are thus accustomed to name readily the Part of Speech of every Word, and the Nominative Cafe to every Verb, they more perfectly comprehend and remember thofe Rules, which, when only learned by Rote, make but a flight Impreffion on the Memory, and are, probably, feldom well understood by them.

Some Remarks on Syntax are inferted at the End of each Chapter to which they refer.-A Rule to know how to diftinguish the feveral Parts of Speech, is likewife added to the Explanation of them, in order to facilitate the Exercife of Parfing from the Beginning.-The other Chapters may be readily referred to, as Occasion requires.

The Appendix contains Sentences put into bad English, in order to exercife the Memory and Judgment of the Learner, with Figures referring to the Pages where the Rule, and an Example of the right Construction, may be found;-Examples of Ellipfis, and of Grammatical Conftruction, in which the Parts of Speech are explained; -the Use of Points and Capitals ;-and fome Maxims and Reflections for the Purpose of Exercises.

THE

THE

ACCIDENCE.

GRAMMA

AMMAR is the art of ufing words according to certain established rules.

The difference between Grammar in general, and the English Grammar is, that Grammar in general, or univerfal Grammar, explains the principles which are common to all languages.

The Grammar of any particular language, as the English Grammar, applies thofe common principles to that particular language, according to the established cuftom of it.

Grammar is ufually divided into four parts, viz.
ORTHOGRAPHY, which teaches the true fpelling

of words.

ETYMOLOGY, which treats of the different forts of words, (or parts of fpeech) and their derivations and variations.

SYNTAX, which teaches us how to join words together in a sentence.

PROSODY, which teaches the rules of pronunciation, and verfification..

B

1

Of ETYMOLOGY.

THERE are in English ten forts of words; or, as they are commonly called, Parts of Speech.

1. The ARTICLE, which is placed before the Subftantives, to point them out, and to fhew how far their fignification extends. There are only two Articles in the English language, A and the--A becomes An before a vowel, i.e. before a, e, i, o, and u short, as an urn, and before a mute or filent h, as an when the b is founded, the a only is used.

hour, but

2. The SUBSTANTIVE, or Noun, which is the name of any thing that exifts, or of which we have any notion or idea; fo that every thing we fee-hear-fmell -taste—feel—or of which we can speak, is a Subitantive or Noun.

You may know a Subftantive by prefixing an Article, or the words-fpeak of to any word concerning which you are in doubt; If the phrase make sense, the word is a Subftantive; as, a book, the fun, an apple; or, I speak of goodness-of happiness. Words ending in ity, ion, or nefs, are Nouns or Substantives.

3. The PRONOUN, which is ufed inftead of a Nom or Substantive, in order to avoid the too frequent repetition of the fame word; as, I for my name; he, inftead of a repetition of her name. These are per

fonal Pronouns; there are others which plained hereafter.

will be ex

4. The

4. The ADJECTIVE, which is added to the Noun to exprefs the quality-form-number or any other property belonging to it; as, pretty-little-good-pure.

You may know if a word be an Adjective by adding thing to it; as, a good thing; or any known Sub ftantive, as, a good cake, a large apple; or by asking the question what? by which you will diftinguifh iss Subftantive likewife; as, good what? Good child.

5. The VERB is a word whereby fomething is reprefented as existing; as, I am; acting; as, I do, I play, I eat, I read; or being acted upon; as, I am taught..

You may know a Verb by prefixing to, to the word concerning which you are enquiring; as, teach, tə teach; learn, to learn. Or, whatever word makes a compleat fentence with a Noun or Pronoun is a verb; as, the bird fings, he laughs, they dance.

6. The PARTICIPLE, which is derived from a Verb, and partakes of the nature both of the Verb and the Adjective; as for example: Learned is a Participle when joined to an Auxiliary or helping Verb; as, "I have learned my leffon;" but when it is used without any relation to time, as a learned man," it is an Adjective.

7. The ADVERB, which may be joined to a Verb; as, He reads well; or to an Adjective; as, A truly good man; or to a Participle; as, She is fecretly plot ting and fometimes to another Adverb, to exprefs the quality or circumstance of it; as, He writes we sorrectly.

Adverbs generally end in ly; as, mercifully, foolishly, and answer to the questions How? How much? When? Where?

8. The PREPOSITION, put before Nouns and Pronouns, chiefly to connect them with other words, and to fhew their relation to those words.

You may know a Prepofition, because it admits of a perfonal Pronoun in the Objective Cafe, or a Subftantive to follow it; as for example, "With me; Beneath them; She went from London, through Greenwich, to Blackheath."

9. The CONJUNCTION, that joins words and fentences together, as "Charlotte and Louifa play together."- "Maria, Lætitia, and Caroline run;" which may be refolved into three Sentences; as Maria runs, Lætitia runs, and Caroline runs.

10. The INTERJECTION, that expreffes fome paffion of the mind; as, Alas! Oh! &c. It is ufually followed by a note of admiration *.

EXAMPLE.

Sub. conj. fub. prep. adj. fub. verb. Honour and fhame from no condition rife;

verb. adv, pro. fub. adv. adj. art. fub. verb. Act well your part, there all the honour lies.

When the meaning of the feveral parts of Speech as above, is perfectly learned, it may, perhaps, be found useful to pass over to the Appendix, as by fimply parfing the Exercises, and referring to the pages marked for correcting the bad English, a general idea may be very foon acquired of Etymology and Syntax.

Thofe Exercises are followed by a fuller Explanation of Grammatical Conftructions.