which knowledge of more value may be conveyed by the history of a word than by the history of a campaign."

Words are valuable, at least, chiefly for the ideas they represent. In and of themselves, they have a value, it is true; but, as the representatives of thought, their worth is more than a thousand-fold increased.

LESSON XXXIV.

SPELLING OF DERIVATIVE AND COMPOUND WORDS.

The subjoined Rules are not a complete guide, even for derivative words; as there are frequent departures from the Rules, which can be ascertained only by extensive reading and careful observation. The practice of frequently transcribing from good editions of standard authors, and also of noticing, when reading, the manner in which words are spelled, cannot be too highly recommended as a means of securing accuracy in this necessary part of good English composition.

It would be found a very useful exercise, for this purpose, and also for the purpose of securing a knowledge of the meaning and derivation of words, and thus a command of language in writing, to devote some time each day to the careful perusal of two or three pages of the Unabridged Dictionary of Webster, or Worcester.

RULE I.-Monosyllables-and words of more than one syllable accented on the last syllable-ending in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant on receiving a new syllable beginning with a vowel; but z and kare not doubled. Examples-begin, begin-ner; befit, befit-ting; rob, rob-ber; admit, admit-tance; wit, wit-ty.

RULE II.-Silent e at the end of a word which receives an additional syllable beginning with a consonant, is generally retained;

as, guile-less; peace-ful; servile-ly. Exceptions-aw(e)-ful, tru(e)ly, abridg(e)-ment, nurs(e)-ling, whol(e)-ly, du(e)-ly, acknowledg(e)-ment, argu(e)-ment, judg(e)-ment. In these the final e is dropped.

RULE III.-In words ending with a silent e, if the syllable added commence with a vowel, the silent e is to be omitted; as, admir(e)-able, cav (e)-ity, cur(e)-ative, driv(e)-ing; but

(1) If silent e is preceded by c or g soft, or v, it is retained before able; as, peace-able, change-able, move-able.

(2) If silent e is preceded by g soft, it is retained before ous; as, advantage-ous; but if c soft precedes it, e is changed into i before ous; as, grac(e)-ious, &c.

(3) Verbs ending in ee and oe retain the e; as, see-ing; hoe, hoe-ing. So also, certain words that would otherwise be ambiguous; as, dye-ing, singe-ing, twinge-ing.

(4) Words ending in ie drop this final e, and change i into y, before an additional syllable that begins with i; as, lie, ly-ing.

RULE IV.-Words ending in y, preceded by a consonant, on taking any affix except ing, or ish, or 's, change y into i; as, happy, happ(y)i-ness; cry, cr(y)i-ed; marry, marr(y)i-age; pity, pit(y)i-less, &c. Exceptions-The y is not changed in words derived from dry, sky, sly.

Words ending in y, preceded by a vowel, do not change y into i before an additional letter or syllable; as, tray, trays; bay, bays; joy, joyful. So the y is unchanged when ing is added to any words ending in y; as edify, edify-ing; buy, buy-ing. Exceptions-Day, daily; pay, paid; lay, laid; say, said; say, saith.

RULE V.-Words ending in a double consonant-except l-retain both consonants when they take an additional syllable, not beginning with the same letter; as, odd, odd-ity; distress, distress-ful; skill, skil-ful. Words ending with a, o, or u, retain these letters; as, woo, woo-er; echo, echo-ing.

Words ending with a double letter, retain both when a prefix of a word or syllable is connected; as, roll, unroll; see, fore-see; water-fall. Exceptions—distil, instil, fulfil, until, withal, wherewithal, already.

RULE VI.-Compounds of self-significant words generally retain the spelling of those words; as, steam-engine; book-binder.

EXERCISES.

Write derivatives, according to the Rules, from the words here given. Example-Like, liked, liking, likely, likelihood. Valley, valleys.

Attorney, body, glory, weary, delay, stay, name, care, grace, in cite, encourage, tame, manage, run, defer, brag, admit, mud, ac quit, red, control, swim, whiz, idle, rude, abridge, awe, pity, mercy, provoke, merry, giddy, lucky, just, shy, dry, true, betray, boy, destroy, verify, edify, occupy, multiply, day, entrap, unman, allot, aver, fret, bar, rag, stab, join, marvel.

Worship, steam, reason, suffer, chill, obstruct, harass, excuse, due, life, engage, close, expire, face, fate, office, inflame, whole, false, feeble, meddle, remorse, holy, ruby, forgive, come, entire, body, speedy, vary, weary, dropsy, merry, annoy, chimney, flee, huzza, money, dismiss, still, full, will, stuff, renew, avow, forego.

LESSON XXXV.

ABBREVIATIONS.

In writing, it is convenient and proper, sometimes, to use abbreviated forms of expression, a selection from which is here given. The pupil should copy them, or, what is bet ter, write them, upon hearing the full form dictated.

A. B., or B. A., Bachelor of Arts.
Ans., Answer.
Adv., Adverb.
Acct., Account.

A. C., Ante Christum (before Christ).
A. D., Anno Domini (in the year of
our Lord).

A M., Ante Meridiem (before noon); in the year of the world.

Adm., Admiral.

Anon., Anonymous.

Et., Aged.

Aug., August.
Ark., Arkansas.
Ala., Alabama.
Adj., Adjective.
Abp., Archbishop.
Adj., Adjutant.
Admr., Administrator.
Anat., Anatomy.
Apr., April.
Amt., Amount.
Att., Attorney.
Bbl., Barrel.

F. R. S., Fellow of the Royal Society. Lou. or La., Louisiana.

M. A., Master of Arts, Military Aca-
demy.
Maj., Major.