The Grammar of English Grammars Part 157

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE IV.--OF COMPARISONS.

"We abound more in vowel and diphthong sounds, than most languages."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 89.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the terms _we_ and _languages_, which are here used to form a comparison, express things which are totally unlike. But, according to Critical Note 4th, "A comparison is a form of speech which requires some similarity or common property in the things compared; without which, it becomes a solecism." Therefore, the expression ought to be changed; thus, "_Our language abounds_ more in vowel and diphthong sounds, than most _other tongues_." Or: "We abound more in vowel and _diphthongal_ sounds, than most _nations_."]

"A line thus accented, has a more spirited air, than when the accent is placed on any other syllable."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, Vol. ii, p. 86.

"Homer introduceth his deities with no greater ceremony than as mortals; and Virgil has still less moderation."--_Ib._, Vol. ii, p. 287. "Which the more refined taste of later writers, who had far inferior genius to them, would have taught them to avoid."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 28. "The poetry, however, of the Book of Job, is not only equal to that of any other of the sacred writings, but is superior to them all, except those of Isaiah alone."--_Ib._, p. 419. "On the whole, Paradise Lost is a poem that abounds with beauties of every kind, and that justly ent.i.tles its author to a degree of fame not inferior to any poet."--_Ib._, p. 452. "Most of the French writers compose in short sentences; though their style in general, is not concise; commonly less so than the bulk of English writers, whose sentences are much longer."--_Ib._, p. 178. "The principles of the Reformation were deeper in the prince's mind than to be easily eradicated."--HUME: _Cobbett's E. Gram._, --217. "Whether they do not create jealousy and animosity more hurtful than the benefit derived from them."--DR. J. LEO WOLF: _Lit. Conv._, p. 250. "The Scotch have preserved the ancient character of their music more entire than any other country."--_Music of Nature_, p. 461. "When the time or quant.i.ty of one syllable exceeds the rest, that syllable readily receives the accent."--_Rush, on the Voice_, p. 277. "What then can be more obviously true than that it should be made as just as we can?"--_Dymond's Essays_, p.

198. "It was not likely that they would criminate themselves more than they could avoid."--_Clarkson's Hist., Abridged_, p. 76. "Their understandings were the most acute of any people who have ever lived."--_Knapp's Lectures_, p32. "The patentees have printed it with neat types, and upon better paper than was done formerly."--_Lily's Gram., Pref._, p. xiii. "In reality, its relative use is not exactly like any other word."--_Felch's Comprehensive Gram._, p. 62. "Thus, instead of two books, which are required, (the grammar and the exercises,) the learner finds both in one, for a price at least not greater than the others."--_Bullions's E. Gram._, Recom., p. iii; _New Ed._, Recom., p. 6. "They are not improperly regarded as p.r.o.nouns, though in a sense less strict than the others"--_Ib._, p. 199.

"We have had the opportunity, as will readily be believed, of becoming conversant with the case much more particularly, than the generality of our readers can be supposed to have had."--_The British Friend_, 11mo, 29th, 1845.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE V.--OF FALSITIES.

"The long sound of _i_ is compounded of the sound of _a_, as heard in _ball_, and that of _e_, as heard in _be_."--_Churchill's Gram._, p. 3.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the sentence falsely teaches, that the long sound of _i_ is that of the diphthong heard in _oil_ or _boy_. But, according to Critical Note 5th, "Sentences that convey a meaning manifestly false, should be changed, rejected, or contradicted; because they distort language from its chief end, or only worthy use; which is, to state facts, and to tell the truth." The error may be corrected thus: "The long sound of _i_ is _like a very quick union_ of the sound of _a_, as heard in _bar_, and that of _e_, as heard in _be_."]

"The omission of a word necessary to grammatical propriety, is called ELLIPSIS."--_Priestley's Gram._, p. 45. "Every substantive is of the third person."--_Alexander Murray's Gram._, p. 91. "A noun, when the subject is spoken _to_, is in the second person; and when spoken _of_, it is in the third person; but never in the first."--_Nutting's Gram._, p. 17. "With us, no substantive nouns have gender, or are masculine and feminine, except the proper names of male and female creatures."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 156.

"Apostrophe is a little mark signifying that something is shortened; as, for William his hat, we say, William's hat."--_Infant School Gram._, p. 30.

"When a word beginning with a vowel is coupled with one beginning with a consonant, the indefinite article must be repeated; thus, 'Sir Matthew Hale was _a_ n.o.ble and _an_ impartial judge;' 'Pope was _an_ elegant and _a_ nervous writer.'"--_Maunder's Gram._, p. 11. "_W_ and _y_ are consonants, when they begin a word or syllable; but in every other situation they are vowels."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 7: _Bacon, Comly, Cooper, Fish, Ingersoll, Kirkham, Smith, et al_. "_The_ is used before all adjectives and substantives, let them begin as they will."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 26.

"Prepositions are also prefixed to words in such manner, as to coalesce with them, and to become a part of them."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 66. "But _h_ is entirely silent at the beginning of syllables not accented, as _historian_."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 5. "Any word that will make sense with _to_ before it, is a verb."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 44. "Verbs do not, in reality, express actions; but they are intrinsically the mere _names_ of actions."--_Ib._, p. 37. "The nominative is the actor or subject, and the active verb is the action performed by the nominative."--_Ib._, p. 45. "If, therefore, only one creature or thing acts, only one action, at the same instant, can be done; as, the _girl writes_."--_Ib._, 45. "The verb _writes_ denotes but one action, which the girl performs; therefore the verb _writes_ is of the singular number."--_Ib._, 45. "And when I say, Two men _walk_, is it not equally apparent, that _walk_ is plural, because it expresses _two_ actions?"--_Ib._, p. 47. "The subjunctive mood is formed by adding a conjunction to the indicative mood."--_Beck's Gram._, p. 16. "The possessive case should always be distinguished by the apostrophe."-- _Frost's El. of Gram._, Rule 44th, p. 49. "'At these proceedings of the commons,'--Here _of_ is the sign of the genitive or possessive case, and _commons_ is of that case, governed of proceedings."--_Alex. Murray's Gram._, p. 95. "Here let it be observed again that, strictly speaking, no verbs have numbers nor persons, neither have nouns nor p.r.o.nouns persons, when they refer to irrational creatures and inanimate things."--_S.

Barrett's Gram._, p. 136. "The noun or p.r.o.noun denoting the person or thing addressed or spoken to, is in the nominative case independent."--_Frost's El. of Gram._, Rule 8th, p. 44. "Every noun, when addressed, becomes of the second person, and is in the nominative case absolute; as--'_Paul_, thou art beside thyself.'"--_Jaudon's Gram._, Rule 19th, p. 108. "Does the Conjunction join Words together? No; only Sentences."--_British Gram._, p.

103. "No; the Conjunction only joins sentences together."--_Buchanan's Gram._, p. 64. "Every Genitive has a Noun to govern it, expressed or understood; as, St. James's, _Palace_ is understood; therefore one Genitive cannot govern another."--_Ib._, p. 111. "Every adjective, and every adjective p.r.o.noun, belongs to a substantive, expressed or understood."-- _Murray's Gram._, p. 161; _Bacon's_, 48; _Alger's_, 57; _et al_. "Every adjective qualifies a substantive expressed or understood."--_Bullions, E.

Gram._, p. 97. "Every adjective belongs to some noun expressed or understood."--_Ingersoll's Gram._, p. 36. "Adjectives belong to the nouns which they describe."--_Smith's New Gram._, p. 137. "Adjectives must agree with the nouns, which they qualify."--_Fisk's Murray_, p. 101. "The Adjective must agree with its Substantive in Number."--_Buchanan's Gram._, p. 94. "Every adjective and participle belongs to some noun or p.r.o.noun expressed or understood."--_Frost's El. of Gram._, p. 44. "Every Verb of the Infinitive Mood, supposes a verb before it expressed or understood."--_Buchanan's Gram._, p. 94. "Every Adverb has its Verb expressed or understood."--_Ib._, p. 94. "Conjunctions which connect Sentence to Sentence, are always placed betwixt the two Propositions or Sentences which they unite."--_Ib._, p. 88. "The words _for all that_, seem to be too low."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 213. "_For all that_ seems to be too low and vulgar."--_Priestley's Gram._, p. 139. "The reader, or hearer, then, understands from _and_, that he is to add something."--_J. Brown's E.

Syntax_, p. 124. "But _and_ never, never connects one _thing_ with another thing, nor one _word_ with another word."--_Ib._, p. 122. "'Six, and six are twelve.' Here it is affirmed that, _six is twelve_!"--_Ib._, p. 120.

"'John, and his wife have six children.' This is an instance of gross _catachresis_. It is here affirmed that John has six children, and that his wife has six children."--_Ib._, p. 122. "Nothing which is not right can be great."--_Murray's Exercises_, 8vo, p. 146: see _Rambler_, No. 185.

"Nothing can be great which is not right."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 277.

"The highest degree of reverence should be paid to youth."--_Ib._, p. 278.

"There is, in many minds, neither knowledge nor understanding."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 151; _Russell's_, 84; _Alger's_, 54; _Bacon's_, 47; _et al_. "Formerly, what we call the objective cases of our p.r.o.nouns, were employed in the same manner as our present nominatives are."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 164. "As it respects a choice of words and expressions, no rules of grammar can materially aid the learner."--_S. S. Greene's Gram._, 1st Ed., p. 202. "Whatever exists, or is conceived to exist, is a Noun."--_Fowler's E. Gram._, 8vo, 1850, --137. "As all men are not brave, _brave_ is itself comparative."--_Ib._, --190.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE VI.--OF ABSURDITIES.

(1.) "And sometimes two unaccented syllables follow each other."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 384.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the phrase, "_follow each other_," is here an absurdity; it being impossible for two things to "follow each other,"

except they alternate, or whirl round. But, according to Critical Note 6th, "Absurdities, of every kind, are contrary to grammar; because they are contrary to reason, or good sense, which is the foundation of grammar."

Therefore, a different expression should here be chosen; thus: "And sometimes two unaccented syllables _come together_." Or: "And sometimes _one_ unaccented _syllable follows an_ other."]

(2.) "What nouns frequently succeed each other?"--_Sanborn's Gram._, p. 65.

(3.) "Words are derived from one another in various ways."--_Ib._, p. 288; _Merchant's Gram._, 78; _Weld's_, 2d Edition, 222. (4.) "Prepositions are derived from the two Latin words _prae_ and _pono_, which signify before and place."--_Mack's Gram._, p. 86. (5.) "He was sadly laughed at for such conduct."--_Bullion's E. Gram._, p. 79. (6.) "Every adjective p.r.o.noun belongs to some noun or p.r.o.noun expressed or understood."--_Ingersoll's Gram._, p. 212. (7.) "If he [Addison] fails in anything, it is in want of strength and precision, which renders his manner not altogether a proper model."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 187. (8.) "Indeed, if Horace be deficient in any thing, it is in this, of not being sufficiently attentive to juncture and connexion of parts."--_Ib._, p. 401. (9.) "The pupil is now supposed to be acquainted with the nine sorts of speech, and their most usual modifications."--_Taylor's District School_, p. 204. (10.) "I could see, hear, taste, and smell the rose."--_Sanborn's Gram._, p. 156. (11.) "The triphthong _iou_ is sometimes p.r.o.nounced distinctly in two syllables; as in bilious, various, abstemious."--_L. Murray's Gram._, p. 13; _Walker's Dict._, Prin. 292, p. 37. (12.) "The diphthong _aa_ generally sounds like a short in proper names; as in Balaam, Canaan, Isaac; but not in Baal, Gaal."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 10. (13.) "Participles are sometimes governed by the article; for the present participle, with the definite article _the_ before it, becomes a substantive."--_Ib._, p. 192. (14.) "Words ending with _y_, preceded by a consonant, form the plurals of nouns, the persons of verbs, verbal nouns, past participles, comparatives and superlatives, by changing _y_ into _i_."--_Walker's Rhyming Dict._, p. viii; _Murray's Gram._, 23; _Merchant's Murray_, 13; _Fisk's_, 44; _Kirkham's_, 23; _Greenleaf's_, 20; _Wright's Gram._, 28; _et al_. (15.) "But _y_ preceded by a vowel, _in such instances as the above_, is not changed; as boy, boys."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 24; _Merchant's, Fisk's, Kirkham's, Greenleaf's, et al_. (16.) "But when _y_ is preceded by a vowel, it is very rarely[455] changed in the additional syllable: as coy, coyly."--_Murray's Gram. again_, p. 24; _Merchant's_, 14; _Fisk's_, 45; _Greenleaf's_, 20; _Wright's_, 29; _et al_. (17.) "But when _y_ is preceded by a vowel, _in such instances_, it is very rarely changed into _i_; as coy, COYLESS."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 24. (18.) "Sentences are of a twofold nature: Simple and Compound."--_Wright's Gram._, p. 123. (19.) "The neuter p.r.o.noun _it_ is applied to all nouns and p.r.o.nouns: as, _It_ is _he; it_ is _she; it_ is _they; it_ is the _land_."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 92. (20.) "_It is_ and _it was_, are often used in a plural construction; as, '_It was_ the heretics who first began to rail.'"--_Merchant's Gram._, p. 87. (21.) "_It is_ and _it was_, are often, after the manner of the French, used in a plural construction, and by some of our best writers: as, '_It was_ the _heretics that_ first began to rail.' Smollett."--_Priestley's Gram._, p.

190; _Murray's_, 158; _Smith's_, 134; _Ingersoll's_, 210; _Fisk's_, 115; _et al_. (22.) "_w_ and _y_, as consonants, have one sound."--_Town's Spelling-Book_, p. 9. (23.) "The conjunction _as_ is frequently used as a relative."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 93. (24.) "When several clauses succeed each other, the conjunction may be omitted with propriety."--_Merchant's Gram._, p. 97. (25.) "If, however, the members succeeding each other, are very closely connected, the comma is unnecessary: as, 'Revelation tells us how we may attain happiness.'"--_Murray's Gram._, p. 273; _Merchant's_, 151; _Russell's_, 115; _Comly's_, 152; _Alger's_, 80; _Smith's_, 190; _et al_. (26.) "The mind has difficulty in pa.s.sing readily through so many different views given it, in quick succession, of the same object."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 149. (27.) "The mind has difficulty in pa.s.sing readily through many different views of the same object, presented in quick succession."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 341. (28.) "Adjective p.r.o.nouns are a kind of adjectives which point out nouns by some distinct specification."--_Kirkham's Gram., the Compend, or Table_. (29.) "A noun of mult.i.tude conveying plurality of idea[456], must have a verb or p.r.o.noun agreeing with it in the plural."--_Ib._, pp. 59 and 181: see also _Lowth's Gram._, p. 74; _L. Murray's_, 152; _Comly's_, 80; _Lennie's_, 87; _Alger's_, 54; _Jaudon's_, 96; _Alden's_, 81; _Parker and Fox's_, I, 76; II, 26; _and others_. (30.) "A noun or p.r.o.noun signifying possession, is governed by the noun it possesses."--_Greenleaf's Gram._, p. 35. (31.) "A noun signifying possession, is governed by the noun which it possesses."--_Wilbur and Livingston's Gram._, p. 24. (32.) "A noun or p.r.o.noun in the possessive case is governed by the noun it possesses."--_Goldsbury's Gram._, p. 68. (33.) "The possessive case is governed by the person or thing possessed; as, 'this is _his_ book.'"--_P.

E. Day's Gram._, p. 81. (34.) "A noun or p.r.o.noun in the possessive case, is governed by the noun which it possesses."--_Kirkham's Gram., Rule_ 12th, pp. 52 and 181; _Frazer's Gram._, 1844, p. 25; _F. H. Miller's_, 21. (35.) "Here the boy is represented as acting. He is, therefore, in the nominative case."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 41. (36.) "Some of the auxiliaries are themselves princ.i.p.al verbs, as: _have, do, will_, and _am_, or _be_."--_Cooper's Grammars, both_, p. 50. (37.) "Nouns of the male kind are masculine. Those of the female kind are feminine."--_Beck's Gram._, p. 6.

(38.) "'To-day's lesson is longer than yesterday's:' here _to-day_ and _yesterday_ are substantives."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 114; _Ingersoll's_, 50; _et al._ (39.) "In this example, _to-day_ and _yesterday_ are nouns in the possessive case."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 88. (40.) "An Indian in Britain would be much surprised to stumble upon an elephant feeding at large in the open fields."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, Vol. i, p. 219. (41.) "If we were to contrive a new language, we might make any articulate sound the sign of any idea: there would be no impropriety in calling oxen _men_, or rational beings by the name of _oxen_."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 139. (42.) "All the parts of a sentence should correspond to each other."--_Ib._, p.

222; _Kirkham's_, 193; _Ingersoll's_, 275; _Goldsbury's_, 74; _Hiley's_, 110; _Weld's_, 193; _Alger's_, 71; _Fisk's_, 148; _S. Putnam's_, 95; _Merchant's_, 101; _Merchant's Murray_, 95.

(43.) "Full through his neck the weighty falchion sped, Along the pavement roll'd the mutt'ring head."

--_Odyssey_, xxii, 365.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE VII.--OF SELF-CONTRADICTION.

(1.) "Though the construction will not admit of a _plural verb_, the sentence would certainly stand better thus: 'The king, the lords, and the commons, _form_ an excellent const.i.tution.'"--_Murray's Gram._, p. 151; _Ingersoll's_, 239.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the first clause here quoted is contradicted by the last. But, according to Critical Note 7th, "Every writer or speaker should be careful not to contradict himself; for what is self-contradictory, is both null in argument, and bad in style." The following change may remove the discrepance: "Though 'The king _with_ the lords and commons,' _must have a singular rather than_ a plural verb, the sentence would certainly stand better thus: 'The king, the lords, _and_ the commons, _form_ an excellent const.i.tution.'"]

(2.) "_L_ has always a soft liquid sound; as in love, billow, quarrel. It is sometimes mute: as in half, talk, psalm."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 14; _Fisk's_, 40. (3.) "_L_ has always a soft liquid sound; as in _love, billow_. It is often silent; as in _half, talk, almond_."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 22. (4.) "The words _means_ and _amends_, though formerly used in the singular, as well as in the plural number, are now, by polite writers, restricted to the latter. Our most distinguished modern authors say, 'by _this means_,' as well as, by _these means_.'"--_Wright's Gram._, p. 150. (5.) "'A friend exaggerates a man's virtues: an enemy inflames his crimes.' Better thus: 'A friend exaggerates a man's virtues: an enemy his crimes.'"--_Murray's Gram._, Vol. i, p. 325. "A friend exaggerates a man's virtues, an enemy inflames his crimes"--_Key_, Vol. ii, p. 173. (6.) "The auxiliary _have_, in the perfect tense of the subjunctive mood, should be avoided."--_Merchant's Gram._, p. 97. "Subjunctive Mood, Perfect Tense. If I _have_ loved, If thou hast loved," &c.--p. 51. (7.) "There is also an impropriety in governing both the indicative and subjunctive moods, with the same conjunction; as, '_If_ a man _have_ a hundred sheep, and _if_ one of them _be_ gone astray,' &c. It should be, and one of them _is_ gone astray, &c."--_Ib._, p. 97. (8.) "The rising series of contrasts convey inexpressible dignity and energy to the conclusion."--_Jamieson's Rhet._, p. 79. (9.) "A groan or a shriek is instantly understood, as a language extorted by distress, a language which no art can counterfeit, and which conveys a meaning that words are utterly inadequate to express."--_Porter's a.n.a.lysis_, p. 127. "A groan or shriek speaks to the ear, as the language of distress, with far more thrilling effect than words. Yet these may be counterfeited by art."--_Ib._, p. 147. (10.) "These words [_book_ and _pen_] cannot be put together in such a way as will const.i.tute plurality."--_James Brown's English Syntax_, p. 125. (11.) "Nor can the real _pen_, and the real _book_ be expressed in two words in such a manner as will const.i.tute _plurality_ in _grammar._"--_Ibid._ (12.) "_Our_ is an adjective p.r.o.noun of the possessive kind. Decline it."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 227. (13.) "_This_ and _that_, and likewise their Plurals, are always opposed to each other in a Sentence."--_Buchanan's Syntax_, p. 103. "When _this_ or _that_ is used alone, i.e. not opposed to each other, _this_ is written or spoken of Persons or Things immediately present, and as it were before our Eyes, or nearest with relation to Place or Time. _That_ is spoken or written of Persons or Things pa.s.sed, absent and distant in relation to Time and Place."--_Ibid._ (14.) "Active and neuter verbs may be conjugated by adding their present participle to the auxiliary verb _to be_, through all its variations."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 159. "_Be_ is an auxiliary whenever it is placed before the perfect participle of another verb, but in every other situation, it is a _princ.i.p.al_ verb."--_Ib._, p.

155. (15.) "A verb in the imperative mood, is always of the second person."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 136. "The verbs, according to an idiom of our language, or the poet's license, are used in the _imperative_, agreeing with a nominative of the first or third person."--_Ib._, p. 164. (16.) "Personal p.r.o.nouns are distinguished from the relative, by their denoting the _person_ of the nouns for which they stand."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 97.

"p.r.o.nouns of the first person, do not agree in person with the nouns they represent."--_Ib._, p. 98. (17.) "Nouns have three cases, nominative, possessive, and objective."--_Beck's Gram._, p. 6. "Personal p.r.o.nouns have, like nouns, two cases, nominative and objective."--_Ib._, p. 10. (18.). "In some instances the preposition suffers no change, but becomes an adverb merely by its application: as, 'He was _near_ falling.'"--_Murray's Gram._, p. 116. (19.) "Some nouns are used only in the plural; as, _ashes, literati, minutiae_, SHEEP, DEER."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 43. "Some nouns are the same in both numbers, as, _alms, couple_, DEER, _series, species, pair_, SHEEP."--_Ibid._ "Among the inferior parts of speech there are some _pairs_ or _couples_"--_Ib._, p. 94. (20.) "Concerning the p.r.o.nominal _adjectives_, that _can_ and _can not, may_ and _may not_, represents _its_ noun."--_O. B. Peirce's Gram._, p. 336. (21.) "The _article a_ is in a few instances employed in the sense of a _preposition_; as, Simon Peter said I go _a_ [to] fis.h.i.+ng."--_Weld's Gram._, 2d Ed., p. 177; Abridg., 128. "'To go a fis.h.i.+ng;' i.e. to go _on_ a fis.h.i.+ng voyage or business."--_Weld's Gram._, p. 192. (22.) "So also verbs, really transitive, are used intransitively, when they have no object."--_Bullions's a.n.a.lyt. and Pract.

Gram._, p. 60.

(23.) "When first young Maro, in his boundless mind, A work t' outlast immortal Rome design'd."

--_Pope, on Crit._, l. 130.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE VIII.--OF SENSELESS JUMBLING.

"Number distinguishes them [viz., _nouns_], as one, or many, of the same kind, called the singular and plural."--_Dr. Blair's Lectures on Rhetoric_, p. 74.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the words of this text appear to be so carelessly put together, as to make nothing but jargon, or a sort of scholastic balderdash. But, according to Critical Note 8th, "To jumble together words without care for the sense, is an unpardonable negligence, and an abuse of the human understanding." I think the learned author should rather have said: "_There are two numbers_ called the singular and _the_ plural, _which_ distinguish nouns as _signifying either_ one _thing_, or many of the same kind."]

"Here the noun _James Munroe_ is addressed, he is spoken to, it is here a noun of the second person."--_Mack's Gram._, p. 66. "The number and case of a verb can never be ascertained until its nominative is known."--_Emmons's Gram._, p. 36. "A noun of mult.i.tude, or signifying many, may have the verb and p.r.o.noun agreeing with it either in the singular or plural number; yet not without regard to the import of the word, as conveying unity or plurality of idea."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 75; _Murray's_, 152; _Alger's_, 54; _Russell's_, 55; _Ingersoll's_, 248; _et al._ "To express the present and past imperfect of the active and neuter verb, the auxiliary _do_ is sometimes used: I _do_ (now) love; I _did_ (then) love."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 40. "If these are perfectly committed, they will be able to take twenty lines for a lesson on the second day; and may be increased each day."--_Osborn's Key_, p. 4. "When _c_ is joined with _h (ch)_, they are generally sounded in the same manner: as in Charles, church, cheerfulness, and cheese. But foreign words (except in those derived from the French, as _chagrin, chicanery_, and _chaise_, in which _ch_ are sounded like _sh_) are p.r.o.nounced like _k_; as in Chaos, character, chorus, and chimera."--_Bucke's Cla.s.sical Gram._, p. 10. "Some substantives, naturally neuter, are, by a figure of speech, converted into the masculine or feminine gender."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 37; _Comly's_, 20; _Bacon's_, 13; _A Teacher's_, 8; _Alger's_, 16; _Lennie's_, 11; _Fisk's_, 56; _Merchant's_, 27; _Kirkham's_, 35; _et al._ "Words in the English language may be cla.s.sified under ten general heads, the names of which cla.s.ses are usually termed the ten parts of speech."--_Nutting's Gram._, p. 14. "'Mercy is the true badge of n.o.bility.' _n.o.bility_ is a noun of mult.i.tude, mas. and fem. gender, third person, sing. and in the obj. case, and governed by 'of:' RULE 31."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 161. "gh, are either silent, or have the sound of f, as in laugh."--_Town's Spelling-Book_, p. 10. "As many people as were destroyed, were as many languages or dialects lost and blotted out from the general catalogue."--_Chazotte's Essay_, p. 25. "The _grammars_ of some languages contain a greater number of _the_ moods, than _others_, and exhibit _them_ in different forms."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo.

Vol. i, p. 95. "A COMPARISON OR SIMILE, is, _when_ the resemblance between two objects _is expressed in form_, and _generally pursued_ more fully than the nature of a metaphor admits."--_Ib._, p. 343. "In _some dialects_, the word _what_ is improperly used for _that_, and sometimes we find it in _this sense_ in writing."--_Ib._, p. 156; _Priestley's Gram._, 93; _Smith's_, 132; _Merchant's_, 87; _Fisk's_, 114; _Ingersoll's_, 220; _et al._ "Brown makes great ado concerning the adname principles of preceding works, in relation to the _gender_ of p.r.o.nouns."--_O. B. Peirce's Gram._, p. 323. "The nominative precedes and performs the action of the verb."--_Beck's Gram._, p. 8. "The Primitive are those which cannot receive more simple forms than those which they already possess."--_Wright's Gram._, p. 28. "The long sound [of _i_] is always marked by the _e_ final in monosyllables; as, thin, thine; except give, live."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 13; _Fisk's_, 39; _et al._ "But the third person or thing spoken of being absent, and in many respects unknown, it is necessary that it should be marked by a distinction of gender."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 21; _L.

Murray's_, 51; _et al._ "Each of the diphthongal letters was doubtless, originally heard in p.r.o.nouncing the words which contain them. Though this is not the case at present, with respect to many of them, these combinations still retain the name of diphthongs; but, to distinguish them, they are marked by the term _improper_."--_L. Murray's Gram._, p. 9; _Fisk's_, 37; _et al._ "A Mode is the form of, or manner of using a verb, by which the being, action, or pa.s.sion is expressed "--_Alex. Murray's Gram._, p. 32. "The word _that_ is a demonstrative p.r.o.noun when it is followed immediately by a substantive, to which it is either joined, or refers, and which it limits or qualifies."--_Lindley Murray's Gram._, p.

54.

"The guiltless woe of being past, Is future glory's deathless heir."--_Sumner L. Fairfield._

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE IX.--OF WORDS NEEDLESS.

"A knowledge of grammar enables us to express ourselves better in conversation and in writing composition."--_Sanborn's Gram._, p. 7.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the word _composition_ is here needless.

But, according to Critical Note 9th, "Words that are entirely needless, and especially such as injure or enc.u.mber the expression, ought in general to be omitted." The sentence would be better without this word, thus: "A knowledge of grammar enables us to express ourselves better in conversation and in writing."]

"And hence we infer, that there is no other dictator here but use."--_Jamieson's Rhet._, p. 42. "Whence little else is gained, except correct spelling and p.r.o.nunciation."--_Town's Spelling-Book_, p. 5. "The man who is faithfully attached to religion, may be relied on, with humble confidence."--_Merchants School Gram._, p. 76. "Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?"--_2 Sam._, vii, 5. "The house was deemed polluted which was entered into by so abandoned a woman."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 279. "The farther that he searches, the firmer will be his belief."--_Keith's Evidences_, p. 4. "I deny not, but that religion consists in these things."--_Barclays Works_, i, 321. "Except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name."--_Esther_, ii, 14.

"The proper method of reading these lines, is to read them according as the sense dictates."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 386. "When any words become obsolete, or at least are never used, except as const.i.tuting part of particular phrases, it is better to dispense with their service entirely, and give up the phrases."--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 185; _Murray's Gram._, p. 370. "Those savage people seemed to have no element but that of war."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 211. "_Man_ is a common noun, of the third person, singular number, masculine gender, and in the nominative case."--_J. Flint's Gram._, p. 33.

"The orator, according as circ.u.mstances require, will employ them all."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 247. "By deferring our repentance, we acc.u.mulate our sorrows."--_Murray's Key_, ii, p. 166. "There is no doubt but that public speaking became early an engine of government."--_Blair's Rhet._, p.

245. "The different meaning of these two first words may not at first occur."--_Ib._, p. 225. "The sentiment is well expressed by Plato, but much better by Solomon than him."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 214; _Ingersoll's_, 251; _Smith's_, 179; _et al_. "They have had a greater privilege than we have had."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 211. "Every thing should be so arranged, as that what goes before may give light and force to what follows."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 311. "So as that his doctrines were embraced by great numbers."--UNIV. HIST.: _Priestley's Gram._, p. 139. "They have taken another and a shorter cut."--SOUTH: _Joh. Dict._ "The Imperfect Tense of a regular verb is formed from the present by adding _d_ or _ed_ to the present; as, 'I _loved_.'"--_Frost's El. of Gram._, p. 32. "The p.r.o.noun _their_ does not agree in gender or number with the noun 'man,' for which it stands."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 182. "This mark denotes any thing of wonder, surprise, joy, grief, or sudden emotion."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 19.

"We are all accountable creatures, each for himself."--_Murray's Key_, p.

204; _Merchant's_, 195. "If he has commanded it, then I must obey."--_Smith's New Gram._, pp. 110 and 112. "I now present him with a form of the diatonic scale."--_Dr. John Barber's Elocution_, p. xi. "One after another of their favourite rivers have been reluctantly abandoned."--_Hodgson's Tour_. "_Particular_ and _peculiar_ are words of different import from each other."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 196. "Some adverbs admit rules of comparison: as Soon, sooner, soonest."--_Bucke's Gram._, p.

76. "From having exposed himself too freely in different climates, he entirely lost his health."--_Murray's Key_. p. 200. "The Verb must agree with its Nominative before it in Number and Person."--_Buchanan's Syntax_, p. 93. "Write twenty short sentences containing only adjectives."--_Abbot's Teacher_, p. 102. "This general inclination and tendency of the language seems to have given occasion to the introducing of a very great corruption."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 60. "The second requisite of a perfect sentence, is its _Unity_."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 311. "It is scarcely necessary to apologize for omitting to insert their names."--_Ib._, p. vii.

"The letters of the English Language, called the English Alphabet, are twenty-six in number."--_Ib._, p. 2; _T. Smith's_, 5; _Fisk's_, 10; _Alger's_, 9; _et al_. "A writer who employs antiquated or novel phraseology, must do it with design: he cannot err from inadvertence as he may do it with respect to provincial or vulgar expressions."--_Jamieson's Rhet._, p. 56. "The _Vocative_ case, in some Grammars, is wholly omitted; why, if we must have cases, I could never understand the propriety of."--_Bucke's Cla.s.sical Gram._, p. 45. "Active verbs are conjugated with the auxiliary verb _I have_; pa.s.sive verbs are conjugated with the auxiliary verb _I am_."--_Ib._, p. 57. "What word, then, may _and_ be called? A Conjunction."--_Smith's New Gram._, p. 37. "Have they ascertained the person who gave the information?"--_Bullions's E. Gram._, p. 81.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE X.--OF IMPROPER OMISSIONS.

"All qualities of things are called adnouns, or adjectives."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 10.