MARKS.

THE system of marking pronunciation adopted here is borrowed from Professor Bain's Higher English Grammar. It is based on the original suggestions of Dr. Thomas Clark. It possesses the important advantage of indicating accent and quality of vowel sound together.

It is not intended that the pupils should be oppressed or distracted with much regular study of these marks. By careful attention to the cases that arise in the lessons, they will quickly and easily associate the marks and the sounds represented. An occasional reference to these explanations may be found quite sufficient.

(1) á, é, í, ó, ú. The acute mark () placed over a vowel shows that the vowel is long and also accented. For example: mán is for "main," or 66 mane"; mén "mean," or "mien " min = "mine" (in any sense); món 66 = "moon." moan”; mún Before the vowel ú the sound of "y" is often 'inserted; as,

tune."

(2) à, è, ì, ò, ù. that the vowel is

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The grave mark (') placed over a vowel shows short and also accented. For example "man"; men "men"; pin fun."

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“ pin”; gòn

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"gone";

(3) ê, i, û. The acute and grave marks are combined (^) to indicate long vowels pronounced more quickly than usual. The last, û, is most common; as pûl: "pull." Compare púl "pool."

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(4) ā, ō. The horizontal mark (~) placed over a and o indicates the vowel sounds in "far" (für) and "all" (ōl).

(5) ă, ě, ĭ, ŏ, ú.

The crescent () placed over a vowel shows that the vowel is long (1) but unaccented; as rál-wă (“ rail-way "), ĕ-jèct.

The last of these, , may also express û out of accent; as, hand-ful, fül-fil-ment.

(6) a, e, i, o, u. The vowels that are not marked at all are short and unaccented.

Frequently, however, the accented syllable alone is marked; it being assumed that in those cases no further guidance is

necessary.

(7) and ö may represent the vowel sounds in far (fār) and all (ol), when out of accent: as artist, but ärtistic; ōtum (autumn), but ötumnal (autumnal).

(8) The acute mark (') placed after a syllable shows that the accent falls on that syllable. But it does not indicate any quality of the vowel. For example: com-plained', al'-most, quart-er. The full marking for these words would be: komplánd, ōl-most, kwōrt-er.

ITS PLEASURES AND REWARDS.

IT is noble to seek Truth, and it is beautiful to find it. It is the ancient feeling of the human heart, that knowledge is better than riches; and it is deeply and

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sacredly true. To mark the course of human passions as they have flowed on in the ages that are past; to see why nations have risen, and why they have fallen; to speak of heat, and light, and the winds; to know what man has discovered in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; to hear the chemist unfold the marvellous properties that the Creator has locked up in a speck of earth; to be told that there are worlds so distant from our own, that the quickness of light, travelling from the world's creation, has never yet reached us; to wander in the creations of poetry, and grow warm again with that eloquence which swayed the democracies of the Old World; to go up with great reasoners to the First Cause of all, and to perceive, in the midst of all this dissolution and decay and cruel separation, that there is one thing unchangeable, indestructible, and everlasting;-it is worth while in the days of our youth to strive hard for this great discipline; to pass sleepless nights for it; to give up for it laborious days; to spurn for it present pleasures; to endure for it afflicting poverty; to wade for it through darkness, and sorrow, and contempt, as the great spirits of the world have done in all ages and all times.

I appeal to the experience of any man who is in the habit of exercising his mind vigorously and well, whether there is not a satisfaction in it, which tells him he has been acting up to one of the great objects of his existence? The end of nature has been answered his faculties have done that which they were

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