All-powerful science does dispel thy gloom, Of highest polish, cleans'd from foulest rust! Lady L. My dear Mentoria, do you think I shall soon be able to make verses on any, subject? I wish you would teach me. Ment. I shall be content, my dear Lady Louisa, if you are able to express your sentiments with ease and elegance in prose. This can only be acquired by practice. We all lisp before we can speak, and walk before we dance; for which reason be not discouraged,. though your productions abound with errors. Do not repeat those you have already committed, and they will every day decrease. An opportunity now offers for you to exert your skill; as affection will suggest to you the ne. cessity of informing Lady L of the pleasing event which happened yesterday. First form the substance of your letter, and then clothe it in as agreeable a dress as possible I would recommend to your Ladyship to pay the same attention to the adorning your sentiments, as you would bestow on the decoration of your person.. You must be guided in the latter by fashion and the caprice of the times; L5 in the former, by the immutable and unchangeable rules of orthography and good sense. Lady L. Mentoria? But what shall I say, my dear Ment. You would not ask me that question, if she came to pay you a visit. Imagine yourself engaged in conversation with her, and you will not then be at a loss. Epistolary correspondence is nothing more than an exchange of sentiments, which ought to be delivered with as much ease and freedom as is usually authorised in common discourse, with only this distinction, that we should pay rather more attention to our manner of expression; and be particularly careful to avoid tautology, or the repetition of words; because our errors appear more palpable when they are recorded, and may yield evidence against us. yourself of unnecessary fears, and cheer yourself with the pleasing reflection, that your best endeavours (even if the performance is imperfect) will be accepted, and entitle you to applause. Divest DIALOGUE DIALOGUE IX. TUESDAY. ON THE SCIENCES, WITH A GENERAL EXHORTATION TO ACQUIRE Knowledge. Mentoria. LADY Mary, you once requested me to inform you of the nature of the Sciences, which I then declined; if your curiosity is not abated by delay, we will now examine them with the attention they deserve. Lady Mary. My desire to be acquainted with their different qualities is not the least diminished; therefore I shall attend to your instructions on that subject with the greatest pleasure. Ment. Those branches of learning, which are distinguished by the term of the Liberal Sciences, are seven in number; as it is my intention to consider them in regular order, E shall consequently begin with Grammar, on which the principles of every language depend. As a competent knowledge of Grammar is indispensably necessary to enable us either to write, or speak, with accurate propriety, it is expedient you pay the greatest attention to that part of your education. Effectually- topromote this desirable end, and to accelerate the advantages you derive from the regular course of your lessons, I will endeavour to analyse the most essential properties of this useful Science; which, taken in its compound sense, is called Grammar, as that word is derived from the Greek, and means a letter, of a combination of which language is composed. Lady Louisa. I will remember that derivation, as I have heard you observe the benefit that arises from knowing the etymology of words; by tending to convey the sense, or import of the subject. Ment. As the means of pursuing my plan, I must inform you, the rudiments, or first principles of Grammar, are usually divided into ter ten distinct classes, called parts of speech.. First, the Article, which is derived from the Latin word articulus, a joint or small part, of which there are two, a or an, and the; they are placed before Nouns, to fix their signification; a or an are called indefinite, because they do not precisely determine the quality of the thing spoken of; but the is called the definite Article, as it decisively confirms what it is annexed to.. Lady M. I am obliged to you for this information; as, notwithstanding I every day learn these things in my lessons, I neverthought of their importance till you pointed them out. Ment. The next part of speech is the Noun or Substantive; this appellation is derived from the Latin word. nomen, a name, and is used: to express the name of any person, place, or thing, of which we can have any possible con-. ception. In this class there are two numbers, the singular and plural; the former, is usually, expressed by adding an s to the word, and the latter formed by a variety of changes in the termination of the genuine word. There are also two Genders of Nouns, the masculine and the feminine; and those things that have no life are excluded from that distinction, and are |