permitting a scholar to pass.who has two correct answers. Right method and arrangement, and good figures, may excuse slight error in one of the answers.'

"In Standard IV. Mental Arithmetic should be given in simple exercises in fractions, founded on the multiplication table, and in the aliquot parts of £1, of a yard, and of a pound avoirdupois." (Instructions to In

spectors.)

READING (STANDARD IV.).

The poetical extracts in the reading-books should be principally depended on for the cultivation of expression; and the prose extracts for accuracy of pronunciation.

The Grammar should now be still more closely associated with the reading lesson, the difficult constructions being pulled to pieces and explained; and the more abnormal uses of words taught, as well as difficult spellings.

EMPHASIS.—Under the head of “ "English" it may be pointed out that analysis of simple sentences should always accompany the parsing of Standard IV.

But this analysis should be kept in sight by the teacher in the reading lesson. Manifestly no understanding or expression can be secured, unless the child knows, whether under their names or not, which are the subject, predicate, and object (if any) of a sentence.

It is these that will determine the emphasis, while, as a rule, the attributes of the subject, and the extension of the predicate, will be less required to be brought prominently forward by the stress of the voice.

Another rule in emphasis is to lay stress where contrast, opposition, antithesis, are suggested or expressed by the writer; as, "He told me he was innocent; but I did not believe him." These oppositions will be generally introduced

in a second half of a statement, preceded by adversative conjunctions, or phrases, such as but, on the other hand, notwithstanding, etc.

In poetry there is always one, sometimes there are two, words in each line, which require the emphasis to bring out the meaning; thus

"To be or not to be, that is the question."

"I came to bury Cæsar, not to praise him.” EXPRESSION.-In dialogue, each separate speaker should have his own utterances expressed in a tone distinct from that of the others. To cultivate expression, small, complete poetical pictures should be referred to and learnt, such as Kingsley's "Three Fishers; and the similarities of construction in the separate stanzas should be pointed out, as on these depend so much of the felicity of the passages.

These extracts should, of course, be prepared beforehand by the teacher, as their proper rendering requires dramatic and elocutionary power of considerable order. Elocutionary power does not mean rant."

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Before the passage can be properly rendered, the inversions must be explained, and simple paraphrasing should be made use of.

Another point in good reading and correct dictation exercises is punctuation.

PUNCTUATION. The marks for punctuation and their use are given in the grammar-books, and in a condensed form below; but besides these rules to attend to, there is a pause of sense unmarked by the printer.

Thus in

"On every nerve The deadly winter seizes,"

we ought to slightly pause at "nerve," although no comma is expressed, in order to make the object of the sentence stand out in relief. Similarly, other parts of a sentence require separating from the whole.

The Comma (,) marks a slight pause in reading. The Semicolon (;) denotes a greater break in the thought of the writer.

The Colon (:) breaks up the sentence into more distinct groups.

The Period () divides the paragraph into complete

sentences.

The Dash (-) marks interruption of thought.

The Note of Interrogation (?) indicates that the sentence to which it is put asks a question; as, "What is the meaning of that assertion? "What am I to do?"

The Note of Exclamation or of Admiration (!) indicates surprise, pleasure, or sorrow, or other sudden emotion; as, Oh!" "Ah!" "Goodness!" " Beautiful!" 66 I am astonished!'

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The Parenthesis, (), is used to prevent confusion by the introduction in a sentence of a passage not necessary to the sense thereof: "I am going to meet Mr. Smith (though I am no admirer of him) on Wednesday next."

The Apostrophe (') is used to indicate the Possessive Case -as John's book; or to show the omission of parts of words, as Glo'ster, for Gloucester; tho' for though.

The Hyphen (-) is used to unite words which, though they are separate, have so close a connection as almost to become one word, as water-rat, wind-mill, etc. It is also used at the end of a line, to show where a word is divided and continued in the next line.

Hints on Spelling.

(1) Words of one syllable ending in l, with a single vowel before it, have double at the close; as, mitl, sell.

(2) Words of one syllable ending in l, with a double vowel before it, have one only at the close; as, mail, sail.

(3) Words of one syllable ending in l, when compounded, retain but one l each; as, fulfil, skilful.

(4) Words of more than one syllable ending in 7 have one only at the close; as, delightful, faithful; except befall, downfall, recall, unwell, etc.

(5) All derivatives from words ending in / have one l only as, equality, from equal; fulness, from full; unless they end in er or ly; as, mill, miller; full, fully.

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(6) Participles in ing from verbs ending in e lose the e final; as, have, having; amuse, amusing; unless they come from verbs ending in double e, and then they retain both; as, see, seeing; agree, agreeing. (Singeing is exceptional.)

(7) Adverbs in ly, and nouns in ment, retain the e final of the primitives; as, brave, bravely; refine, refinement; except acknowledgment, judgment, etc.

(8) Derivatives from words ending in er retain the e before the r; as, refer, reference; except hindrance, from hinder; remembrance, from remember; disastrous, from disaster; monstrous, from monster; wondrous, from wonder; cumbrous, from cumber, etc.

(9) Compound words, with double l, retain their primitive parts entire; as, mill-stone; except always, also, although, almost.

(10) One-syllables ending in a consonant, with a single vowel before it, double that consonant in derivatives; as, sin, sinner; ship, shipping; big, bigger; glad, gladder, etc. (11) One-syllables ending in a consonant, with a double

vowel before it, do not double the consonant in derivatives; as, sleep, sleepy; troop, trooper.

(12) Words of more than one syllable ending in a single consonant, preceded by a single vowel, and accented on the last syllable, double that consonant in derivatives; as, commit, committee; compel, compelled; appal, appalling; distil, distiller.

(13) Nouns of one syllable ending in y, preceded by a consonant, change y into ies in the plural; and verbs ending in y, preceded by a consonant, change y into ies in the third person singular of the present tense, and into ied in the past tense and past participle; as, fly, flies; apply, applies; reply, replied. If the y be preceded by a vowel, this rule is not applicable; as, key, keys; play, plays; enjoy, enjoyed.

HISTORY.

In this stage the Historical Reader will be more consecutive and detailed; and in most cases will commence at the Norman Conquest.

The earliest "history" of a country is in great part fable and myth, e.g. the legends of Dunstan, Arthur, and Robin Hood. The old heroes often become gods, e.g. Woden and Thor, and these become fabulous by lapse of time, "They loom vast through the mist of ages." These myths may contain good lessons, and were written or handed down in times nearer the events and persons than

our own.

The early history of a country is like its physical history, one prominent mountain peak after another is thrust above the general level of the deep, but these are discontinuous for a long time. Thus, until 1066 it is best to give children only isolated facts in history, without trying to connect these. Prominent among these should be—