DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS.

The following comprise the greater part of the more difficult combinations of elements occurring in the English language.

The "faced letters" represent the combinations, and should be practiced as follows: Give each element with special distinctness three times, separately in succession three times, and then in combination three times.

Then pronounce each word in the line three times, giving prominence to the elements of the difficult combination. The words may be given, first in the monotone, then with the falling slide.

The italicized words in the sentences should be given very distinctly, but not necessarily with greater loudThe italics are not used in this exercise to denote emphasis, but to call attention to the words containing the difficult combinations.

ness.

In the analysis of the consonant combinations, the pupil should be particular to notice the exact juncture of the organs producing the several elements; and, in passing from one to the other in their union, he should endeavor to join them as closely, smoothly, and accurately as possible.

No exercise in articulation is more profitable than this if properly and faithfully practiced.

bd.-orb'd, sobb'd, ebb'd, prob'd.

The child moaned and sobbed itself to a gentle sleep.

bdst.-prob'dst, stabb'dst, fib'dst, snubb'dst. Thou snubb'dst and stabb'dst him to the quick.

blz.-pebbles, gabbles, roubles, stubbles.

His troubles followed fast in the footsteps

of his foibles.

blst.-humbl'st, nibbl'st, babbl'st, troubl'st.

Hence! thou troubl'st me with vain requests.

bld.-disabl'd, trembl'd, doubl'd, dissembl'd. 'Tis but the fabl'd landscape of a lay. bldst. stumbl'dst, disabl'dst, nibbl'dst, gabbl'dst.

Trembl'dst thou at what was but the shadow

of a ghost ?

br.-breeze, brought, bridge, breath, bride.

Break, break, break,

At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!

bz.-robs, webs, fibs, rubs, robes, sobs.

Beneath the cypress boughs the wind sobs a

sad requiem o'er his grave.

bst.-rob'st, snubb'st, bobb'st, fibb'st.

Prob'st thou the wound of a broken heart?

dld.-saddl'd, coddl'd, riddl'd, muddl'd.

A single look, his smoldering hate kindl'd to a rage.

dldst.-addl'dst, peddl'dst, fiddl'dst, waddl'dst.

Thou fondl'dst the viper which stings thee

to death.

dlz.-bundles, handles, trundles, meddles.

What a great fire a little blaze kindles.

dist.-saddl'st, peddl'st, fiddl'st, kindl'st.

Bird of the sun, in thy upward flight thou

dwindl'st to a speck.

dnd.-sadd'nd, wid'nd, broad'nd, madd'nd.

Madd'nd with drink, he did a deed a life of love could not undo.

dnz.-burd'ns, hard'ns, sadd'ns, ward'ns, madd'ns. Bear ye one another's burd'ns.

dr.-dread, dream, drink, drawl, meand'ring.

Hear ye the deep dreadful thunder, peal on peal, afar !

dst.-didst, hadst, mad'st, add'st, couldst.

dz.-adz, buds, wads, leads, loads.

Buds, birds, fields, and woods, are country

charms that cheer the heart.

dzh.-wedge, badge, judge, pledge, fudge.

"Pledge with wine-pledge with wine!" cried the thoughtless Harvey Wood.

dzhd.-pledg'd, forg'd, manag'd, smudg'd, gaug'd.

Evil habits forg'd the fetters he could never break.

fld.-riff'd, baffl'd, shuffl'd, sniffl'd, waffl'd.

The muffl'd drum told the time had come

For the hero to lay down his life.

fldst. stifl'dst, baffl'dst, ruffl'dst, trifl'dst.

Thou baffl'dst in vain, the cause we'll maintain,

For our country, for truth and for God.

fiz.-raffl's, muffl's, waffl's, truffl's, whiffl's. Trifl's trouble more than double What we greater griefs can bear.

fist.-trifl'st, baffl'st, shuffl'st, ruffl'st.

If thou stifl'st thy conscience, the whip of remorse will lash thee back to obedience.

fn.-soft'n, stiff'n, rough'n, oft'n.

Kind words will oft'n pluck the barb from envy's arrow, and soft'n the obdurate heart.

fnd.-deaf'n'd, stiff'n'd, soft'n'd, rough'n'd.

The loud winds soft'n'd to a whisper low. fnz.-soft'ns, deaf'ns, stiff'ns, rough'ns.

Prosperity deaf'ns the ear to pity's call.

fr.-free, fright, from, freckle, fresh.
Francis French was too much frightened to
offer assistance.

fst.-scoff'st, puff'st, miff'st, cough'st, stuff'st.

Laugh'st thou, Lochiel, my vision to scorn ? fths.-fifths, twelfths. Two-fifths and three-twelfths make thirty-nine sixtieths.

fts.-lifts, wafts, shifts, crafts, tufts.

Death lifts the veil that hides a brighter

sphere.

ftst.-lift'st, waft'st. O'er the desert drear thou

waft'st thy waste perfume.

gd.-rigg'd, leagu'd, begg'd, flogg'd.

The little ant lugg'd and tugg'd its tiny load

o'er many a straw and stone.

gdst.-fagg'dst, flogg'dst, begg'dst, lugg'dst.

Laggard, why lugg'dst thou thy load, and

why lagg'dst thou behind ?

gl.-gleam, glide, eagle, glove, bugle.

'Midst the glisten and glamour of glory
Rejoice if thou humble canst keep.

gld.-juggl'd, haggl'd, struggl'd.

He was inveigl'd into a trap baited with a

bribe.

gldst.-mingl'dst, strangl'dst, singl'dst.

Why smuggl'dst thou that which was thy

bane ?

glz.-eagl's, struggl's, haggl's, juggl's.

At the bugl's shrill blast the eagl's took

flight.

glst. struggl'st, haggl'st, mingl'st.

Thou haggist over a penny as if it were a

pound.

gr.-great, grow, growl, grizzly, grub.

The Grey Riesling is a grape grown for

wine.

gz.-gigs, flogs, dregs, bugs, logs.

In rags he tugs and lugs the bags, nor lags

till he has filled the brig's hold.

gst.-wagg'st, begg'st, digg'st, flogg'st.

Thou begg'st in vain, no pity melts his

heart.

kld.-circl'd, twinkl'd, buckl'd, sparkl'd.

He buckl'd them fast to his shoulder and

hip.

kldst.-twinkl'dst, sparkl'dst, sprinkl'dst.

Thou shackl'dst the arm that would strike

the blow for freedom.