compared, the latter noun or pronoun is not governed by the conjunction than or as, but agrees with the verb, or is governed by the verb or the prepofition, expreffed or understood; as, "Thou art wifer than I ;" that is, "than I am.' "They loved him more than me ;” i. e. “ more than they loved me ;" "The fentiment is well expreffed by Plato, but much better by Solomon than him ;" that is, " than by him."

RULE XXI.

To avoid difagreeable repetitions, and to exprefs our ideas in few words, an ellipfis, or omiffion of fome words, is frequently admitted. Instead of saying, " He was a learned man, he was a wife man, and he was a good man ;" we ufe the ellipfis, and fay," he was a learned, wife, and good man."

When the omiffion of words would obfcure the fentence, weaken its force, or be attended with an impropriety, they must be expreffed. In the fentence, "We are apt to love who love us," the word them fhould be fupplied. "A beautiful field and trees," is not proper language. It fhould be, "Beautiful fields and trees;" or, "A beautiful field and fine trees."

RULE XXII.

All the parts of a sentence fhould correfpond to each other: a regular and dependent construction, throughout, fhould be carefully preserved. The following fentence is therefore inaccurate:

He was tnore beloved, but not fo much admired, as Cinthio." More requires than after it, which is no where found in the fentence. It fhould be, "He was more beloved than Cinthio, but not fo much admired."

PROSODY.

PROSODY Confifts of two parts: the former teaches the true pronunciation of words, comprifing ACCENT, QUANTITY, EMPHASIS, PAUSE, and TONE; and the latter, the laws of VERSIFI

CATION.

ACCENT.

Accent is the laying of a peculiar stress of the voice on a certain letter or fyllable in a word, that it may be better heard than the rest, or diftinguished from them; as, in the word presume, the stress of the voice must be on the letter u, and fecond fyllable, súme, which take the accent.

QUANTITY.

The quantity of a fyllable is that time which is occupied in pronouncing it. It is confidered as long or fhort.

A vowel or fyllable is long, when the accent is on the vowel; which occafions it to be flowly joined in pronunciation, to the following letter; as, Fäll, bāle, mood, houfe, feature."

A fyllable is fhort, when the accent is on the

confonant: which occafions the vowel to be quickly joined to the fucceeding letter; as, “an't, bon'net, hun'ger."

A long fyllable requires double the time of a fhort one in pronouncing it; thus, " Mate” and "Note" should be pronounced as flowly again as "Mǎt" and "Not.”

EMPHASIS.

By emphasis is meant a ftronger and fuller found of voice, by which we diftinguifh fome word or words on which we design to lay particular ftrefs, and to fhow how it affects the reft of the fentence. Sometimes the emphatic words must be diftinguifhed by a particular tone of voice, as well by a greater stress.

PAUSES.

Paufes or refts, in fpeaking and reading, are a total ceffation of the voice, during a perceptible," and, in many cafes, a measurable space of time.

TONES.

Tones are different both from emphasis and paufes confifting in the modulation of the voice, the notes or variations of found which we employ, in the expreflion of our sentiments.

VERSIFICATION.

Verfification is the arrangement of a certain number and variety of fyllables, according to certain laws.

Rhyme is the correfpondence of the last found of one verfe, to the laft found or fyllable of another.

PUNCTUATION

Is the art of dividing a written compofition into fentences, or parts of fentences, by points or ftops, for the purpofe of marking the different pauses, which the fenfe and an accurate pronunciation require.

The Comma represents the shortest pause; the Semicolon, a pause double that of the comma; the Colon, double that of the femicolon; and the Period, double that of the colon.

The points are marked in the following man

ner:

The Comma,
The Semicolon;

The Colon:

The Period.

COMMA.

The Comma usually feparates thofe parts of a fentence, which, though very closely connected in fenfe, require a pause between them; as, " I remember, with gratitude, his love and fervices." Charles is beloved, esteemed, and respected."

SEMICOLON.

The Semicolon is used for dividing a compound fentence into two or more parts, not fo clofely connected as those which are separated by a comma, nor yet fo little dependent on each other, as those which are diftinguished by a colon; as, "Straws fwim on the furface; but pearls lie at the bottom."

COLON.

The Colon is used to divide a fentence into two or more parts, lefs connected than those which are feparated by a femicolon; but not fo independent as separate, distinct fentences; as, "Do not flatter yourselves with the hope of perfect happiness: there is no fuch thing in the world."

PERIOD.

When a sentence is complete and independent, and not connected in construction with the following fentence, it is marked with a period; as, "Fear God. Honour the King. Have charity towards all men."

Befides the points which mark the paufes in difcourfe, there are others that denote a different modulation of voice, in correfpondence to the fenfe. These are,

The Interrogative point, ?

The Exclamation point,!
The Parenthefis, ()

as,

"Are

you fincere?"

"How excellent is a grateful heart!"

"Know then this truth (enough for man to know,) « Virtue alone is happiness below.”

The following characters are alfo frequently used in compofition.

An Apoftrophe, marked thus'; as, "tho', judg'd."