THE ALDINE SPELLER

PART THREE
FIFTH YEAR

A place for everything & everything in its place

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Who misses or who wins the prize,
Go, lose or conquer as you can,
But if you fall, or if you rise,
Be each, pray God, a gentleman.
—Thackeray.

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CHEERFULNESS

If anything disagreeable happens, try to see the funny side of it, and do not let it destroy your peace of mind.

To see the funny side will often transform an unpleasant situation into a merry one.

Man is meant to be cheerful.

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The letters a, e, i, o, and u are vowels. The other letters of the alphabet are consonants.

Nouns ending in y, preceded by a consonant, form their plurals by changing the y to i and adding es. What word in Lesson 6 forms its plural in this way? Copy the following words; opposite each write its plural, following the rule above.

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The following ten words are very troublesome. See what is peculiar in each word. Write sentences containing these trouble makers and be very careful to spell them correctly. Write each of them several times and try to remember just how it looks.

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It is good to pardon, to be merciful, to be liberal; but it is better to be just.

Many of the misfortunes of life flee if you courageously meet them.—Talmage.

A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness reaps love.

Life is not so short but there is always time for courtesy.—Emerson.

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The word “impossible” is not in my dictionary.—Napoleon.

Like a postage stamp, a man’s value depends on his ability to stick to a thing till he gets there.—Joseph Chamberlain.

Through difficulties to the stars.—Motto of the State of Kansas.

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A lady once addressed a wounded soldier in a hospital as a hero. “I’m no hero, Madam,” insisted the brave invalid. “According to the official records, I’m just a private in the regular army.”

War Words

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Final y when preceded by a consonant is generally changed to i when a letter or a suffix is added to a word.

What word in Lesson 32 is affected by this rule? In Lesson 27?

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Noble deeds are held in honor,
But the wide world sorely needs
Hearts of patience to unravel this—
The worth of common deeds.
—Stedman.

I’ll mind my own business; what’s none of my profit shall be none of my peril.—Spanish.

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Write the plurals of university and society. Look carefully at the first a in separate, separately, separation.

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The true university of these days is a collection of books.—Carlyle.

In my study I am sure to converse with none but wise men, but abroad it is impossible to avoid the society of fools.—Sir William Waller.

There is no worse robber than a bad book.—Italian.

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The man of grit carries in his presence a power that controls and compels.

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More have repented of speech than of silence. Control your temper or it will control you.—Horace.

Notice the ee in speech and the ea in speaker.

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The highest charity is charity towards the uncharitable.—Buckminster.

I don’t believe the man is living,
Who feels not better for forgiving.
There is no severity like gentleness.
—French.

The rock that resists a crowbar gives way to the roots of a tender plant.—Tamil.

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Present neglect makes future regret.—Dutch.

A civil denial is better than a rude consent.—Scottish.

Caution is the parent of safety.—Scottish.

To return evil for evil is fiendish; good for good, human; good for evil, divine.—Spanish.

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Forgetting a wrong is a mild revenge.—Saint Francis.

But most of all respect thyself.—Greek.

To err is human, to forgive divine.—Pope.

Long ago brave knights rode about seeking and overcoming all dragons and demons that brought trouble to mankind. Today there are still many difficulties to be sought out and overcome. Some spelling words cause so much trouble that they have been called “Spelling Demons.” You will find one hundred of these on this and the following page. Have you already overcome them all? If not, do it now.

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LEARNING

Knowledge comes but wisdom lingers.—Tennyson.

Good instruction is better than riches.—William Penn.

If you will not hear Reason she will rap your knuckles.—Franklin.

He who does not advance, recedes.—Latin.

Study two of the above proverbs and write them from memory.

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He gives double who gives unasked.—Arabian.

There is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers.—Seneca.

The giver makes the gift more precious.—Latin.

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No trials, no triumphs.

A cause that cannot stand defeat is not worth fighting for.

Rewrite one of the above quotations, giving the meaning in your own words.

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THE WOLF AND THE SHEEP

A wolf that had been bitten by a dog, lay under a hedge unable to move. A sheep wandered by and the wolf summoned her to his relief.

“I am perishing. Please bring me some water from your trough,” he begged. “If you will supply me with water, I will provide my own meat.”

The frightened sheep retreated rapidly, saying, “I see through your scheme, you brutal rogue. I know how you will secure your meat. If I come near enough to give you a drink, you will make mincemeat of me.”—Æsop.

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Shallow vessels carry light freight.—French.

Fools are the worst thieves. They rob time and temper.—Goethe.

A fool loses his estate before he learns his folly.—French.

A fool who will confess,
Is a fool who will progress.

Some nouns ending in f form their plurals by changing the f to v, and adding es.

Write the plurals of the words in the next lesson.

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School Words

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Be careful of the or in professor.

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A professor in a certain college liked to confuse the students by asking unexpected questions. One very cold night he asked a bright student how many stars are in the sky.

“Wait, professor, and I will tell you,” replied the student, and commenced to count very slowly. When he had reached two hundred, the professor, who was half frozen, exclaimed hoarsely, “That will do! I admit that you are a wonderful student. Your method is slow and the results will doubtless be accurate, but I will detain you no longer.”

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To stand by one’s friend to the uttermost end,
And fight a fair fight with one’s foes;
Never to quit and never to twit
And never to peddle one’s woes.
—George B. Chandler.

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“I Can” is a worker; he tills the broad fields,
And digs from the earth all the wealth that it yields;
The hum of his spindles begins with the light,
And the fires of his forges are blazing all night.
—W. A. Butler.

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Some Letter Signatures

To members of the family or to friends.

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Business Signatures

Write from memory two signatures to friendly letters and one to a business letter, signing your name.

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Norton, Mass.,
Dec. 14, 1809.

Dear Father:

I received your letter and to prove to you how important I regard the rules you gave me, I am following your advice by writing to you at once. First I will proceed to describe to you the arrangement of my desk as you say it is most necessary to attend to this before attempting to write. My desk is tidy. The articles on it are arranged neatly. You can see from this letter that I have obeyed your rules for writing. I have used the eraser when necessary. There are no blots. Finally I think the writing is neat and there are no misspelled words.

Does this satisfy you, Father? If so remember our bargain and bring me the violin on your return. Come soon for I am lonesome without you.

I go skating every day. Of course I am not yet a skillful skater, but I am slowly improving.

I shall be careful in addressing the envelope to use capitals and to place a period after every initial. I want my letter within and without to satisfy you.

Your obedient son,

John.

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This letter, almost exactly as given in your book, was written by a boy of long ago in answer to a letter from his father.

What rules did his father give him about his desk? Using the eraser? Blots? Spelling?

What bargain did he make with his son?

Write a letter like the one you think John’s father sent to him.

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The Cock and the Diamond

A cock scratching in a barren field found a diamond buried in the soil.

The curious hens attracted by the sparkling jewel gathered eagerly around him. The cock was plainly disappointed.

“How lovely!” exclaimed an old hen. “Do you realize that you have found a diamond? Are you aware that diamonds are very costly?”

“I don’t care how costly this jewel may be,” answered the sensible cock. “Although it may be the biggest diamond in the world I’ll gladly exchange it for a kernel of corn, a nut, or a fat beetle.”—Æsop.

Review List

The following are among the 1000 most common words. You have studied every one of them. Every boy and girl at the end of the fifth grade should be able to spell them correctly.