Pretty Lessons in Verse for Good Children; with Some Lessons in Latin, in Easy Rhyme. By Sara Coleridge. The Fourth Edition, with Many Cuts |
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EI and IE. |
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 | Pretty Lessons in Verse |  |
37
EI and IE.
Said Ronald, beginning to fret,
“These words in e i and i e!
I ne'er could distinguish them yet,
They're terribly puzzling to me.
“These words in e i and i e!
I ne'er could distinguish them yet,
They're terribly puzzling to me.
“They all are alike in their sound!
I ne'er shall the difference tell,
But one with the other confound—
'Tis troublesome learning to spell.”
I ne'er shall the difference tell,
But one with the other confound—
'Tis troublesome learning to spell.”
His father said thus in reply—
“The English words ending in ceive,
Where e must be put before i,
Your memory ne'er can aggrieve.
“The English words ending in ceive,
Where e must be put before i,
Your memory ne'er can aggrieve.
“Those words we from Latin receive;
From capio all of them come;
Their number is four I believe,
And that is no very great sum.
From capio all of them come;
Their number is four I believe,
And that is no very great sum.
“When this, my dear boy, you perceive
(A rule that will never deceive),
'Tis easy enough to conceive
What profit you thence will receive.
(A rule that will never deceive),
'Tis easy enough to conceive
What profit you thence will receive.
38
“And ne'er let it tease you,
My darling, I pray,
In teize should you meet with
Ei for ea.
My darling, I pray,
In teize should you meet with
Ei for ea.
“And ne'er let it grieve you
That in the word sheik,
The e is put foremost
Though hindmost in shriek.
That in the word sheik,
The e is put foremost
Though hindmost in shriek.
“It comes first in ceiling,
And likewise in seize;
If this your mind seizes,
Your father 'twill please.
And likewise in seize;
If this your mind seizes,
Your father 'twill please.
“It comes first in teil-tree,
In feint and in teint;
Now this on your mem'ry
Pray try to imprint.”
In feint and in teint;
Now this on your mem'ry
Pray try to imprint.”
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