The Grammar of English Grammars Part 154

Grave blunders made in the name of learning, are the strongest of all certificates against the books which contain them unreproved.

CRITICAL NOTE XII.--OF PERVERSIONS.

Proof-texts in grammar, if not in all argument, should be quoted literally; and even that which needs to be corrected, must never be perverted.

CRITICAL NOTE XIII.--OF AWKWARDNESS.

Awkwardness, or inelegance of expression, is a reprehensible defect in style, whether it violate any of the common rules of syntax or not.

CRITICAL NOTE XIV.--OF IGNORANCE.

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.

CRITICAL NOTE XV.--OF SILLINESS. 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. CRITICAL NOTE XVI.--OF THE INCORRIGIBLE.

Pa.s.sages too erroneous for correction, may be criticised, orally or otherwise, and then pa.s.sed over without any attempt to amend them.[445]

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE SYNTAX.

OBS. 1.--In the foregoing code of syntax, the author has taken the parts of speech in their order, and comprised all the general principles of relation, agreement, and government, in twenty-four leading Rules. Of these rules, eight--(namely, the 1st, of _Articles_; the 4th, of _Possessives_; the 9th, of _Adjectives_; the 20th, of _Participles_; the 21st, of _Adverbs_; the 22d, of _Conjunctions_; the 23d, of _Prepositions_; and the 24th, of _Interjections_--) are used only in parsing. The remaining sixteen, because they embrace principles that are sometimes violated in practice, answer the double purpose of parsing and correcting. The Exceptions, of which there are thirty-two, (all occasionally applicable in parsing,) belong to nine different rules, and refer to all the parts of speech, except nouns and interjections. The Notes, of which there are one hundred and fifty-two, are subordinate rules of syntax, not designed to be used in parsing, but formed for the exposition and correction of so many different forms of false grammar. The Observations, of which there are, in this part of the work, without the present series, four hundred and ninety-seven, are designed not only to defend and confirm the doctrines adopted by the author, but to explain the arrangement of words, and whatever is difficult or peculiar in construction.

OBS. 2.--The rules in a system of syntax may be more or less comprehensive, as well as more or less simple or complex; consequently they may, without deficiency or redundance, be more or less numerous. But either complexity or vagueness, as well as redundance or deficiency, is a fault; and, when all these faults are properly avoided, and the two great ends of methodical syntax, _parsing_ and _correcting_, are duly answered, perhaps the requisite number of syntactical rules, or grammatical canons, will no longer appear very indeterminate. In the preceding chapters, the essential principles of English syntax are supposed to be pretty fully developed; but there are yet to be exhibited some forms of error, which must be corrected under other heads or maxims, and for the treatment of which the several dogmas of this chapter are added. Completeness in the system, however, does not imply that it must have shown the pupil how to correct every form of language that is amiss: for there may be in composition many errors of such a nature that no rule of grammar can show, either what should be subst.i.tuted for the faulty expression, or what fashion of amendment may be the most eligible. The inaccuracy may be gross and obvious, but the correction difficult or impossible. Because the sentence may require a change throughout; and a total change is not properly a correction; it is a subst.i.tution of something new, for what was, perhaps, in itself incorrigible.

OBS. 3.--The notes which are above denominated _Critical_ or _General_, are not all of them obviously different in kind from the other notes; but they all are such as could not well have been placed in any of the earlier chapters of the book. The _General Rule of Syntax_, since it is not a canon to be used in parsing, but one that is to be applied only in the correcting of false syntax, might seem perhaps to belong rather to this order of notes; but I have chosen to treat it with some peculiar distinction, because it is not only more comprehensive than any other rule or note, but is in one respect more important; it is the rule which will be cited for the correction of the greatest number and variety of errors. Being designed to meet every possible form of inaccuracy in the mere construction of sentences,--or, at least, every corrigible solecism by which any principle of syntax can be violated,--it necessarily includes almost all the other rules and notes. It is too broad to convey very definite instruction, and therefore ought not in general to be applied where a more particular rule or note is clearly applicable. A few examples, not properly fitting under any other head, will serve to show its use and application: such examples are given, in great abundance, in the false syntax below. If, in some of the instances selected, this rule is applied to faults that might as well have been corrected by some other, the choice, in such cases, is deemed of little or no importance.

OBS. 4.--The imperfection of _ancient_ writing, especially in regard to division and punctuation, has left the syntactical relation of words, and also the sense of pa.s.sages, in no few instances, uncertain; and has consequently made, where the text has been thought worthy of it, an abundance of difficult work for translators, critics, and commentators.

Rules of grammar, now made and observed, as they ought to be, may free the compositions of this, or a future age, from similar embarra.s.sments; and it is both just and useful, to test our authors by them, criticising or correcting their known blunders according to the present rules of accurate writing. But the readers and expounders of what has come to us from remote time, can be rightly guided only by such principles and facts as have the stamp of creditable antiquity. Hence there are, undoubtedly, in books, some errors and defects which have outlived the _time in which_, and the _authority b which_, they might have been corrected. As we have no right to make a man say that which he himself never said or intended to say, so we have in fact none to fix a positive meaning upon his language, without knowing for a certainty what he meant by it. Reason, or good sense, which, as I have suggested, is the foundation of grammar and of all good writing, is indeed a perpetual as well as a universal principle; but, since the exercises of our reason must, from the very nature of the faculty, be limited to what we know and understand, we are not competent to the positive correction, or to the sure translation, of what is obscure and disputable in the standard books of antiquity.

OBS. 5.--Let me cite an example: "For all this I considered in my heart, even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of G.o.d: no man knoweth either love or hatred _by_ all _that is_ before them. All _things come_ alike to all."-- _Ecclesiastes_, ix, 1. Here is, doubtless, _one_ error which any English scholar may point out or correct. The p.r.o.noun "_them_" should be _him_, because its intended antecedent appears to be "_man_," and not "_the righteous and the wise_," going before. But are there not _other_ faults in the version? The common French Bible, in this place, has the following import: "Surely I have applied my heart to all that, and to unfold all this; _to wit_, that the righteous and the wise, and their actions, _are_ in the hand of G.o.d and love and hatred; _and that_ men know nothing of all _that which is_ before them. All _happens_ equally to all." The Latin Vulgate gives this sense: "All these things have I considered in my heart, that I might understand them accurately: the righteous and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of G.o.d; and yet man doth not know, whether by love or by hatred lie may be worthy: but all things in the future are kept uncertain, so that all may happen alike to the righteous man and to the wicked." In the Greek of the Septuagint, the introductory members of this pa.s.sage are left at the end of the preceding chapter, and are literally thus: "that all this I received into my heart, and my heart understood all this." The rest, commencing a new chapter, is as follows: "For the righteous and the wise and their works _are_ in the hand of G.o.d, and indeed both love and hatred man knoweth not: all things before their face _are_ vanity to all." Now, which of these several readings is the nearest to what Solomon meant by the original text, or which is the farthest from it, and therefore the most faulty, I leave it to men more learned than myself to decide; but, certainly, there is no _inspired authority_ in any of them, but _in so far as they convey the sense which he really intended_. And if his meaning had not been, by some imperfection in the oldest expression we have of it, _obscured and partly lost_, there could be neither cause nor excuse for these discrepancies. I say this with no willingness to depreciate the general authority of the Holy Scriptures, which are for the most part clear in their import, and very ably translated into English, as well as into other languages.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE SYNTAX UNDER THE GENERAL RULE.

LESSON I.--ARTICLES.

(1.) "An article is a part of speech placed before nouns."--_Comly's Gram._, p. 11.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the article _an_ is here inconsistent with the term "_part of speech_;" for the text declares one thing of a kind to be the whole kind. But, according to the General Rule of Syntax, "In the formation of sentences, the consistency and adaptation of all the words should be carefully observed; and a regular, clear, and correspondent construction should be preserved throughout." The sentence may be corrected in two ways, thus: "_The_ article is a part of speech placed before nouns;"--or better, "_An_ article is a word placed before nouns." [446]]

(2.) "An article is a part of speech used to limit nouns."--_Gilbert's Gram._, p. 19. (3.) "An article is a part of speech set before nouns to fix their vague Signification."--_Ash's Gram._, p. 18. (4.) "An adjective is a part of speech used to describe a noun."--_Gilbert's Gram._, p. 19. (5.) "A p.r.o.noun is a part of speech used instead of a noun."--_Ibid._; and _Weld's Gram._, pp. 30 and 50; _Abridg._, pp. 29 and 46. (6.) "A p.r.o.noun is a Part of Speech which is often used instead of a Noun Substantive common, and supplies the Want of a Noun proper."--_British Gram._, p. 102; _Buchanan's Gram._, p. 29. (7.) "A verb is a part of speech, which signifies _to be, to do, or to be acted upon_"--_Merchant's School Gram._, p. 17. (8.) "A verb is a part of speech, which signifies _to be, to act, or to receive an action_."--_Comly's Gram._, p. 11. (9.) "A verb is a part of speech by which any thing is a.s.serted."--_Weld's Gram_, p. 50; _Abridg._, 46 and 58.

(10.) "A verb is a part of speech which expresses action, or existence, in a direct manner."--_Gilbert's Gram._, p. 20. (11.) "A participle is a part of speech derived from a verb, and expresses action or existence in an indirect manner."--_Ibid._ (12.) "A Participle is a Part of Speech derived from a Verb, and denotes being, doing, or suffering, and implies Time, as a Verb does."--_British Gram._, p. 139; _Buchanan's_, p. 46. "An adverb is a part of speech used to add to the meaning of verbs, adjectives, and participles."--_Gilbert's Gram._, p. 20. (14.) "An adverb is an indeclinable part of speech, added to a verb, adjective, or other adverb, to express some circ.u.mstance, quality, or manner of their signification."-- _Adam's Gram._, p. 142; _Gould's_, 147. (15.) "An Adverb is a part of speech joined to a verb, an Adjective, a Participle, and sometimes to another Adverb, to express the quality or circ.u.mstance of it."--_Ash's Gram._, p. 47, (16.) "An Adverb is a part of speech joined to a Verb, Adjective, Participle, and sometimes to another Adverb, to express some circ.u.mstances respecting it."--_Beck's Gram._, p. 23. (17.) "An Adverb is a Part of Speech which is joined to a Verb, Adjective, Participle, or to another Adverb to express some Modification, or Circ.u.mstance, Quality, or Manner of their Signification."--_Buchanan's Gram._, p. 61. (18.) "An Adverb is a part of speech added to a Verb (whence the name), and sometimes even to another word."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 76. (19.) "A conjunction is a part of speech used to connect words and sentences."--_Gilbert's Gram._, p.

20; _Weld's_, 51. (20.) "A Conjunction is a part of speech that joins words or sentences together."--_Ash's Gram._, p. 43. (21.) "A Conjunction is that part of speech which connect sentences, or parts of sentences or single words."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 41. (22.) "A Conjunction is a part of speech, that is used princ.i.p.ally to connect sentences, so as, out of two, three, or more, sentences, to make one."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 28. (23.) "A Conjunction is a part of speech that is chiefly used to connect sentences, joining two or more simple sentences into one compound sentence: it sometimes connects only words."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 118. (24.) "A Conjunction is a Part of Speech which joins Sentences together, and shews the Manner of their Dependance upon one another."--_British Gram._, p. 163; _Buchanan's_, p. 64; _E. Devis's_. 103. (25.) "A preposition is a part of Speech used to show the relation between other words."--_Gilbert's Gram._, p. 20. (26.) "A Preposition is a part of speech which serves to connect words and show the relation between them."--_Frost's El. of Gram._, p. 42.

(27.) "A _preposition_ is a part of speech used to connect words and show their relation."--_Weld's Gram._, p. 51; _Abridg_. 47. (28.) "A preposition is that part of speech which shows the position of persons or things, or the relation that one noun or p.r.o.noun bears toward another."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 40. (29.) "A Preposition is a Part of Speech, which being added to any other Parts of Speech serves to shew their State, Relation or Reference to each other."--_British Gram._, p. 165; _Buchanan's_, p. 65.

(30.) "An interjection is a part of speech used to express sudden pa.s.sion or emotion."--_Gilbert's Gram._, p. 20. (31.) "An interjection is a part of speech used in giving utterance to some sudden feeling or emotion."-- _Weld's Gram._, pp. 49 and 51; _Abridg._, 44 and 47. (32.) "An Interjection is that part of speech which denotes any sudden affection or emotion of the mind."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 42. (33) "An Interjection is a Part of Speech thrown into discourse, and denotes some sudden Pa.s.sion or Emotion of the Soul."--_British Gram._, p. 172; _Buchanan's_, p. 67.

(34.) "A scene might tempt some peaceful sage To rear him a lone hermitage."

--_Union Poems_, p. 89.

(35.) "Not all the storms that shake the pole Can e'er disturb thy halcyon soul, And smooth th' unaltered brow."

--_Day's Gram._, p. 78; _E. Reader_, 230.

LESSON II.--NOUNS. "The thrones of every monarchy felt the shock."--_Frelinghuysen_.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the plural noun _thrones_ has not a clear and regular construction, adapted to the author's meaning. But, according to the General Rule of Syntax, "In the formation of sentences the consistency and adaptation of all the words should be carefully observed; and a regular, clear, and correspondent construction should be preserved throughout." The sentence may be corrected thus: "The _throne_ of every monarchy felt the shock."]

"These principles ought to be deeply impressed upon the minds of every American."--_Webster's Essays_, p. 44. "The word _church_ and _shire_ are radically the same."--_Ib._, p. 256. "They may not, in their present form, be readily accommodated to every circ.u.mstance belonging to the possessive cases of nouns."--_L. Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 53. "_Will_, in the second and third person, only foretels."--_Ib._, p. 88. "Which seem to form the true distinction between the subjunctive and the indicative moods."--_Ib._, p. 208. "The very general approbation, which this performance of Walker has received from the public."--_Ib._, p. 241. "Lest she carry her improvements this way too far."--CAMPBELL: _ib._, p. 371. "Charles was extravagant, and by this means became poor and despicable."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 189.

"We should entertain no prejudices against simple and rustic persons."--_Ib._, p. 205. "These are indeed the foundations of all solid merit."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 175. "And his embellishment, by means of musical cadence, figures, or other parts of speech."--_Ib._, p. 175. "If he is at no pains to engage us by the employment of figures, musical arrangement, or any other art of writing."--_Ib._, p. 181. "The most eminent of the sacred poets are, the Author of the book of Job, David and Isaiah."--_Ib._, p. 418. "Nothing, in any poet, is more beautifully described than the death of old Priam."--_Ib._, p. 439. "When two vowels meet together, and are sounded at one breath, they are called _diphthongs_."--_Infant School Gram._, p. 10. "How many _ss_ would goodness then end with? Three."--_Ib._, p. 33. "_Birds_ is a noun, the name of a thing or creature."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 53. "Adam gave names to every living creature."--_Bicknell's Gram._, Part ii, p. 5. "The steps of a stair ought to be accommodated to the human figure."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, Vol.

ii, p. 337. "Nor ought an emblem more than a simile to be founded on low or familiar objects."--_Ib._, Vol. ii. p. 357. "Whatever the Latin has not from the Greek, it has from the Goth."--_Tooke's Diversions_, Vol. ii, p.

450. "The mint and secretary of state's offices are neat buildings."--_The Friend_, Vol. iv, p. 266. "The scenes of dead and still life are apt to pall upon us."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 407. "And Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus, the angelical and the subtle doctors, are the brightest stars in the scholastic constellation."--_Literary Hist._, p. 244. "The English language has three methods of distinguishing the s.e.x."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 38; _Ingersoll's_, 27; _Alger's_, 16; _Bacon's_, 13; _Fisk's_, 58; _Greenleaf's_, 21. "The English language has three methods of distinguishing s.e.x."--_Smith's New Gram._, p. 44. "In English there are the three following methods of distinguishing s.e.x."--_Jaudon's Gram._, p. 26.

"There are three ways of distinguishing the s.e.x."--_Lennie's Gram._, p. 10; _Picket's_, 26; _Bullions's_, 10. "There are three ways of distinguishing s.e.x."--_Merchant's School Gram._, p. 26. "Gender is distinguished in three ways."--_Maunder's Gram._, p. 2. "Neither discourse in general, nor poetry in particular, can be called altogether imitative arts."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 51.

"Do we for this the G.o.ds and conscience brave, That one may rule and make the rest a slave?"

--_Rowe's Lucan_, B. ii, l. 96.

LESSON III.--ADJECTIVES.

"There is a deal of more heads, than either heart or horns."--_Barclay's Works_, i, 234.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the adjective _more_ has not a clear and regular construction, adapted to the author's meaning. But, according to the General Rule of Syntax, "In the formation of sentences, the consistency and adaptation of all the words should be carefully observed; and a regular, clear, and correspondent construction should be preserved throughout." The sentence may be corrected thus: "There is a deal _more_ of heads, than _of_ either heart or horns."]

"For, of all villains, I think he has the wrong name."--_Bunyan's P. P._, p. 86. "Of all the men that I met in my pilgrimage, he, I think bears the wrong name."--_Ib._, p. 84. "I am surprized to see so much of the distribution, and technical terms of the Latin grammar, retained in the grammar of our tongue."--_Priestley's Gram., Pref._, p. vi. "Nor did the Duke of Burgundy bring him the smallest a.s.sistance."--HUME: _Priestley's Gram._, p. 178. "Else he will find it difficult to make one obstinate believe him."--_Brightland's Gram._, p. 243. "Are there any adjectives which form the degrees of comparison peculiar to themselves?"--_Infant School Gram._, p. 46. "Yet the verbs are all of the indicative mood."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 33. "The word _candidate_ is in the absolute case."--_L. Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 155. "An Iambus has the first syllable unaccented, and the latter accented."--_Russell's Gram._, p. 108; _Smith's New Gram._, 188. "A Dactyl has the first syllable accented, and the two latter unaccented."--_L. Murray_, p. 253; _Bullions's E. Gram._, 170; _Smith's_, 188; _Kirkham's_, 219; _Guy's_, 120; _Blair's_, 118; _Merchant's_, 167; _Russell's_, 109. "It is proper to begin with a capital the first word of every book, chapter, letter, note, or any other piece of writing."--_L. Murray_, p. 284; _R. C. Smith's New Gram._, 192; _Ingersoll's_, 295; _Comly's_, 166; _Merchant's_, 14; _Greenleaf's_, 42; _D. C. Allen's_, 85; _Fisk's_, 159; _Bullions's_, 158; _Kirkham's_, 219; _Hiley's_, 119; _Weld's Abridged_, 16; _Bullions's a.n.a.lyt. and Pract._, 16; _Fowler's E. Gr._, 674. "Five and seven make twelve, and one makes thirteen."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 227. "I wish to cultivate a farther acquaintance with you."--_Ib._, p. 272. "Let us consider the proper means to effect our purpose."--_Ib._, p. 276. "Yet they are of such a similar nature, as readily to mix and blend."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 48. "The Latin is formed on the same model, but more imperfect."--_Ib._, p. 83. "I know very well how much pains have been taken."--_Sir W. Temple_. "The management of the breath requires a good deal of care."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 331. "Because the mind, during such a momentary stupefaction, is in a good measure, if not totally, insensible."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, Vol. i, p. 222. "Motives alone of reason and interest are not sufficient."--_Ib._, Vol. i, p. 232. "To render the composition distinct in its parts, and striking on the whole,"--_Ib._, Vol. ii, p. 333. "_A_ and _an_ are named indefinite because they denote some one thing of a kind."--_Maunder's Gram._, p. 1. "_The_ is named definite, because it points out some particular thing."--_Ibid._ "So much depends upon the proper construction of sentences, that, in every sort of composition, we cannot be too strict in our attention to it."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 103. "All sort of declamation and public speaking, was carried on by them."--_Ib._, p. 123. "The first has on many occasions, a sublimity to which the latter never attains."--_Ib._, p. 440. "When the words _therefore, consequently, accordingly_, and the like are used in connexion with other conjunctions, they are adverbs."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 88. "Rude nations make little or no allusions to the productions of the arts."--_Jamieson's Rhet._, p. 10.

"While two of her maids knelt on either side of her."--_Mirror_, xi, 307.

"The third personal p.r.o.nouns differ from each other in meaning and use, as follows."--_Bullions, Lat. Gram._, p. 65. "It was happy for the state, that Fabius continued in the command with Minucius: the former's phlegm was a check upon the latter's vivacity."--_L. Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 57. "If it should be objected that the words must and ought, in the preceding sentences, are all in the present tense."--_Ib._, p. 108. "But it will be well if you turn to them, every now and then."--_Buckets Cla.s.sical Gram._, p. 6. "That every part should have a dependence on, and mutually contribute to support each other."--_Rollin's Hist._, ii, 115. "The phrase, '_Good, my Lord_,' is not common, and low."--_Priestley's Gram._, p. 110.

"That brother should not war with brother, And worry and devour each other."--_Cowper_.

LESSON IV.--p.r.o.nOUNS.

"If I can contribute to your and my country's glory."--_Goldsmith_.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the p.r.o.noun _your_ has not a clear and regular construction, adapted to the author's meaning. But, according to the General Rule of Syntax, "In the formation of sentences, the consistency and adaptation of all the words should be carefully observed; and a regular, clear, and correspondent construction should be preserved throughout." The sentence, having a doubtful or double meaning, may be corrected in two ways, thus: "If I can contribute to our country's glory;"--or, "If I can contribute to your _glory_ and _that of my country_."]

"As likewise of the several subjects, which have in effect each their verb."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 120. "He is likewise required to make examples himself."--_J. Flint's Gram._, p. 3. "If the emphasis be placed wrong, we shall pervert and confound the meaning wholly."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p.

242. "If the emphasis be placed wrong, we pervert and confound the meaning wholly."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 330. "It was this that characterized the great men of antiquity; it is this, which must distinguish moderns who would tread in their steps."--_Ib._, p. 341. "I am a great enemy to implicit faith, as well the Popish as Presbyterian, who in that are much what alike."--_Barclay's Works_, iii, 280. "Will he thence dare to say the apostle held another Christ than he that died?"--_Ib._, iii, 414. "What need you be anxious about this event?"--_Collier's Antoninus_, p. 188. "If a substantive can be placed after the verb, it is active."--_Alex. Murray's Gram._, p. 31 "When we see bad men honoured and prosperous in the world, it is some discouragement to virtue."--_L. Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 224. "It is a happiness to young persons, when they are preserved from the snares of the world, as in a garden enclosed."--_Ib._, p. 171. "The court of Queen Elizabeth, which was but another name for prudence and economy."-- _Bullions, E. Gram._, p. 24. "It is no wonder if such a man did not shine at the court of Queen Elizabeth, who was but another name for prudence and economy. Here which ought to be used, and not who."--_Priestley's Gram._, p. 99; _Fowler's_, --488. "Better thus; Whose name was but another word for prudence, &c."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 157; _Fish's_, 115; Ingersoll's, 221; Smith's, 133; and others. "A Defective verb is one that wants some of its parts. They are chiefly the Auxiliary and Impersonal verbs."--_Bullions, E.

Gram._, p. 31; _Old Editions_, 32. "Some writers have given our moods a much greater extent than we have a.s.signed to them."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 67. "The Personal p.r.o.nouns give information which no other words are capable of conveying."--_M'Culloch's Gram._, p. 37, "When the article _a, an_, or _the_ precedes the participle, it also becomes a noun."-- _Merchant's School Gram._, p. 93. "There is a preference to be given to some of these, which custom and judgment must determine."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 107. "Many writers affect to subjoin to any word the preposition with which it is compounded, or the idea of which it implies."--_Ib._, p. 200; _Priestley's Gram._, 157.

"Say, dost thou know Tectidius?--Who, the wretch Whose lands beyond the Sabines largely stretch?"

--_Dryden's IV Sat. of Pers._

LESSON V.--VERBS.

"We would naturally expect, that the word _depend_, would require _from_ after it."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 201. "A dish which they pretend to be made of emerald."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 198. "For the very nature of a sentence implies one proposition to be expressed."--_Blair's Rhet._, p.