has endeavored to pursue a more judicious one, namely, "the order of the
understanding."

The learner should commence, _not by committing and rehearsing_, but by
reading attentively the first _two_ lectures several times over. He
ought then to parse, according to the _systematic order_, the examples
given for that purpose; in doing which, as previously stated, he has an
opportunity of committing all the definitions and rules belonging to the
parts of speech included in the examples.

The COMPENDIUM, as it presents to the eye of the learner a condensed but
comprehensive view of the whole science, may be properly considered an
"Ocular Analysis of the English language." By referring to it, the young
student is enabled to apply all his definitions and rules from the very
commencement of his parsing. To some, this mode of procedure may seem
rather tedious; but it must appear obvious to every person of
discernment, that a pupil will learn more by parsing _five_ words
critically, and explaining them fully, than he would by parsing _fifty_
words superficially, and without understanding their various properties.
The teacher who pursues this plan, is not under the necessity of hearing
his pupils recite a single lesson of _definitions_ committed to memory,
for he has a fair opportunity of discovering their knowledge of these as
they evince it in parsing. All other directions necessary for the
learner in school, as well as for the _private learner_, will be given
in the succeeding pages of the work. Should these feeble efforts prove a
saving of much time and expense to those young persons who may be
disposed to pursue this science with avidity, by enabling them easily to
acquire a critical knowledge of a branch of education so important and
desirable, the author's fondest anticipations will be fully realized;
but should his work fall into the hands of any who are expecting, by the