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THE EXERCISES

ADAPTED TO

MURRAY'S

ENGLISH GRAMMAR.

CALCULATED TO ENABLE PRIVATE LEARNERS

TO BECOME THEIR OWN INSTRUCTERS,

IN GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION.

BY THE AUTHOR OF THE EXERCISES.

FROM THE TWELFTH LONDON EDITION.

NEW-YORK:

PRINTED AND SOLD BY COLLINS AND Co.

NO. 189, PEARL-STREET.

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LISPARY

CAUTION, BY THE AMERICAN PUBLISHERS. Men's Auma Barrows

AS the correfpondents of LINDLEY MURRAY, and publishers of his various works, COLLINS & Co. think it neceffary to apprise the public, that feveral editions of the Grammar have been printed in different parts of the United States, with alterations of the original text, for which copy-rights have been claimed by the parties concerned, to fecure to themselves an emolument arifing from an exclufive fale. One edition of the Abridged Grammar, has been published by a teacher, at Boston, fortened, because it was conceived by him to have been before too long. Another has been published by a teacher at Philadelphia, fomewhat enlarged, because he confidered it before too fhort. A third has been published at Worcester, by a teacher, who, thinking it to be neither too short nor too long, has introduced a "New Syftem of Punctuation" only. A fourth has been published at Hartford, alfo enlarged, but with totally different motives from the edition of Philadelphia. It alfo diffents from that printed as Worcester, even fpecifying in its title page, that it contains "Murray's Treatife on Punctuation at large." Although altered with fuch contradictory views, cach claims a preference, each claims a copy-right, and each claims a profit. The publisher of one of the altered editions (that at Philadelphia) announces, that "the manifeft fuperiority of his, over every other American edition of Murray's Abridgment, muft enfure to it a decided preference wherever it can be obtained."!!

It will amufe many to be made acquainted with the ingenious expedients used by fome of the authors of these mutilated editions to give them importance. The editor of the Philadelphia edition, though perhaps the leaft valuable of the whole, in recommendation of his performance, addreffes the public thus:

"The very rapid fale of the former edition of this book, and its extenfive circulation throughout the continent, now induce me to publifh a fecond."

This "former edition," it is neceffary to remark, confifted of one thousand copies, which, aided by a series of newfpaper advertifements, were pufhed off in eighteen months, that period having elapfed between the appearance of the first and the fecond edition. Of the REAL Murray's Abridgment, or that made by LINDLEY MURRAY himself, there have been fold, during the fame period, in the cities of New-York and Philadelphia alone, not lefs than twenty thousand. The prefent advertisers have themselves publifhed ten thoufand, and it is not pretended that their editions have been circulated " THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENT." Not a copy has probably ever reached Cape Horn, Baffin's Bay, nor Nootka Sound, "throughout" all which places, it would feem that the production of the fingular Grammarian of Philadelphia has had an "extenfive circulation." !!

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The fame editor, with fingular acuteness, urges his fuperiority over LINDLEY MURRAY, because, forfooth! he (the editor) is cannot be fo "experienced teacher." Murray, he well acquainted," &c. &c. It does not appear to have occurred to him that three equally, or perhaps more "experienced teachers," as we have had occafion to fee, totally differ from him, have altered the work for reafons directly oppofite, have all had perhaps quite as much of the support and "recommendations" of particular friends, and have all, no doubt, thought themselves entitled to improvereceive as large a pecuniary compenfation for their " ments." !!!

Ille finiftrorfum, bic dextrorfum, unus utrique
ERROR, fed variis illudit partibus omnes.

HOR.

In juftice, however, to fome of the friends of the editor of the Philadelphia edition, who gave him written recommendations of it for the newspapers, it should be mentioned that they have fince honourably laid that book afide, and adopted the genuine grammar of Murray.

In confequence of the merits of the Grammar, as it came, in purity, from the pen of the author, about fifty thousand copies of the Abridgment, and thirty-five thousand of the Large Grammar, are fold annually. The former, in the fhort period of eleven years, has passed through twenty-one editions in England, and perhaps twice that number in America. The latter, twenty editions in England, and about thirty in America. Murray's Grammar is adopted in nearly all the Colleges and other Seminaries of education, in both countries, as the STANDARD. Every English Critic and Reviewer, who has mentioned it, has reprefented it as the beft extant. The celebrated Dr. BLAIR, and WALKER, the Lexicographer, (a very experienced teacher") are among those who have the most warmly recommended it. Is it a light matter for American teachers to alter fuch a work?

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Indeed the fact fhould not, in this place, be withheld from the public that the whole of the above mutilated editions have been feen and examined by LINDLEY MURRAY himself, and that they have met with his decided difapprobation. Every rational mind will agree with him, that "the rights of living authors, and the interefts of Science and Literature, demand the abolition of this ungenerous practice;" for furely it is not a small evil that an elementary work which has met with universal approbation, paffed through twenty-eight editions, been adopted as the ftandard in our Colleges, which has coft the author years of reflection to bring into fyftem and order, and to make correct and harmonious in all its parts, fhould be deranged, mutilated and distorted by the crude and hafty variations and additions of an interested editor.

As fome of the editors above alluded to, have endeavoured to justify themselves by afferting that even LINDLEY MURRAY approved of their different alterations, and have heaped on the advertisers much abufe for exposing their contradictions, &c. there fhall be adduced at this time an extract of a letter from Lindley Murray, which will perhaps induce them to be more cautious in charging C. & Co. with " vindictive calumny" in future.

"I am much indebted to Collins & Co. for the neat and correct manner in which they reprint my publications; and for their care and exertions to exhibit the books AS THEY WERE PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, and especially with His latest improvements. I fhall make it a point to communicate to them from time to time, and as early as poffible, copies of all the new and improved editions of the books. It affords me a peculiar gratification to perceive that my publications are fo extensively diffused over my native country."

COLLINS & Co. think it due to the author of this very valuable Grammar, as well as to the cause of literature in general, to make known that, although they are at all times enabled to fupply the latest American editions of the real Murray's Grammar, yet they are indifpofed to monopolize the profits arifing from the fale of a book, whofe author would himself never receive any; and that they will therefore, with readiness, as they have done heretofore, furnish the latest London editions, which they regularly receive from the author, to any refpectable printers, refiding in other parts of the United States, who will only engage to print them handfomely and correctly.

The following is a list of COLLINS & Co.'s editions of Murray's works, with their prices at retail, and by the dozen.

Wholesale Retail. per Doz. Dols. Cts.

Gents.

1. First Book for Children, from 4th Eng. edit.
2. An English Spelling-Book,
3. An English Gram. together with the Exercises

and Key, 8vo. 2nd Edition,

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9th do.

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3.00

4. An Eng. Grammar, Stereotype Edition,
5. Eng. Exercifes to the Grammar,
6. A Key to the English Exercises,
7. An Abridgment of the Grammar,
8. Introduction to the Eng. Reader,

21ft do.

75

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30th do.

25

7th do.

62

9. The English Reader,

10th do.

75

10. Sequel to the English Reader,

11. Introduction au Lecteur François,

12. Lecteur François,

13. The Power of Religion on the Mind, 13th do. 1 00

3d do.

87플

87

2d do. I 25

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ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE TENTH EDITION.

16040

THE author of this work, and of the books connected with it, thinks it is incumbent upon him to make fome apology, for the variations which are to be found in the different editions. The infirm state of his health; his numerous occupations; and the quick fucceffion of new editions of his English Grammar, English Exercifes, and Key to the Exercises, prevented him from giving these books, at an early period of their publication, all the improvements which he had contemplated, or which had been occafionally fuggefted to him. The fucceffive additions and improvements which these works have received, and which fometimes occafioned a want of correspondence amongst them, must certainly have been productive of inconvenience or expenfe, to many perfons who had purchased the earlier editions. This, though the author regretted the circumftance, was, for the reasons alleged, unavoidable. He muft either have fuppreffed the improvements entirely, or have inferted them gradually as the new editions appeared: but as he conceived them to be of confiderable importance, he could not think it warrantable to omit them; and the approbation of the public has confirmed him in the propriety of this decifion.

It is with particular fatisfaction that the author can now state, that the additions and alterations which he had in view, are com pleted, and are contained in the Stereotype edition of the Grammar, the twelfth of the Exercises, and the tenth of the Key; that these editions of the books correfpond exactly to one another; and that it is his intention that, in every future edition of each of them, this correfpondence fhall be faithfully preserved.

It is indeed poffible, that fome illuftrations or justification of particular rules and positions contained, in the Grammar, may yet be neceffary. But if, contrary to expectation, this should be the cafe, the practical parts of the fyftem will not be affected by fuch additions. The connexion, as it now fubfifts, between the Grammar, the Exercises, and the Key, will remain invariably the fame; unless fome error, at present unobserved, should hereafter be discovered.

As the types compofing the Grammar have, for a confiderable time, been kept ftanding; and as the book could not be enlarged without advancing its price; many of the fubfequent improvements have been neceffarily inferted in appropriate parts of the Exercises, or the Key. References have, however, been made in the Grammar, under the correfpondent rules, to the additional notes and

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