A Period is the longeft, at which you paufe one, two, three, four. ?A Note of Interrogation is as long a ftop as a period, and fhows that a question is afked. ! A Note of Admiration is as long a ftop as a period, and shows that fomething ftrange and furpri fing is expreffed. () A Parenthefis includes a part of a sentence, which must be read with a lower tone of voice, and quicker than the rest of the fentence. [] Brackets or Hooks include a word or fentence, which ferves to explain fomething faid before. An Apoftrophe fhows that a letter or fyllable is left out, as lov'd for loved. A Hyphen joins words and fyllables together; as fchool-boy. A A Caret fhows that a letter or word is left out; 66 A Quotation includes words taken from another author. An Index points to a remarkable paffage. An Afterisk or Star points to the bottom of the page, or to the margin, where fomething is explained. tl Thefe are all references, which ferve for the fame purpose as the Afterisk. TABLE XXIII. Of ABBREVIATIONS. A. B. Bachelor of Arts. A. M. Mafter of Arts. G. or Cent. a hundred. B.B. Bachelor of Divinity. Co. Company. *Cr. Credit. No. Number. D. D. Doctor of Divinity. N. S. New. Stile. Do. Ditto. Per. cent. by the hundred. *F.R.S. Fellow of the Roy- P. M. Afternoon. al Society. Hon. Honorable. i. e. That is. P. S. Postscript. 2 Question. Rev. Reverend. LL. D. Doctor of Laws. St. Saint. L. S. The place of the Seal. S. T. P. Profeffor of Di M. B. Bachelor of Phyfic. vinity. S.T.D. Doctor of Divinity. . To wit, namely. viz To wit, namely. &c. And fo forth. U.S. A. United States of 37 XVII feventeen 19 XIX nineteen 20 XX twenty fix hundred 700 DCC feven hundred 800 DCCC eight hundred 900 DCCCC nine hundred 1000 M one thousand 1808 MDCCCVIII one thousand eight hundred and eight. A FABLE I. Of the RAVEN and the FOX. Raven, having found a piece of cheefe, perched on a tree to eat it. A fox, feeing her, long ed to partake of the fweet morfel. He immediately began to entertain her by praifing the beauty of her fhape, and the brilliancy of her plumage. The Fox perceiving that the Raven liftened with attention, and was highly pleafed with his encomiums, obferved, that it was a great pity that her finging did not better agree with her other rare qualities. The Raven, defrous to convince the Fox that her voice was not difagree able, immediately began to fing. The moment the opened her mouths down fell the cheese to the ground. This was juft what the Fox wanted. He immediate ly feized it, and devoured it before the eyes of the Raven; who fat, confounded at her own ftupidity and vexed, that fhe fhould be fo foolish as to liften to the falfe flattery of the treacherous Fox. MORAL. This teaches us to beware of flattery; and not t pretend to poffefs charms, which nature has denied us A FABLE III. Of the EAGLE and the CROW. N Eagle, one day, found an oyfter, which he had a great inclination to eat; but with all her dexterity and fkill, fhe could not find means to open the hell. A Crow, paffing that way, and obferving the anxiety of the Egle, told her he could eafily put her in a way to accomplish her wishes. The Eagle liftened to his advice; and the Crow told her, that the best way was to take the oyster in her claws, and carry it high in the air, and let it fall upon a rock. In the mean time, he placed himself near the rock; and, no fooner was the oyfter opened by the fall, than he feized the meat and fwallowed it, leaving nothing but the fhell to the poor Eagle, as a reward for her credulity. MORAL. Study the character of perfon well, before you confide in his counfel. 2 |