AN APPENDIX, AND A KEY TO THE EXERCISES, DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE LEARNERS. BY SAMUEL KIRKHAM. Stereotyped by Wm. Hagar & Co., New-York. TWENTY-SEVENTH EDITION, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED. ROCHESTER, N. Y.: MARSHALL & DEAN. HARVARD 4474172 Southern District of New-York, ss. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the 22d day of August, A. D. 1829 L. S. in the 54th year of the Independence of the United States of America, Samuel Kirkham, of the said District, hath deposited in this office the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following to wit: English Grammar in familiar lectures, accompanied by a Compendium; embracing a new systematick order of Parsing, a new system of Punctuation, exercises in false Syntax, and a System of Philosophical Grammar in notes: to which are added an Appendix, and a Key to the Exercises: designed for the use of Schools and Private Learners. By Samuel Kirkham. Eleventh Edition, enlarged and improved. In conformity to the act of congress of the United States, entitled "an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned." And also to an act entitled "an act supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the aits of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." FRED. J. BETTS, Clerk of the Southern District of New-York. It is well known that the recommendations which generally accompany new books, have very little weight with the publick. This is as it should be, for that work which rests more on its written testimonials, than on its intrinsick merits for support, asserts no claims to permanent patronage. But recommendations which analyze the merits of a work, and which, by exhibiting its prominent features in a striking light, are calculated to carry conviction to the reader that the system recommended is meritorious, the author is proud to have it in his power to present in this volume. The following are some of the numerous testimonials which he has received, and for which he tenders his grateful acknowledgments to those literary gentlemen to whose liberality and politeness he is indebted for them. More than six hundred others presented to the author, and many of which are equally flattering with these, he has not room to insert. The following notice of this work is extracted from the "Western Review." This journal is ably conducted by the Rev. Timothy Flint, author of "Francis Berrian," "History & Geography of the Miss. Valley," and many other popular and valuable works. We had not, at that time, seen Mr. Kirkham's "Grammar in familiar Lectures," but have since given it a cursory perusal. If we comprehend the author's design, it is not so much to introduce new principles, as to render more easy and intelligible those which have been long established, and to furnish additional facilities to an aecurate and thorough knowledge of our language. In this we think he has been suc cessful. It is to be expected that a modest, unassuming writer, on presenting himself be fore the publick tribunal as an author, will, as far as consistent with his plan, avail himself of the authority of such as have written well on the subject before him. Mr. Kirkham has accordingly followed Mr. Murray in the old beaten track of English writers on grammar, in the general principles of the science; endeavouring, at the same time, to avoid whatever appeared to be erroneous or absurd in the writings of that author, and adopting an entirely new arrangement. The most useful matter contained in the treatise of Mr. Murray, is embraced in this; but in the definitions and rules, it is simplified, and rendered much more intelligible. Though our author follows Mr. Murray, in the general principles of his work, he has, in numerous instances, differed from him, pursuing a course that appears to be his own, and introducing some valuable improvements. Among these may be mentioned some additional rules and explanatory nctes in syntax, the arrangement of the parts of speech, the mode of explaining them, manner of parsing, manner of explaining some of the pronouns, and the use of a synop sis which presents the essentials of the science at one view, and is well calculated to afford assistance to learners. In his arrangement of the parts of speech, Mr. Kirkham seems to have endeavoured to follow the order of nature; and we are not able to see how he could have done better. The noun and verb, as being the most important parts of speech, are first explained, and afterwards those which are considered in a secondary and subordinate character. By following this order, he has avoided the absurdity so common among authors, of defining the minor parts before their principals, of which they were designed to be the appendages, and has rationally prepared the way for conducting the learner by easy advances to a correct view of the science. In his illustrations of the various subjects contained in his work, our author appears to have aimed, not at a flowery style, nor at the appearance of being learned, but at being understood. The clearness and perspicuity of his remarks, and their application to familiar objects, are well calculated to arrest the attention, and aid the understanding, of the pupil, and thereby to lessen the labour of the instructer. The principles of the science are simplified, and rendered so perfectly easy of compre hension, we should think no ordinary mind, having such help, could find them diffizult. It is in this particular that the work appears to possess its chief merit, and on his account it cannot fail of being preferred to many others. It gives us pleasure to remark, in reference to the success of the amiable and modest author whose work is before us, that we quote from the fifth edition. Cincinnati, Aug. 24, 1827. The following is from the pen of a gentleman of the Bar, formerly a distinguished, Classical teacher. [Extract from the "National Crisis."] As a friend to literature, and especially to genuine merit, it is with peculiar ploa sure I allude to a notice in a late paper of this city, in which Mr. S. Kirkham proposes to deliver a course of Lectures on English Grammar. To such as feel inte rested in acquiring a general and practical knowledge of this useful science |