which Language is the true foundation upon all Literature, properly so called, ought to be raised. If this method were adopted in our Schools; if children were first taught the common principles of Grammar by fome short and clear System of English Grammar, which happily by its fimplicity and facility is perhaps fitter than any other for fuch a purpose, they would have some notion of what they were going about, when they should enter into the Latin Grammar; and would hardly be engaged fo many years, as they now are, in that most irksome and difficult part of literature, with fo much labour of the memory, and with fo little affiftance of the understanding. A defign fomewhat of this kind gave occafion to the following little System, intended merely for a private and domestic use. The chief end of it was to explain the general principles of Grammar as clearly and intelligibly as poffible. In the Definitions there fore A Diphthong, or compound vowel, is the union of two or more vowels pronounced by a single impulfe of the voice. In English there are twenty-fix Letters. A, a; B, b; C, c; D,d; E, e; F, f; J, j; K, k; G, g; H, h; I, i; L, l; R, r; S, s; T, t; U, u; V, v; W, w; X, x; Y, y; Z, z. fj, and Vv, are confonants; the for mer having the found of the foft g, and the latter that of a coarfer f they are therefore intirely different from the vowels i and u, and diftinct letters of themselves; they ought also to be diftinguished by a peculiar Name; the former may be called ja, and the latter vez. Six of the letters are vowels, and may be founded by themselves; a, e, i, o, u, y. E is generally filent at the end of a word; but it has its effect in lengthening the preceding vowel; as bid, bide: and fometimes likewife in the middle of a word; B 2 The Author is greatly obliged to several Learned Gentlemen, who have favoured bim with their remarks upon the former Edition; which was indeed principally defigned to procure their affiftance, and to try the judgement of the public. He bath endeavoured to weigh their obfervations without prejudice or partiality, and to make the best use of the lights which they have afforded him. He hath been enabled to correct feveral mistakes, and encouraged carefully to revife the whole, and to give it all the improvement which his prefent materials can furnish. He hopes for the continuance of their favour, as he is fenfible there will still be abundant occafion for it. A Syftem of this kind, arifing from the collection and arrangement of a multitude of minute particulars, which often elude the most careful Search, and fometimes efcape abfervation when · they are most obvious, must always ftand in need need of improvement. It is indeed the neceffary condition of every work of human art or Science, fmall as well as great, to advance towards perfection by flow degrees; by an approximation, which, though it ftill may carry it forward, yet will certainly never bring it to the point to which it tends. A SHORT |