The Grammar of English Grammars Part 25

"_Evilthinking_; a noun, compounded of the noun _evil_ and the imperfect participle _thinking_; singular number;" &c.--_Churchill's Gram._, p. 180.

[FORMULE--Not proper, because the word _evilthinking_, which has more than one accented syllable, is here compounded without the hyphen. But, according to Rule 5th, "When the parts of a compound do not fully coalesce, or when each retains its original accent, so that the compound has more than one, or one that is movable, the hyphen should be inserted between them." Therefore, the hyphen should be used in this word; thus, _evil-thinking._]

"_Evilspeaking_; a noun, compounded of the noun _evil_ and the imperfect participle _speaking._"--_Ib._ "I am a tall, broadshouldered, impudent, black fellow."--SPECTATOR: _in Johnson's Dict._ "Ingrat.i.tude! thou marblehearted fiend."--SHAK.: _ib._ "A popular licence is indeed the manyheaded tyranny."--SIDNEY: _ib._ "He from the manypeopled city flies."--SANDYS: _ib._ "He manylanguaged nations has surveyed."--POPE: _ib._ "The horsecuc.u.mber is the large green cuc.u.mber, and the best for the table."--MORTIMER: _ib._ "The bird of night did sit, even at noonday, upon the market-place."--SHAK.: _ib._ "These make a general gaoldelivery of souls, not for punishment."--SOUTH: _ib._ "Thy air, thou other goldbound brow, is like the first."--SHAK.: _ib._ "His person was deformed to the highest degree; flatnosed, and blobberlipped."--L'ESTRANGE: _ib._ "He that defraudeth the labourer of his hire, is a bloodshedder."--ECCLUS., x.x.xiv, 22: _ib._ "b.l.o.o.d.yminded, _adj._ from _b.l.o.o.d.y_ and _mind._ Cruel; inclined to blood-shed."--See _Johnson's Dict._ "Bluntwitted lord, ign.o.ble in demeanour."--SHAK.: _ib._ "A young fellow with a bobwig and a black silken bag tied to it."--SPECTATOR: _ib._ "I have seen enough to confute all the boldfaced atheists of this age."--BRAMHALL: _ib._ "Before milkwhite, now purple with love's wound."--SHAK: _ib._ "For what else is a redhot iron than fire? and what else is a burning coal than redhot wood?"--NEWTON: _ib._ "Pollevil is a large swelling, inflammation, or imposthume in the horse's poll, or nape of the neck just between the ears."--FARRIER: _ib._

"Quick-witted, brazenfac'd, with fluent tongues, Patient of labours, and dissembling wrongs."--DRYDEN: _ib._

UNDER RULE VI.--NO HYPHEN.

"From his fond parent's eye a tear-drop fell."--_Snelling's Gift for Scribblers_, p. 43.

[FORMULE--Not proper, because the word _tear-drop_, which has never any other than a full accent on the first syllable, is here compounded with the hyphen. But, according to Rule 6th, "When a compound has but one accented syllable in p.r.o.nunciation, and the parts are such as admit of a complete coalescence, no hyphen should be inserted between them." Therefore, _teardrop_ should be made a close compound.]

"How great, poor jack-daw, would thy sufferings be!"--_Ib._, p. 29. "Placed like a scare-crow in a field of corn."--_Ib._, p. 39. "Soup for the alms-house at a cent a quart."--_Ib._, p. 23. "Up into the watch-tower get, and see all things despoiled of fallacies."--DONNE: _Johnson's Dict., w.

Lattice._ "In the day-time she sitteth in a watchtower, and flieth most by night."--BACON: _ib., w. Watchtower._ "In the daytime Fame sitteth in a watch-tower, and flieth most by night."--ID.: _ib., w. Daytime._ "The moral is the first business of the poet, as being the ground-work of his instruction."--DRYDEN: _ib., w. Moral._ "Madam's own hand the mouse-trap baited."--PRIOR: _ib., w. Mouse-trap._ "By the sinking of the air-shaft the air hath liberty to circulate."--RAY: _ib., w. Airshaft._ "The multiform and amazing operations of the air-pump and the loadstone."--WATTS: _ib., w.

Multiform._ "Many of the fire-arms are named from animals."--_Ib., w.

Musket._ "You might have trussed him and all his apparel into an eel-skin."--SHAK.: _ib., w. Truss._ "They may serve as land-marks to shew what lies in the direct way of truth."--LOCKE: _ib., w. Landmark._ "A pack-horse is driven constantly in a narrow lane and dirty road."--_Id.

ib., w. Lane._ "A mill-horse, still bound to go in one circle."--SIDNEY: _ib., w. Mill-horse._ "Of singing birds they have linnets, goldfinches, ruddocks, Canary-birds, black-birds, thrushes, and divers others."--CAREW: _ib., w. Goldfinch._ "Of singing birds, they have linnets, gold-finches, blackbirds, thrushes, and divers others."--ID.: _ib., w. Blackbird._ "Of singing birds, they have linnets, gold-finches, ruddocks, canary birds, blackbirds, thrushes, and divers other."--ID.: _ib., w. Canary bird._ "Cartrage, or Cartridge, a case of paper or parchment filled with gun-powder."--_Johnson's Dict._, 4to.

"Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night, The time of night when Troy was set on fire, The tune when screech-owls cry, and ban-dogs howl."

SHAKSPEARE: _ib., w. Silent._

"The time when screech-owls cry, and bandogs howl."

IDEM.: _ib., w. Bandog._

PROMISCUOUS ERRORS IN THE FIGURE OF WORDS.

LESSON I.--MIXED.

"They that live in gla.s.s-houses, should not throw stones."--_Old Adage._ "If a man profess Christianity in any manner or form soever."--_Watts_, p.

5. "For Ca.s.sius is a weary of the world."--SHAKSPEARE: _in Kirkham's Elocution_, p. 67. "By the coming together of more, the chains were fastened on."--_Walker's Particles_, p. 223. "Unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month."--_Jer._, i, 3. "And the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad."--_Numbers_, x.x.xiv, 8. "And the goings out of it shall be at Hazar-enan."--_Ib._, ver. 9. "For the taking place of effects, in a certain particular series."--_Dr. West, on Agency_, p. 39.

"The letting go of which was the occasion of all that corruption."--_Dr. J.

Owen._ "A falling off at the end always hurts greatly."--_Blair's Lect._, p. 126. "A falling off at the end is always injurious."--_Jamieson's Rhetoric_, p. 127. "As all holdings forth were courteously supposed to be trains of reasoning."--_Dr. Murray's Hist. of Europ. Lang._, Vol. i, p.

333. "Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."-- _Micah_, v, 2. "Some times the adjective becomes a substantive."-- _Bradley's Gram._, p. 104. "It is very plain, I consider man as visited a new."--_Barclay's Works_, Vol. iii, p. 331. "Nor do I any where say, as he falsely insinuates."--_Ib._, p. 331. "Every where, any where, some where, no where."--_Alex. Murray's Gram._, p. 55. "The world hurries off a pace, and time is like a rapid river."--_Collier's Antoninus_, p. 58. "But to now model the paradoxes of ancient skepticism."--_Brown's Estimate_, Vol. i, p.

102. "The south east winds from the ocean invariably produce rain."--_Webster's Essays_, p. 369. "North west winds from the high lands produce cold clear weather."--_Ib._ "The greatest part of such tables would be of little use to English men."--_Priestley's Gram._, p. 155. "The ground floor of the east wing of Mulberry street meeting house was filled."--_The Friend_, vii, 232. "Prince Rupert's Drop. This singular production is made at the gla.s.s houses."--_Red Book_, p. 131.

"The lights and shades, whose well accorded strife Gives all the strength and colour of our life."

--_Murray's Gram._, p. 54; _Fisk's_, 65.

LESSON II.--MIXED.

"In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah."--_1 Kings_, xvi, 15. "In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah, began Omri to reign over Israel."--_Ib._, xvi, 23. "He cannot so deceive himself as to fancy that he is able to do a rule of three sum."--_Foreign Quarterly Review_. "The best cod are those known under the name of Isle of Shoals dun fish."--_Balbi's Geog._, p. 26. "The soldiers, with down cast eyes, seemed to beg for mercy."--_Goldsmith's Greece_, Vol.

ii, p. 142. "His head was covered with a coa.r.s.e worn out piece of cloth."--_Ib._, p. 124. "Though they had lately received a reinforcement of a thousand heavy armed Spartans."--_Ib._, p. 38. "But he laid them by unopened; and, with a smile, said, 'Business to morrow.'"--_Ib._, p. 7.

"Chester monthly meeting is held at Moore's town, the third day following the second second day."--_The Friend_, Vol. vii, p. 124. "Eggharbour monthly meeting is held the first second day."--_Ib._, p. 124. "Little Egg Harbour Monthly Meeting is held at Tuckerton on the second fifth day in each month."--_Ib._, p. 231. "At three o'clock, on first day morning the 24th of eleventh month, 1834," &c.--_Ib._, p. 64. "In less than one-fourth part of the time usually devoted."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 4. "The pupil will not have occasion to use it one-tenth part as much."--_Ib._, p. 11.

"The painter dips his paint brush in paint, to paint the carriage."--_Ib._, p. 28. "In an ancient English version of the New-Testament."--_Ib._, p. 74. "The little boy was bare headed."--_Red Book_, p. 36. "The man, being a little short sighted, did not immediately know him."--_Ib._, p. 40. "Picture frames are gilt with gold."--_Ib._, p.

44. "The park keeper killed one of the deer."--_Ib._, p. 44. "The fox was killed near the brick kiln."--_Ib._, p. 46. "Here comes Esther, with her milk pail."--_Ib._, p. 50. "The cabinet maker would not tell us."--_Ib._, p. 60. "A fine thorn hedge extended along the edge of the hill."--_Ib._, p.

65. "If their private interests should be ever so little affected."--_Ib._, p. 73. "Unios are fresh water sh.e.l.ls, vulgarly called fresh water clams."--_Ib._, p. 102.

"Did not each poet mourn his luckless doom, Jostled by pedants out of elbow room."--_Lloyd_, p. 163.

LESSON III.--MIXED.

"The captive hovers a-while upon the sad remains."--PRIOR: _in Johnson's Dict., w. Hover._ "Constantia saw that the hand writing agreed with the contents of the letter."--ADDISON: _ib., w. Hand_. "They have put me in a silk night-gown, and a gaudy fool's cap."--ID.: _ib., w. Nightgown_. "Have you no more manners than to rail at Hocus, that has saved that clod-pated, numskull'd ninnyhammer of yours from ruin, and all his family?"--ARBUTHNOT: _ib., w. Ninnyhammer_. "A n.o.ble, that is, six, shillings and eightpence, is, and usually hath been paid."--BACON: _ib., w. n.o.ble_. "The king of birds thick feather'd and with full-summed wings, fastened his talons east and west."--HOWELL: _ib., w. Full-summed_. "To morrow. This is an idiom of the same kind, supposing _morrow_ to mean originally _morning_: as, _to night, to day_."--_Johnson's Dict._, 4to. "To-day goes away and to-morrow comes."--_Id., ib., w. Go_, No. 70. "Young children, who are try'd in Go carts, to keep their steps from sliding."--PRIOR: _ib., w. Go-cart_.

"Which, followed well, would demonstrate them but goers backward."--SHAK.: _ ib., w. Goer_. "Heaven's golden winged herald late he saw, to a poor Galilean virgin sent."--CRASHAW: _ib., w. Golden_. "My penthouse eye-brows and my s.h.a.ggy beard offend your sight."--DRYDEN: _ib., w. Penthouse_. "The hungry lion would fain have been dealing with good horse-flesh."-- L'ESTRANGE: _ib., w. Nag_. "A broad brimmed hat ensconced each careful head."--_Snelling's Gift_, p. 63. "With harsh vibrations of his three stringed lute."--_Ib._, p. 42. "They magnify a hundred fold an author's merit."--_Ib._, p. 14. "I'll nail them fast to some oft opened door."--_Ib._, p. 10. "Glossed over only with a saint-like show, still thou art bound to vice."--DRYDEN: in _Johnson's Dict., w. Gloss_. "Take of aqua-fortis two ounces, of quick-silver two drachms."--BACON: _ib., w.

Charge_. "This rainbow never appears but when it rains in the sun-shine."--NEWTON: _ib., w. Rainbow_.

"Not but there are, who merit other palms; Hopkins and Stern hold glad the heart with Psalms."

_British Poets_, Lond., 1800, Vol. vi, p. 405.

CHAPTER IV.--OF SPELLING.

_Spelling_ is the art of expressing words by their proper letters. This important art is to be acquired rather by means of the spelling-book or dictionary, and by observation in reading, than by the study of written rules; because what is proper or improper, depends chiefly upon usage.

The orthography of our language is attended with much uncertainty and perplexity: many words are variously spelled by the best scholars, and many others are not usually written according to the a.n.a.logy of similar words.

But to be ignorant of the orthography of such words as are spelled with uniformity, and frequently used, is justly considered disgraceful.

The following rules may prevent some embarra.s.sment, and thus be of service to those who wish to be accurate.

_RULES FOR SPELLING._

RULE I.--FINAL F, L, OR S.

Monosyllables ending in _f, l_, or _s_, preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant; as _staff, mill, pa.s.s--m.u.f.f, knell, gloss--off, hiss, puss_.

EXCEPTIONS.--The words _clef, if_, and _of_, are written with single _f_; and _as, gas, has, was, yes, his, is, this, us, pus_, and _thus_, with single _s_. So _bul_, for the flounder; _nul_, for _no_, in law; _sol_, for _sou_ or _sun_; and _sal_, for _salt_, in chemistry, have but the single _l_.

OBS.--Because _sal, salis_, in Latin, doubles not the _l_, the chemists write _salify, salifiable, salification, saliferous, saline, salinous, saliniform, salifying_, &c., with single _l_, contrary to Rule 3d. But in _gas_ they ought to double the _s_; for this is a word of their own inventing. Neither have they any plea for allowing it to form _gases_ and _gaseous_ with the _s_ still single; for so they make it violate two general rules at once. If the singular cannot now be written _ga.s.s_, the plural should nevertheless be _ga.s.ses_, and the adjective should be _ga.s.seous_, according to Rule 3d.

RULE II.--OTHER FINALS.

Words ending in any other consonant than _f, l_, or _s_, do not double the final letter; as, _mob, nod, dog, sum, sun, cup, cur, cut, fix, whiz_.

EXCEPTIONS.--We double the consonant in _abb, ebb, add, odd, egg, jagg, ragg, inn, err, burr, purr, b.u.t.t, buzz, fuzz, yarr_, and some proper names.

But we have also _ab_ (_from_) and _ad_ (_to_) for prefixes; and _jag, rag, in, bur_, and _but_, are other words that conform to the rule.

RULE III.--DOUBLING.

Monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, when they end with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, or by a vowel after _qu_, double their final consonant before an additional syllable that begins with a vowel: as, _rob, robbed, robber; fop, foppish, foppery; squat, squatter, squatting; thin, thinner, thinnest; swim, swimmer, swimming; commit, committeth, committing, committed, committer, committees; acquit, acquittal, acquittance, acquitted, acquitting, acquitteth_.

EXCEPTIONS.--1. X final, being equivalent to _ks_, is never doubled: thus, from _mix_, we have _mixed, mixing_, and _mixer_. 2. When the derivative retains not the accent of the root, the final consonant is not always doubled: as, _prefer', pref'erence, pref'erable; refer', ref'erence, ref'erable_, or _refer'rible; infer', in'ference, in'ferable_, or _infer'rible; transfer'_, a _trans'fer, trans'ferable_, or _transfer'rible_. 3. But letters doubled in Latin, are usually doubled in English, without regard to accent, or to any other principle: as, Britain, _Britan'nic, Britannia_; appeal, _appel'lant_; argil, _argil'laus, argilla'ceous_; cavil, _cav'illous, cavilla'tion_; excel', _ex'cellent, ex'cellence_; inflame', _inflam'mable, inflamma'tion_. See Observations 13 and 14, p. 199.