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DIALOGUE II.

TUESDAY.

ON ORTHOGRAPHY, AND THE PRACTICAL USE OF GRAMMAR,

Mentoria.

My dear ladies, as you have gone throughr your different exercises entirely to my satisfaction, I shall now lay down some rules to accelerate your progress in English Gram

mar.

As you have in the course of your lessons acquired the knowledge of Nouns, Pronouns, Adverbs, and Participles, it shall be my present endeavour to reduce them to a practical system. It is needless to inform your Ladyships, that those who are defective in Orthography, though in an exalted station of life, are never ranked in the class of what is usually styled good company. Their elevation

renders

renders their imperfections more conspicuous, and the reflection that they have neglected to make a proper use of the opportunities granted them to improve their talents, subjects them to ridicule and contempt; whilst the poor, whose situation in life excludes them from every source of mental cultivation, excite our pity and demand our assistance. As their ignorance cannot be imputed as a fault, the errors which are the natural consequences of it, should never be noticed, but from the humane motive of dispelling the darkness which obscures their understanding. This is a task of such a tender nature, it requires the hand of a skilful artist to perform the operation, lest while we mean to heal, we wound.

Lady Mary. I am much obliged to you, my dear Madam, for the pains you take to improve me and Lady Louisa; and hope by our assiduity to make you a suitable return. I am very desirous to speak and write correctly. The attention I pay to your instructions, I hope, will in a short time produce the desired effect.

Lady Louisa. My good Mentoria, I have formed the same resolution; which I hope will make amends for my former negligence.

Ment. If, my dears, your future conduct shall

be

be consistent with your present declaration, I cannot doubt the advance of your improvement: your attainments will be the reward of my labours. Infancy, like the Spring, is the time to sow the seed; which first blossoms, then comes to full maturity, and at last decays. I hope, the soil of your understanding is so fertile, and the culture so well attended to, that buds of knowledge will expand before the usual time, and be prematurely ripe.

Lady M. How rejoiced you will be, to see us more accomplished than young ladies of our age usually are?

Ment. I should be exceedingly mortified to find you defective in any branch of your education. I think, at present there seems no probability of my suffering any inconvenience on that account. I will now pursue my scheme, and endeavour to make some observations on the use of Grammar; which I hope will be of future service to you. I shall begin, by supposing you in company with a little girl about your own age, who would perhaps say, "Pray, Lady Mary, when was you at the play? When my aunt and I was there, it was vastly full of company. Sir George and Lady Simple desires their compliments to you, and hopes you are

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well,

well, and wishes to know how them pretty flowers of yours goes on." I hear you reply, "My governess, Miss Simple, teaches me, when I speak in, or of the plural, always to say were instead of was; or if I address my discourse in the singular number, to make use of the words, desires, sends, hopes, inquires, wishes. And when I speak of persons, she directs me to say, they, those, them, who, whom; but when I mention inanimate things, always to substitute the word which for whom. Examples. To whom do you speak? Or who told you so? Are those things yours? Which of these apples do you choose?"

Lady L. I clearly comprehend these examples: but wish to know the distinction of these and those.

Ment. I will readily comply with your request. The term these implies possession. Example: "These flowers in my hand;" and is often used to express the present time, as in this instance: In these days of refinement: whilst those is a word relative, or used in reference to some distant object; as, those books on the table and is frequently used to denote a past transaction. Example: "In those early days superstition prevailed.”—I shall now pro

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ceed to explain the words hence, thence, and whence, and their connexion with here, there, and where. For instance: Whilst I am here, I will ride; but when I go from hence, I will walk. I intend to read the Spectators when I am there, but when I go from thence, I propose to embroider a fire-screen. From whence did you bring this? which implies, Where did you meet with it?- I shall conclude this dissertation by inquiring, whether you remember the Epicene Nouns?

Lady M. Are they not those which may with equal propriety be applied to the Masculine and Feminine Gender?

Ment. You are perfectly right as to the general idea. I shall enumerate a few particular instances; which I hope will enable you to form a competent knowledge of this branch of Grammar. Example: The terms Parent, Children, Friend, Neighbour, Cousin, Servant, are all Epicenes.

more clear.

Lady L. My dear Mentoria, nothing can be Lord and Lady H. are my parents; Lord George and myself are their children; the Duke and Duchess of D. are my friends; Sir Charles and Lady F. my neighbours; Lord William and Lady Frances S.

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