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TO THЕ

RIGHT HONOURABLE

SLINGSBY BETHELL, Efq,

Lord Mayor of the City of London, and one of their Representatives in Parliament.

MY LORD,

Do not pretend to follow the common, and too cuftomary Form of Dedications, with unneceffary Encomiums; because I am fenfible it is not agreeable to your Lordship to be flattered.

THIS little Treatife was began in the Year 1739, and the Reason of its not being published before will plainly appear by the Preface.

I AM highly honoured in being permitted to prefix your Lordship's Name to it, returning you my fincere Thanks, and acknowledging the Obligation, being fenfible that the Performance is not worthy to appear in the World under fuch Protection.

YOUR Lordship will permit me to fay, that though I have laid down Rules fuitable to fuch an Undertaking; yet my Defign is to teach Children fomething more, than barely to fpell and read; and therefore I have endeavoured, at the fame Time, to inculcate in

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the Minds of Youth, early Notices of Religion and Virtue, and point out to them their feveral Duties in the various Stages of Life: And I fhall be very thankful, fhould I prove an Inftrument in the Hand of Providence, in preventing but one of the rifing Generation from falling a Sacrifice to the pernicious Doctrine, fecret Whispers, and perpetual Infinuations of Popish Emillaries.

I MAKE no Doubt therefore, that whatever your Lordship may not altogether approve of in Respect of the Former, your Candour will excufe in Regard to the Latter; fince it is evident that you are always ready to encourage every Thing that tends to the Practice of Piety, and the Good of Mankind.

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THAT the fame kind Providence, which recommended me to your Favour, may continue to your Lordship the Bleffing of Health, and that of Profperity to the City of London, and Kingdom in general, is doubtless the hearty Defire of many, but of none more than,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient, and

obliged humble Servant,

London, Feb. 29, 1756.

D. FENNING.

PREFACE.

To every impartial Reader, but more particularly to the School-Mafters of GreatBritain and Ireland.

GENTLEMEN,

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HERE prefent you with a few Sheets upon a Subject that many of you may think quite unnecessary, and confidering the Number already extant, charge me with Vanity to attempt any Thing further of this Sort; but I beg Leave to be permitted to give fome Reafons, which, perhaps, may prove the Undertaking not fo fuperfluous, vain, rafh, or unneceffary, as at firft it may seem to be.

I shall therefore give an Account of the Work itself, and not enter upon a Detail, nor make Comparisons be tween this and others; being very fenfible of the praiseworthy Labours of many late Authors, who have defervedly met with Encouragement: I can only fay this, that I have endeavoured to make it yet more useful, as appears by thofe Gentlemen that have recommended it; for not one of them (to my Knowledge) figned his Name to the Work, barely to please another.

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The Plan, it is plain, is not taken from any Book; for it was originally began in the Year 1739, and approved of by that late learned and judicious Scholar, the Rev. Mr. Sackville Turner, of Weft Bergholt, near Colchefter; who, with cthers, in the Year 1742, advifed me to publish it.

In the Year 1747, it was nearly compleated as it now Stands; and had certainly been printed at that Time, had I not been removed to London, when daily expecting Something of this Sort would be published by much abler Hands, I did not choofe to put it to the Prefs, till I had again fhewed the Plan to feveral of the Recommenders, who advised me by all Means to make it publick; and there is very little added to it, except the Story in Page 30, and fome Small Matter in the 4th Part. Having thus frankly told you the real Procefs of the Work, it will naturally be expected I should give an Account of what it chiefly confifts.

Firft. You may fee by the Title what every Part contains, and I can affure the Reader that I have found by my own Children, and feveral others of four Years of Age, that they have learnt much fooner to spell, and read Words of one Syllable by this Plan, then by fuch Books as have a perpetual Jargon of Ace, brace, grace, mace, trace, &c. &c. or Buy, dry, fry, fhy, fly, &c. &c. even to the Number of fome Thousands, which many Mafters and Miftreffes ignorantly, and unneceffarily, force Children to fpell and read quite through, till they are actually tired without Improvement; whereas it is natural for Boys to like the Sound of Cake, Tarts, Ball, Tops, &c. &c. nor will the pretty little female Creatures (you will find) be less fond to spell and read thefe Words, Cup, pan, pot, difh, fpoon, plate, knife, fork, bread, beer, wine, &c. &c. because they know the Names, and have Ideas of the Sound before-hand.

After thefe I have given fuch natural and eafy Lef fons, that I am fenfible you will foon fee them qualified for Words of two Syllables. If indeed the Leffons be thought too long for once Reading, I only fay 'tis an Error of the right Side, especially as they may be divided into two Leffens, if the Child be very dull.

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