speaking
the English language correctly. It implies, in the adept, such knowledge as
enables him to avoid improprieties of speech; to correct any errors that
may occur in literary compositions; and to parse, or explain grammatically,
whatsoever is rightly written.

_To read_ is to perceive what is written or printed, so as to understand
the words, and be able to utter them with their proper sounds.

_To write_ is to express words and thoughts by letters, or characters,
made with a pen or other instrument.

_To speak_ is to utter words orally, in order that they may be heard and
understood.

Grammar, like every other liberal art, can be properly taught only by a
regular analysis, or systematic elucidation, of its component parts or
principles; and these parts or principles must be made known chiefly by
means of definitions and examples, rules and exercises.

A _perfect definition_ of any thing or class of things is such a
description of it, as distinguishes that entire thing or class from every
thing else, by briefly telling _what it is_.

An _example_ is a particular instance or model, serving to prove or
illustrate some given proposition or truth.

A _rule of grammar_ is some law, more or less general, by which custom
regulates and prescribes the right use of language.

An _exercise_ is some technical performance required of the learner in
order to bring his knowledge and skill into practice.

LANGUAGE, in the primitive sense of the term, embraced only vocal
expression, or human speech uttered by the mouth; but after letters were
invented to represent articulate sounds, language became twofold, _spoken_
and _written_, so that the term, _language_, now signifies, _any series of
sounds or letters formed into words and employed for the expression of
thought._

Of the composition of language we have also two kinds, _prose_ and _verse_;
the latter requiring a certain number and variety of syllables in each
line, but the former being free from any such restraint.

The _least parts_ of written language are letters; of spoken language,
syllables; of language significant in each part, words; of language
combining thought, phrases; of language subjoining sense, clauses; of
language cooerdinating sense, members; of language completing sense,
sentences.

A discourse, or narration, of any length, is but a series of sentences;
which, when written, must be separated by the proper points, that the
meaning and relation