66 "In the sentence, saw the lady who sings,' what word do I say sings?"-J. Flint's Gram., p. 12. 'this is the pen which John made,' what word do I say John made?"-Ibid. "That we fall into no sin: no, an adverb used idiomatically, instead of we do not fall into any sin.”—Blair's Gram, p. 54. "That all our doings may be ordered by thy governance:' all, a pronoun used for the whole."-Ibid. "Let him be made to study.' What causes the sign to to be expressed before study?" Its being used in the passive voice after be made.”—Sanborn's Gram., p. 145. "The following Verbs have neither Preter-Tense nor Passive-Participle, viz. Cast, cut, cost, shut, let, bid, shed, hurt, hit, put, &c."-Buchanan's Gram., p. 60. "The agreement, which every word has with the others in person, gender, and case, is called CONCORD; and that power which one person of speech has over another, in respect to ruling its case, mood, or tense, is called GOVERNMENT."-Bucke's Classical Gram., p. 83. "The word ticks tells what the noun watch does."Sanborn's Gram., p. 15. "Breve () marks a short vowel or syllable, and the dash (-) a long."-Bullions, E. Gram., p. 157; Lennie, 137. "Charles, you, by your diligence, make easy work of the task given you by your preceptor.' The first you is used in the nom. poss. and obj. case."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 103. Ouy in bouy is a proper tripthong. Eau in flambeau is an improper tripthong.' -Sanborn's Gram., p. 255. "While I of things to come, As past rehearsing, sing.' POLLOK. That is, 'While I sing of things which are to come, as one sings of things which are past rehearsing.'"-Kirkham's Gram., p. 169. "A simple sentence has in it but one nominative, and one neuter verb."-Folker's Gram., p. 14. "An Irregular Verb is that which has its passed tense and perfect participle terminating differently; as, smite, smote, smitten."-Wright's Gram., p. 92. "But when the antecedent is used in a general sense, a comma is properly inserted before the relative; as, 'There is no charm in the female sex, which can supply the place of virtue.'"-Kirkham's Gram., p. 213. "Two capitals in this way denote the plural number; L. D. Legis Doctor; LL. D. Legum Doctor."-Gould's Lat. Gram., p. 274. "Was any person besides the mercer present? Yes, both he and his clerk."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 188. "Adnoun, or Adjective, comes from the Latin, ad and jicio, to add to."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 69. "Another figure of speech, proper only to animated and warm composition, is what some critical writers call vision; when, in place of relating some thing that is past, we use the present tense, and describe it as actually passing before our eyes. Thus Cicero, in his fourth oration against Cataline: 'I seem to myself to behold this city, the ornament of the earth, and the capital of all nations, suddenly involved in one conflagration. I see before me the slaughtered heaps of citizens lying unburied in the midst of their ruined country. The furious countenance of Cethegus rises to my view, while with a savage joy he is triumphing in your miseries.'"-Blair's Rhet., p. 171. "Vision is another figure of speech, which is proper only in animated and warm composi tion. It is produced when, instead of relating something that is past, we use the present tense," &c.-Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 352. "When several verbs follow one another, having the same nominative, the auxiliary is frequently omitted after the first through an ellipsis, and understood to the rest: as, 'He has gone and left me;' that is, 'He has gone, and has left me.'"-Comly's Gram., p. 94. "When I use the word pillar as supporting an edifice, I employ it literally."Hiley's Gram. 3d Ed., p. 133. "The conjunction nor is often used for neither; as, 'Simois nor Xanthus shall be wanting there.'"-Ib., p. 129. UNDER CRITICAL NOTE XII.-OF PERVERSIONS. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."-Murray's Gram., 8vo, Vol. i, p. 330; Hallock's Gram., p. 179; Melmoth, on Scripture, p. 16. [FORMULE.-Not proper, because this reading is false in relation to the word "heavens;" nor is it usual to put a comma after the word “beginning." But, according to Critical Note 12th, "Proof-tests in grammar, if not in all argument, should be quoted literally; and even that which needs to be corrected, must never be perverted." The authorized text is this: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."--Gen., i, 1.] 66 "Canst thou, by searching, find out the Lord ?"—Murray's Gram., p. 335. "Great is the Lord, just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints."-Priestley's Gram., p. 171; L. Murray's, 168; Merchant's, 90; R. C. Smith's, 145; Ingersoll's, 194; Ensell's, 330; Fisk's, 104; et al. "Every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."Alex. Murray's Gram., p. 137. Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor."-L. Murray's Gram., p. 211; Bullions's, 111 and 113; Everest's, 230; Smith's, 177; et al. "Whose foundation was overflown with a flood."-FRIENDS' BIBLE: Job, xxii, 16. "Take my yoke upon ye, for my yoke is easy."-The Friend, Vol. iv, p. 150. "I will to prepare a place for you."Weld's E. Gram., 2d Ed., p. 67. "Ye who are dead hath he quickened.”—Ib., p. 189; Imp. Ed., 195. "Go, flee thee away into the land of Judea."-Hart's Gram., p. 115. "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 222. "Thine is the day and night."Brown's Concordance, p. 82. "Faith worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope."-0. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 282. "Soon shall the dust return to dust, and the soul, to God who gave it. BIBLE."-Ib., p. 166. "For, in the end, it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. It will lead thee into destruction, and cause thee to utter perverse things. Thou wilt be like him who lieth down in the midst of the sea. BIBLE."-Ib., p. 167. "The memory of the just shall be honored: but the name of the wicked shall rot. BIBLE."-Ib., p. 168. "He that is slow in anger, is better than the mighty. He that ruleth his spirit, is better than he that taketh a city. BIBLE."-Ib., p. 72. "The Lord loveth whomsoever he correcteth; as the father correcteth the son in whom he delighteth. BIBLE."—Ib., p. 72. "The first future tense represents what is to take place hereafter. G. B."-Ib., p. 366. "Teach me to feel another's wo; [and] To hide what faults I see."-Ib., p. 197. "Thy speech bewrayeth thee; for thou art a Gallilean."-Murray's Ex., ii, p. 118. Thy speech betrays thee; for thou art a Gallilean."Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 250. "Strait is the gate, and narrow the way, that leads to life eternal." -Ib., Key, p. 172. 'Straight is the gate," &c.-Ib., Ex., p. 36. "Thou buildest the wall, that thou mayst be their king.' Neh., vi, 6."-Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 210. "There is forgiveness with the, that thou mayst be feared.' Psalms, cxxx, 4."-Ib., p. 210. "But yesterday, the word, Cesar, might Have stood against the world."-Kirkham's Elocution, p. 316. "The northeast spen ls its rag. THOMSON."-Joh. Dict., w. Effusive. "Tells how the drudging goblet swet. MILTON."-Churchill's Gram., p. 263. "And to his faithful servant hath in place Bore witness gloriously. SAM. AGON."-Ib., p. 266. "Then, if thou fallest, O Cromwell, Thou fallest a blessed martyr.”—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 190. "I see the dagger-crest of Mar, I see the Morays' silver star, Waves o'er the cloud of Saxon war, That up the lake came winding far!-SCOTT." -Merchant's School Gram., p. 143. "Each bird, and each insect, is happy in its kind.”—Ib., p. 85. They who are learning to compose and arrange their sentences with accuracy and order, are learning, at the same time, to think with accuracy and order. BLAIR."—Ib., p. 176; L. Murray's Gram, Title-page, 8vo and 12mo. "We, then, as workers together with you, beseech you also, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."-James Brown's Eng. Syntax, p. 129. "And on the bounty of thy goodness calls."-0. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 246. "Knowledge dwells In heads replete with thoughts of other men; Wisdom, in minds retentive to their own. COWPER."-Merchant's School Gram., p. 172. "Oh! let me listen to the word of life. THOMSON."—Ib., p. 155. "Save that from yonder ivy-mantled bower, &c. GRAY'S ELEGY."-Tooke's Div. of Purley, Vol. i, p. 116. Wagh the mens wits against the ladies hairs. POPE."-Dr. Johnson's Gram., p. 6. "Weigh the men's wits against the women's hairs. POPE."-Churchill's Gram., p. 214. Prior to the publication of Lowth's excellent little grammar, the grammatical study of our own language, formed no part of the ordinary method of instruction. HILEY'S PREFACE."-Dr. Bullions's E. Gram., 1843, p. 189. "Let there be no strife betwixt me and thee.”—Weld's Gram., p. 143. "What! canst thou not bear with me half an hour?-SHARP."-Ib., p. 185. "In words, as fashions, the rule will hold, Alike fantastic, if too new or old:"-Murray's Gram., p. 136. "Be not the first, by whom the new is tried, Nor yet the last, to lay the old aside."-Bucke's Gram., p. 104. UNDER CRITICAL NOTE XIII.-OF AWKWARDNESS. They slew Varus, who was he that I mentioned before."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 194. [FORMULE-Not proper, because the phrase, “who was he that," is here prolix and awkward. But, according to Critical Note 13th, "Awkwardness, or inelegance of expression, is a reprehensible defect in style, whether it violate any of the common rules of syntax or not." This example may be improved thus: "They slew Varus, whom I mentioned before."] "Maria rejected Valerius, who was he that she had rejected before."-Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 174. The English in its substantives has but two different terminations for cases."-Lowth's Gram., p. 18. "Socrates and Plato were wise; they were the most eminent philosophers of Greece."-Ib., p. 175; Murray's Gram., 149; et al. "Whether one person or more than one, were concerned in the business, does not yet appear."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 184. "And that, consequently, the verb and pronoun agreeing with it, cannot with propriety, be ever used in tho plural number."-Murray's Gram., p. 153; Ingersoll's, 249; et al. "A second help may be the conversing frequently and freely with those of your own sex who are like minded."—John Wesley. "Four of the semi-vowels, namely, l, m, n, r, are also distinguished by the name of liquids, from their readily uniting with other consonants, and flowing as it were into their sounds."Murray's Gram., p. 8; Churchill's, 5; Alger's, 11; et al. "Some conjunctions have their correspondent conjunctions belonging to them; so that, in the subsequent member of the sentence the latter answers to the former."-Lowth's Gram., p. 109; Adam's, 209; Gould's, 205; L. Murray's, 211; Ingersoll's, 268; Fisk's, 137; Churchill's, 153; Fowler's, 562; et al. "The mutes are those consonants, whose sounds cannot be protracted. The semi-vowels, such whose sounds can be continuei at pleasure, partaking of the nature of vowels, from which they derive their name."-Murray's Gram., p 9; et al. "The pronoun of the third person, of the masculine and feminine gender, is sometimes used as a noun, and regularly declined: as, 'The hes in birds.' BACON. The shes of Italy. SHAK."-Curchill's Gram., p. 73. "The following examples also of separation of a preposition from the word which it governs, is improper in common writings.”—C. Adams's Gram., p. 103. “The word whose begins likewise to be restricted to persons, but it is not done so generally but that good writers, and even in prose, use it when speaking of things."-Priestley's Gram., p. 99; L. Murray's, 157; Fisk's, 115; et al. "There are new and surpassing wonders present themselves to our views."-Sherlock. "Inaccuracies are often found in the way wherein the degrees of comparison are applied and construed."--Campbell's Rhet., p. 202. 'Inaccuracies are often found in the way in which the degrees of comparison are applied and construed."— Murray's Gram., p. 167; Smith's, 144; Ingersoll's, 193; et al. "The connecting circumstance is placed too remotely, to be either perspicuous or agreeable."-Murray's Gram., p. 177. "Those tenses are called simple tenses, which are formed of the principal without an auxiliary verb."— Ib., p. 91. "The nearer that men approach to each other, the more numerous are their points of contact and the greater will be their pleasures or their pains."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 275. "This is the machine that he is the inventor of."-Nixon's Parser, p. 124. "To give this sentence the interrogative form, it should be expressed thus.”—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 279. "Never employ those words which may be susceptible of a sense different from the sense you intend to be conveyed."-Hiley's Gram., p. 152. Sixty pages are occupied in explaining what would not require more than ten or twelve to be explained according to the ordinary method."—Ib., Pref., p. ix. "The present participle in -ing always expresses an action, or the suffering of an action, or the being, state, or condition of a thing as continuing and progressive."-Bullions, E. Gram., p. 57. "The Present participle of all active verbs* has an active signification; as, James is building the house. In many of these, however, it has also a passive signification; as, the house was building when the wall fell."-Id., ib., 2d or 4th Ed., p. 57. "Previous to parsing this sentence, it may be analyzed to the young pupil by such questions as the following, viz."-Id., ib., p. 73. "Subsequent to that period, however, attention has been paid to this important subject." -b., New Ed., p. 189; Hiley's Preface, p. vi. "A definition of a word is an explanation in what sense the word is used, or what idea or object we mean by it, and which may be expressed by any one or more of the properties, effects, or circumstances of that object, so as sufficiently to distinguish it from other objects.”—Hiley's Gram., p. 245. UNDER CRITICAL NOTE XIV.-OF IGNORANCE. "What is an Asserter? It is the part of speech which asserts."-0. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 20. [FORMULE-Not proper, because the term " Asserter," which is here put for Verb, is both ignorantly misspelled, and whimsically misapplied. But, according to Critical Note 14th, "Any use of words that implies ignorance of their meaning, or of their proper orthography, is particularly unscholarlike; and, in proportion to the author's pretensions to learning, disgraceful." The errors here committed might have been avoided thus: "What is a verb? It is a word which signifies to be, to act, or to be acted upon."` Or thus: "What is an assertor? Ans. 'One who affirms positively; an affirmer, supporter, or vindicator.'-Webster's Dict."] Virgil wrote the Enead."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 56. "Which, to a supercilious or inconsiderate Japaner, would seem very idle and impertinent."-Locke, on Ed., p. 225. "Will not a look of disdain cast upon you, throw you into a foment?"-Life of Th. Say, p. 146. "It may be of use to the scholar, to remark in this place, that though only the conjunction if is affixed to the verb, any other conjunction proper for the subjunctive mood, may, with equal propriety, he occasionally annexed."-L. Murray's Gram., p. 93. "When proper names have an article annexed to them, they are used as common names.""—Ib., p. 36; Ingersoll's, 25; et al. "When a proper noun has an article annexed to it, it is used as a common noun."-Merchant's Gram., p. 25. "Seeming to disenthral the death-field of its terrors."-Ib., p. 109. "For the same reason, we might, without any disparagement to the language, dispense with the terminations of our verbs in the singular."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 50. "It diminishes all possibility of being misunderstood.”— Abbott's Teacher, p. 175. "Approximation to excellence is all that we can expect."-Ib., p. 42. "I have often joined in singing with musicianists at Norwich."-Music of Nature, p. 274. "When not standing in regular prosic order."-0. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 281. "Disregardless of the dogmas and edicts of the philosophical umpire."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 75. "Others begin to talk before their mouths are open, affixing the mouth-closing M to most of their words-as M-yes for Yes."-Music of Nature, p. 28. "That noted close of his, esse videatur, exposed him to censure among his cotemporaries."-Blair's Rhet., p. 127. "OWN. Formerly, a man's own was what he worked for, own being a past participle of a verb signifying to work.”—Kirkham's Gram., p. 71. "As [requires] so: expressing a comparison of quality: as, 'As the one dieth, so dieth the other.'" -Murray's Gram., p. 212; R. C. Smith's, 177; and many others. "To obey our parents is a solemn duty."-Parker and Fox's Gram., Part I, p. 67. "Most all the political papers of the kingdom have touched upon these things."-II. C. WRIGHT: Liberator, Vol. xiv, p. 22. "I shall take leave to make a few observations upon the subject."-Hiley's Gram., p. iii. "His loss I have endeavoured to supply, as far as additional vigilance and industry would allow.”— Ib., p. xi. "That they should make vegetation so exhuberant as to anticipate every want."-Frazee's Gram., p. 43. "The quotors "" which denote that one or more words are extracted from another author."-Day's District School Gram., p. 112. "Ninevah and Assyria were two of the most noted cities of ancient history."-Ib., p. 32 and p. 88. "Ninevah, the capital of Assyria, is a celebrated ancient city."-lb., p. 88. "It may, however, be rendered definite by introducing some definition of time; as, yesterday, last week, &c."-Bullions's E. Gram., p. 40. "The last is called heroic measure, and is the same that is used by Milton, Young, Thompson, Pollock, &c."-Id., Practical Lessons, p. 129. "Perrenial ones must be sought in the delightful regions above."-Hallock's Gram., p. 194. "Intransitive verbs are those which are inseperable from the effect produced."Cutler's Gram., p. 31. "Femenine gender, belongs to women, and animals of the female kind."Ib., p. 15. "Wo! unto you scribes and pharasees."-Day's Gram., p. 74. "A pyrrick, which has both its syllables short."-Ib., p. 114. "What kind of Jesamine? a Jesamine in flower, or a flowery Jesamine."-Barrett's Gram., 10th Ed., p. 53. "Language, derived from 'lingua,' the tongue, is the faculty of communicating our thoughts to each other, by proper words, used by com In the Doctor's "New Edition, Revised and Corrected," the text stands thus: "The Present participle of THE ACTIVE VOICE has an active signification; as, James is building the house. In many of these, however, it has," &c. Here the first sentence is but an idle truism; and the phrase, “In many of these," for lack of an antecedent to these, is utter nonsense. What is in "the active voice," ought of course to be active in "signification:" but, in this author's present scheme of the verb, we find "the active voice," in direct violation of his own definition of it, ascribed not only to verbs and participles either neuter or intransitive, but also, as it would seem by this passage, to "many" that are passive !-G. BROWN. mon consent, as signs of our ideas."-Ib., p. 9. "Say none, not nara."-Staniford's Gram., p. 81. "ARY ONE, for either."-Pond's Larger Gram., p. 194. (See Obs. 24th, on the Syntax of Adverbs, and the Note at the bottom of the page.) "Earth loses thy patron for ever and aye; O sailor boy! sailor boy! peace to thy soul."-S. Barrett's Gram., 1837, p. 116. "His brow was sad, his eye beneath, Flashed like a halcyon from its sheath."-Liberator, Vol. 12, p. 24. UNDER CRITICAL NOTE XV.-OF SILLINESS AND TRUISMS. "Such is the state of man, that he is never at rest.”—L. Murray's Gram., p. 57. [FORMULE.-This is a remark of no wisdom or force, because it would be nearer the truth, to say, "Such is the state of inan, that he must often rest." But, according to Critical Note 15th, Silly remarks and idle truisms are traits of a feeble style, and when their weakness is positive, or inherent, they ought to be entirely omitted." It is useless to attempt a correction of this example, for it is not susceptible of any form worth preserving.] 124. "Participles belong to the nouns or pronouns to which they relate."- Wells's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 153. "Though the measure is mysterious, it is worthy of attention."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 221. "Though the measure is mysterious, it is not unworthy your attention."-Kirkham's Gram, pp. 197 and 227. "The inquietude of his mind made his station and wealth far from being enviable.”—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 250. "By rules so general and comprehensive as these are [,] the clearest ideas are conveyed."-Ib., p. 273. "The mind of man cannot be long without some food to nourish the activity of its thoughts."-Ib., p. 185. "Not having known, or not having considered, the measures proposed, he failed of success."-Ib., p. 202. "Not having known or considered the subject, he made a crude decision."-Ib., p. 275. "Not to exasperate him, I spoke only a very few words."—Ib., p. 257. "These are points too trivial, to be noticed. They are objects with which I am totally unacquainted."—Ib., p. 275. "Before we close this section, it may afford instruction to the learners, to be informed, more particularly than they have been."— Murray's Gram., p. 110. "The articles are often properly omitted: when used, they should be justly applied, according to their distinct nature."-Ib., p. 170; Alger's, 60. "Any thing, which is done now, is supposed to be done at the present time."-Sanborn's Gram., p. 34. "Any thing which was done yesterday is supposed to be done in past time."—Ib., 34. "Any thing which may be done hereafter, is supposed to be done in future time."-Ib., 34. "When the mind compares two things in reference to each other, it performs the operation of comparing.”—Ib., p. 244. "The persons, with whom you dispute, are not of your opinion."-Cooper's Pl. and Pr. Gram., p. "But the preposition at is always used when it follows the neuter Verb in the same Case: as, 'I have been at London.'"-Dr. Ash's Gram., p. 60. "But the preposition at is generally used after the neuter verb to be: as, 'I have been at London.'"-L. Murray's Gram., p. 203; Ingersoll's, 231; Fisk's, 143; et al. "The article the has sometimes a different effect, in distinguishing a person by an epithet."-Murray's Gram., p. 172. "The article the has, sometimes, a fine effect, in distinguishing a person by an epithet."-Priestley's Gram., p. 151. "Some nouns have plurals belonging only to themselves."-Infant School Gram., p. 26. "Sentences are either simple or compound."-Lowth's Gram., p. 68. "All sentences are either simple or compound.”—Gould's Adam's Gram., p. 155. "The definite article the belongs to nouns in the singular or plural number.”—Kirkham's Gram., Rule 2d, p. 156. Where a riddle is not intended, it is always a fault in allegory to be too dark."-Blair's Rhet., p. 151; Murray's Gram., 343. "There may be an excess in too many short sentences also; by which the sense is split and broken."-Blair's Rhet., p. 101. "Are there any nouns you cannot see, hear, or feel, but only think of? Name such a noun."-Infant School Gram., p. 17. "Flock is of the singular number, it denotes but one flock-and in the nominative case, it is the active agent of the verb."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 58. "The article THE agrees with nouns of the singular or plural number."-Parker and Fox's Gram., p. 8. "The admiral bombarded Algiers, which has been continued."-Nixon's Parser, p. 128. "The world demanded freedom, which might have been expected."-Ibid. "The past tense represents an action as past and finished, either with or without respect to the time when."-Felton's Gram., p. 22. "That boy rode the wicked horse."-Butler's Practical Gram., p. 42. "The snake swallowed itself.”—Ib., p. 57. "Do is sometimes used when shall or should is omitted; as, if thou do repent.'"-Ib., p. 85. "SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. This mood has the tenses of the indicative.”—Ib., p. 87. “As nouns never speak, they are never in the first person."-Davis's Practical Gram., p. 148 "Nearly all parts of speech are used more or less in an elliptical sense."-Day's District School Gram., p. 80. "RULE. No word in a period can have any greater extension than the other words or sections in the same sentence will give it.”—-Barrett's Revised Gram., p. 38 and p. 43. "Words used exclusively as Adverbs, should not be used as adjectives."-Clark's Practical Gram., p. 166. "Adjectives used in Predication, should not take the Adverbial form."-Ib., pp. 167 and 173. UNDER CRITICAL NOTE XVI.-OF THE INCORRIGIBLE. "And this state of things belonging to the painter governs it in the possessive case.”—Murray's Gram., p. 195; Ingersoll's, 201; et al. [FORMULE-This composition is incorrigibly bad. The participle "belonging,” which seems to relate to "things," is improperly meant to qualify state." And the "state of things," (which state really belongs only to the things,) is absurdly supposed to belong to a person-i. e., “to the painter." Then this man, to whom the state of things" is said to belong, is forthwith called "it," and nonsensically declared to be "in the possessive case." ་་ But, according to Critical Note 16th, "Passages too erroneous for correction, may be criticised, orally or otherwise, and then passed over without any attempt to amend them." Therefore, no correction is attempted here.] "Own "Nouns or pronouns, following the verb to be; or the words than, but, as; or that answer the question who? have the same case after as preceded them."-Beck's Gram., p. 29. "The common gender is when the noun may be either masculine or feminine."-Frost's Gram., p. 8. "The possessive is generally pronounced the same as if the s were added."-Alden's Gram., p. 11. "For, assuredly, as soon as men had got beyond simple interjections, and began to communicate themselves by discourse, they would be under a necessity of assigning names to the objects they saw around them, which in grammatical language, is called the invention of substantive nouns."-Blair's Rhet., p. 72. "Young children will learn to form letters as soon, if not readier, than they will when older."-Taylor's District School, p. 159. "This comparing words with one another, constitutes what is called the degrees of comparison."-Sanborn's Gram., p. 29. "Whenever a noun is immediately annexed to a preceding neuter verb, it expresses either the same notion with the verb, or denotes only the circumstance of the action."-Lowth's Gram., p. 73. "Two or more nouns or pronouns joined singular together by the conjunction and, must have verbs agreeing with them in the plural number."-Infant School Gram., p. 129. "Possessive and demonstrative pronouns agree with their nouns in number and case; as, 'my brother,' 'this slate,' 'these slates.'"'"-Ib., p. 130. Participles which have no relation to time are used either as adjectives or as substantives."-Maunder's Gram., p. 1. "They are in use only in some of their times and modes; and in some of them are a composition of times of several defective verbs, having the same signification."-Lowth's Gram., p. 59. "When words of the possessive case that are in apposition, follow one another in quick succession, the possessive sign should be annexed to the last only, and understood to the rest; as, 'For David, my servant's sake.'"-Comly's Gram., p. 92. "By this order, the first nine rules accord with those which respect the rules of concord; and the remainder include, though they extend beyond the rules of government."-Murray's Gram., p. 143. and self in the plural selves, are joined to the possessives, my, our, thy, your, his, her, their; as, my own hand, myself, yourselves; both of them expressing emphasis or opposition, as, 'I did it my own self,' that is, and no one else; the latter also forming the reciprocal pronoun, as, 'he hurt himself."-Lowth's Gram., p. 25. "A flowing copious style, therefore, is required in all public speakers; guarding, at the same time, against such a degree of diffusion, as renders them languid and tiresome; which will always prove the case, when they inculcate too much, and present the same thought under too many different views."-Blair's Rhet., p. 177. "As sentences should be cleared of redundant words, so also of redundant members. As every word ought to present a new idea, so every member ought to contain a new thought. Opposed to this, stands the fault we sometimes meet with, of the last member of a period being no other than the echo of the former, or the repetition of it in somewhat a different form."*—Ib., p. 111. "Which always refers grammatically to the substantive immediately preceding: [as] It is folly to pretend, by heaping up treasures, to arm ourselves against the accidents of life, which nothing can protect us against, but the good providence of our heavenly Father.'"-Murray's Gram., p. 311; Maunder's, p. 18; Blair's Rhet., p. 105. "The English adjectives, having but a very limited syntax, is classed with its kindred article, tho adjective pronoun, under the eighth rule."-L. Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. "When a substantive is put absolutely, and does not agree with the following verb, it remains independent on the participle, and is called the case absolute, or the nominative absolute."— Ib., p. 195. It will, doubtless, sometimes happen, that, on this occasion, as well as on many other occasions, a strict adherence to grammatical rules, would render the language stiff and formal: but when cases of this sort occur, it is better to give the expression a different turn, than to violate grammar for the sake of ease, or even of elegance."—Ib., p. 208. "Number, which distinguishes objects as singly or collectively, must have been coeval with the very infancy of language."Jamieson's Rhet., p. 25. "The article a or an agrees with nouns in the singular number only, individually or collectively."-L. Murray's Gram., p. 170; and others. "No language is perfect because it is a human invention."-Parker and Fox's Grammar, Part III, p. 112. "The participles, or as they may properly be termed, forms of the verb in the second infinitive, usually precedes another verb, and states some fact, or event, from which an inference is drawn by that verb; as, 'the sun having arisen, they departed.”—Day's Grammar, 2d Ed., p. 36. "They must describe what has happened as having done so in the past or the present time, or as likely to occur in the future."-The Well- Wishers' Grammar, Introd., p. 5. "Nouns are either male, female, or neither." -Fowle's Common School Grammar, Part Second, p. 12. "Possessive Adjectives express possession, and distinguish nouns from each other by showing to what they belong; as, my hat, John's hat."-Ib., p. 31. 143. 66 PROMISCUOUS EXAMPLES OF FALSE SYNTAX. LESSON I-VARIOUS RULES. "What is the reason that our language is less refined than that of Italy, Spain, or France ?"— Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 185. "What is the reason that our language is less refined than that of France?"-Ingersoll's Gram., p. 152. "I believe your Lordship will agree with me, in tho reason why our language is less refined than those of Italy, Spain, or France.' DEAN SWIFT. Even in this short sentence, we may discern an inaccuracy-'why our language is less refined than those of Italy, Spain, or France;' putting the pronoun those in the plural, when the antece One objection to these passages is, that they are examples of the very construction which they describe as a fault. The first and second sentences ought to have been separated only by a semicolon. This would have made them "members" of one and the same sentence. Can it be supposed that one "thought" is sufficient for two periods, or for what one chooses to point as such, but not for two members of the same period ?-G. BROWN. |