The Grammar of English Grammars Part 20

"And the spirit of G.o.d moved upon the face of the waters."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 330. "It is the gift of him, who is the great author of good, and the Father of mercies."--_Ib._, 287. "This is thy G.o.d that brought thee up out of Egypt."--SCOTT, ALGER: _Neh._, ix, 18. "For the lord is our defence; and the holy one of Israel is our king."--See _Psalm_ lx.x.xix, 18.

"By making him the responsible steward of heaven's bounties."--_Anti- Slavery Mag._, i, 29. "Which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day."--SCOTT, FRIENDS: 2 _Tim._, iv, 8. "The cries of them * * *

entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth."--SCOTT: _James_, v, 4. "In h.o.r.eb, the deity revealed himself to Moses, as the eternal I am, the self-existent one; and, after the first discouraging interview of his messengers with Pharaoh, he renewed his promise to them, by the awful name, jehovah--a name till then unknown, and one which the Jews always held it a fearful profanation to p.r.o.nounce."--_Author_. "And G.o.d spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the lord: and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of G.o.d almighty; but by my name jehovah was I not known to them."--See[106] _Exod._, vi, 2. "Thus saith the lord the king of Israel, and his redeemer the lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no G.o.d."--See _Isa._, xliv, 6.

"His impious race their blasphemy renew'd, And nature's king through nature's optics view'd."--_Dryden_, p. 90.

UNDER RULE IV.--OF PROPER NAMES.

"Islamism prescribes fasting during the month ramazan."--_Balbi's Geog._, p. 17.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the word _ramazan_ here begins with a small letter. But, according to Rule 4th, "Proper names, of every description, should always begin with capitals." Therefore, "Ramazan" should begin with a capital R. The word is also misspelled: it should rather be _Ramadan_.]

"Near mecca, in arabia, is jebel nor, or the mountain of light, on the top of which the mussulmans erected a mosque, that they might perform their devotions where, according to their belief, mohammed received from the angel gabriel the first chapter of the Koran."--_Author_. "In the kaaba at mecca, there is a celebrated block of volcanic basalt, which the mohammedans venerate as the gift of gabriel to abraham, but their ancestors once held it to be an image of remphan, or saturn; so 'the image which fell down from jupiter,' to share with diana the homage of the ephesians, was probably nothing more than a meteoric stone."--_Id._ "When the lycaonians, at lystra, took paul and barnabas to be G.o.ds, they called the former mercury, on account of his eloquence, and the latter jupiter, for the greater dignity of his appearance."--_Id._ "Of the writings of the apostolic fathers of the first century, but few have come down to us; yet we have in those of barnabas, clement of rome, hermas, ignatius, and polycarp, very certain evidence of the authenticity of the New Testament, and the New Testament is a voucher for the old."--_Id._

"It is said by tatian, that theagenes of rhegium, in the time of cambyses, stesimbrotus the thracian, antimachus the colophonian, herodotus of halicarna.s.sus, dionysius the olynthian, ephorus of c.u.mae, philochorus the athenian, metaclides and chamaeleon the peripatetics, and zenodotus, aristophanes, callimachus, erates, eratosthenes, aristarchus, and apollodorus, the grammarians, all wrote concerning the poetry, the birth, and the age of homer." See _Coleridge's Introd._, p. 57. "Yet, for aught that now appears, the life of homer is as fabulous as that of hercules; and some have even suspected, that, as the son of jupiter and alcmena, has fathered the deeds of forty other herculeses, so this unfathered son of critheis, themisto, or whatever dame--this melesigenes, maeonides, homer--the blind schoolmaster, and poet, of smyrna, chios, colophon, salamis, rhodes, argos, athens, or whatever place--has, by the help of lycurgus, solon, pisistratus, and other learned ancients, been made up of many poets or homers, and set so far aloft and aloof on old parna.s.sus, as to become a G.o.d in the eyes of all greece, a wonder in those of all Christendom."--_Author_.

"Why so sagacious in your guesses?

Your _effs_, and _tees_, and _arrs_, and _esses_?"--_Swift_.

UNDER RULE V.--OF t.i.tLES.

"The king has conferred on him the t.i.tle of duke."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p.

193.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the word _duke_ begins with a small letter.

But, according to Rule 5th, "t.i.tles of office or honour, and epithets of distinction, applied to persons, begin usually with capitals." Therefore, "Duke" should here begin with a capital D.]

"At the court of queen Elizabeth."--_Murray's Gram._; 8vo, p. 157; 12mo, p.

126; _Fisk's_, 115; _et al_. "The laws of nature are, truly, what lord Bacon styles his aphorisms, laws of laws."--_Murray's Key_, p. 260. "Sixtus the fourth was, if I mistake not, a great collector of books."--_Ib._, p.

257. "Who at that time made up the court of king Charles the second."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 314. "In case of his majesty's dying without issue."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 181. "King Charles the first was beheaded in 1649."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p. 45. "He can no more impart or (to use lord Bacon's word,) _transmit_ convictions."--_Kirkham's Eloc._, p. 220. "I reside at lord Stormont's, my old patron and benefactor."--_Murray's Gram._, p. 176. "We staid a month at lord Lyttleton's, the ornament of his country."--_Ib._, p. 177. "Whose prerogative is it? It is the king of Great Britain's;" "That is the duke of Bridgewater's ca.n.a.l;" "The bishop of Llandaff's excellent book;" "The Lord mayor of London's authority."--_Ib._, p. 176. "Why call ye me lord, lord, and do not the things which I say?"--See GRIESBACH: _Luke_, vi, 46. "And of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles."--SCOTT: _Luke_, vi, 13. "And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him."--See _the Greek: Matt._, xxvi, 49. "And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent."--_Luke_, xvi, 30.

UNDER RULE VI.--OF ONE CAPITAL.

"Fall River, a village in Ma.s.sachusetts, population 3431."--See _Univ.

Gaz._, p. 416.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the name _Fall River_ is here written in two parts, and with two capitals. But, according to Rule 6th, "Those compound proper names which by a.n.a.logy incline to a union of their parts without a hyphen, should be so written, and have but one capital." Therefore, _Fallriver_, as the name of a _town_, should be one word, and retain but one capital.]

"Dr. Anderson died at West Ham, in Ess.e.x, in 1808."--_Biog. Dict._ "Mad River, [the name of] two towns in Clark and Champaign counties, Ohio."--_Williams's Universal Gazetteer_. "White Creek, town of Washington county, N. York."--_Ib._ "Salt Creek, the name of four towns in different parts of Ohio."--_Ib._ "Salt Lick, a town of Fayette county, Pennsylvania."--_Ib._ "Yellow Creek, a town of Columbiana county, Ohio."--_Ib._ "White Clay, a hundred of New Castle county, Delaware."--_Ib._ "Newcastle, town and halfshire of Newcastle county, Delaware."--_Ib._ "Sing-Sing, a village of West Chester county, New York, situated in the town of Mount Pleasant."--_Ib._ "West Chester, a county of New York; also a town in Westchester county."--_Ib._ "West Town, a village of Orange county, New York."--_Ib._ "White Water, a town of Hamilton county, Ohio."--_Ib._ "White Water River, a considerable stream that rises in Indiana, and flowing southeasterly, unites with the Miami, in Ohio."--_Ib._ "Black Water, a village of Hampshire, in England, and a town in Ireland."--_Ib._ "Black Water, the name of seven different rivers in England, Ireland, and the United States."--_Ib._ "Red Hook, a town of Dutchess county, New York, on the Hudson."--_Ib._ "Kinderhook, a town of Columbia county, New York, on the Hudson."--_Ib._ "New Fane, a town of Niagara county, New York."--_Ib._ "Lake Port, a town of Chicot county, Arkansas."--_Ib._ "Moose Head Lake, the chief source of the Kennebeck, in Maine."--_Ib._ "Macdonough, a county of Illinois, population (in 1830) 2,959."--_Ib._, p. 408. "Mc Donough, a county of Illinois, with a courthouse, at Macomb."--_Ib._, p. 185. "Half-Moon, the name of two towns, in New York and Pennsylvania; also of two bays in the West Indies."--See _Worcester's Gaz._ "Le Boeuf, a town of Erie county, Pennsylvania, near a small lake of the same name."--_Ib._ "Charles City, James City, Elizabeth City, names of counties in Virginia, not cities, nor towns."--See _Univ.

Gaz._ "The superior qualities of the waters of the Frome, here called Stroud water."--_Balbi's Geog._, p. 223.

UNDER RULE VII.--TWO CAPITALS.

"The Forth rises on the north side of Benlomond, and runs easterly."--_Glas. Geog_.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the name "_Benlomond_" is compounded under one capital, contrary to the general a.n.a.logy of other similar terms. But, according to Rule 7th, "The compounding of a name under one capital should be avoided when the general a.n.a.logy of other similar terms suggests a separation under two." Therefore, "Ben Lomond" should be written with two capitals and no hyphen.]

"The red granite of Ben-nevis is said to be the finest in the world."--_Ib._, ii, 311. "Ben-more, in Perthshire, is 3,915 feet above the level of the sea."--_Ib._, 313. "The height of Benclough is 2,420 feet."--_Ib._. "In Sutherland and Caithness, are Ben Ormod, Ben Clibeg, Ben Grin, Ben Hope, and Ben Lugal."--_Ib._, 311. "Benvracky is 2,756 feet high; Ben-ledi, 3,009; and Benvoirlich, 3,300."--_Ib._, 313. "The river Dochart gives the name of Glendochart to the vale through which it runs."--_Ib._, 314. "About ten miles from its source, the Tay diffuses itself into Lochdochart."--_Geog. altered_. LAKES:--"Lochard, Loch-Achray, Loch-Con, Loch-Doine, Loch-Katrine, Loch-Lomond, Loch-Voil."--_Scott's Lady of the Lake_. GLENS:--"Glenfinlas, Glen Fruin, Glen Luss, Ross-dhu, Leven-glen, Strath-Endrick, Strath-Gartney, Strath-Ire."--_Ib._ MOUNTAINS:--"Ben-an, Benharrow, Benledi, Ben-Lomond, Benvoirlich, Ben-venue, and sometimes Benvenue."--_Ib._ "Fenelon died in 1715, deeply lamented by all the inhabitants of the Low-countries."--_Murray's Sequel_, p. 322. "And Pharaoh-nechoh made Eliakim, the son of Josiah, king."--SCOTT, FRIENDS: 2 _Kings_, xxiii, 34. "Those who seem so merry and well pleased, call her _Good Fortune_; but the others, who weep and wring their hands, _Bad-fortune_."--_Collier's Tablet of Cebes_.

UNDER RULE VIII.--OF COMPOUNDS.

"When Joab returned, and smote Edom in the valley of salt."--SCOTT: _Ps._ lx, _t.i.tle_.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the words _valley_ and _salt_ begin with small letters. But, according to Rule 8th, "When any adjective or common noun is made a distinct part of a compound proper name, it ought to begin with a capital." Therefore, "Valley" should here begin with a capital V, and "Salt" with a capital S.]

"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill and said," &c.--SCOTT: _Acts_, xvii, 22. "And at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives."--_Luke_, xxi, 37. "Abgillus, son of the king of the Frisii, surnamed Prester John, was in the Holy land with Charlemagne."--_Univ. Biog. Dict._ "Cape Palmas, in Africa, divides the Grain coast from the Ivory coast."--_Dict. of Geog._, p. 125. "The North Esk, flowing from Loch-lee, falls into the sea three miles north of Montrose."--_Ib._, p. 232. "At Queen's ferry, the channel of the Forth is contracted by promontories on both coasts."--_Ib._, p. 233. "The Chestnut ridge is about twenty-five miles west of the Alleghanies, and Laurel ridge, ten miles further west."--_Balbi's Geog._, p. 65. "Washington City, the metropolis of the United States of America."--_W.'s Univ. Gaz._, p. 380.

"Washington city, in the District of Columbia, population (in 1830) 18,826."--_Ib._, p. 408. "The loftiest peak of the white mountains, in new Hampshire, is called mount Washington."--_Author_. "Mount's bay, in the west of England, lies between the land's end and lizard point."--_Id._ "Salamis, an island of the Egean Sea, off the southern coast of the ancient Attica."--_Dict. of Geog_. "Rhodes, an island of the Egean sea, the largest and most easterly of the Cyclades."--_Ib._ "But he overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea."--BRUCE'S BIBLE: _Ps._ cx.x.xvi, 15. "But they provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea."--SCOTT: _Ps._ cvi, 7.[107]

UNDER RULE IX.--OF APPOSITION.

"At that time, Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus."--ALGER: _Matt._, xiv, 1.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the word Tetrarch begins with a capital letter. But, according to Rule 8th, "When a common and a proper name are a.s.sociated merely to explain each other, it is in general sufficient, if the proper name begin with a capital, and the appellative, with a small letter." Therefore, "tetrarch" should here begin with a small _t_.]

"Who has been more detested than Judas the Traitor?"--_Author_. "St. Luke, the Evangelist, was a physician of Antioch, and one of the converts of St.

Paul."--_Id._ "Luther, the Reformer, began his bold career by preaching against papal indulgences."--_Id._ "The Poet Lydgate was a disciple and admirer of Chaucer: he died in 1440."--_Id._ "The Grammarian Varro, 'the most learned of the Romans,' wrote three books when he was eighty years old."--_Id._ "John Despauter, the great Grammarian of Flanders, whose works are still valued, died in 1520."--_Id._ "Nero, the Emperor and Tyrant of Rome, slew himself to avoid a worse death."--_Id._ "Cicero the Orator, 'the Father of his Country,' was a.s.sa.s.sinated at the age of 64."--_Id._ "Euripides, the Greek Tragedian, was born in the Island of Salamis, B. C.

476."--_Id._ "I will say unto G.o.d my Rock, Why hast thou forgotten me?"--SCOTT: _Ps._ xlii, 9. "Staten Island, an island of New York, nine miles below New York City."--_Univ. Gaz._ "When the son of Atreus, King of Men, and the n.o.ble Achilles first separated."--_Coleridge's Introd._, p.

83.

"Hermes, his Patron-G.o.d, those gifts bestow'd, Whose shrine with weaning lambs he wont to load."

--POPE: _Odys._, B. 19.

UNDER RULE X.--OF PERSONIFICATIONS.

"But wisdom is justified of all her children."--SCOTT, ALGER: _Luke_, vii, 35.

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the word _wisdom_ begins with a small letter. But, according to Rule 10th, "The name of an object personified, when it conveys an idea strictly individual, should begin with a capital."

Therefore, "Wisdom" should here begin with a capital W.]

"Fortune and the church are generally put in the feminine gender."--_Murray's Gram._, i, p. 37. "Go to your natural religion; lay before her Mahomet, and his disciples."--_Blair's Rhetoric_, p. 157: see also _Murray's Gram._, i, 347. "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?"--_1 Cor._, xv, 55; _Murray's Gram._, p. 348; _English Reader_, 31; _Merchant's Gram._, 212. "Ye cannot serve G.o.d and Mammon."--SCOTT, FRIENDS, ET AL.: _Matt._, vi, 24. "Ye cannot serve G.o.d and mammon."--IIDEM: _Luke_, xvi, 13. "This house was built as if suspicion herself had dictated the plan."--See _Key_. "Poetry distinguishes herself from prose, by yielding to a musical law."--See _Key_. "My beauteous deliverer thus uttered her divine instructions: 'My name is religion. I am the offspring of truth and love, and the parent of benevolence, hope, and joy. That monster, from whose power I have freed you, is called superst.i.tion: she is the child of discontent, and her followers are fear and sorrow.'"--See _Key_. "Neither hope nor fear could enter the retreats; and habit had so absolute a power, that even conscience, if religion had employed her in their favour, would not have been able to force an entrance."--See _Key_.

"In colleges and halls in ancient days, There dwelt a sage called discipline."--_Wayland's M. Sci._, p. 368.

UNDER RULE XI.--OF DERIVATIVES.

"In English, I would have gallicisms avoided."--FELTON: _Johnson's Dict._

[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the word _gallicisms_ here begins with a small letter. But, according to Rule 11th, "Words derived from proper names, and having direct reference to particular persons, places, sects, or nations, should begin with capitals." Therefore, "Gallicisms" should begin with a capital G.]

"Sall.u.s.t was born in Italy, 85 years before the christian era."--_Murray's Seq._, p. 357. "Dr. Doddridge was not only a great man, but one of the most excellent and useful christians, and christian ministers."--_Ib._, 319.

"They corrupt their style with untutored anglicisms."--MILTON: _in Johnson's Dict._ "Albert of Stade, author of a chronicle from the creation to 1286, a benedictine of the 13th century."--_Universal Biog. Dict._ "Graffio, a jesuit of Capua in the 16th century, author of two volumes on moral subjects."--_Ib._ "They frenchify and italianize words whenever they can."--See _Key_. "He who sells a christian, sells the grace of G.o.d."--_Anti-Slavery Mag._, p. 77. "The first persecution against the christians, under Nero, began A. D. 64."--_Gregory's Dict._ "P. Rapin, the jesuit, uniformly decides in favour of the Roman writers."--_Cobbett's E.

Gram._, -- 171. "The Roman poet and epicurean philosopher Lucretius has said," &c.--_Cohen's Florida_, p. 107. Spell "calvinistic, atticism, gothicism, epicurism, jesuitism, sabianism, socinianism, anglican, anglicism, anglicize, vandalism, gallicism, romanize."--_Webster's El.