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RECOMMENDATIONS.

ber of the different Spelling Books in use. We have compared their merits, both by examination and by experiment. Among all those which have been introduced into our schools, or fallen under our ob servation, we must say, that, in our opinion, no one will, on compar ison, be found in any respect, to equal Alden's INTRODUCTION TO SPELLING AND READING.

Subscribed by

Rev. JAMES WILSON, A. M.
TRISTRAM BURGES, A. Ma
LUCIUS CAREY, A. m.
JOSHUA BRADLEY, A. M.

Providence, May 20, 1800.

We, the Subscribers, having, for some time, made use of Alden's INTRODUCTION TO SPELLING AND LEADING, are of opinion, that children will not only acquire a more thorough knowledge of spelling from it, than from any other book of the kird, as it contains a large Selection of Words in common use; but, on account of a hapby arrangement, will be able to learn with greater ease to themselves, and less trouble to the instructer.

Subscribed by

Rev. SIMEON DOGGETT, A. M. Pre-
ceptor of the Academy at Taunton.
Rev. JOHN HILL, Teacher of a School
in Warren.

K. H WILLIAMS, A. M. Teacher of the
Publick School at Plymouth.

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GALEN HICKS, A. м Preceptor of the..
Academy at New-Bedford.

ZECHARIAH EDDY, A. M Preceptor
of the Academy at Plainfield.

September 25, 1300.

Extract from the Boston Review, for August, 1804. THE above-mentioned work comes before the publick with copi ous recommendations, and we are happy to say that it richly deserves them. It possesses indeed so many advantages above the Books in ordinary use, that we are surprised that it is so little known, and cannot but wish it a general circulation.

T

HIS First Part of the COLUMBIAN EXERCISE being designed for small children, and beginners, it was thought proper to make it as concise as possible. Nothing, however, is omitted which might be of service to small children; and had it been more concise, it would not have been completely systematical.

In the Second Volume, most of the tables are enlarged to words of four or five syllables, many rules and observations are interspersed, and a large selection of lessons, dialogues, &c. added; all which will be necessary for children as they advance in their learning.

Most books of this kind abound in such words as are not in common use; children must therefore be ignorant of their meaning; this has a tendency to render their task tiresome and disgusting.

But few authors of Spelling Books have observed any other order or method in the arrangement of their words, than that of placing those of an equal number of syllables, in the same column; allowing those of different endings, and whose accented syllables have different sounds, as well as those which contain silent consonants, all to remain in the same column. By thus promiscuously placing them, it is impossible to point out with precision, their true pronunciation; and by such a frequent change of words, so unlike in their endings and accented syllables, it is rendered almost impossible for the child to recollect the pronunciation of any although he may have just been over them; but having no guide from analogy, he will require the constant attention of the instructer to teach him the pronunciation of every word: Whereas, if those words which end alike, and whose accented syllables are similar in sound, were placed by themselves, the child, after being taught two or three words in each table, would be able to spell and pronounce all the rest without being constantly told by the instructer; and would le rn the same words, arranged in this manner, in one half the time that he would if they were placed in any other.

Some author, consulting their own ear rather than any standard author, have directed us to give many words a

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wrong pronunciation. Hence we sometimes have our ears grated with the affected sounds of anngel, dannger, strannger, mattron, pattron, pattriot, saccred, pressept, in'quiry; instead of hearing the true English pronunciation of those

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words, which is angel, danʼger, stra'nger, ma'tron, paʼtron, pa'

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triot, sacred, pre'cept, inqui'ry.—Some words they have divided in such a manner as would lead the learner to give them a different pronunciation from what was intended. The author of the present work, unwilling to burden the memories of children with that which would be of vice, has selected such words mostly, as are

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ase, and arranged them in the following man com.

1. Those in which different vowels, or

binations of vowels, have the same sound, are placed under the same Number, that number referring to the Key Sound at the top of the page.*;

2. Those in which the same consonant is silent, are placed in tables by themselves, with directions for knowing in what situations such consonants are silent t

3. Such combinations of consonants as represent only a simple sound, as well as such combinations as do not al ways represent the same sound, are placed in tables by themselves.

4. Those words whose terminations or ending are alike, are placed in tables by themselves, with directions for sounding such terminations.

5. Such words as are very irregular in their pronunciation, are placed in a table by themselves, with directions for pronouncing them.

With regard to the Spelling and Pronunciation of words, the author has followed JOHNSON, SHERIDAN, and WALKER; they being the best standard authors in the English language. But should any instructer wish to teach a different pronunciation, the arrangement is such, that he can teach as well, even in that respect, from this book, as from any other.

All the future editions of this work will be printed page for page with the present.

* Such Numbers or Figures are placed over the accented syllables. + Such consonants are further distinguished by being printed in Italicks.

AN

INTRODUCTION, &c.

CHAP. I.

LANGUAGE.

ANGUAGE, in its full extent, means-any way or

L method, by which all that passes in the mind of one

man, may be manifested to another.

The

There are two kinds of language: the language of emotions and passions, and the language of ideas. language of emotions and passions consists of tones, looks, and gestures; the language of ideas consists of articulate sounds, or of certain characters which stand as the repre sentatives of articulate sounds.

SIMPLE SOUNDS.

In the English language there are twenty-eight simple sounds-nine vowels, and nineteen consonants.

A vowel is a full and perfect sound of itself; a consonant is an imperfect sound of itself, and requires to be united with a vowel. The vowels are all sounded in the words, bake, bark,* ball, beet, bet, bit, boat, boot, but. The consonant sounds are eb, ed, ef, eg, ek, el, em, en, ep, er, es, et, ev, ez, eth†, eth‡, esh, eng§, ezh.

DIPHTHONGS.

A diphthong is the union of the sounds of two vowels in such a way as to make but one articulation or syllable.

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The sound of a in back, is only the short sound of a in bark; the sound of a in what and of o in bov, is the short sound of a in

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ball; the sound of u in bush, is only the short sound of oo in boot.

+ As in breath.

As in brethren.

As in strength.

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There are twenty-two diphthongs in the English language, viz. i as in bite, which is composed of the sounds of a in ball, and e in beet,-u as in use, which is composed of the sounds of e in beet, and oo in boot--oi or oy, which is composed of the sounds of a in ball, and i in bitou or ow, which is composed of the sounds of a in and oo in boot-all the other diphthongs are formed by the short sounds of e and oo (commonly marked by y and w*) preceding all the nine vowels, and united with them; as in yare, yard, yawl, year, yet, yes, yoke, your, young-wake, waft, wall, weed, wed, wit, wore, woo, word.

TRIPHTHONGS.

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A triphthong is the union of the sounds of three vowels in such a way as to make but one articulation or syllable.

There are four triphthongs in the English language 1. The sound of e is heard, though not written, before the diphthong i in kind, guide, guile, sky, mankind. 2. The sound of oo (marked by w) before i as in wine. 3. The sound of oo (marked by u) before the diphthong oi; as in buoy, quoit. 4. The sound of oo before the diphthong ou in wound.

SYLLABLES.

Simple sounds are the elements of speech;-these form. syllables; syllables form words; and words form sentences.

A syllable may consist of one vowel, or the union of so many vowels and consonants, as can be uttered by a single impulse of the voice. Words of one syllable, are called monosyllables; words of two syllables, are called dissyllables; words of three syllables, are called trissyllables; and words of many syllables, are called polysyllables.

*N. B. The short sound of e is sometimes represented by e, and sometimes by i, as in righteous, filial; pronounced right yus, fil-yal. The short sound of oo is represented by u, after g, 4, and s; as in language, quail, persuade.

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