The Art of Writing & Speaking the English Language Part 8

I stopped there a few moments.

Etc., etc.

Quotations.

Heaven's _gate_ is shut to him who comes alone. --_Whittier_.

Many a _tale_ of former day Shall wing the laughing hours away. --_Byron_.

Fair hands the broken grain shall sift, And _knead_ its meal of gold. --_Whittier_.

They are slaves who fear to speak For the fallen and the _weak. --Lowell_.

If any man hath ears to _hear,_ let him hear.

And he saith unto them, Take heed what ye _hear. --Bible_.

Hark! I _hear_ music on the zephyr's wing. --_Sh.e.l.ley_.

_Row,_ brothers, _row,_ the stream runs fast, The rapids are near, and the daylight's past! --_Moore_.

Each boatman bending to his _oar,_ With measured sweep the burden bore. --_Scott_.

The visions of my youth are past, _Too_ bright, _too_ beautiful to last. --_Bryant_.

(We seldom err in the use of _to_ and _two_; but in how many different ways may _too_ properly be used?)

With kind words and kinder looks he _bade_ me go my way.

--_Whittier_.

(The _a_ in _bade_ is short.)

Then, as to greet the sunbeam's birth, Rises the choral _hymn_ of earth. --_Mrs. Hemans_.

Come thou with me to the vineyards nigh, And we'll pluck the grapes of the richest _dye. --Mrs. Hemans_.

If any one attempts to _haul_ down the American flag, shoot him on the spot. --_John A. Dix_.

In all the trade of war, no _feat_ Is n.o.bler than a brave retreat. --_Samuel Butler_.

His form was bent, and his _gait_ was slow, His long thin hair was white as snow. --_George Arnold_.

Green pastures she views in the midst of the dale, Down which she so often has tripped with her _pail.

--Wordsworth_.

Like Aesop's fox when he had lost his _tail_, would have all his fellow-foxes cut off theirs. --_Robert Burton_.

He that is thy friend indeed, He will help thee in thy _need. --Shakspere_.

Flowery May, who from her green lap throws The yellow cowslip, and the _pale_ primrose. --_Milton_.

What, keep a _week_ away? Seven days and seven nights?

Eight score and eight hours? --_Shakspere_.

Spring and Autumn _here_ Danc'd hand in hand. --_Milton_.

Chasing the wild _deer,_ and following the _roe,_ My heart's in the Highlands wherever I go. --_Burns_.

Th' allotted hour of daily sport is _o'er,_ And Learning beckons from her temple's door? --_Byron_.

_To_ know, to esteem, to love, and then to part, Makes up life's tale to many a feeling heart. --_Coleridge_.

Bad men excuse their faults, good men will leave them.

--_Ben Jonson_.

He was a man, take _him_ for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again. --_Shakspere_.

There will little learning _die_ then, that day thou art hanged. --_Shakspere_.

Be merry all, be merry all, With holly dress the festive _hall. --W. R. Spencer_.

When youth and pleasure meet, To chase the glowing hours with flying _feet. --Byron_.

Quotations containing words in the following list may be found in "Wheeler's Graded Studies in Great Authors: A Complete Speller," from which the preceding quotations were taken. Use these words in sentences, and if you are not sure of them, look them up in the dictionary, giving especial attention to quotations containing them.

ale dear rode ore blew awl thyme new ate lief cell dew sell won praise high prays hie be inn ail road rowed by?

great aught foul mean seam moan knot rap bee wrap not loan told cite hair seed night knit made peace in waist bread climb?

rice male none plane pore fete poll sweet throe borne root been load feign forte vein kill rime shown wrung hew ode ere wrote?

isle throne vane seize sore slight freeze knave fane reek Rome rye style flea faint peak throw bourn route soar sleight frieze nave reck?

our stair capitol alter pearl might kiln rhyme shone rung hue pier strait wreck sear Hugh lyre whorl surge purl altar cannon ascent principle

blue tier so all two time knew ate leaf one due sew tear buy lone hare night clime sight tolled site knights maid cede beech waste bred piece sum plum e'er cent son weight tier rein weigh heart wood paws?

heard sent sun some air tares rain way wait threw fir hart pause would pear fair mane lead meat rest scent bough reign scene sail bier pray right toe yew sale prey rite rough tow steal done bare their creek?

wares urn plait arc bury peal doe grown flue know sea lie mete lynx bow stare belle read grate ark ought slay thrown vain bin lode fain fort fowl mien write mown sole drafts fore ba.s.s beat seem steel dun?

sere wreak roam wry flee feint pique mite seer idle pistol flower holy serf borough capital canvas indict martial kernel carat bridle lesson council collar levy accept affect deference emigrant prophesy sculptor plaintive populous ingenious lineament desert extent pillow stile?

mantle weather barren current miner cellar mettle pendent advice illusion a.s.say felicity genius profit statute poplar precede lightning patience devise disease insight dissent decease extant dessert ingenuous liniment stature sculpture fissure facility essay allusion advise pendant metal seller minor complement

through fur fare main pare beech meet wrest led bow seen earn plate wear rote peel you berry flew know dough groan links see lye bell?

soul draught four base beet heel but steaks coa.r.s.e choir cord chaste boar b.u.t.t stake waive choose stayed cast maze ween hour birth horde aisle core?

bear there creak bore ball wave chews staid caste maize heel bawl course quire chord chased tide sword mail nun plain pour fate wean h.o.a.rd berth?

descent incite pillar device patients lightening proceed plaintiff prophet immigrant fisher difference presents effect except levee choler counsel lessen bridal carrot colonel marshal indite a.s.sent sleigh?

currant baron wether mantel princ.i.p.al burrow canon surf wholly serge whirl liar idyl flour pistil idol rise rude team corps peer straight teem reed beau compliment

The preceding list contains several pairs of words often confused with each other though they are not p.r.o.nounced exactly alike.

Of course when confusion actually exists in a person's mind, a drill on distinctions is valuable. But in very many cases no confusion exists, and in such cases it is worse than unfortunate to introduce it to the mind. In any case it is by far the better way to drill upon each word separately, using it in sentences in as many different ways as possible; and the more familiar of two words p.r.o.nounced alike or nearly alike should be taken up first. When that is fixed, pa.s.sing attention may be given to the less familiar; but it is a great error to give as much attention to the word that will be little used as to the word which will be used often. In the case of a few words such as _principle_ and _princ.i.p.al, counsel_ and _council,_ confusion is inevitable, and the method of distinction and contrast must be used; but even in cases like this, the method of studying each word exhaustively by itself will undoubtedly yield good results.

Division of Words into Syllables.