to it as z does to s. It has one uniform sound "-Greenleaf's Gram., p. 20. "The author is explaining the distinction, between the powers of sense and imagination in the human mind."-Murray's Gram., 8vo, Vol. i, p. 343. [The author is endeavouring] "to explain a very abstract point, the distinction between the powers of sense and imagination in the human mind.”—Blair's Rhet., p. 164. HE (Anglo-Saxon he) is a Personal pronoun, of the Third Person, Masculine Gender (Decline he), of the singular number, in the nominative case."-Fowler's E. Gram., 8vo, 1850, § 589.

FALSE SYNTAX UNDER THE CRITICAL NOTES.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE I.-OF THE PARTS OF SPEECH.

The passive voice denotes a being acted upon."-Maunder's Gram., p. 6.

[FORMULE-Not proper, because the term "being acted upon," as here used, suggests a doubt concerning its classification in parsing. But, according to Critical Note 1st, "Words that may constitute different parts of speech, must not be left doubtful as to their classification, or to what part of speech they belong." Therefore, the phraseology should be altered; thus, "The passive voice denotes an action received." Or: "The passive voice denotes the receiving of an action."]

128.

"Milton, in some of his prose works, has very finely turned periods."-Blair's Rhet., p. 127; Jamieson's, 129. "These will be found to be all, or chiefly, of that class."-Blair's Rhet., p. 32. "All appearances of an author's affecting harmony, are disagreeable."-lb., p. 127; Jamieson, "Some nouns have a double increase, that is, increase by more syllables than one; as, iter, itineris."—Adam's Gram., p. 255; Gould's, 247. "The powers of man are enlarged by advancing cultivation."—Gurney's Essays, p. 62. "It is always important to begin well; to make a favourable impression at first setting out."-Blair's Rhet., p. 307. "For if one take a wrong method at first setting out, it will lead him astray in all that follows."-Ib., 313. "His mind is full of his subject, and his words are all expressive."-Ib., 179. "How exquisitely is this all performed in Greek!"-Harris's Hermes, p. 422. "How little is all this to satisfy the ambition of an immortal soul!"-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 253. "So as to exhibit the object in its full and most striking point of view."-Blair's Rhet., p. 41. "And that the author know how to descend with propriety to the plain, as well as how to rise to the bold and figured style."-Ib., p. 401. "The heart can only answer to the heart.”—Ib., p. 259. "Upon its first being perceived."-Harris's Hermes, p. 229. "Call for Samson, that he may make us sport."-Judges, xvi, 25. "And ho made them sport."—Ibid. "The term suffer in this definition is used in a technical sense, and means simply the receiving of an action, or the being acted upon."-Bullions, p. 29. "The Text is what is only meant to be taught in Schools."-Brightland, Pref., p. ix. "The perfect participle denotes action or being perfected or finished."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 78. "From the intricacy

"It ap

and confusion which are produced by their being blended together."-Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 66. "This very circumstance of a word's being employed antithetically, renders it important in the sentence."-Kirkham's Elocution, p. 121. "It [the pronoun that,] is applied to both persons and things."-Murray's Gram., p. 53. "Concerning us, as being every where evil spoken of."— Barclay's Works, Vol. ii, p. vi. "Every thing beside was buried in a profound silence."—Steele. They raise more full conviction than any reasonings produce."—Blair's Rhet., p. 367. pears to me no more than a fanciful refinement."-Ib., p. 436. "The regular resolution throughout of a complete passage."-Churchill's Gram., p. vii. "The infinitive is known by its being immediately preceded by the word to."-Maunder's Gram., p. 6. "It will not be gaining much ground to urge that the basket, or vase, is understood to be the capital."-Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. ii, p. 356. "The disgust one has to drink ink in reality, is not to the purpose where the subject is drinking ink figuratively."-Ib., ii, 231. "That we run not into the extreme of pruning so very close."-Blair's Rhet., p. 111. "Being obliged to rest for a little on the preposition by itself."Ib., p. 112; Jamieson's Rhet 93. "Being obliged to rest a little on the preposition by itself.”Murray's Gram., p. 319. "Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding." -1 Chron., xxix, 15. "There may be a more particular expression attempted, of certain objects, by means of resembling sounds."-Blair's Rhet., p. 129; Jamieson's, 130; Murray's Gram., 331. "The right disposition of the shade, makes the light and colouring strike the more."—Blair's Rhet., 144. "I observed that a diffuse style inclines most to long periods."-Ib., p. 178. "Their poor Arguments, which they only Pickt up and down the Highway -Divine Right of Tythes, p.

iii.

"Which must be little, but a transcribing out of their writings."-Barclay's Works, iii, 353. "That single impulse is a forcing out of almost all the breath."-Rush, on the Voice, p. 254. "Picini compares modulation to the turning off from a road.”—Gardiner's Music of Nature, p. 405. "So much has been written, on and off, of almost every subject."-The Friend, ii, 117. "By reading books written by the best authors, his mind became highly improved."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 201. "For I never made the being richly provided a token of a spiritual ministry."Barclay's Works, iii, 470.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE II.-OF DOUBTFUL REFERENCE.

"However disagreeable, we must resolutely perform our duty.”—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 171. [FORMULE-Not proper, because the adjective disagreeable appears to relate to the pronoun we, though such a relation was probably not intended by the author. But, according to Critical Note 2d, "The reference of words to other words, or their syntactical relation according to the sense, should never be left donbtful, by any one who means to be understood." The sentence may be amended thus: "However disagreeable the task, we must resolutely perform our duty."]

"The formation of verbs in English, both regular and irregular, is derived from the Saxon."— Louth's Gram., p. 47. "Time and chance have an influence on all things human, and on nothing

66

more remarkably than on language."-Campbell's Rhet., p. 180. "Time and chance have an influence on all things human, and on nothing more remarkable than on language."-Jamieson's Rhet., p. 47. Archytases being a virtuous man, who happened to perish once upon a time, is with him a sufficient ground," &c.-Philological Museum, i, 466. "He will be the better qualified to understand, with accuracy, the meaning of a numerous class of words, in which they form a material part."-Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 120. "We should continually have the goal in view, which would direct us in the race."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 172. "But [Addison's figures] seem to rise of their own accord from the subject, and constantly embellish it."-Blair's Rhet., p. 150; Jamieson's, 157. "As far as persons and other animals and things that we can see go, it is very easy to distinguish Nouns."-Cobbett's Gram., ¶ 14. Dissyllables ending in y, e mute, or accented on the last syllable, may be sometimes compared like monosyllables."-Frost's El. of Gram., p. 12. Admitting the above objection, it will not overrule the design."-Rush, on the Voice, p. 140. "These philosophical innovators forget, that objects are like men, known only by their actions."-Dr. Murray's Hist. of Lang., i, 326. "The connexion between words and ideas is arbitrary and conventional, owing to the agreement of men among themselves."-Jamieson's Rhet., p. 1. "The connexion between words and ideas may, in general, be considered as arbitrary and conventional, owing to the agreement of men among themselves."-Blair's Rhet., p. 53. "A man whose inclinations led him to be corrupt, and had great abilities to manage and multiply and defend his corruptions."-Swift. They have no more control over him than any other men."— Wayland's Moral Science, 1st Ed., p. 372. "His old words are all true English, and numbers exquisite."-Spectator, No. 540. "It has been said, that not only Jesuits can equivocate."-Murray's Exercises, 8vo, p. 121. "It has been said, that Jesuits can not only equivocate."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 253. "The nominative of the first and second person in Latin is seldom expressed."—Adam's Gram., p. 154; Gould's, 157. "Some words are the same in both numbers."-Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 40; Ingersoll's, 18; Fisk's, 59; Kirkham's, 39; W. Allen's, 42; et al. "Some nouns are the same in both numbers."-Merchant's Gram., p. 29; Smith's, 45; et al. "Others are the same in both numbers; as, deer, swine, &c."-Frost's El. of Gram., p. 8. "The following list denotes the sounds of the consonants, being in number twenty-two."Murray's Gram., p. 6; Fisk's, 36. "And is the ignorance of these peasants a reason for others to remain ignorant; or to render the subject a less becoming inquiry?"-Harris's Hermes, p. 293; Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 288. "He is one of the most correct, and perhaps the best, of our prose writers."-Lowth's Gram., Pref., p. iv. "The motions of a vortex and a whirlwind are perfectly similar."-Jamieson's Rhet., p. 131. "What I have been saying throws light upon one important verse in the Bible, which I should like to have read."-Abbott's Teacher, p. 182. When there are any circumstances of time, place, or other limitations, which the principal object of our sentence requires to have connected with it."-Blair's Rhet., p. 115; Jamieson's Rhet., 98; Murray's Gram., i, 322. "Interjections are words used to express emotion, affection, or passion, and imply suddenness."-Bucke's Gram., p. 77. "But the genitive is only used to express the measure of things in the plural number."-Adam's Gram., p. 200; Gould's, 198. "The buildings of the institution have been enlarged; the expense of which, added to the increased price of provisions, renders it necessary to advance the terms of admission."-Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 183. "These sentences are far less difficult than complex."-S. S. Greene's Analysis, or Grammar, 1st Ed., p. 179.

"Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,

Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray."-Gray's Elegy.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE III.-OF DEFINITIONS.

(1.) "Definition is such a description of things as exactly describes the thing and that thing only."-Blair's Gram., p. 135.

[FORMULE-Not proper, because this definition of a definition is not accurately adapted to the thing. But, according to Critical Note 3d, "A definition, in order to be perfect, must include the whole thing, or class of things, which it pretends to define, and exclude every thing which comes not under the name."* The example may be amended thus: "A definition is a short and lucid description of a thing, or species, according to its nature and properties."]

(2.) "Language, in general, signifies the expression of our ideas by certain articulate sounds, which are used as the signs of those ideas."-Blair's Rhet., p. 53. (3.) "A WORD is an articulato sound used by common consent as the sign of an idea."-Bullions, Analyt. and Pract. Gr., p. 17. (4.) "A word is a sound, or combination of sounds, which is used in the expression of thought Hazen's Gram., p. 12. (5.) "Words are articulate sounds, used as signs to convey our ideas."Hiley's Gram., p. 5. (6.) “A word is a number of letters used together to represent some idea."

Bad definitions may have other faults than to include or exclude what they should not, but this is their great and peculiar vice. For example: "Person is that property of nouns and pronouns which distinguishes the speaker, the person or thing addressed, and the person or thing spoken of."-Wells's School Gram., 1st Ed., p. 51; 113th Ed., p. 57. See nearly the same words, in Weld's English Gram., p. 67; and in his Abridgement, p. 49. The three persons of verbs are all improperly excluded from this definition; which absurdly takes "person" to be one property that has all the effect of all the persons; so that each person, in its turn, since each cannot have all this effect, is seen to be excluded also: that is, it is not such a property as is described! Again: "An intransitive verb is a verb which does not have a noun or pronoun for its object."-Wells, 1st Ed., p. 76. According to Dr. Johnson, “does not have," is not a scholarly phrase; but the adoption of a puerile expressiou is a trifling fault, compared with that of including here all passive verbs, and some transitives, which the author meant to exclude; to say nothing of the inconsistency of excluding here the two classes of verbs which he absurdly calls "intransitive," though he finds them "followed by objectives depending upon them !"--Id., p. 145. Weld imitates these errors too, on pp. 70 and 153.

66

Hart's E. Gram., p. 28. (7.) "A Word is a combination of letters, used as the sign of an idea."— S. W. Clark's Practical Gram., p. 9. (8.) "A word is a letter or a combination of letters, used as the sign of an idea."-Wells's School Gram., p. 41. (9.) "Words are articulate sounds, by which ideas are communicated."-Wright's Gram., p. 28. (10.) "Words are certain articulate sounds used by common consent as signs of our ideas."-Bullions, Principles of E. Gram., p. 6; Lat. Gram., 6; see Lowth, Murray, Smith, et al. (11.) "Words are sounds used as signs of our ideas."- W. Allen's Gram., p. 30. (12.) "Orthography means word-making or spelling."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 19; Smith's New Gram., p. 41. (13.) "A vowel is a letter, the name of which constitutes a full, open sound."-Hazen's Gram., p. 10; Lennie's, 5; Brace's, 7. (14.) "Spelling is the art of reading by naming the letters singly, and rightly dividing words into their syllables. Or, in writing, it is the expressing of a word by its proper letters."-Lowth's Gram., p. 5; Churchill's. 20. (15.) "Spelling is the art of rightly dividing words into their syllables, or of expressing a word by its proper letters."-Murray's Gram., p. 21; Ingersoll's, 6; Merchant's, 10; Alger's, 12; Greenleaf's, 20; and others. (16) "Spelling is the art of expressing words by their proper letters; or of rightly dividing words into syllables."-Comly's Gram., p. 8. (17.) "Spelling is the art of expressing a word by its proper letters, and rightly dividing it into syllables."-Bullions's Princ. of E. Gram., p. 2. (18.) "Spelling is the art of expressing a word by its proper letters."Kirkham's Gram., p. 23; Sanborn's, p. 259. (19.) “A syllable is a sound either simple or compounded, pronounced by a single impulse of the voice, and constituting a word or part of a word." -Lowth, p. 5; Murray, 21; Ingersoll, 6; Fisk, 11; Greenleaf, 20; Merchant, 9; Alger, 12; Bucke, 15; Smith, 118; et al. (20.) "A Syllable is a complete Sound uttered in one Breath."--British Gram., p. 32; Buchanan's, 5. (21.) "A syllable is a distinct sound, uttered by a single impulse of the voice."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 20. (22.) “ A Syllable is a distinct sound forming the whole of a word, or so much of it as can be sounded at once."-Bullions, E. Gr., p. 2. (23.) "A syllable is a word, or part of a word, or as much as can be sounded at once."-Picket's Gram., p. 10. (24.) "A diphthong is the union of two Vowels, both of which are pronounced as one: as in bear and beat."-Bucke's Gram., p. 15. (25.) "A diphthong consists of two vowels, forming one syllable; as, ea, in beat."-Guy's Gram., p. 2. (26.) “A triphthong consists of three vowels forming one syllable; as, eau in beauty."—Ib. (27.) "But the Triphthong is the union of three Vowels, pronounced as one."-Bucke's Gram., p. 15. (28.) "What is a Noun Substantive? A Noun Substantive is the thing itself; as, a Man, a Boy."-British Gram., p. 85; Buchanan's, 26. (29.) "An adjective is a word added to nouns to describe them."-Maunder's Gram., p. 1. (30.) "An adjective is a word joined to a noun, to describe or define it."-Smith's New Gram., p. 51. (31.) "An adjective is a word used to describe or define a noun.' -Wilcox's Gram., p. 2. (32.) "The adjective is added to the noun, to express the quality of it"-Murray's Gram., 12mo, 2d Ed., p. 27; Lowth, p. 6. (33.) "An adjective expresses the quality of the noun to which it is applied; and may generally be known by its making sense in connection with it; as, 'A good man,' 'A genteel woman.' -Wright's Gram., p. 34. (34.) "An adverb is a word used to modify the sense of other words."-Wilcox's Gram., p. 2. (35.) "An adverb is a word joined to a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, to modify or denote some circumstance respecting it."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 66; Lat. Gram., 185. (36.) "A Substantive or Noun is a name given to every object which the senses can perceive; the understanding comprehend; or the imagination entertain."-Wright's Gram., p. 34. (37.) "GENDER means the distinction of nouns with regard to sex."-Bullions, Prin. of E. Gram., 2d Ed., p. 9. (38.) "Gender is a distinction of nouns with regard to sex."-Frost's Gram., p. 7. (39.) "Gender is a distinction of nouns in regard to sex." -Perley's Gram., p. 10. (40.) "Gender is the distinction of nouns, in regard to sex."-Cooper's Murray, 24; Practical Gram., 21. (41.) "Gender is the distinction of nouns with regard to sex."-Murray's Gram., p. 37; Alger's, 16; Bacon's, 12; R. G. Greene's, 16; Bullions, Prin., 5th Ed., 9; his New Gr., 22; Fisk's, 19; Hull's, 9; Ingersoll's, 15. (42.) "Gender is the distinction of sex."-Alden's Gram., p. 9; Comly's, 20; Dalton's, 11; Davenport's, 15; J. Flint's, 28; A. Flint's, 11; Greenleaf's, 21; Guy's, 4; Hart's, 36; Hiley's, 12; Kirkham's, 34; Lennie's, 11; Picket's, 25; Smith's, 43; Sanborn's, 25; Wilcox's, 8. (43.) "Gender is the distinction of Sex, or the Difference betwixt Male and Female."-British Gram., p. 94; Buchanan's, 18. (44.) "Why are nouns divided into genders? To distinguish their sexes."-Fowle's True Eng. Gram., p. 10. (45.) What is meant by Gender? The different sexes."-Burn's Gram., p. 34. (46) "Gender, in grammar, is a difference of termination, to express distinction of sex."- Webster's Philos. Gram, p. 30; Improved Gram., 22. (47.) "Gender signifies a distinction of nouns, according to the different sexes of things they denote."-Coar's Gram., p. 32. (48.) "Gender is the distinction occasioned by sex. Though thero are but two sexes, still nouns necessarily admit of four distinctions* of gender."-Hall's Gram., p. 6. (49.) "Gender is a term which is

,,,

S. R. Hall thinks it necessary to recognize "four distinctions" of "the distinction occasioned by sex." In general, the other authors here quoted, suppose that we have only "three distinctions" of "the distinction of sex." And, as no philosopher has yet discovered more than two sexes, some have thence stoutly argued, that it is absurd to speak of more than two genders. Lily makes it out, that in Latin there are seren: yet, with no great consistency, he will have a gender to be a or the distinction of sex. "GENUS est sexus discretio. Et sunt genera numero septem."-Lilii Gram., p. 10. That is, "GENDER is the distinction of sex. And the genders are seven in number." Ruddiman says, "GENUS est, discrimen nominis secundum sexum, vel ejus in structurâ grammatica imitatio. Genera nominum sunt tria."--Ruddimanni Gram., p. 4. That is, "GENDER is the diversity of the noun according to sex, or [it is] the imitation of it in grammatical structure. The genders of nouns are three." These old definitions are no better than the newer ones cited above. All of them are miserable failures, full of faults and absurdities. Both the nature and the cause of their defects are in some degree explained near the close of the tenth chapter of my Introduction. Their most prominent errors are these: 1. They all assume, that gender, taken as one thing, is in fact two, three, or more, genders, 2. Nearly all of them

employed for the distinction of nouns with regard to sex and species."- Wright's Gram., p. 41. (50.) "Gender is a Distinction of Sex."-Fisher's Gram., p. 53. (51.) "GENDER marks the distinction of Sex.”—W. Allen's Gram., p. 37. (52.) "Gender means the kind, or sex. There are four genders."-Parker and Fox's, Part I, p. 7. (53.) "Gender is a property of the noun which distinguishes sex." Weld's Gram., 2d Ed., p. 57. (54.) "Gender is a property of the noun or pronoun by which it distinguishes sex."- Weld's Grammar Abridged, p. 49. (55.) "Case is the state or condition of a noun with respect to the other words in a sentence."-Bullions, E. Gram., p. 16; his Analyt, and Pract. Gram., p. 31. (56.) "Case means the different state or situation of nouns with regard to other words."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 55. (57.) "The cases of substantives signify their different terminations, which serve to express the relation of one thing to another."-L. Murray's Gram., 12mo, 2d Ed., p. 35. (58.) "Government is the power which one part of speech has over another, when it causes it or requires it to be of some particular person, number, gender, case, style, or mode."-Sanborn's Gram., p. 126; see Murray's Gram., 142; Smith's, 119; Pond's, 88; et al. (59,) "A simple sentence is a sentence which contains only one nominative case and one verb to agree with it."-Sanborn, ib.: see Murray's Gram., et al. (60.) "Declension means putting a noun through the different cases."-Kirkham's Gram., p. 58. (61.) "Zeugma is when two or more substantives have a verb in common, which is applicable only to one of them."-B. F. Fisk's Greek Gram., p. 185. (62.) "An Irregular Verb is that which has its passed tense and perfect participle terminating differently; as, smite, smote, smitten."- Wright's Gram., p. 92. (63.) "Personal pronouns are employed as substitutes for nouns that denote persons.”Hiley's Gram., p. 23.

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 entitles its author to a degree of famo 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 quantity 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, p. 32. “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 pronouns, though in a sense less strict than the others "-1b., 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 is that of the diphthong heard in oil or boy. But, according to Critical Note 5th, "Sentences that convey a meaning manifestly seem to say or imply, that words differ from one an other in sex, like animals. 3. Many of them expressly confine gender, or the genders, to nouns only. 4. Many of them confessedly exclude the neuter gender, though their authors afterwards admit this gender. 5. That of Dr. Webster supposes, that words differing in gender never have the same "termination." The absurdity of this may be shown by a multitude of examples; as, man and woman, male and female, father and mother, brother and sister. In his Dictionary, the Doctor calls GENDER, “In grammar, a difference in words to express distinction of sex." This is better, but still not free from some other faults which I have mentioned. For the correction of all this great batch of errors, I shall simply substitute in the Key one short definition, which appears to me to be exempt from each of these inaccuracies.

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."]

66

"The

"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 noble 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, Fisk, 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. 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 pos sessive 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 pronouns persons, when they refer to irrational creatures and inanimate things." -S. Barrett's Gram., p. 136. "The noun or pronoun 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 govcrn 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 pronoun, 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., 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 pronoun expressed or understood."—Frest'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."-lb., 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 pronouns, 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.

p. 36.

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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