3. Tea comes from China, coffee from Java and Brazil, and sugar from the West Indies.

4. I came, I saw, I conquered.

Study an assigned reading - lesson, and point out five cases in which the preceding rule is applied.

Rule II.-Principal statements, when loosely connected, when very long, or when subdivided by a comma, are separated by a semicolon.

EXAMPLES TO BE COPIED.

1. The history of the Orient is the history of dynasties; the history of Greece and Rome is the history of the people.

2. The Greeks were indebted to the Phoenicians for the alphabet; the Romans adopted the Greek alphabet, with some changes; the Roman alphabet is the basis of our modern alphabet.

EXERCISE.

From suitable reading - lessons, teachers will point out to their pupils the application of the preceding rule to the punctuation of the piece.

Rule III-When a compound sentence is highly elliptical, or contracted, the omission of the principal statement before each of a series of clauses is marked by a semicolon.

APPLICATION.

"England has to undergo the revolt of the colonies; [England has] to submit to defeat and separation; [?] to shake under the volcano of the French Revolution; [?] to grapple and fight for the life with her gigantic enemy, Napoleon; [?] to gasp and rally after the tremendous struggle."-Thackeray.

Rule IV.-Principal statements and clauses are punctuated according to the rules for the simple and the complex sentence.

METHODS OF TEACHING.

IV. QUOTATION-MARKS.

Rule I-When we use the exact words of another person, we mark off the expressions or sentences with quotation-marks at the beginning and the end.

Rule II.-In general, a quoted sentence begins with a capital letter: Cæsar exclaimed, " And you, too, Brutus!" Rule III.-In general, a quoted sentence or expression is separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma; as, "I'll try," said General Miller.

Rule IV.—A very formal quotation, placed in regular order in a sentence, is marked off by a colon; as, Remember the old adage: "A stitch in time saves nine."

Rule V.-A quoted clause introduced by the word that is not marked off by a comma and does not begin with a capital; as, It is said that "necessity knows no law."

EXERCISE.

Copy the following examples, and explain how the preceding rules are applied:

1. "Don't give up the ship," exclaimed the dying Lawrence. 2. "What great teeth you have!" said Little Red Riding-hood. “The better to eat you with," said the wolf.

3. “Vanity of vanities," saith the preacher, "all is vanity." 4. "Language," said Talleyrand, “is made to conceal thought." 5. There is a Prussian maxim as follows: "Whatever you would have appear in the life of a nation, you must put into the schools."

Study an assigned reading-lesson, and explain the application of the preceding rules to any quotations you may find there.

CHAPTER VIII.

RULES FOR WRITING GOOD ENGLISH.

Note.-The following practical directions, including a combination of grammar and elementary rhetoric, are intended for the use of teachers in the highest classes in the grammar-school, as a supplement to text-books on grammar. Let pupils copy the rules into blank-books; the examples may be given orally, requiring pupils to give additional illustrations.

I. WORDS.

1. The leading qualities of good composition are clearness, force, and brevity. These characteristics depend mainly on the right use and right arrangement of words.

2. A knowledge of the exact meaning of words may be acquired

in various ways:

1. By referring to the dictionary.

2. By studying word-analysis.

3. By reading good authors.

4. By conversing with educated persons.

5. By attention to the kind of words used in writing or in speaking.

6. By the study of synonyms.

Rule I-Use the right word to express your exact meaning.

Put in place of each italicized word some word accurately and properly used.

1. Great quantities [numbers] of people were there.

METHODS OF TEACHING.

2. Give us this day our diurnal [?] bread.
3. The earth's daily [diurnal] rotation.
4. Hallowed be thy appellation.

5. He was banished from school.

6. Napoleon was sent to Saint Helena.

7. How dear to my soul [?] are the scenes of my infancy! [?] 8. I admire to hear her sing.

Rule II.-Use words in keeping with your subject. Avoid dressing up little thoughts in big words. Substitute simpler words in place of those italicized.

1. The half-drowned boy was resuscitated.

2. The conflagration of the cottage was extinguished.
3. The boys ascended an apple-tree.

4. The money was devoted to eleemosynary purposes.

5. We took a short pedestrian excursion in the garden.
6. I purchased two apples.

Rule III.—Avoid vulgarisms and slang, whether low or fashionable. Use English expressions in preference

to French or Latin.

Substitute in place of each italicized word or phrase some appropriate word or phrase:

1. That resolution, Mr. President, can never be resurrected.

2. The laborer is worthy of his wage.

3. I was born and raised in Kentucky.

4. It is the ne plus ultra of stoves.

5. The statue was a chef-d'œuvre [masterpiece] of art.

6. In this danger, he behaved with the greatest sang-froid [cool

ness].

Rule IV-Use no redundant words or phrases; is, do not repeat the same idea in different words.

that

Point out the redundant expressions in the following illustrations:

1. He won the universal love of everybody.

2. She is an invalid in poor health.

3. Mr. Speaker, I desire to make a few remarks before speaking. 4. That book is mine, for I own it.

5. The enemy retreated back again to their camp.

6. In my opinion, I think you are wrong.

Rule V.—Avoid pairs of synonymous adjectives, strong superlatives, and exaggerated expressions.

Note.-Among the adjectives incorrectly coupled are "lovely and beautiful," "brave and courageous," "cruel and bloody;" among the superlatives, "very," "immense," "stupendous," "enormous," "tremendous;" among exaggerated expressions, "perfectly lovely," "elegant," etc. Reduce the following to plain English :

1. The morning is cold and chilly.

2. We were sweltering under a hot and burning sun.

3. That is a tremendous big apple.

4. We arrived there half starved, and the dinner was perfectly elegant.

5. There were millions of crows in the cornfield.

6. I have had a splendid time.

7. My hair stood on end.

Rule V1.-Use the right preposition and the right conjunction:

1. Your way is different to mine [from].

2. My hat differs with yours [from].

3. I was to a large party last week [at].

4. Are your folks to home [at] ?

5. We went in the garden [into].

6. No other cause was known but carelessness [than].