oisct pour prPm icr r.x c- mp le d e cdlf•
b fahel1e -d1,lnst rnction le corp< lmmain, de tou ' k•
obj~6.ts'{fi} i pnivcnt frapp cr I' allc ~ t ion rle l' cnfa11t
cc lu'i ' qu_i sc pre •senlc k pin s nrrt 11rcll crncnt ?t rln11t
1' observation pent rl' nll c nrs e t rc 11: pln s :11 •cmPnt,
r~:iete o ." - Translation :-" Pcstnlo?.ZJ t:: k P5 fnr fh c
fit~t· e,x~m pl_e of in struct.io n the lwma~i hudy, w hi c h nf
' nll' th(:l"Objects thnt strike the att r>nt1011 of fhc c hild,
i sJhA ?ne JVh.ich mo•t r~turnlly presents ilsc_l r,_onrl
the' -b~!!trrntrnns
which cnn he most cns ily re-

or

/i«et,l ·''': -"· ,

,_

.

,

I ~(b-'ftir it fir<f course, l et the ?hilr,I n ttc nd lo 11 1(>
fi~nrt ,q11cRtio11s and answcn wh1eh. r.ornm r'ncc Paelt
flltl hJgt1_q ; bnt the moment . fh c s11\l,1t'cf h ccorncs ton
i ntri cato_for hi• nnd crstun,\rn g pass on, for that tim c1,
to so~ething easier.
... ·~ ,
'
JOI.I N L OCK}\:

~Cirtnnnati Fem11lc .llwdcmy, Jan. l: l S~~.

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••I

ERRATA.
. The errors in this work are the more numerous a~
H is the first e(lition, aiid has been mostly printecl
' from manuscript. Some of the most conspicuous arll
poticecJ below. ·

·!-.• • ·t ;·

, fage 79, fifth lino from the bottom, for play rcacl boy.
120, for Rule Vll. read Rule I. Ruic VII. is found
on page 222 . .
' ,The fo ll owin~ paragraph was omi(ted under the
personal pronoun:

· The two ~orrls own and self, are used in conjunc•
. "tiori .\vitb pronouns. Own is add ed to possessives,
· · bqth singular and plural: as, "My own lrnnd, our
•. .' own house.". It is cmphatical, and implies a si lent
"' G,ont~ariety or opposition: as, "I live in my own
~hoqile," that is," not in a hired hou se ." ~ Self is ad~e.~ :io, possessives: as, ·m.yself, yourselves; and sometim~s .to personal pronouns: as, himself, i l.Telf, them.~e/~e1, . I.t then, like own, expresses emphasis a'nd opposition: as, ·"I did this myself," that is, "not
.another;" or it forms a reciprocal pronoun: as,
.'' ~ e hurt oilrselvcs by vn in rage."
~ Himself, themselves, a.re now nse cl in th e nomina' tive c.asei instead of hisself, theirseli!es ; as, " He
,'c ame himself;" "He himself shall de this;" "The)·
... · pe~tohned it themselves."

ENGLISH GRAMMAR
FOR

CHILDREN,
BY. JOHN LOCKE, M. D .

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....

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OR THOGRAl'HY,

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Al'f

.E)NGLISH GRAMMAH, &-c~

.

DIALOG UE I.
Of L rwguage in genera l.
'l'ea rher. If a h•mg-1-y lnrli an, who co11lr1 111'1 ~.
speak ·0 ·ir l angua~e, shoulrl want yon to give
hi111 son1e bre:1d, how wo11lrl h e ask you for it ~
Ch·il!f. I suppose h e w ould m ~1kc s ig ns .
'1'. What do you mean uy signs?
C. Motions.
T. If he saw the hre:ul , what m o ti on' wonlrJ
he he likPly to rnake?
C. He 11;oulct point t0 it, an d !!ien m:1ke 8
moliuu to11arLlS bis tnoutli .
'1'. What would he the use of ti H'S!' mo
••

.'I

UO!J~'

C. Tn !rt

r;10 knn '" lkit
h0 " ' "" 11111w r\
and wanted some lne ;.id .
"' "
T. Bel;1re he made tlw 111n1 i•lll' , he lrnr• 1(.
thaJ he was hungry, bnt yo u did not know it V

C. l:es.
T . After h e ma:le the motion s, 1·1rn knf'w it
too?
·"

C. Yes.
T . Then by his m0ti ons he l1as com 11111nic;1
tecl hi s ideas to you?
C. What is the mcanillg of "Jn< •: omm11.
~ir.~ed his ideas t()" 1pP?

T. It means, he has iet you know hit
· \t,houg~ts.: ~ :. ·. ·• ,
•.
. . •
.. ,c.:...Yes, _he lias let me . know l11s thoughts.
: T. BJw~at meansdi_d he let you kncin' hi-.
thou~~~? : ; ,'
.
·
· C ' RYl·m<ttioils.
·
.
.t~ r..: Sff{p~~e t,hat the Indian Imel staid with
y~µiHI ~If had l~arned to speak your langu age,
-'. .~1!": ~~~~<l he, let you know that he was liun"
i'tJ·. a_ntl "\vahted bread?
1:~,.: lf~, "'ould tell me so,
. ·~ o/-Jii telling you so, what would he use in,
, ·~tead-. of motions?
·
·--·~: . W.ortls.
, . .l · ·
· T .. Then what is the use of words?
, , · C; ·I d~ tiol,know. ·.
T. ,W.hat._us~e did th e Indi an mri.ke of them?
·c :-..The"iiaml! aq he <lid of motwns; to let

/

.

rile -know

.

his thoughts.
.T. lh how m?.ny 1 vay~ thPn c:i.n one

11 c :-s ~!":

let another know his tho11g-h!"?
..C._-'rwo; · by motions and hv w·nrls .
·' 1'. J I_<1.wAid you know tiial '.the indian ask·

e!ly ou fo r tfrearl hy_mo tion'?

$tl'! ~hem with my eyes .
.,._7'.;,H~~' dtd you know that he asked yon hv

..C.)

;'- · [ ·
-~c; 'fheircf him with my ears .
'T::W;hahlid he make the si"ns wit h?
C. With his hands.
>)': '!~hat !lid he speak the words with !
. Ci.'. W'.it.b .his mouth.

wordllf~,

0

· 'f';: .Yes, ~hild; am! the mouth cnntains sev·
e_\al. ·parts which are concerned in Bpoaking
words.

•

QF f., A!\Otl"AG G IN r.;r. :; HR4 li .

' C. Wh~t are !hey ?

.
The lips, the teeth, the tongne, the pal-·
-R.te . the nose. the throat. Thes~ are called

. '.f:

"O JI.GANS OF' SPF.EC ll ."

C . Cannot people speak without teeth?
Ye~, but not pl~inly.
Wh en you say p,
yot~ m11•t pu~ your ltps together; and when
yo•1sayf01' v, vo11 lnust u;;e your uppe•· fe ,•tl1
ai1'1 nmler 1ir.--Su ppose that afte:· !Patriin g to
spen.k, the Indi an !<hould learn to write. could
he \he~ !et _v,n u k;ow that l~ e was l.11111 g.r_y and
wante;, »rear! w1tnout makrng molloll~ to you.
or ~p .,· 1 1 -. in g- to you?
C. \'e s ; he r.o.uld wr it<' it to me.
T. 011'~way t.o le tano th erknow ourth ou,.,.hti:
is to make •noti ons, :tncl ano th er WiLY i~ to
spe_a k, w·1nls; is writ ing still another \vay 'I
C. Yes, S ir; t:iat m a l1es three ways.
T . iV '1.:1t do persons write? Do they write,
[,!lotions?
C No, :3lr; thev write wonh-.
. T . Then it is another wa v of inakincr0 words,
'and is lik P, spenk ing.
•
C But written '''Nd s are made by the,
h an'l and seen hy 1.h e e ve . and so .1re m~tiom;
m1:vle hy the h·antl a nrl. sr- en by tbc eye.
· 'I'. That is tn~P; bnt mntious a r e ·li ke th e
thin g-s. ~hich are meant hy th em, but spoken
or wnUen wo n ls are not.
· C. The l11di:rn mig:ht let me know h e want e~ .brearl by rn'lking; :t picture of an lnd irm
~attn g bread, and that would lie like the thing
,"'.hich , ~v:i.s me'lnl. would '"' m"lde by the.
hanrls anrl wo•1ltl be seen b,Y Lhe eye, and. sQ
~you ld be like motion~ .

.: T.

0RTHOORArfl~·.

is·used in the oh_j0ct 1r0 r·:1sP . :-1nr1
S(~!ite n r e

in

the nrJinii::d i ·, •· • , ·i~r-:

nt ·:.. t
i l!f • wn rrl

iii 1l if·

;1..:

lmm mrr

'

T,; · 'rl1at i ~~ her·an ~r rr. .~ t !:- !l !) t :i nv thi ::!: i 1:
tl1 r· ll O U !t l ~ :- ' ;; t. ! · 11l i. .- 1 ! . : I 1• • l ·; i ! ' · · ! '• · · l l1 t · 1· \'. i : ;·els
t~s ·;, the inan strike~ th e hnr:::. P : ~' !: Pre -m u n i.5
the~g entornominntin' rn q '
H11 t in th i" • r nte u c ~; H'i'lte hur~e

thP nhj f'r.f

kicJ\. s t.he

n1an . ;~ Ji1an i ~
fh ri

. , . A.noun . Why ?-llfat c rial or immaterial.
" t·hy ?-'-Common or prope r. \Yhy ?- First, ' "r·
ond or third pe rson. Why ? - -Sin g 1ila1 o r pl uta,1'/numbeL WhJ ?- J\l a';culinr, f'pmini ne r_i r
ne~_ter gender. Wh y'?--N ominati,·e po ss e s~ iv c
'.~~ ~~jective ca ~e . '~' hy ?~-Girn th e HULE.
P\):,r se the . noons m this Sentence . John
sfrlJ.ces ii·Mll. ' · ·.
.".•.C j LknolV which are. nonns, but [ do not.
knew what to tell first .
T. One thing at a time. 'fake th e first.
noun in that sentence , ahd .looking a t your
METl100 of Par5rng a noun, tell one thin" a t a
time as it is there pointed out. ·
"
' C . :Tohn is a noun, becau se it is the name or
soinelhing>l'--material, be'cause it is th e nam e
of a ·sensilHe oLj ect-propcr, becau5c it is a
ll~Jlle . given . to an individual-third person
·liecause It is spoken of-singular number, be:
cause it means but one-mdsculine gender be'~

-

-

,· It .\'!'.ill be, seen that here and el>cwhcrc I use th e
:W~rd thing'to'mcan eith er a pcm m, anima l, rl ac ~. P1'

.th.mg pmpcrly 60

·'

:s t l:t.'' :1. ;..~:i-·n !,

rr . Yon rnn.y tu rn 1,;1r.k tn p:ig-r ~1 l :ind r'.trse
a ll ofih e c xnrnpiP<: aftpr "ilain foiis" 1tgrecabl.y· to the f.l~J U\"C M£ 'l HU1J .

:1 r ! l' rl npnn ~ :·1.n rl L o r n t qn . .:

f lt t ' Cfi.."'i..'..

T ;•v :.

c11n sr it s i~nif1 r c: :in : 1 11 in1 ~il nf th r n ~:-:i c ! ~ in d
nnminatirc case lo 1'11' Yerb <lrik n her a 11'" i(

~. allctl .

Co :-,i ! T

:; i ·:· r c~~.

rr. 'Vhr:n f say tbc fi . . ,·c, do thn :~ c \~,· c;-;}..; ha ·.-c
:rn y T'Pb h oll tn e ~1rh nth l'r; rln th 0y mcik0 :iny
sense with e ach other?
C. No, ~ir, I cannot perce ive that th ey d o.
T . Have th e w o rd~ the life any re bt ion to
each other, do they make sense as far as tltey
go?
.
C. Y,e s, ~ir, and I could make u sentence of
them by adding some words to them .
,T. Very well. A number of words which
have a relation to each other and make seme
together are callee! a PRnAsE.
You may now compose several phrnses cont,aining the noun in the possessive case and also
the _noun 'which ·governs that case: ,as, Aaron's
rod, Rachel's bonnet. . The . girls~ bonnets.
_l ;:f_ Compose some phrases containing nouns
i!\';:thef .,.ainglllar number, possessive case, not
-enclJng .i.1>·• as, JlarQn. .
· ·
.,
,9_'-~~A~l)mmiie\ ~i>ine with nouns of the singular
n '~b,~r;p.os$essiV.e case, ending in 3; as, Thomai: •i Wl .~~~ ·yo1.1:i}ronounce them.
9.9~~sppie ~ith nQuns in the singular
numb~r( ~~~'iii~e ~a$e, en,d,ing in ss; as, Good-

J .'.

.neSJ. ·

1 ;.';-l1t~.

··>· r .· · . ·1

•

4. Compose !iome with nouns of the plural
number, not ending ins as children .

ARTICL E.

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,·;, 5. tompo~e some with nouns of the pilmd
: .llit f~ber, possessive case, ending in s; as, hooks ,
;

N ~1te.-The child .p~rforms th ese 5 cXercis~s, one
itt a ti1T>.e, anrl the teacher cQrrcets and e:xplams, re"
. fcrrii1;' bil.ck tel the grammar if necessary.

. T. Compose sente11ces containing the transi-

' tive verb, noirn in h1e·nomin at\ve case-in the
possessive case-in the objective case: as
. ...
Mr. Hunter's dog bit AbeFs sheep.
:
Julius's r,at caught a mouse.
.
Cliildrr,n's teachers explain lessons.
, Let1 your compos.ition be v:trierl so ns t u
'.have singnlar an<l plural, rr:asculine, feminine,
·· and neuter nouns.
'·.ii,..Notc ....'..Thc child writes or speak s, and the foacbcr
~: oxailiiil.ils, c6rrects and explains, givin g the rule for
Mi:ry '.cohection.

,·

~,"· ;c~mpose sentences containinp,- 1he nominat~·~e . C'tise; , intransitive verb, preposition, and
· ·objecti\.-~ ~asc, . as: .
S'u's an sits in a chair,
The book lies on the table,
Maria's doll lies uiuler the table,
Blacksmiths strike with hammers.
1
, ''·

'C hild composes, teach~r corrects, explains &c.

' ' T. Now compose sentenceB, in eachofwhich
,th,i~r~ shall , be t1~~ obje~tive cases; one goverri'~,d by a tra11s1ttve verb, and the other by a
' lre~osition, as:
. .
.
: .'.. .. .Sukey put the pitcher on the table,
1 ':'I, ; Falher sen.t George to school, . .
·
r
, M:othet took Sally from school,
F:i rmers senrl corn to market,
' ' Boy s c~tch fis.hes .~1i ponds.
, Child compei:e,, tcachct eonccts, &c,

>" \· ·''

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DIALOGUE XVI.

ETYMOLO G\".

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Jl.rticle.

.

:-': T:·1fi sho~tl_Say;

.

''iiri.ng me ·a,bbok;, wl)3:t
book would you brmg?
., C: 1,1.ny book I coul<l l?nd.
_ .
,T . .Suppose I shonl·. ·::.1y; '.' b.n ,n g me the
,\,ook," what book woul<l yo-.:. L• .rn1g me?
I should snpgose th<~t. you m!'ant some 1
' parti~ular book,and I sh~~l? askyou what. one,
·unless .J knew.. · ,
' '
, . .- ·
-~r. What difference ~s there' in the quesfione,
··whiCh iTiakes it mean any book in, on~instance,
. -:~n<l. a part.i<;:ular· ~obk in the other?... · . ·
. C. 'fhe first.ir;istance was; "b'!'ing me a book
.and the second .instance ·was; ·~£rmg me the
book"~a· and ilie make the <lil'ference. · ·
· · T. hiaht.:_a [\.~d tht'are .c alled ·A:ilTICLEs.-·
N O\V you~arn pre pa reel for the fcillowiD;g detini·tions. - ' ·
,
.
: ' ' 1. A'!) h.rtiCle is a worcl ·rircfixed to substan t.i ve,s, ; t~..show how far th e ir : signification extend~; as, ~ :gl;\,r~eth; a~ eagle, the w~m.a?. _ ,
• .2. Iq ;Enghsh}9~re· are . but two arhcl~s, a .
and 1 the,. a .fiecomes an be(ore' a .tow'el or silent
h;;:;3..$. ,. ~~ ' .a~1>i:b{an :hour, · ~nd .~IS!J,:h~fore all
J!•'?J'~ihMiiimg:\\;i~IJ. ;h when· ~heaac~nt·1s on the
. J1e~o[l[i~yliabll!: ·as an her61ck action. · ,
' ,· ''"''J}. ~~s fo~t :_~·~otne ~n · ~f9re .. 1i·: l,on.g; a? n
. ·..iui. '!lii.univerlhtr;; becau'se ,t,long b~gnis, with
.; .:<,:: · '.i4r~.f l"s!lli\
. ,ee~ed' sonnd.. ~f. e, wh,'ich is .a
7

·.:c.

. ~., \~
i£~f ~'Jt~ //'i~. .'
.' ... ~~
~.,,.Wi>.' "~l;fii."'Jshi: be",changed t0
~ -:.i'-fl
,. ,
· VO.tv~'!. ~ / , ~,tk~::~~ ,. ·~ .
· 1~ ·
. \ _. ~ · .'" ~··r ~.... ,. ,. .
1 • •, : ·

.. •

an l;ieforc a

