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SPELLING-BOOK

OR, A

NEW AND EASY GUIDE

TO THE

ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

CONTAINING

Tables of Words in one, two, refpective Heads), which are acthree and four Syllables; with na-cented and explained for the bettural and easy Lessons in each, a-ter Inftruction of Youth, and the dapted to the Capacity of Children Information of fuch Perfons as from three Years old and upwards, would know the Meaning of what and yet fo full of Senfe,that fuch as they read and write; being a usecan already read may receive very fulInftructor for the School,Shop, material Instruction from them; or Compting-houfe. comprehending a variety of Pasfages both on moral and divine Subjects, as alfo Fables & pleafant Stories, in order to improve the Mind and the Understanding.

IV. Many useful Things necessary to help the young Beginner, and inform the more grown up Youth; with a Variety of AlphabeticalCopies and Writing Pieces, II. A very eafy & rational Guide both in Profe and Verfe, &c. to English Grainmar, by way of V. Chronological Tables of the Question & Anfwer, for the Ufe of Succeffion of the Kings of EngSchools as well as private Perfons, land, and many of the most me. by which any one may very foon morable Occurrences in facred and become acquainted with the En-prophane Hiftory; with fome short glish Tongue,with very little Trouble and Application.

Remarks upon the feven Stages of Life, which are not only improv❤ III. A Collection of near 5000 of ing to the Mind and Morals, but the most useful Words of two, three may be of great Service to prevent and four Syllables, viz. Nouns, Youth from falling a Sacrifice to Subftantives, Adjectives,& Verbs, the common Temptations of Life, (placed alphabetically undertheir] and their own unbridled Passions.

RE FAC E.

To every impartial Reader, but more particularly to fuch as have the Care of Proteftant Schools in Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majefty's Plantations abroad.

GENTLEMEN,

IN the firft nine Editions of this Work, I defired every one of you to encourage it no further than as you yourselves might think it more Jeful than Spelling-Books in general; and from the great demand for the former Impressions, it is natural to suppose that many of you have approved of the Work, and I am indeed highly indebted to you in particular, and to the public in general, for encouraging me to put it to this new Impression, in which are se-ver.al Additions and Improvements, as will appear by giving fɔme account of the Work itself, as it now flana's.

2. Tables I. II. III. IV. and V. contain very ujeful Words and eafy Leffons of one Syllable, which will joon qualify children for Words of two Syllables; and if any Leffon be too long for once Reading, it is an Error on the right Side, especially as they are contrived fo by full Stops, that part of them only may be read.

4. Tables VI. VII, VIII. IX. X. XI. XII, XIII. and XIV. contain Words from two to four Syllables, and Lessons ; fome where the Syllables are divided, and others, where they are undivided, for Trial, which are bath easy and instructive; and though not jo many in number as in fome Books, yet they are enough for common Instruction, to qualify any School-Boy to read well with Practice.

5. Table XV. contains very pleasant Fables and useful Stories mot only improving to the Mind and Morals, but which will greatly conduce to help Children to read well.

6. Tables 16, 17, and 18, treat of the Use of Numbers, Contractions, and Words of the fame Sound, but of different Significations.

7. Tables XX. XXI. and XXII. treat of Words spelt alike, but pronounced differently; as alfo of the Names and Ufe of all the Stops and Marks in Reading and Writing; together with the Sound and Ufe of fame particular Vowels and Confonants, and double Letters.

8. As for not giving more Examples concerning the dividing of Syllables, I affure you, Gentlemen, that I have been commended for faying, I wilfully omitted it; because the learned themselves differ so much about it: therefore, as the shortest and plainest Way muft certainly be best, I would lay down but one Rule in teaching Children, and that is this, to teach them to divide all Syllables as full and as near the true Sound as poffible, without any regard to the Latin, or any critical Cavils:-Thus I would not divide Master, Sifter, Veltry, &c. Maer, Si-fter, Ve-ftry, because bere the fire Syllable is weak and i