polis, they have, in addition to what has appeared in evidence, received communications which show the necessity of Parliament as speedily as possible instituting an inquiry into the management of charitable donations and other funds for the instruction of the poor of this country, and into the state of their education generally. And your committee are of opinion that the most effectual, as well as least expensive mode of conducting such an inquiry would be by means of a parliamentary commission.

'20th June, 1816.'

The following list of subjects will furnish the student with exercises in this form of writing. It may perhaps be supposed that such exercises are far too difficult for learners, and that they require much more extensive information than young people can have possibly acquired. But it is not necessary that such writings be descriptive of actual facts; the subjects are only intended as suggestive, and the reports themselves may be wholly fictitious. The object here is merely to give the student practice in a form of composition which he may probably require in after life.

Subjects for Reports.

1. Report on the health of a regiment quartered in a certain locality.

2. Report on the amount-and species-of crime in

a certain county.

3. On the condition of an agricultural district. 4. On the morals of a manufacturing town.

5. On the sanitary condition of a certain quarter of a

city.

6. On the habits of the population of a sea-port.

7. On the buildings of the poor,

8. On the literature of the day,

9. On the commercial resources of an island.

10. On the produce of a mining district.

11. On the education of the poor in a certain town. 12. On the prevalent diseases in certain localities. 13. On juvenile delinquency.

14. On the condition of an hospital.

15. Report on a grammar school.

16. On the moral and religious condition of the English soldier.

17. On the condition and prospects of a society (or company).

18. On the increase (or decrease) of pauperism in a certain parish.

19. On the examination of a class of students in history.

20. On the condition of a prison,

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS ON PART II.

1. What is a definition?

2. Whence is the word 'definition' derived?

3. Of how many parts does a definition consist?

4. Give the names of these parts, and explain their meaning. 5. What errors are we likely to fall into, in defining terms?

6. How does a description differ from a definition?

7. How should we proceed in describing?

8. To what cases may description be applied?

9. What is a narrative, and how does it differ from a description ?

10. To what cases may narrative be applicable?

11. What general principles should be observed in narrative? 12. What style should be adopted in writing a letter?

13. What general rules apply to this form of writing?

14. What general qualities of style are required in a despatch or report?

81

PART III.

FORMS OF ARGUMENT.

ARGUMENTS.

COMPOSITION, properly so called, does not consist merely of a string of assertions or remarks. In every wellwritten piece, the propositions and general assertions must be explained, illustrated, or supported. It is necessary, in order to show that our opinions are correct, that they be proved by arguments. There are, indeed, some propositions so obviously true, that they require no proof,—they are admitted at once: and as every one allows them to be true, they cannot be made subjects of argument. For instance, no one would seriously think of employing his reasoning powers in proving the truth that 'two and two make four,' or that 'two straight lines cannot enclose a space,' &c. But there are many other conclusions of a different nature, and which, though true, may require explanation or illustration, and this explanation, in all forms of composition, is expected of the writer.

The means by which opinions are proved are called " 'arguments,' and these are derived from various sources; that is, we may prove the truth of an assertion not by

G

one, but by many forms of argument. The opinion is the conclusion at which we have arrived on any subject, and arguments show our reasons for arriving at that conclusion.

The following are some of the sources whence arguments may be derived :—

In the majority of cases, our ideas are not simple but complex; that is, they are made up of all the qualities belonging to some one thing. Now, in arguing by enumeration, all we have to do is to state these particulars, so that our view of the whole subject may be clearly understood. The following model will explain this form of reasoning:

MODEL.

Given proposition . . . 'It was a lovely night!'

It was a lovely night! The sky was unclouded. The brilliant moon, riding aloft in the heavens, cast her silvery light o'er hill and valley, meadow and lake. Scarcely a breeze ruffled the surface of the water, and not a sound was heard save the distant plash of the boatman's oar, or the occasional rustling of the leaves of a neighbouring grove. A balmy air wafted an exqui