SPELLING is the art of expressing a word by its proper letters.

The following rules are deemed important in practice, although they
assist us in spelling only a small portion of the words of our language.
This useful art is to be chiefly acquired by studying the spelling-book
and dictionary, and by strict attention in reading.

RULE I. Monosyllables ending in _f, l_, or _s_, double the final or
ending consonant when it is preceded by a _single_ vowel; as _staff,
mill, pass_. Exceptions; _of, if, is, as, lids, was, yes, his, this,
us_, and _thus_.

_False Orthography for the learner to correct_.--Be thou like the
gale that moves the gras, to those who ask thy aid.--The aged hero
comes forth on his staf; his gray hair glitters in the beam.--Shal
mortal man be more just than God?--Few know the value of health til
they lose it.--Our manners should be neither gros, nor excessively
refined.

And that is not the lark, whose notes do beat
The vaulty heaven so high above our heads:
I have more care to stay, than wil to go.


RULE II. Monosyllables ending in any consonant but _f, l_, or _s_, never
double the final consonant when it is preceded by a _single_ vowel; as,
_man, hat_. Exceptions; _add, ebb, butt, egg, odd, err, inn, bunn,
purr_, and _buzz_.

_False Orthography_.--None ever went sadd from Fingal.--He rejoiced