scream, scrape, scrap; squib square squat; strip stray strive; spread sprawl sprout; spleen split splay — thrift thread thrive; thwack thwaite thwart free fret frame, froth froze frown; flee flit fly, flood flounce flue-prim prate pry; please play plat brim breath braid, bride broil brawn; blear blench black, blithe block blue.

55. FINAL COMBINATIONS.

act duct, liked rocked; necks tax; facts picts; next taxed; look'dst conduct'st begged jogged; kegs mugs; digg'st lagg'st ink thank, bank monk inks banks; thanked ranked; think'st rank'st-bang'd long'd; long'dst throng'dst -fished flushed-pitched touched-gouged obliged -jerk work, ark fork; burg, marsh; march lurch; dirge forge; earl furl, marl whorl; earn fern, barn turn, morn mcurn; mart heart, sort sport; herd bird, hired spared; parse terse; ears cares; mirth forth; murther northern; sc'arf wharf; serve c'arve; chirp warp; curb orb; firm storm; worked marked; lurks storks; burgs orgues; marched scorched; charged urged; snarled world; pearls curls; learnt burnt; ir'ned warned; starts warts; c'ards words; first dar'st; earth'd; fourths; sc'arf'd; turfs; starved; curves; corpse; warp'd; curbed; g'arbs; armed formed; farms storms; lurk'st; hurt'st; usurp'st; charm'st; mark'dst (?); perch'dst (?); urg'dst (?); learn'dst; reserv❜dst; usurp'dst (?); curb dst (?); charm'dst ; milk elk; walsh; filch; bilge; fall'n stolen; felt salt; filled told; else false; bells tolls; filth; wolf; delve; scalp; bulb; film elm, culm holm; milk'd skulk'd; silks elks; filched; bilged; wilts bolts; scalds folds; Tobolsk; call'st repulsed; ingulfed; sylphs; twelfth; twelfths; delved; elves; gulped; alps; bulbs; film'd; helms; wilt'st; fill'dst; help'st; delv'dst (?) sent wont; end find; dense once; banns duns; tenth ninth; ants wants; ends bonds; canst fenc'd; bronzed; tenths routes flutes; eighth bids adze desk cask; fist most; lisp gasp; risked; basks; beasts fists, wastes lasts, busts costs,

foists roasts; wasp; lisp'd gasp'd; ask'st; sized buzzed; schism* prism, chasm spasm, witticism ostracism scath'd froth'd; friths truths; breathed bathed; breathes paths; rhythm;* breath'dst (?); sift lift; cuffs proofs; fifth; wefts; laugh'st doff'st; left'st-lived moved; doves coves; lov'st prov'st; liv'dst-heaped apt; cups fops; hop'st dup'st; copts; shap'dst (?) — ebb'd fobb'd; cubs snobs; blab’dst (?) — lamed combed; claims brooms; vamp dump; pump'd swamp'd; imps stamps; roam'dst (?); pump'st romp❜dst (?)

NOTE. However perfect in articulation one may have become, it will always be found a useful practice to spell, or, at least, to pronounce, with deliberation, fulness, and force, a page or two of words, just before beginning to speak in public. A page of words without any connection of sense is best for this purpose, and the foregoing examples of combinations afford more exercise of the sort than can easily be found in the same space elsewhere.

In such practice, and in all practice, in articulation, the endeavor should not be to make the sounds with the least possible movement of the mouth. The contrary is a better rule, but that must not be allowed to change the sounds from their true forms.

* A tonic should never be inserted between the combined subtonics in schism, rhythm, &e.

THE

FOURTH CLASS READER.

I. THE DIAMOND AND THE LOADSTONE.

DODSLEY.

A DIAMOND, of great beauty and lustre, occupied a place in a cabinet,* in common with many other less valuable gems. Near him was a Loadstone, which appeared to the eye a coarse, ordinary pebble, not better than a bit of flint. The Diamond inquired of him how he came to be ranked among the precious stones, having not the least shining quality to advance him to such an honor. He concluded with desiring his humble neighbor to keep his distance, and pay a proper respect to his superiors.

"I find," said the Loadstone, "that you judge of things by their external appearance, and condemn without due examination; but I will be more fair with you. I am willing to allow you your due praise: you are a pretty bawble: I am delighted to see you sparkle and glitter. I look upon you with pleasure; but I must be convinced that you are of some use before I acknowledge that you have any real merit, or treat you with that respect which you seem to demand.

* Cabinet, a box with drawers, in which coins or jewels, or other valuable things, are kept.

"With regard to myself, I confess that I am not beautiful, as you are; but I may venture to say that I make amends for that by my substantial good qualities. The great improvement of navigation * is owing to me. By me the distant parts of the world have been made known, and brought near to each other by me the most remote nations are united into one common society; by a mutual intercourse they relieve one another's wants, and all enjoy the several blessings peculiar to each.

"The world is indebted to me for a great part of its wealth, its splendor, and its power. By me the arts and sciences are diffused over the earth, and the gospel is preached to the heathen. All these blessings are due to me. I have, therefore, as good a right to be in this cabinet as you; for though you have a showy outside, I am useful.”

This fable teaches us that men and things are to be valued for their useful qualities, and not for their looks. The diamond is a very beautiful object, and on that account is worn as an ornament. The loadstone is a stone, found in iron mines, which attracts iron; and when it is rubbed against an iron needle, it causes the needle to point north and south.

By this property, men are able to make the mariner's compass, which consists of a card, resting on one of these needles, and made to turn round easily. By looking at it the sailor can always tell which is north and which is south, in the stormiest weather and the darkest night. Thus men are able to make very long voyages; but formerly they could go only a little ways from the shore. The loadstone, therefore, had a right to value itself beyond the diamond, because it was so useful.

*Navigation, the art of sailing and managing ships.

II. THE ARAB AND HIS HORSE; OR, THE POWER OF CONSCIENCE.

THE Arabs have very fine and swift horses, of which they are extremely fond; and they are very unwilling to sell them. Those of them who live in the desert parts of Arabia are called Bedouins: they dwell in tribes, or large companies, something like our North American Indians.

In one of these tribes there was a man named Naber, who had a very beautiful horse, the fame of which was spread far and wide. A man belonging to another tribe, whose name was Daher, desired extremely to possess this horse. He offered for it his camels and all his possessions; but in vain, for his owner would not part with it at any price. As he could not buy it, he determined to get it by a trick. He stained his face with the juice of an herb, clothed himself in ragged garments, and bandaged up one of his legs; so as to appear like a lame beggar.

In this state, he went to wait for Naber, the owner of the horse, who, he knew, was to pass that way. When he saw Naber approaching on his beautiful horse, he cried out in a weak voice, "I am a poor stranger: for three days I have been unable to stir from this spot to seek for food. I am dying: help me, and Heaven will reward you."

The Bedouin kindly offered to take him up on his horse, and carry him home; but the rogue replied, "I cannot rise: I have no strength left."

Naber, touched with pity, dismounted, led his horse to the spot, and, with much difficulty, set the pretended beggar on its back. But no sooner did Daher find himself in the saddle, than he set spurs to the horse, and galloped off, calling out as he did so, "It is I, Daher: I have got the horse, and am off with it."

Naber called after him to stop and listen. He turned and halted after he had ridden a short distance; for he feared lest Naber, who was armed with a spear, would kill him if he came