composition is disregarded. The discipline of Westminster school-beneath whose sacred shade some of the brightest ornaments of Great Britain have been formed-requires the exertions of its students to be employed in English composition once in every week.

But there is another and a far more powerful recommendation of the regimen of Westminster school to be found in its solicitous inculcation of religious worship. On every Sabbath day, on every Saturday, and on every day appointed by the church to be kept holy, the Westminster scholars are required to attend divine service. Nor is this all-they are enjoined to exercises upon the scriptures once in every week, and Grotius de veritate Religionis Christianæ, is one of their appointed readings. These circumstances confer on public education the highest eulogium.

In these days, wherein systematic infidelity is so industriously insinuated, no Christian can withhold from public schools the tribute of cordial admiration.

After the sincere opinion which the author has thus expressed of education in public schools, he entertains an earnest hope that his work will not be considered as an attempt to interfere with the economy of those respected establishments. He is rather inclined to encourage an humble expectation that his work will not be deemed unworthy of their service, nor inconsistent with their established regulations*.

The introduction is now concluded; and the work goes into the world with the author's most ardent wishes that it may be acceptable to those who teach, and to those who study the art of English composition.

* I beg leave to say, that although I have selected Westminster school as the more peculiar object of my humble praise, it has not been with the most remote intention of inculcating a disparagement of the other similar establishments. But having been engaged in the extra tuition of some students in that school, I felt myself more competent to speak of that, than of other national academies.

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE

SECOND EDITION.

THE notice which this little book has obtained, gives me an assurance that the wishes I entertained for its success and utility have not been disappointed. I cannot better express the grateful sentiments which this public patronage has excited, than by rendering to the present edition every improvement I can bestow.

The book will be found considerably enlarged by additional examples illustrative of the rules it formerly contained. A list of subjects has also been added, for the exercise of students, in the first three parts of the work. But the chief peculiarity of this edition consists in the fourth part of the work, the whole

of which is an increase to the former impres sion.

The object of this portion of the volume, is to discipline the mind into the practice of discovering and producing its own resources. The rules contained in the former divisions, teach the art of discussing subjects by three operations, those of definition, judgment, and argumentation. According to this mode, the student has to define the subject proposed, to form an opinion on it, and to state the reasons upon which that opinion was obtained. But it will occur to many persons, that it is not so easy, as it may at first seem, for a young person to ascertain and express the considerations from which his conclusion or judgment has proceeded. The object, therefore, of the additional part, has been to furnish rules which will probably remove the apparent difficulty.

I will not solicit indulgence to this attempt: because those who are aware of the inconveniences in framing such precepts as will expand the youthful intellect, will make sufficient allowance.

THEMES

EXPLAINED AND ILLUSTRATED.

A THEME is only the miniature of a declamation, essay, oration, or sermon. In each of these species of composition, a subject is proposed, an inference drawn ; and arguments adduced to support and authorize that conclusion. If no more be indispensable in these extended writings, neither can any thing further be necessary to constitute a theme.

The commencement in the art of literary composition, requires nothing more than a gentle exercise of reason. No one attempting this accomplishment, can hope to arrive at immediate perfection: the gradations of art are aways laborious. The theory and idiom of the language must be first attained; for who can express his ideas by words, the relative dependency of which he has not ascertained. The habit of considering various subjects, and of arranging the thoughts which they sug