RULE I.

Q. What is the First general Rule for Divifion of Syllables? A. A Confonant between two Vowels, goes to the latter Syllable; as, ba-nish.

Q. What is the first Exception to this Rule?
A. These Confonants,

as, Flow-er, Ex-ile.

w and x, go to the former Syllable;

Q. What is the fecond Exception?

A. Words formed and compounded, must be divided according to the Fifth and Sixth general Rules.

RULE II.

Q. What is the Second general Rule for Divifion of Syllables

A. Two Confonants in the Middle of a Word, that are proper to begin a Word, muft begin the Syllable together; as, Clu-fter.

Q. What Exception have you to this Rule?

A. All fuch Derivatives, whofe Primitives ending in e. final, drop the e in Spelling, have the Confonants in the Middle of the Word parted, though they be proper to begin a Word; as, Houf-bold.

Note, That dl, tl, and kl, are often used to begin Syllables, tho they begin no Words, as La-dle, Tur-tle, Wrin-kle.

RULE III.

Q. What is the Third general Rule for Divifion of Syllables

A. Two Confonants in the Middle of a Word, that are not proper to begin a Word, must be divided; as, Num-ber. Q. What Exception have you to this Rule?

A. Two Confonants in the Middle of a Derivative, though they be not proper to begin a Word, muft not be divided; as, Stand-ard.

RULE IV.

Q. What is the Fourth general Rule for Divifion of Syllables?

A. If two Vowels come together, not making a Diphthong, they must be divided; as, ae in Ja-el; ao in ex-tra-or-di-na-ry; eo in pi-te-ous; ia in Vi-al; io in Vi-ol; iu in di-ur-nal; oe in Co-er-ci-onua in u-fu-al; ue in Du-el; ui in ru-in, con-gru-i-ty; uo in con-gru-ous.

E 4

Note.

Note, Ua, ue, ui, and uo, become Diphthongs after q as, Quar-rel, Que-fti-on, Qui-et, Quo-ti-ent; likewife ua in perfuade, Per-fua-fion, &c.

RULE V.

Q. What is the Fifth general Rule for Divifion of Syllables?

A. Let Words formed or derived, be divided according to their Original, or Primitive.

Q. What is the Confequence of this Rule ?

A. Thefe Terminations, age, -ed, en, -er, -eft, -et, -eth, -ing, -i, -ous, -ard, -al, -or, ought to go by themselves in Spelling; as, Herb-age, boaft-ed, gold-en, know-eft, latch-et, bear-eth, bear-er, bear-ing, fool-ih, ru-in-ous, Stand-ard, Mo-nu-ment-al, Ex-act-or.

Q. What is the firft Exception to this Rule?

A. Monofyllables, and Words accented upon the laft SylJable, ending in a fingle Confonant, without a Diphthong foregoing, double their final Confonant when they take any of the formative Endings; and then it may be proper to put the latter Confonant with the Termination; as, Pot-tage, b'ot-ted, blot-teft, blot-teth, blot-ting, blot-ter, rot-ten, fluttish, A-bet-tor.

Q. What is the fecond Exception ?

A. When Words in e final take any of these Terminations, e final is loft even in writing, and then a Confonant may be put to the Termination; as, write, wri-teft, writeth, Wri-ter, Wri-ting.

Note, 1. Where cafting away the e would create any confufion in the Senfe, I advise to retain it; as, from the Verb finge, I would write finge-eth, finge-ing,, to diftinguish it from fing-eth, fing-ing, when the Word hap pens to be wrote on two different Lines for want of room. 2. If Words in e final have the laft Syllable fhort, it is a much better Guide to the Ear, to let the Termination go by itself; as, For-giv-ing, for-giv-en, Lov-er, com-ing. 3. Such Primitives as take only y after them, have some of the foregoing Confonants joined to it; as, car-thy: But after u, w, and x, it must come alone; as, glu-y, flaw-y, Dox-y.

RULE

RULE VI.

Q. What is the Sixth general Rule for Divifion of Syllables?

A. Let compound Words be reduced into their primitive Parts.

Q. What is the First Confequence of this Rule?

A. A Prepofition; as, ad-, in-, un-, sub-, per-, dif-, re-, pre-, must be pronounced by itself; as, ad-e-quate, in-i-qui-ty, un-e-qual, Sub-urbs, per-ad-ven-ture, dif-u-nite, re-pro-bate, pre-vi-ous. Yet we fay pe-rufe.

Q. What is the Second Confequence of this Rule?

A. Beth will be the firft Syllable in Beth-a-ny, Beth-el, Beth-a-ba-ra, Beth-ef-da, &c.

Q: What is the Third Confequence of this Rule?

A. The Termination -ham will go by itself, at the end of proper Names; as, Chat-ham, Fe-verf-ham, Buck-ing-ham, Elt-ham; except South-am and Wro-tham

RULE VII.

Q. When three Confonants meet in the Middle of a Word, bob muft they be divided?

A. 1. If they begin a Word, they muft alfo begin a Syllable together; as, il-lu-ftrate.

2. If they be proper to end a Word, they may all be put to the former Syllable; as, Latch-et.

3. If the two laft be proper to begin a Word, or the last of all be 1, they begin the Syllable together; as, Kin-dred, Thim-ble. 4. If the two first of them. be proper to end a Word, the third may go to the latter Syllable; as, Bank-rupt.

Q. What is a Diphthong?

A. A Diphthong is the uniting of two Vowels in one Syllable; as, ai in laid.

Q. What is a Triphthong?

A. A Triphthong is the uniting of three Vowels in one Syllable; as, ieu, in A-dieu.

Of WORD S.

Q. Of what do Words confift?

A. Of one or more Syllables.

Q. What is the Use of Words?

A. To convey our Senfe of Things to another Perfon.

Q. After what Manner?

A. By joining them together in a rational Method, which is commonly called a Sentence.

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Of SENTENCES.

Q. What is a Sentence?

A. Words duly joined together in Conftruction, make a Sentence.

Q What Things are necessary for the true Writing and Reading of Sentences?

A. Stops, and Marks of Diftinction.

Of STOPS and MARKS.

Q. Which are the Stops, and Marks of Distinction used in a Sentence?

A. They are a Comma, Semicolon, Colon, Period, and Notes of Interrogation and Admiration: To which may be added the Parenthefis, Parathefis, Hyphen, Apostrophe, Diærefis, Caret, Afterifm, Index, Obelisk, and Quotation.

Q. What is a Comma?

A. The Comma marked thus (,) is a Note of Respiration, at which we may take Breath, but muft not tarry.

Q. What is the Ufe of the Comma?

A. It is of Use for distinguishing Words of the fame Kind; as, Nouns, Verbs, and Adverbs, coming together in the fame Sentence; for dividing long Sentences into short Parts; and for the taking away Ambiguities.

Q. Give me an Example.

A. Nature clothes the Beasts with Hair, the Birds with Feathers, and the Fifhes with Scales.

Q. What is a Semicolon?

A. A Semicolon, marked thus (;) notes a middle Breathing between the Comma and the Colon.

Q. What is the Use of the Semicolon?

A. Its chief Ufe is in diftinguishing Contraries, and frcquent Divifions.

Q. Give an Example.

A. You confider the Power of Riches; but not of Virtue. Q. What is a Colon?

A. The Colon, marked thus (:) is a Note of long Breathing, as is exemplified below.

Q. What is the Ufe of a Colon?

A. It diftinguisheth a perfect Part of a Sentence, which has a full Meaning of its own; but yet leaves the Mind in Sufpenfe, and Expectation to know what follows.

Q. Give an Example.

A. Before all Things, it is neceffary for a Man to take a true Eftimate of himfelf: For we mostly think ourselves able to do more than we can.

Q. What

Q. What other Ufe does a Colon ferve to ?

A. It is alfo ufed before a Comparative Conjunction in a Similitude.

Q. Give an Example.

A. As we perceive the Shadow upon the Sun-Dial, but difcern not its Progreffion; and as the Shrub or Grafs appears in time to be grown, but is feen by none to grow: So alfo the Proficiency of our Wits, advancing flowly by fmall Improvements, is perceived only after fome Diftance of Time. Q. What is a Period?

A. The Period is a Full Point, thus (.)

Q. Of what Ufe is the Period?

A. It denotes the full ending and finifhing of a whole
Sentence, at the Conclufion of which, it is always placed.
Q. Give an Example.

A. There is no Man without his peculiar Failing.
Q. What are the proper Paufes of thefe Stops?

A. The proper Paufe or Reft of each of these Stops may be thus meafur'd: The Time of ftopping or refting at the Comma, is the Time of faying One; at the Semicolon, One, One; at the Colon, One, One, One; and at the Period, One, One, One, One, before you begin the next Clause or Sentence. Q. Which is the Mark of Interrogation ?

A. The Note of Interrogation is (?).

Q. What is the Use of this Note?

A. To fhew the Reader when a Question is asked.
Q. Give an Example.

A. What is the Ufe of this Book?

Q. Which is the Note of Admiration ?

A. The Note of Admiration is (!).
Q. What is the Use of this Note?
A. It is used to exprefs our Wonder.
Q. Give an Example.

A. O the Cares of Mankind !

Q. What are the Paufes of thofe Notes of Interrogation and Admiration?

A. They are the fame as that of the Period.

QWhat do you call a Parenthefis ?

A. A Parenthefis has two crooked Strokes, thus (). 1

Q. What is the Ufe of a Parenthesis?

A. It ferves to include one Sentence in another, without confounding the Sense of either; and yet is neceffary for the Explanation thereof: And fhould be read with a lower Tone of the Voice, as a Thing that comes in by the By.

Q. Give