X.-GRAMMATICAL CORRECTNESS.

It is scarcely necessary to observe, that correctness in grammar and spelling is of the highest importance, and that no elegance of diction compensates for imperfection in these respects, but rather serves to render more glaring errors so essentially indicative of a defective education. When the rules of grammar are understood, the constant attention to apply them will soon render them familiar, and at the same time tend to promote readiness of expression. Abbreviations in spelling, even though warranted by general practice, have a certain appearance of laxity, and detract much from a good style.

XI.-SPELLING.

The following rules will be found of great assistance in writing, because they relate to a class of words about the spelling of which doubt and hesitation are frequently felt. The authorities for spelling generally followed in the United States are Webster and Worcester, who differ in the orthography of a few words; in this work we shall follow Webster. The writer should always have a dictionary for reference, as the importance of corect spelling and phraseology cannot be overestimated.

All words of one syllable, ending in l, with a single vowel before it, have ll at the close, as mill, sell.

All words of one syllable ending in l, with a double vowel before it, have only one l at the close, as mail, sail.

The words foretell, distill, instill and fulfill retain the ll of their primitives. Derivatives of dull, skill, will and full also retain / when the accent falls upon these words, as dullness, skillful, willful, fullness.

Words of more than one syllable, ending in l, have only one at the close, as delightful, faithful; unless the accent falls on the last syllable, as in befall, etc.

Words ending in 7, double that letter in the termination ly. Participles in ing, from verbs ending in e, lose the

final e, as have, having, make, making, etc.; but verbs ending in ee retain both, as see, seeing. The word dye, to

color, however, must retain the e before ing.

All adverbs in ly and nouns in ment retain the e final of the primitives, as brave, bravely; refine, refinement; except words ending in dge, as acknowledge, acknowledgment.

Words ending in e drop that letter before the termination able, unless ending in ce or ge, when it is retained, as in move, movable, change, changeable, etc.

Words of one syllable ending in a consonant with a single vowel, before it, double that consonant in derivatives, as ship, shipping, etc. But if ending in a consonant with a double vowel before it they do not double the consonant in derivatives, as troop, trooper, etc.

Words of more than one syllable, ending in a consonant preceded by a single vowel, and accented on the last syllable, double that consonant in derivatives, as commit, committed. But except chagrin, chagrined.

Nouns ending in y, preceded by a vowel, form their plural by adding s, as money, moneys; but if У is preceded by a consonant it is changed to ies in the plural, as bounty, bounties.

Compound words whose primitives end in y change y into i, as beauty, beautiful, etc.

XII.-CONTRACTIONS.

Be careful and do not use the character &, except in the title of firms; as, Brown & Cox. As a general thing contractions are to be avoided. The economy of time and space secured by their use, hardly compensates for the mutilated appearance of the words and the liability to error involved. Don't, can't, isn't, and other contractions of the same class, are allowable in familiar letters and where familiar conversation is quoted, but not in any graver style.

XIII.-FIGURES OF ARITHMETIC.

Numbers, except dates and sums of money, should be

spelt in full, unless exceeding three words in length. Never write, "I saw 5 birds," we have 8 cats."

66

XIV.-CAPITALS

Capitals should be cautiously used in letter-writing. We should certainly not confine the writer of a letter to the rigid rule observed in printed literature, because an important word may sometimes be graced with a capital which, in a printed form, would begin with a small letter. But an indiscriminate or even frequent use of capitals, is a proof of the ignorance of the writer. The name of a person or place should always be commenced with a capital, and every fresh paragraph should commence with a capital; beyond this, there is little need for their use-strictly speaking none.

XV.-PUNCTUATION.

Proper punctuation is essential to a correct and regular mode of expression. The best general rule to follow, is to place the points where a pause would occur in speaking. Dashes should only be used to mark a sudden change in sentiment or in place of parentheses. Correct punctuation not only gives elegance to a composition, but it makes its meaning clear, enforces attention to those words or passages which most require it, and to a great extent prevents a misunderstanding, or willful misconstruction of the writer's meaning.

XVI.-REPETITION.

Avoid repetitions; they always offend the judicious ear, and are seldom proper, except when they enforce any particular meaning, or explain it more fully.

XVII.-DATE.

The date is a matter of great importance, particularly in business letters, therefore, you cannot be too careful to

state it in full and correctly. Unless you write from a large city, like New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Boston, or Chicago, you should always mention the State, and generally the county, as there are many post offices of the same name in the United States. If you write from a city, mention the name and number of the street, or the name of the hotel. With English writers, it is customary to put the day before the month, in dating a letter; as 18th September instead of September 18th. We deem the former more correct, but custom favors the latter in this country.

XVIII.-HOW TO BEGIN A LETTER.

A letter should be begun about two inches below the top of the paper; and the left hand margin may be about an inch broad. The writer's name should be signed at a little distance below the conclusion.

XIX.-PROPER MODES OF ADDRESS.

The styles of address are varied to suit the occasion, and the terms of compliment at the close of a letter are always considered as mere courtesy or form; they should not, therefore, on any occasion be avoided. To a person with whom a writer is not well acquainted, he should say, "Sir," or "Madam," concluding with "Your obedient Servant;" to those with whom he is tolerably well acquainted, "Dear Sir" or 66 'Dear Madam," with "Yours faithfully;" and to those with whom he is on more familiar terms, "My dear Sir," or, "My dear Madam," with "Yours truly," "Yours very truly," "Yours sincerely," or "Yours very sincerely."

At the same time, the use of "Dear Sir," even toward a stranger, is considered a graceful manner of addressing an inferior; but, in responding to this, it would be preferable to avoid too much familiarity at firsi. A golden rule in such matters is, that nothing is lost by too much modesty,

while nothing gives so much offence as officious familiarity.

"Reverend and dear Sir," is a frequent address from one clergyman to another, with whom he is supposed to have little acquaintance, beyond that of being in the same profession. "Dear Sir" is afterward adopted, when one or two letters have passed between the parties.

"Honored Sir," though somewhat antiquated, is still frequently used, either in addressing a person very advanced in years, a parent, a person to whom we have been under great obligations, or in an appeal from a poor person to a rich and powerful one.

Terms of compliment at the close of a letter, such as “Í have the honor to be your most obedient servant,” are always considered as mere forms, which signify nothing. They should not, therefore, be avoided either from pride, or dislike to the party addressed.

XX. THE SUPERSCRIPTION.

It is fashionable to write the superscription as near the right hand under angle or corner of the letter as convenient. The name of the place must always be written in a line by itself, and in a large, bold character, thus:

Never send a note to a person who is your superior, unless