Subjects for composition, selected on the principle here recommended, will generally fall under one of three classes:

FIRST subjects drawn from the studies the learner, is engaged in, relating, for instance, to the characters or incidents of any history he may be reading; and sometimes, perhaps, leading him to forestall, by conjecture, something which he will hereafter come to in the book itself.

SECONDLY, Subjects drawn from any conversation he may have listened to (with interest) from his seniors, whether addressed to himself, or between each other: or, 1

THIRDLY, relating to the amusements, familiar occurrences, and every-day transactions, which are likely to have formed the topics of easy conversation among his familiar friends.

The student should not be confined too exclusively to any one of these three classes of subjects. They should be intermingled in as much variety as possible. The teacher should frequently, recall to his own . mind these two considerations:

First, that since the benefit proposed does not con sist in the intrinsic value of the composition, but i' the exercise to the pupil's mind, it matters not how ir significant the subject may be, if it will but interes him, and thereby afford him such exercise; and,

Secondly, the younger and more backward eac' student is, the more unfit he will be for abstract specu lations, and the less remote must be the subjects from those individual objects and occurrences, which always form the first beginnings of the furniture of the youthful mind.

If this system be pursued, with the addition of sedulous care in correction, encouragement from the teacher, and inculcation of such general rules as each occasion calls for, then, and not otherwise, original exercises in composition will be of the most important and lasting advantage, not only in respect of the object immediately proposed, but in producing clearness of thought and in giving play to all the faculties

SUGGESTIONS TO THE STUDENT WHEN BEGINNING TO WRITE UPON

ANY SUBJECT.

When you are to write upon any subject, the best way of entering upon it is to set down what your own mind furnishes, and say all you can before you descend to consult books, and read upon it; for if you apply to books before you have laid your plan, you. own thoughts will be dissipated, and you will dwindle from a composer to a transcriber.

In thinking upon a subject, you are to consider that every proposition is an answer to some question; so that, if you can answer all the questions that can be put to you concerning it, you have a thorough understanding of it; and, in order to compose, you have nothing to do but to ask yourself those questions; by which you will raise from your mind the latent matter, and having once got it, you may dispose of it, and put it into form afterward.

By this way of asking questions, a subject is drawn out, so that you may view it in all its parts, and treat it with little difficulty, provided you have acquired a competent knowledge of it by read ing or discoursing about it in time past: where no water is in the well, you may pump forever without effect.

THE Various kinds of ORIGINAL COMPOSITION, in which the preceding Rules and Exercises may be practiced, are Narrative, Descriptive, and Miscellaneous Essays.*

CHAPTER II.

NARRATIVE ESSAYS.

NARRATIVE essays relate events which should be recorded in the order of time; and facts, which should be mentioned in the order of place.

Write narrative essays from detached sentences given out by the teacher.

David was born at Bethlehem.

EXAMPLE

He was sent to the camp to inquire for his brothers.

He was provoked to hear the Israelites challenged by Goliath.

He slew their champion with a stone thrown from a sling, and the Phi listines fled t

*The teacher may occasionally vary the exercises in Original Composi tion, by making his pupils write them in the form of LETTERS, which ought to be composed in a more easy and familiar style than regular Essays.

The teacher can be at no loss for subjects of narrative essays. After his pupils have had some practice in original composition, he may discon tinue giving them detached sentences, especially when the narratives are taken from Scripture history.

CHAPTER III.

DESCRIPTIVE ESSAYS.

DESCRIPTIVE Essays give an account of persons, animals, places, objects, &c.

EXERCISES.

1. The Apostle Paul; his birthplace; by whom educated; in the opin ions of what sect; on what occasion first mentioned in Scripture; for what then remarkable; his conversion; subsequent history; for what distinguished.

2. Jerusalem; its situation; remarkable localities in the city and neighborhood; when first mentioned in history; to whom originally belonged, when the citadel taken by the Israelites; by whom made the capital; the most famous of its public buildings; how many times taken and plundered, the most remarkable events in its history; by whom destroyed; by whom rebuilt; present state.

3. Rome; by whom founded; on what built; most famous public build ings mentioned in history; extent and population in the time of Augustus, present state.

4. The elephant; where found; size; appearance; food; habits; utility 5. The seasons; appearances of nature; operations; amusements, &c. at the different periods of the year.

6. Give the principal events in the lives of characters recorded in the Scriptures.

7. Give an account of several events recorded therein.*

8. Describe certain animals, their habits, uses, &c.

9. Describe scenes and events that have been observed by the scholar.

10. Describe various occupations of life-kinds of business-amusements, &c.

11. Describe various studies-their uses, &c.

12. Give a description of familiar objects of sight-their forms, materials, structure, &c.

CHAPTER IV.

DESCRIPTIVE ESSAYS (continued).

COMPARE one object with another, pointing out the things in which they agree and in which they differ. For Examples take the following:

Water and air-a newspaper and a book-a tea-cup and a wineglass-a canal and a rail-road-a wagon and a sleigh-a horse and

*As recommended in the preceding note, the teacher may discontinue giving hints, when his pupils have had some practice in writing descrip tive essays. When they have a competent knowledge of geography and local history, narration and description may be combined by making them write imaginary excursions, travels, &c., either in the form of essays, letters, or journals.

an ox-a common school and an academy-a barometer and a thermometer-a pin and a needle-food and education-a tree and an animal-snow and rain.

CHAPTER V.

MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS.

WRITE miscellaneous essays according to the following method:

I. The DEFINITION: state the subject distinctly, and, if necessary, explain it by a formal definition, a paraphrase, or a description.

II. The CAUSE: show what is the occasion of the subject, or from what it proceeds.

III. The ANTIQUITY OF NOVELTY: show whether the subject was known in ancient times; in what state it was, if known; and in what state it is in modern times.

IV. The UNIVERSALITY or LOCALITY: show whether the sub. ject relates to the whole world, or only to a particular portion of it.

V. The EFFECTS: examine whether the subject be good or bad; show wherein its excellence or inferiority consists; and point out the advantages or disadvantages which arise from it Describe the feelings or reflections excited.

EXAMPLE.

On Friendship.*

I. Friendship is an attachment between persons of congenial disposi tions, habits, and pursuits.

II. It has its origin in the nature and condition of man. He is a social creature, and naturally loves to frequent the society, and enjoy the affections, of those who are like himself. He is also, individually, a feeble creature, and a sense of this weakness renders friendship indispensable to hin. When he has all other enjoyments within his reach, he still finds his happiness incomplete, unless participated by one whom he considers his friend. When in difficulty and distress, he looks around for advice, assistance, and consolation.

III. No wonder, therefore, that a sentiment of such importance to man should have been so frequently and so largely considered. We can scarcely open any of the volumes of antiquity without being reminded how excellent

This subject, and those which follow, may also be proposed in the form of questions; thus:

I. What is friendship?

II. What is the cause of friendship?

III. What was anciently thought of friendship, and what examples are on record? What is friendship seldom remarkable for in modern times? IV. Is friendship confined to any particular rank in life, or state of society?

V. What are the benefits of true, and the evils of false friendship'

a thing is friendship. The examples of David and Jonathan, Achilles and Patroclus, Pylades and Orestes, Nisus and Euryalus, Damon and Pythias, all show to what a degree of enthusiasm it was sometimes carried. But it is to be feared that, in modern times, friendship is seldom remarkable for similar devotedness. With some it is nominal rather than real, and with others it is regulated entirely by self-interest.

IV. Yet it would, no doubt, be possible to produce, from every rank in life, and from every state of society, instances of sincere and disinterested friendship, creditable to human nature, and to the age in which we live.

V. After these remarks, to enlarge on the benefits of possessing a real friend appears unnecessary. What would be more intolerable than the consciousness that, in all the wide world, not one heart beat in unison with our own, or cared for our welfare? What indescribable happiness must it be, on the other hand, to possess a real friend; a friend who will counsel, instruct, assist, who will bear a willing part in our calamity, and cordially rejoice when the hour of happiness returns! Let us remember, however, that all who assume the name of friends are not entitled to our confidence. History records many instances of the fatal consequences of infidelity in friendship; and it can not be denied that the world contains men, who are happy to find a heart they can pervert, or a head they can mislead, if thus their unworthy ends can be more surely attained

MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS (continued).

WRITE miscellaneous essays according to the following method :

I. The PROPOSITION, or NARRATIVE: where you show the meaning of the subject, by amplification, paraphrase, or explanation.

II. The REASON: where you prove the truth of the proposition by some reason or argument.

III. The CONFIRMATION: where you show the unreasonableness of the contrary opinion, or advance some other reason in support of the former.

IV. The SIMILE: where you illustrate the truth of what is affirmed by introducing some comparison.

V. The EXAMPLE: where you bring instances from history to corroborate the truth of your affirmations or the soundness of your reasoning.

VI. The TESTIMONY: where you introduce proverbial sentences,