these words will appear, by recollecting that the signification of to lay is to place, but that of to lie is to repose.

Sit for set, and vice versâ; as, set down, instead of sit down. Sit yourself down, instead of set yourself down. Sit the plant in the ground, instead of set, &c.

Flee, fled, for fly, flew, and vice versâ; as, the enemy flies, instead of the enemy flees. The birds fled, instead of the birds flew.

Mistaking for mistaken, and vice versâ; as, you are mistaken, instead of you mistake or are mistaking. I was mistaking, instead of I was mistaken. The proper application of these expressions is easily ascertained by considering, that the phrase I mistake or am mistaking means I misunderstand, but that I am mistaken means I am misunderstood.

Overflown for overflowed, and vice versâ; as, the river is overflown, instead of the river has overflowed.

But the misapplication of words is in few cases more common than in the use of the word put. The common expressions "put up or down the window," should be open or close or push down the window. The word put in the expression, put water in the basin," should be pour; and in the expressions "put the cloth on the dining-table," and " put down the carpet on the floor," should be lay. So in the expressions 66 put water into the cup," " put away the dinner things," 66 put the horse into the stable," "put the stranger into the parlour," "put the passenger down at the turnpike," "put the boy into the first class," should be respectively pour, take, lead, shew, set, place.

The using of the word turn for to become; as, to turn sick, instead of to become or to grow sick; to turn or turn over in

one's mind, instead of to consider; to turn out to one's mind, for not to disappoint one, is misapplying the meaning of one word to express that of another.

And the employment of the word conceive for to couch; as, the letter was conceived in these words, instead of couched in these words; or the word maltreat for to ill-use, as he maltreats his family, instead of he ill-uses, &c.; or the word propose for to purpose, as I propose to do so, instead of I purpose to do so; or the word adduce for to produce, as he adduced a proof, instead of he produced a proof; or the word pull for to gather, as pull the grapes, instead of gather the grapes; or the word take for to suppose, as I take it that you are better, instead of I suppose that you are better; or the world hold for to adopt, decide, or determine, as he holds this opinion, instead of he adopts this opinion, the judge held that, &c., instead of the judge decided or determined that, &c.; or the word remember for to remind, as remember me of that, instead of remind me of that; or the word appreciate for to prize or value, as he appreciates learning, instead of he values learning; or the word try for to make, as he tried the experiment, instead of he made the experiment; or the word see for to hear, as did you see the thunder and lightning? instead of did you hear the thunder and see the lightning? or the word throw up for to raise, as he threw up his eyes to heaven, instead of he raised his eyes towards heaven; or the word grow for to become, as old persons grow shorter, instead of become shorter; or the word run for to leak, as the vessel runs, instead of the vessel leaks; or the word lost for to be drowned, as he was lost in the river, instead of he was drowned, &c.; or the word learn for to teach, as she learns me, instead of she teaches me; or the expression I know of for to my knowledge, or as never as I know of,

instead of never to my knowledge, are violations of grammatical precision. The use of apparent for obvious, primary for primitive, universal for general, mutual for common, pressing for urgent, dry for thirsty, readily for easily, see for perceive, recommend for advise, tell for desire, look over for examine, undeniable for unexceptionable or unimpeachable, witnessed for beheld, name or notice for mention, mean for intend, looked for or thought for for expected, short-lived and long-lived for shortlifed and long-lifed, are also similar offences in the precise use and application of words. And the expressions to extinguish a debt-to take a fever-to be laid up with illness-to follow out a plan to follow up an idea-to follow advice-to lay one's account with-to make light of-I can eat no more-I can walk no more- -I can stay no longer-to have much on hand-to militate against-to speak contemptibly of one-no less than forty persons-far prettier-far better—there is a great odds in their accounts-it is at your disposition-in no event -further favours or orders-he is very bad-he has been long ailing—a finely tasted pear-I love good living-to do business -take which you like to be made much of-to furnish goods -the crop promises to be large-like to have slipped-I rather think I had better go-He is oftener right than wrong-the then judge of he is a rising man-she is a superior woman, and similarly constructed expressions, are offences against grammatical precision; and should be to pay a debt-to be seized with a fever, or attacked by a fever-to be confined with illness to execute a plan-to adopt or prosecute an idea-to attend or listen to advice-to reckon on receiving-to esteem or value little-I cannot eat any more- -I can walk no farther -I cannot stay any longer-to be very busy-to oppose-to speak contemptuously of one-no fewer than forty persons

much prettier-much better-there is a great difference in their account-it is at your disposal-in no case-future favours or orders-he is very ill-he has been sickly for some time—a finely flavoured pear-I like good living—to transact business -take which you choose to supply goods-to be much caressed or indulged-the crop has the appearance of being plentiful-nearly slipped-I believe-it were better that I should go he is more frequently right than wrong—the judge at the time he is rising rapidly—she is a woman superior to. And the current expressions, the storm is ceased-they are arrived he is departed-they were come-the men are deserted-he is entered into a new concern- -who originated this motion, are deficient in grammatical precision, and should be, the storm has ceased-they have arrived he has departed— they had come-the men have deserted-he has entered into a new concern-from whom did this motion originate; for neuter or intransitive verbs cannot, in analogy and according to the genius of the English language, be compounded of the auxiliary verb to be. The phrases lodgings to let―a house to sellthe premises are building-the letters were writing-the wound is bleeding-it is being done-he was paid the money-he was allowed ten per cent.-they were promised it—she was offered them, are equally incorrect; and should be, lodgings to be let a house to be sold-the premises are being builtthe letters were being written-the wound bleeds—it is in the course of being done-the money was paid to him-ten per cent. was allowed him-it was promised to them—it was offered to her; for active verbs cannot be used so as to imply a passive signification, or passive verbs an active signification. Among the numerous instances of nonsensical expressions in current use, the following are not the most objectionable.

Almost nothing, instead of scarcely anything, very little, or little or nothing-almost never, for very seldom, or seldom or never the two first instead of the first two-the two last instead of the last two-to speak three sentences together, instead of to speak three sentences in succession—doublebedded for two-bedded-to enjoy a bad state of health instead of to have or be in bad health-to fall sick instead of to grow or become sick-to find pain instead of to feel pain—to meet another's idea instead of to coincide in opinion-legal and medical men, instead of lawyers and physicians. The expressions, "he reads best of any boy," " of all others he is the most trustworthy," "there were four ladies in company every one prettier than another," "discontinued for many years together," and sentences of similar construction are equally inaccurate and objectionable. (g) But the curious phraseology of the learned divine whose "palatable creed had a serious footing in the mind" is the very sum and perfection of nonsense. How to make a creed palatable, that is, having a taste, and at the same time enable it to take a footing in the mind, aye, and a serious footing too, is incomprehensible.

The use of superfluous words and expressions is also a violation of grammatical precision; as acquiesce and rest satisfied with-acknowledge and confess-answered and said— advice and counsel-clear and obvious-plain and evidentconfused and disordered-bounds and limits-corruption and degeneracy-courage and resolution-effects and consequences -fears and apprehensions-friendly and amicable-governed and conducted-intents and purposes-mild and meek-obliged and indebted-obviate and prevent-pleasure and satisfaction— safest and securest-special and particular-support and stay-wavering and unsettled-worship and adoration-with