"

Instead of saying "The observation of the rule," say "The observance of the rule " Instead of "A man of eighty years of age," say A man eighty years old " Here lays his honored head," say "Here lies his honored head Instead of "He died from negligence," say "He died through neglect," or "in consequence of neglect."

Instead of

Instead of "Apples are plenty," say "Apples are plentiful."

Instead of 66 The latter end of the year," say "The end, or the close, of the year. Instead of "The then government," say "The government of that age, or century, or year, or time."

Instead of "A couple of chairs," say "Two chairs."

Instead of "They are united together in the bonds of matrimony," say "They are united in matrimony," or "They are married."

Instead of "We travel slow," say "We travel slowly."

Instead of Instead of scaffolding."

"He plunged down into the river," say He plunged into the river " He jumped from off of the scaffolding," say He jumped off the

"

Instead of "He came the last of all," say "He came the last." Instead of "universal," with reference to things that have any eral;" "generally approved," instead of "universally approved; loved," instead of "universally beloved."

limit, say "gen

'generally be

Instead of "They ruined one another," say "They ruined each other."
Instead of "If in case I succeed," say "If I succeed."

Instead of "A large enough room," say "A room large enough."

Instead of "I am slight in comparison to you," say "I am slight in comparison with you."

Instead of "I went for to see him," say "I went to see him."

Instead of "The cake is all eat up," say "The cake is all eaten "

Instead of "Handsome is as handsome does," say "Handsome is who handsome does."

Instead of "The book fell on the floor," say "The book fell to the floor." Instead of "His opinions are approved of by all," say by all."

His opinions are approved

Instead of "I will add one more argument," say "I will add one argument more," or "another argument."

Instead of "A sad curse is war," say "War is a sad curse. Instead of height is six feet. Instead of "I go every now and then," say "I go sometimes or often) " Instead of "Who finds him in clothes," say "Who provides him with clothes" Say "The first two," and the last two," instead of "the two first," "the two last." Instead of "His health was drank with enthusiasm," say "His health was drunk enthusiastically."

He stands six foot high," say "He measures six feet," or "His

Instead of "Except I am prevented," say "Unless I am prevented." Instead of "In its primary sense," say "In its primitive sense." Instead of "It grieves me to see you," say "I am grieved to see you.' Instead of Give me them papers," say "Give me those papers.` Instead of "Those papers I hold in my hand," say "These papers I hold in my hand." Instead of "I could scarcely imagine but what," say "I could scarcely imagine but that."

"

Instead of "He was a man notorious for his benevolence," say He was noted for his benevolence."

Instead of "She was a woman celebrated for her crimes," say "She was notorious on account of her crimes

Instead of "What may your name be?" say "What is your name?"
Instead of "I lifted it up," say "I lifted it

Instead of "It is equally of the same value," say "It is of the same value," or "equal value."

Instead of "I knew it previous to your telling me," say "I knew it previously to your telling me."

Instead of "You was out when I called," say "You were out when I called." Instead of "I thought I should have won this game," say "I thought I should win this game. Instead of certain."

This much is certain," say "Thus much is certain," or, "So much is Instead of "He went away as it may be yesterday week," say "He went away yesterday week.

Instead of " He came the Saturday as it may be before the Monday," specify the Monday on which he came

Instead of "Put your watch in your pocket," say "Put your watch into your pocket

Instead of "He has got riches," say "He has riches."

Instead of "Will you set down?" say "Will you sit down?"
Instead of No thankee," say

No, thank you

Instead of "I cannot do it without farther means," say "I cannot do it without

further means."

Instead of "No sooner but," or " No other but," say "than.”

Instead of "Nobody else but her," say "Nobody but her "

Instead of He fell down from the balloon," say "He fell from the balloon." Instead of " He rose up from the ground," say "He rose from the ground.

Instead of "These kind of oranges are not good," say "This kind of oranges is not good."

Instead of "Somehow or another," say "Somehow or other."

Instead of Will I give you some more tea?" say "Shall I give you some more

tea?"

Instead of "Oh dear, what will I do?" say "Oh dear, what shall I do?"
Instead of "I think indifferent of it," say "I think indifferently of it."

Instead of "I will send it conformable to your orders," say "I will send it conformably to your orders."

Instead of To be given away gratis," say "To be given away."
Instead of "Will you enter in?" say "Will you enter?"

Instead of "This three days or more," say "These three days or more.
Instead of "He is a bad grammarian," sayHe is not a grammarian
Instead of ** We accuse him for," say We accuse him of."

Instead of "We acquit him from," say "We acquit him of."

Instead of "I am averse from that," say "I am averse to that."
Instead of "I confide on you," say "I confide in you."

Instead of "As soon as ever," say "As soon as

"

Instead of "The very best," or "The very worst," say "The best or the worst. Avoid such phrases as "No great shakes,' Nothing to boast of," "Down in my boots," "Suffering from the blues" All such sentences indicate vulgarity. Instead of "No one hasn't called," say "No one has called "

Instead of "You have a right to pay me," say "It is right that you should pay me."

Instead of "I am going over the bridge," say "I am going across the bridge." Instead of "I should just think I could," say "I think I can."

Instead of "There has been a good deal." say "There has been much " Instead of saying The effort you are making for meeting the bill," say effort you are making to meet the bill."

"The

To say "Do not give him no more of your money," is equivalent to saying "Give him some of your money." Say "Do not give him any of your money. Instead of saying "They are not what nature designed them," say "They are are not what nature designed them to be."

Instead of saying "I had not the pleasure of hearing his sentiments when I wrote that letter," say "I had not the pleasure of having heard," etc.

Instead of "The quality of the apples were good," say The quality of the apples was good."

Instead of "The want of learning, courage and energy are more visible," say, "Is more visible."

Instead of "We die for want," say "
Instead of "He died by fever," say

We die of want."
"He died of fever."

Instead of "I enjoy bad health," say My health is not good."
Instead of "Either of the three," say " Any one of the three."

Instead of "Better nor that," say "Better than that."

Instead of "We often think on you," say "We often think of you."

Instead of "Mine is so good as yours," say "Mine is as good as yours

Instead of "This town is not as large as we thought," say "This town is not so

large as we thought."

Instead of "Because why?" say "Why?"

Instead of "That there boy," say "That boy."

Instead of "That horse is not much worth," say "The horse is not worth much." Instead of "The subject-matter of debate," say "The subject of debate." Instead of saying When he was come back," say "When he had come back." Instead of saying "His health has been shook," say "His health has been shaken."

Instead of "It was spoke in my presence," say "It was spoken in my presence." Instead of " Very right," or "* Very wrong," say Right," or "Wrong." Instead of The mortgageor paid him the money," say "The mortgagee paid him the money," The mortgagee lends; the mortgageor borrows.

Instead of "I took you to be another person," say "I mistook you for another per

son.

Instead of "On either side of the river," say "On each side of the river."

Instead of " here's fifty," say "There are fifty."

Instead of "The best of the two," say "The better of the two."

Instead of "My clothes have become too small for me," say "I have grown too stout for my clothes."

Instead of "Two spoonsful of physic," say "Two spoonfuls of physic "

Instead of "She said, says she," say "She said."

Avoid such phrases as "I said, says I," "Thinks I to myself," etc.

Instead of "I don't think so," say "I think not."

Instead of "He was in eminent danger," say "He was in imminent danger." Instead of "The weather is hot," " say The weather is very warm.'

Instead of "I sweat," say "I perspire."

Instead of "I only want two dollars," say "I want only two dollars."
Instead of "Whatsomever," say " Whatever," or "Whatsoever."

Avoid such exclamations as "God bless me!" "God deliver me!"" Ty God!" "By Gosh!" "My Lord!" "Upon my soul," etc., which are vulgar on the one hand, and savor of impiety on the other, for-"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."

PRONUNCIATION.

Accent is a particular stress or force of the voice upon certain syllables or words. This mark in printing denotes the syllable upon which the stress or force of the voice should be placed.

A word may have more than one accent. Take as an instance aspiration. In uttering this word we give a marked emphasis of the voice upon the first and third syllables, and therefore those syllables are said to be accented. The first of these accents is less distinguishable than the second, upon which we dwell longer, therefore the second accent in point of order is called the primary, or chief accent of the word.

When the full accent falls on a vowel, that vowel should have a long sound, as in vo'cal; but when it falls on or after a consonant, the preceding vowel has a short sound, as in hab'it.

To obtain a good knowledge of pronunciation, it is advisable for the reader to listen to the examples given by good speakers, and by educated persons. We learn the pronunciation of words, to a great extent, by imitation, just as birds acquire the notes of other birds which may be near them.

But it will be very important to bear in mind that there are many vords having a double meaning or application, and that the difference of meaning is indicated by the difference of the accent. Among these words, nouns are distinguished from

verbs by this means: nouns are mostly accented on the first syllable, and verbs on the last.

Noun signifies name; nouns are the names of persons and things, as well as of things not material and palpable, but of which we have a conception and knowledge, such as courage, firmness, goodness, strength; and verbs express actions, movements, &c. If the word used signifies that anything has been done, or is being done, or is, or is to be done, then that word is a verb.

Thus when we say that anything is "an in'sult," that word is a noun, and is accented on the first syllable; but when we say he did it to insult' another person,' the word insult' implies acting, and becomes a verb, and should be accented on the last syllable.

A list of nearly all the words that are liable to similar variation is given here. It will be noticed that those in the first column, having the accent on the first syllable, are mostly nouns; and that those in the second column, which have the accent on the second and final syllable, are mostly verbs:

Cement' is an exception to the above rule, and should always be accented on the last syllable. So also the word consols'.

RULES OF PRONUNCIATION.

C before a, o, and u, and in some other situations, is a close articulation, like k. Before e, i, and y, c is precisely equivalent to s in same, this; as in cedar, civil, cypress, capacity.

E final indicates that the preceding vowel is long; as in hate, mete, sire, robe, lyre, abate, recede, invite, remote, intrude.

E final indicates that c preceding has the sound of s; as in lace, lance; and that g preceding has the sound of j, as in charge, page, challenge.

E final in proper English words, never forms a syllable, and in the most used words, in the terminating unaccented syllable it is silent. Thus, motive, genuine, examine, granite, are pronounced motiv, genuin, examin, granit.

E final, in a few words of foreign origin, forms a syllable; as syncope, simile.

E final is silent after / in the following terminations,-ble, cle, dle, fle, gle, kle, ple, tle, zle; as in able, manacle, cradle, ruffle, mangle, wrinkle, supple, rattle, puzzle, which are pronounced ab'l, mana'cl, cra'dl, ruf'fl, man'gl, wrin'kl, sup'pl, puz'zl. E is usually silent in the termination en, as in token, broken; pronounced tokn,

brokn.

OUS, in the termination of adjectives and their derivatives, is pronounced us; as in gracious, pious, pompously.

CE, CI, TI, before a vowel, have the sound of sh; as in cetaceous, gracious, motion, partial, ingratiate; pronounced cetashus, grashus, moshun, parshal, ingrashiate

SI, after an accented vowel, is pronounced like zh as in Ephesian, confusion; pronounced Ephezhan, confuzhon.

When CI or TI precede similar combinations, as in pronunciation, negotiation, they should be pronounced ce instead of she, to prevent a repetition of the latter syllable; as pronunceashon instead of pronunsheashon.

GH, b th in the middle and at the end of words is silent; as in caught, bought, fright, nigh, sigh; pronounced caut, baut, frite, ni, si. In the following exceptions, however, gh are pronounced as ƒ:-cough, chough, clough, enough, laugh, rough, slough, tough, trough.

When WH begins a word. the aspirate h precedes w in pronunciation: as in what, whiff, whale; pronounced hwat, hwiff, hwale, w having precisely the sound of co, French ou. In the following words w is silent-who, whom, whose, whoop, whole.

H after r has no sound or use; as in rheum, rhyme; pronounced reum, ryme. H should be souded in the middle of words; as in forehead, abhor, behold, exhaust. inhabit, unhorse.

H should always be sounded except in the following words:-heir, herb, honest, honour, hospital, hostler, hour, humour, and humble, and all their derivatives,— such as humorously, derived from humour.

K and G are silent before n; as know, gnaw; pronounced no, naw.

W before r is silent; as in wring, wreath; pronounced ring, reath.

B after is silent; as in dumb, numb; pronounced dum, num.

L before is silent as in balk, walk, talk; pronounced bauk, wauk, tauk.

PH has the sound of f: as in philosophy; pronounced filosofy.

NG has two sounds, one as in singer, the other as in fin-ger.

N after m, and closing a syllable, is silent; as in hymn, condemn.

P before s and is mute; as in psalm, pseudo, ptarmigan; pronounced sarm, sudo, tarmigan.

R has two sounds, one strong and vibrating, as at the beginning of words and syllables, such as robber, reckon, error; the other is at the terminations of the words, or when succeeded by a consonant, as farmer, morn

There are other rules of pronunciation affecting the combinations of vowels, etc.; but as they are more difficult to describe, and as they do not relate to errors which are commonly prevalent, it will suffice to give examples of them in the following list of words. When a syllable in any word in this list is printed in italics, accent of stress of voice should be laid on that syllable.

WORDS OFTEN MISPRONOUNCED.

Again, usually pronounced a-gen, not as
spelled.

Alien, a-li-en, not ale-yen.
Antipodes, an tip-o-dees.
Apostle, as a-pos'l, without the t

copal, ar-ke-e-pis-co-pal; archipelago, ar-ke-pel-a-go; ar-chives, ar-kivz, etc. Asia, a-sha.

Asparagus as spe'led, not asparagrass.
Aunt, ant, not awnt.

Awkward, awk-wurd, not awk-urd.
Bade, bad.

Because, be-caws, not be-cos.
Been, bin.

Arch, artch in compounds of our own language, as in archbishop, archduke; but ark in words derived from the Greek, as archaic, ar-ka-ik; archæology, ar-ke-ol-o-gy; archangel, ark-ain- Beloved, as a verb, be-luvd; as an ad. gel; archetype, ar-ke-type; archiepis- jective, be-luv-ed. Blessed, cursed,