An English accidence: or, abstract of grammar; for the use of those who, without making grammar a study, wish to speak and write correctly. With rules for reading prose and verse. By the Rev. Dr. John Trusler.

Table of contents

- [titlepage]

- [authorsnote]

- PREFACE.

- Of the denomination of Words.

- Of NOUNS.

- Of ADJECTIVES.

- Of VERBS.

- An OBSERVATION or two on WRITING and READING.

ABSTRACT OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR.

AN ENGLISH ACCIDENCE; OR, ABSTRACT OF GRAMMAR; For the USE of those who, Without making GRAMMAR a Study, Wish to Speak and Write correctly. With Rules for reading Prose and Verse.

By the Rev. Dr. JOHN TRUSLER.

LONDON: Printed for the AUTHOR, and sold by R. BALDWIN, in Pater-noster Row,

[PRICE ONE SHILLING.]

Dr. TRUSLER begs leave to recommend the following useful books, being calculated for young people, and may be had of his bookseller, R. Baldwin, Pater-noster Row.

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This work has been translated into every European language, and is adopted as a school-book into the first Academies.

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PREFACE.

ALL Authors of Grammar lay claim to clearness and conciseness, whereas nothing is more evident than that they have missed of the end proposed; the various English grammars hitherto published being so complex, and the whole matter made such a study, that the desideratum sought for is not to be acquired without the assistance of a master, and the application of years. The design of this Abstract is to teach a person acquainted with English how to speak and write correctly, without entering into all the minutiae of Grammar, which serve only to perplex and confound. The Author aims not at teaching his pupil what words are particles, what prepositions, and so on; but merely to avoid false concords and incorrect language; and he flatters himself the few following pages will answer all the purposes better than more complete or regular systems. He has also added some few rules for reading, which, if attended to, must lead to reading well.

Of the denomination of Words.

THE only words necessary to be known grammatically, are Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Verbs, Adverbs, and Participles.

A Noun is the name of a thing, as Horse, Boat, Knife, &c.

A Pronoun is a substitute for a Noun, as I, he, she, &c.

An Adjective expresses the quality of a Noun, as a sound Horse; an open Boat; a sharp Knife; here sound, open, and sharp, are Verbs.

A Verb implies the action of the Noun, and an Adverb the action of the Verb, as the horse gallops, the boat sails, the knife cuts: Here galloping is the action of the horse; sailing the action of the boat; and cutting the action of the knife; of course, gallops, sails, and cuts are Verbs.

An Adverb expresses the action of the Verb. Thus the horse gallops quick; the boat sails briskly; the knife cuts badly. Here quick expresses the action of galloping; briskly that of sailing, and badly that of cutting; of course quick, briskly, and badly are Adverbs, that is, addition to Verbs.

A Participle partakes of the qualities of both Noun and Verb, and implies, acting or being acted on.

These are the different parts of speech, I would wish my pupil to be acquainted with. I will treat of them in their order.

Of NOUNS.

Nouns Substantives are the general names o• things, except proper names, which are particular ones. A horse, for example, is a general name, it may be my horse or yours, so is a boat, a knife, &c. but proper names are particular ones, as Thomas, the name of a man: Jolly, the name of a horse, &c. Horse, boat, knife, &c. then are Nouns.

Nouns have two numbers, the singular and the plural.

The singular number expresses an individual, as a horse, a boat, a knife; the plural expresses many, as horses, boats, knives, &c.

In other languages Nouns have a variety of cases, that is, vary in their terminations, but in English there are but two: these correspond with the genitive and accusative. Thus, instead of the head of a horse, we say, a horse's head, (not horses, which is the plural number of horse, but horse's, which we call the genitive case singular); so boat's, knife's, as the boat's side, the knife's edge.

Plurals ending in s have no genitive cases, we write womens, not women's; mens, not men's; and so on.

No Nouns have accusative cases, but Pronouns; these vary their terminations when they follow or are acted upon by verbs.

I preceding a verb, is changed to me when following one.

- We to us.

- Thou to thee or you.

- Ye to you.

- He to him.

- She to her.

- They to them.

- Who to whom.

Thus we say, "I love you." I here precedes the verb love; but I could not follow the same verb with propriety, it would be rendered me. We should not say "You love I," but "you love me." So again, "Thou lovest me;" "I love thee." Thou before the verb, thee after it. "We love God;" "God loves us;" and so on.

The words who and whom require a little further explanation. We say, "Kings are personages whom we revere." Here, though, in the present mode of speech, whom precedes the verb revere, it is nevertheless used in the accusative case, being the word which the verb revere governs and acts upon, answering to them, when we say "we revere them." So in the following example: "William was the person who came to me." Here the pronoun who precedes the verb came, and governs it. "William was the person to whom I spoke." Here whom, though it precedes, or is placed, before the verb spoke, (to render it more agreeable to the ear) is governed or acted on by it.

English Nouns are then thus declined, none having accusative cases but the Pronouns.

Sing.

Horse

Gen.

Horse's

Plur.

Horses.

Sing.

Boat

Gen.

Boat's

Plur.

Boats.

Note, The genitive case implies of or belonging to

The word whose is sometimes used as the genitive of which, and chiefly in poetry.

"—The fruit

"Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste

"Brought death into the world."

MILTON

But of which is now most common. "The mat¦ters of which I spoke." Though whose may be used with propriety, when it refers to persons; as "This is the young woman whose worth I know."

The genitive of the other Pronouns are as follow:

I

Gen. mine or my

Thou

Gen. thine or thy

He

Gen. his

She

Gen. hers

we

Gen. ours or our

ye

Gen. yours or your

they

Gen. theirs or their

It

Gen. its

Mine, thine, ours, yours or theirs, may be used without a noun annexed, but my, thy, our, your, their, never. Thus, "Whose book is this?" The answer may be mine, or thine, or ours, or yours, or theirs, alone; but if we use my, thy, our, your, or their, we must add the noun book to it, a say, my book, thy book, our book, your book, or their book.

When the word own is added to the pronouns my, thy, his, hers, our, your, or their, it is to render the expression more emphatical; as, "I live in my own house;" "I did it with my own hand." &c.

The plural number is formed, by adding s at the end of the singular number, as in the following:

Sing.

Plur.

Sing.

Plur.

House

Houses

Table

Tables

Walk

Walks

Sister

Sisters

Stool

Stools

Outrage

Outrages, &c.

Lance

Lances

But there are some exceptions to this general rule, as the following irregular plurals will shew.

Sing.

Plur.

Sing.

Plur.

Loaf

Loaves

Foot

Feet

Calf

Calves

Church

Churches

Shelf

Shelves

Fish

Fishes

Half

Halves

Box

Boxes

Self

Selves

Ox

Oxen

Sheaf

Sheaves

Man

Men

Thief

Thieves

Sow

Swine

Wife

Wives

Child

Children

Wolf

Wolves

Brother

Brethren

Knife

Knives

Woman

Women

Louse

Lice

Penny

Pence

Mouse

Mice

Body

Bodies

Die

Dice

Mercy

Mercies

Goose

Geese

Enemy

Enemies

Tooth

Teeth

Witness

Witnesses, &c.

and

This

These

That

Those

The singular and plural of some few words are the same, as sheep, deer, fern, hose, in which case the singular number is pointed out by a going before them, as a sheep, a deer.

Some words also have no singular number, as annals, arms, ashes, bellows, breeches, cresses, entrails, ides, lungs, means, nones, scissars, sheers, snuffers, thanks, tongs, wages, dregs, news, &c.

Proper names of men, cities, rivers, countries, &c. have no plurals. This rule, however, is not without some exceptions. We say, "There were ten Williams in company." And when speaking of families, we say, the Marlboroughs, the Cavendishes, the Howards, &c.

I can, at no better time, mention the proper use of the pronouns who, which, and what, as interrogatives or not.

Who is used only when speaking of persons, as, "Who is that man, or that woman?" Which, when we speak of things, as, "Which is your cane? What, when we are speaking of the kind, quality, or order of persons or things, as, "What lady is that?" "What house is this?" "What (or which) place do you chuse?"

When who and which are not interrogatives, that is, do not ask a question, they are used with the same distinction, that is, who for persons, and which for things. We say, "William was the person who came to me." "This is the horse which I bought."

Now we are upon the subject of nouns, it is proper to say something of gender.

There are three genders the male, female, and neuter.

The male and female distinguish the two sexes; whereas the neuter is applied to things without life, as not properly belonging to either of the other, as table, st•ne, rock, &c.

When we speak of the male gender, we use the pronoun he; when of the female gender, she; when of the neuter, it. Thus,

The bridegroom, he came from the barn;

The bride, she came in from the field;

The table, it fell on the floor.

We indeed deem most things that contain any thing within them to be of the female gender, as the earth, a ship, a house, &c. and in poetry, where writers will frequently give slight to their fancy, and personify inanimate substances, they are deemed o the male or female gender, according to the idea of the Poet. Thus Death, Time, the Sun, &c. are generally of the male gender; Faith, Hope, Charity, &c. of the female, as being of the softer virtues.

But our language, in many instances, save us the necessity of adding pronouns to express genders, for we often distinguish the different sexes by distinct words; as for example,

Male.

Female.

Male.

Female.

Father

Mother

Sloven

Slut

Husband

Wife

Man

Woman

Brother

Sister

Rake

Jilt

Uncle

Aunt

Boar

Sow

Widower

Widow

Buck

Doe

Master

Mistress

Cock

Hen

Nephew

Niece

Dog

Bitch

Wizzard

Witch

Drake

Duck

Bachelor

Maid or Virgin

Gander

Goose

Horse

Mare

Bridegroom

Bride

Ram

Ewe

Whoremonger

Whore or Strumpet.

Steer

Heifer

Boy

Girl

Bull

Cow

King

Queen

Lad

Lass

Lord

Lady

Duke

Duchess

Milter

Spawner

&c.

There are also some few words, which distinguish the female sex from the male, by the ending;

Male

Female.

Male.

Female.

Abbot

Abbess

Shepherd

Shepherdess

Actor

Actress

Executor

Executrix

Baron

Baroness

Administrator

Aministratrix

Heir

Heiress

Prior

Prioress

&c.

Lion

Lioness

Where there are no words to distinguish the sexes, we frequently add one to answer the purpose. Thus we say, a male-child, a female-child, a he-goat, a she-goat, a man servant, a maid-servant, a cock-sparrow, a hen-sparrow, or the like.

Of ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives are words which cannot stand alone, but are added to nouns to express their quality, as black, white, wise, foolish, round, square, &c. Thus we say, a black dog, a wise man, a round table.

There are three degrees of Adjectives, called degrees of Comparison, the positive, comparative, and superlative.

- 1. The positive degree is the quality itself, simply, as black, white, wise, &c.

- 2. The comparative expresses more of any one thing than another, and is formed by adding er to t•e positive, as blacker, whiter, wiser: sometimes, instead of saying blacker, we say more black; for white, more white; for wiser, more wise, &c.

- 3. The superlative degree implies the highest, and is formed •y the termination es•, or the 〈◊〉 most before the positive. Thus blackest, 〈…〉 black; whitest, or most white; wisest or mo•• 〈◊〉

Some superlatives are formed, by adding 〈…〉 most as a termination; thus nether 〈…〉 outer, outermost; under, undermost; upper, uppermost; in, inner, innermost, &c.

Many Adjectives do not admit of comparison by terminations, but are only compared by more and most, as benevolent, more benevolent, most benevolent. Some authors have used shadiest, virtuousest, famousest, mortalest, naturallest, powerfullest, inventivest, triflingest, &c. but these are liberties which every one cannot take, and are inelegant after all.

Some again are irregularly compared, as,

Positive.

Compar.

Superl.

Good

Better

Best

Bad

Worse

Worst

Little

Less

Least

Near

Nearer

Nearest

Much

More

Most

Late

Later

Last

Indeed, the comparison of Adjectives is very uncertain, and being much regulated by the ear or agreeableness of sounds, cannot well be reduced to rules.

When a noun is substituted for an adjective, and added to another noun by hyphen (-), such two words are called compound words, as Turkey-Leather, Mountain-wine, man-servant, sea-fish, &c.

Of VERBS.

Verbs, as I observed, express the action of Nouns.

A Verb is said to have several moods and tenses. We shall have occasion only to name the Infinitive mood, which is known by the word to preceding it, as to love, to hate, &c. and two of the Tenses, the present, and the past: these two are expressed by terminations, the other tenses are expressed 〈◊〉 the auxiliary verbs shall, will, and have, precedin• them, of course it is not necessary to mention ther• as we have nothing to do but with the right use words themselves.

The present time or tense is expressed by the ve•• itself, as burn, love, hate; the past time by the termination ed, as burned, loved, hated.

A Verb has also three persons, 1st, 2d, and 3•• and, like Nouns, two numbers, singular and plur••.

The three persons in the singular of verbs are thou, and he or she; in the plural, We, ye, a•• they. Thus,

Persons.

Present tense, singular.

1.

I love

2.

Thou lovest

3.

He or she loveth or love•

Plural.

1.

We love

2.

Ye love

3.

They love.

Past time, singular.

1.

I loved

2.

Thou lovedst

3.

He or she loved.

Plural.

1.

We loved

2.

Ye loved

3.

They loved.

Infinitive mood.

To love.

Participle present.

Loving.

— past.

Loved.

There are two sorts of verbs, active and passive. 〈◊〉 love is a verb active; to be loved, a verb passive; 〈◊〉 still, according to my first definition of a verb, 〈◊〉 love, or be loved, implies the action of the person ••ving.

The passive verb is formed by the addition of the ••xiliary or assisting verb, to be. Thus, in the pre ••nt tense or time,

Sing.

I am, thou art, he or she is.

Plur.

We are or be, ye are or be, they are or be.

Past tense or time.

Sing.

I was, thou wast or was, he or she was.

Plur.

We were, ye were, they were.

Participle present.

Being.

— past.

Having been.

Infinitive mood.

To be.

Now, by adding the word love to each, it will 〈◊〉 thus:

I am loved,

Thou wast loved,

He was loved, &c.

And so through the whole.

The other auxiliary verbs are have, shall, will, 〈◊〉, may, can. Have being the principal, we will 〈◊〉 through the tenses of this.

Present tense or time.

Sing.

I have, thou hast, he or she hath or has.

Plur.

We have, ye have, they have.

Past tense.

Sing.

I had, thou hadst, he or she had.

Plur.

We had, ye had, they had.

Participle present.

Having.

— past.

Had.

Infinitive mood.

To have.

There is still another form of English ver•• in, which the sign of the Infinitive mood to added to the verb do, which it is necessary to learn.

Present tense.

Sing.

I do, thou dost, he or she doth.

Plur.

We do, ye do, they do.

Past tense.

Sing.

I did, thou didst, he or she did.

Plur.

We did, ye did, they did.

In the subsequent tenses, did is changed to do I have done, I had done, &c.

Infinitive mood.

To do; or to have done.

Participle present.

Doing.

— past.

Done.

By rapid utterance, or poetical contraction, love is often used for loved; snatch'd for snatch•• dwelt for dwelled; smelt for smelled; and so on.

But not to multiply rules, and burthen the learner's memory with terms, the following list of regular Verbs in their present and past tenses w••• be sufficient to instruct. These he should well ••¦member.

Present time.

Past.

Participle.

Awake

awoke

awoke

Abide

abode

abode

Be

been

being, been

Bend

bent

bent

Bear

bore, bare

borne

Begin

began

begun

Present time.

Past.

Participle.

Bereave

bereft

bereft

Beseech

besought

besought

Beat

beat

beaten, beat

Bind

bound

bound

Bite

bit

bitten

Bleed

bled, blooded

bled

Blow

blew

blown

Break

broke

broken

Breed

bred

bred

Bring

brought

brought

Buy

bought

bought

Catch

caught, catched

caught

Chide

chid

chidden

Chuse

chose

chosen

Cleave

clave, clove

cleft, cloven

Come

came

come

Creep

crept, creeped

crept

Crow

crew, crowed

crown

Dare

dared, durst

dared

Die

died

dead

Do

did

done

Draw

drew

drawn

Dream

dreamed, dreamt

dreamt

Drank

drank

drunk

Drive

drove

driven

Dwell

dwelled, dwelt

dwelt

Eat

eat, ate

eaten, eat

Fall

fell

fallen

Feed

fed

fed

Feel

felt

felt

Fight

fought

fought

Find

found

found

Flee

fled

fled

Fling

flung

flung

Present time.

Past.

Participle.

Fly

flew, fled

flown

Forsake

forsook

forsaken

Freight

freighted

fraught

Geld

gelded, gelt

gelt, gelded

Get

got

gotten, got

Give

gave

given

Gild

gilded, gilt

gilded, gilt

Gird

girded, girt

girded, girt

Grind

ground

ground

Go

went

gone

Grow

grew

grown

Hang

hung, hanged

hung

Have

had

had, having

Hear

heard

heard

Help

helped, helpt

holpen

Hew

hewed

hewn

Hid

hid

hidden, hid

Hold

held

holden

Keep

kept

kept

Know

knew

known

Lay

laid

laid

Lead

led

led

Leave

left

left

Leap

leaped, leapt

leapt

Lie

lay

lain

Lose

lost

lost

Make

made

made

Mean

meant

meant

Mow

mowed

mown

Meet

met

met

Rend

rent

rent

Ride

rode, rid

ridden

Ring

rang

rung

Rise

rose

risen

Present time.

Past.

Participle.

Run

ran

run

Say

said

said

See

saw

seen

Seek

sought

sought

Seethe

sod

sodden

Sell

sold

sold

Send

sent

sent

Shake

shook

shaken

Shear

sheared, shore

shorn

Shew

shewed

shewn

Shine

shined

shone

Shoot

shot

shot

Shrunk

shrank

shrunk

Sing

sang

sung

Sink

sank, sunk

sunk

Sit

sat

sat

Slay

slew

slain

Slide

slid

slidden

Sleep

slept

slept

Sling

slang

slung

Smell

smelt

smelt

Smite

smote

smitten

Speak

spoke

spoken

Spell

spelled, spelt

spelt

Spill

spilled, spilt

spilt

Spend

spent

spent

Spin

span

spun

Spit

spat

spun

Spring

sprang

sprung

Stand

stood

stood

Stick

stuck

stuck

Sting

stung

stung

Steal

stole

stolen

Stink

stank

stunk

Present time.

Past.

Participle.

Strike

struck

stricken

Strive

strove

striven

Swear

swore

sworn

Sweep

sweeped, swept

swept

Swell

swelled

swoln

Swing

swang, swung

swung

Swim

swam, swum

swum

Take

took

took, taken

Tear

tore

torn

Teach

taught

taught

Tell

told

told

Think

thought

thought

Thrive

throve

thriven

Throw

threw

thrown

Tread

trod

trodden

Weep

wept

wept

Win

won

won

Wind

wound

wound

Wear

wore

worn

Weave

wove

woven

Write

wrote, writ

written, writ

Work

worked, wrought

wrought

Wring

wrung

wrung

These rules premised, the great art in writing and speaking correctly, is to avoid false concords; that is, the singular number must never be coupled with the plural, &c. Also,

- 1. The noun or pronoun, and the verb following it, must be of the same number and person. We must not say, I were, I being the first person, were the second, but I am, both in the first person; neither should we say, thou were, thou being singular, and were plural, but thou wert, both singular.

- 2. We must take care to use the proper word to express the right time, whether it be present or past. In the irregular verbs, the foregoing list will point out the word, in the regular ones, the termination ed will always express the past time. Thus, for example, we must not say, "he breaked the bowl," but broke it; not "he come home," but came.

- 3. In the use of the words this and that, which in the plural number are these and those, we must take care that they agree with the number of he word they refer to. We must not say this men or that men, the one being singular, the other plural, but this or that man, these or those men. But where a noun has no singular number, we may add this or that to the plural of such words: thus we may say with propriety, "by this or that means." So nouns wanting a singular number are sometimes joined to a verb singular, but inelegantly, as, "the news is sta•e;" "your wages is small."

- 4. Two or more names or things in the singular number, require the verb to be in the plural. Thus "William and John are (not is) good lads," "The sun and wind overcame (not overcome) me."

- 5. Names of a multitude may have either a singular or a plural verb. Thus we may say, "The Parliament is or are sitting."

- 6. When two or more nouns, of different numbers, follow each other with the word or or nor between them, and are equally related to a common verb; the verb should agree with the noun next it. For example, "Either the husband, the wife, or their children, are in the house", "Neither the husband, the children, nor the wife, is in the house.".

- 7. Two negatives make an affirmative. "I wasn't good for nothing," implies, "It was good so something." "I can't eat no more," means, "can eat more."

- 8. The participle present is frequently substituted for the In•initive mood of a verb, and with elegance. Thus, instead of "I like to work," we may say "I like working." "For he delights to walk, we may say, "He delights in walking."

- 9. After the auxiliary verb have, it would be improper to put the past time; the participle should always follow. Thus, it would be ingrammatica• to say, "I have saw, or "I have wrote;" it should be, "I have seen," or "I have written."

- 10. When the leading adverbs are whether o• either, or must follow in the same sentence; where the leading adverb is neither, nor must follow Thus, "Whether you or I shall go, is not yet determined." "Either your or I must ride." "Neither you nor I must speak."

- 11. All repetitions of the same word, nay of words which express the same thing, are carefully to •voided, except when the sense would be otherwise obscure, or when it is to excite the attention. For example, a repetition of the word from in the following sentence is allowable: the passage would not be clear without it. "It proceeds not from stupidity, or a slothful neglect, but from a generous liberality of soul. When it is to excite attention, a repetition is beautiful. "Every action, nay every attention, every design of man, is known to the Almighty."

- 12. With respect to Adjectives, none should be used but such as are necessary to explain the subject more fully. To say burning or shining fire, is inelegant, because the first idea of fire is, that it burns and shines; but if necessary, we may employ adjectives to express its other qualities, as consuming, sparkling, brisk, &c.

In short, the words of a sentence ought generally to be as different from one another, both in sense and sound, as the nature of the subject and the harmony of the period will admit. On this the beauty of a sentence depends, the sound being, as it were, an echo to the sense, and, independent of this, on the smoothness of the words, the choice of adjectives, and the easy flow of its diction. And in general, the shorter the period, the more nervous and emphatical it is.

An OBSERVATION or two on WRITING and READING.

In writing, never use capital letters to begin a word, unless it be a proper name, or at the beginning of a sentence. Note, A full stop, or note of admiration (!) or interrogation (?), always ends a sentence.

If you quote an Author in his own words, always begin the quotation with a capital letter.

The word I or Oh should be always written with a capital. Every word you wish to mark as emphatic, should begin with a capital, and have a line drawn under it; thus, Mark.

In order to read well,

- 1. Every one should read in an easy familiar tone, as if he were speaking, (expect it be a prayer, in which case, a degree of solemnity is required) and should adapt his voice to the subject-matter he is reading.

- 2. When reading, cast your eye forwards to the words following, that you may have seen them before you are to pronounce them. This will prevent stammering, or a disagreeable pause.

- 3. Attend to the stops, and pause at a comma, (,) whilst you can count one; at a semicolon, (;) two; at a colon, (:) three; and at a full stop, (.) four, Notes of interrogation (?) and admiration, (!) are full stops. A line (thus, —) intimates a longer pause than that of full stop, and at every fresh paragraph we are to pause longer still.

- 4. Never fetch or draw the breath, where there is no stop; nor pass a stop without a pause. Pause proportionably at every stop, utter each word distinctly, sound the last letter of every word, read slow, and you will read very intelligibly.

- 5. In reading a sentence, the voice should be gently raised, until you get to the middle, (and the middle of a sentence is generally marked with a colon) and then should gradually fall to the end of it: but take care, that at the end of a sentence, you drop not the voice too low, so as not to be well heard to the last word.

- 6. In questions and passages of admiration, the voice should not fall, as at a full stop, but be kept up higher and higher to the end.

- 7. To give spirit and energy to a sentence, the leading or principal word, should be pronounced emphatically. To find out which is the emphatical word, consider the chief design of the writer, and that word which shews such design most, is the word to be uttered emphatically.

When a noun is the emphatical word, and attended with an adjective, the stroke of the voice should be on the noun, and the adjective be only swelled; unless it appears that the stress is to be laid on the adjective. The emphatic words in the following passage are printed in Italics.

Hail, Source of Beings! universal Soul

Of Heav'n and Earth, essential Presence, hail!

But where two words are set in opposition to each other, and one is pronounced emphatically, the other should be so too; as in the sentence. "If they attack, we will attack; for our cause is as good as theirs."

The emphasis is of such importance in reading and speaking, that wrong placing it may alter the sense materially. The following line is an old example upon this subject.

Will you ride to town to-day?

By laying the emphasis on will, the answer may be yes or no.

By laying it on you, the answer may be, "No, but my son will."

By laying it on ride, the answer may be, "I intend to walk."

By placing it on the word town, the answer may be, "No, I shall ride to my farm."

And laying it on to-day, the answer may be, "Not until to-morrow."

Last of all, lay no emphasis on words where there should none be laid; for this is as great a mark of ignorance, as not laying it where it should be laid.

Rules for reading English verse.

The general rule is to pronounce it, as if it wer• prose, but with more deliberation; to observe th• stops with great exactness, placing the accent whe•• it ought to be placed, (as will be shewn hereafter and the emphasis upon the proper words on each line. Though there should be no stop at the end of the line, the reader should pause whilst he can count one, merely to give notice to the hearer that the line is ended; and if the last word will bear two sounds, (as words ending in y will) give it tha• which chymes best with its sister line. I mean that line with which it is designed to rhyme.

For example,

Were I but once from bondage free,

I'd never sell my liberty.

Here ty in liberty, is sounded as tee; but in the following line it should be sounded as ti.

My soul ascends above the sky,

And triumphs in her liberty.

However, whether pronounced as tee or ti, the last syllable should be so feebly uttered, as not to fix any stop or accent upon it.

If verse be read with the above attention, and still sound harsh upon the ear; the fault is not in the reader, but the poet, for those verses are not well penned, that cannot be read gracefully by the common rules of pronunciation.

In verses of three syllables, the accent is to be placed on the 1st and 3d. Thus,

He´re we ma´y

Thin´k and pra´y,

E´re that De´ath

Sto´ps our brea´th.

In verses of four syllables, the accent is to be placed on the 2d and 4th. Thus,

With ra´vish'd ea´rs,

The Mo´narch hea´rs.

DRYDEN.

In verses of six syllables, on every other syllable. Thus,

Though i´n the u´tmost pea´k

Awhi´le we do´ remai´n,

Amo´ngst the mou´ntains ble´ak,

Expo´s'd to sle´et or ra´in,

No spo´rt nor hou´rs shall brea´k,

To e´xerci´se our ve´in.

DRAYTON.

In verses of seven syllables, in the 1st, 3d, 5th, and 7th. Thus,

Fai´rest pie´ce of well´-form'd ear´th

Ur´ge not thu´s your hau´ghty bir´th.

In those of eight, which is the usual measure of short poems, on the 2d, 4th, 6th, and 8th. Thus,

And ma´y at la´st my wea´ry ag´e

Find ou´t the pe´aceful He´rmitag´e.

MILTON.

In those of ten, which is heroic or tragic poetry on the 2d, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th. Thus,

Confu´s'd and chi´ding, li´ke the ho´llow ro´ar

Of ti´des, rece´ding fro´m th' insu´lted sho´re.

DRYDEN.

In those of twelve syllables, on every other syl¦lable, beginning with the 2d.

Of a´ll the Cam´brian shi´res their he´ads that bea´ so hi´gh,

And far´th´st surve´y their soi´ls with a´n ambi´tiou• ey´e,

Mervi´nia fo´r her hi´lls, as fo´r their ma´tchles• crou´ds,

The nea´rest tha´t are sai´d to ki´ss the wan´dring clou´ds,

Espe´cial au´dience cra´ves, offen´ded wi´th th• thron´g,

That she´, of a´ll the re´st, neglec´ted wa´s so lon´g

DRAYTON

In those of fourteen, as in those of twelve Thus,

And a´s the mi´nd of suc´h a ma´n that ha´th a lo´ng way go´ne,

And ei´ther kno´weth no´t his wa´y, or els´e woul• le´t alon´e

His pur´pos'd jour´ney, i´s distrac´t.

CHAPMAN

The verse of fourteen syllables is now broken inalternate lines of eight and six. Thus,

When a´ll shall prai´se, and ev'´ry la´y

Devo´te a wre´ath to the´e

That da´y; for co´me it will´, that da´y

Shall I´ lamen´t to see´.

The Alexandrine verse of twelve syllables is now 〈◊〉 used to diversify heroic lines of ten. Thus,

Waller was smooth, but Dryden taught to join

The varying verse, the full-resounding line,

The long majestic march—and energy divine.

In pronouncing this line of twelve syllables, the ••ce must pause at the end of the sixth.

In verses of quick measure, the words are ac •••ted as below.

May I go´vern my pa´ssions with a´bsolute swa´y,

And grow wi´ser and be´tter, as li´se wears awa´y.

So again,

Dio´genes sur´ly and prou´d.

I thin´k not of I´ris, nor I´ris of me´.

So in verses with double rhymes,

They nei´ther ad´ded nor´ confoun´ded;

They nei´ther wan´ted nor´ aboun´ded.

'Twas whe´n the sea´s were ro´aring

With ho´llow bla´sts of win´d,

A dam´sel lay´ deplor´ing

All on´ a roc´k recli´n'd.

When ter´rible tem´pests assai´l us,

And mou´ntainous bi´llows affri´ght,

Nor pow´er nor we´alth can ava´il us,

But ski´lful Indus´try steers ri´ght.

For resi´stance I´ could fea´r none,

Bu´t with twen´ty ship´s had done

Wha´t thou, bra´ve and hap´py Ver´non,

Has´t atcchie´v'd with si´x alo´ne.

FINIS.

Information about this book

Title statement

An English accidence: or, abstract of grammar; for the use of those who, without making grammar a study, wish to speak and write correctly. With rules for reading prose and verse. By the Rev. Dr. John Trusler.

Trusler, John, 1735-1820.

Publication

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University of Oxford Text Archive
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ID [ota]

http://ota.ox.ac.uk/id/4386

ID [isbn10]

1106013859

ID [isbn13]

9781106013859

ID [TCP]

K053241.000

ID [BIBNO]

cw3313589175

ID [ECLL]

0618600800

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Source

— An English accidence: or, abstract of grammar; for the use of those who, without making grammar a study, wish to speak and write correctly. With rules for reading prose and verse. By the Rev. Dr. John Trusler., Trusler, John, 1735-1820.. [2],iv,26p. ; 12⁰. London :: printed for the author, and sold by R. Baldwin,. [1790?]. [Reproduction of original from the British Library.] [Alston, i, 450b] [English Short Title Catalog, ESTCT61211.] [Electronic data. Farmington Hills, Mich. : Thomson Gale, 2003. Page image (PNG). Digitized image of the microfilm version produced in Woodbridge, CT by Research Publications, 1982-2002 (later known as Primary Source Microfilm, an imprint of the Gale Group).]

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