AN ABRIDGMENT or ENGLISH GRAMMAR: COMPREHENDING The Principles and Rules OF THE LANGUAGE, WITH EXERCISES IN ORTHOGRAPHY, IN PARSING, IN SYNTAX FROM THE LATEST LONDON FDITION, CORRECTED BY *TEREOTYPED BY T. WOOLSON, CLAREMONT, NH CONCORD, N. H. PUBLISHED BY MARSH, CAPEN & LYON. ADVERTISEMENT. In this edition of Murray's Abridgment, it has been judged expedient to insert after the definitions of each part of speech, the appropriate Exercises in Parsing, which, in all preceding Editions, have been retained in the APPENDIX. This method will be attended with less inconvenience than the one hitherto adopted, as it connects the definitions and the Exercises, which are to be learnt in succession. It is confidently believed that it will receive the approbation of teachers, especially as the same plan is recommended by the author, who, in his General Directions for using the Exercises, says, "As soon as the learn er has committed to memory the definition of the article and substantive, he should be employed in parsing those parts of speech, as they are arranged in the correspondent Exercises in the appendix. The learner should proceed in this manner through all the definitions and rules, regularly turning to, and parsing the exercises of one definition or rule before he proceeds to another." By the arrangement in this edition, the inconvenience of recurring to the Exercises in a different part of the book, after learning the definitions, will be avoided. INTRODUCTION. THE Compiler of "English Grammar, adapted to the different Classes of Learners," having been frequently solicited to publish an Abridgment of that work, for the use of children commencing their grammatical studies, he hopes that the epitome which he now offers to the publick, will be found useful and satisfactory. His chief view in presenting the book in this form, is, to preserve the larger work from being torn and defaced by the younger scholars, in their first study of the general outline which it prescribes; and, consequently, to render their ap plication to each part both new and inviting. If a small volume is better adapted to the taste of children than a large one; and more readily engages their attention, from the apparent shortness of the road they have to travel, the Abridgment will thence derive additional recommendations. To give these arguments the greatest weight, the book is neatly bound, printed with a fair letter, and on good paper. A SLIGHT inspection of the manner in which the work is executed, will show that it is not intended to supply the place, or supersede the use of the original Grammar. If, however, the teachers of such children as can devote but a small part of their time to this study, should think proper to make use of it, they will not, it is imagined, find it more defective than abridgments com inonly are. It exhibits a general scheme of the subjects of Grammar; and contains definitions and rules, which the Compiler has endeavoured to render as exact, concise, and intelligible, as the nature of the subject would admit. THE tutors who may adopt this abridgment, merely as an introduction to the larger Grammar, will perceive in it a material advantage, which other short works do not possess; namely that the progress of their pupils will be accelerated, and the pleasure of study increased, when they find themselves advanced to a grammar, which exactly pursues the plan of the book they have studied; and which does not perplex them with new definitions, and discordant views of the subject. The scholars also, who, in other seminaries, may be confined to this epitome, will be more readily invited afterwards to pursue the study of Grammar, when they perceive, from the intimate connexion of the books, the facility with which they may improve themselves in the art. It may justly be doubted, whether there is any ground for objection, to the following compilation, on account of the additional cost it will occasion. The preservation of the larger Grammar, by using the Abridgment, may, in most instances, make amends for the charge of the latter. But were this not the case, it is hoped the period has passed away, in which the important business of education was, too often, regulated or influenced by a parsimonious economy. The Compiler presumes that no objection can properly be made to the phraseology, from an idea that, in books of this kind, the language should be brought down to the level of what is familiar to children. It is indeed indispensable, that our words and phrases should, without requiring much attention and explanation, be intelligible to young persons; but it will scarcely be controverted, that it is better to lead them forward, and improve their language, by proper examples, than to exhibit such as will confirm them in a feeble and puerile mode of expression. Children have language, as well as other things, to learn and cultivate; and if good models are set before them, instruction and diligence will soon make them understood, and habit will render them familiar and pleasing. Perhaps there is no method by which this advantage may, in general, be more readily and effectually produced, than by accustoming children to commit to memory, sentences in which the words are properly chosen, and the construction and arrangement correct. This was one object which the Compiler had in view, when he composed the Grammar of which this is an epitome; and he hopes that he has not altogether failed in his endeavours to attain it.-But on this point, or on any other part of the work, it belongs not to him to determine the whole must be referred to the decision of the impartial and judi cious reader. Holdgate, near York 1797. |