The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown (free ebook reader .txt) 📕

16. "An adverb may be generally known, by its answering to the question, How? how much? when? or where? as, in the phrase, 'He reads correctly,' the answer to the question, How does he read? is correctly."—L. Murray's Gram., p. 28. This passage, which, without ever arriving at great accuracy, has been altered by Murray and others in ways innumerable, is everywhere exhibited with five interrogation points. But, as to capitals and commas, as well as the construction of words, it would seem no easy matter to determine what impression of it is nearest right. In Flint's Murray it stands thus: "An adverb may generally be known by its answering the question, How? How much? When? or Where? As in the phrase, 'He reads correctly. The answer to the question, 'How does he read?' is, 'correctly.'" Such questions, when the pause is slight, do not, however, in all cases, require capitals: as,

   "Rosal. Which of the visors was it, that you wore?
    Biron. Where? when? what visor? why demand you this?"
                     Shakspeare, Love's Labour Lost, Act V, Sc. 2.

OBS. 4.—A question is sometimes put in the form of a mere declaration; its interrogative character depending solely on the eroteme, and the tone, or inflection of voice, adopted in the utterance: as, "I suppose, Sir, you are his apothecary?"—SWIFT: Burgh's Speaker, p. 85. "I hope, you have, upon no account, promoted sternutation by hellebore?"—Id., ib. "This priest has no pride in him?"—SINGER'S SHAK., Henry VIII, ii, 2.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION. FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE EROTEME. UNDER RULE I.—QUESTIONS DIRECT.

"When will his ear delight in the sound of arms."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., 12mo, p. 59.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because here is a finished question with a period set after it. But, according to Rule 1st for the Eroteme, "Questions expressed directly as such, if finished, should always be followed by the note of interrogation." Therefore, the eroteme, or note of interrogation, should here be substituted for the period.]

"When shall I, like Oscar, travel in the light of my steel."—Ib., p. 59. "Will Henry call on me while he shall be journeying South."—Peirce, ib., p. 133.

"An Interrogative Pronoun is one that is used in asking a question; as, 'who is he, and what does he want?'"—Day's School Gram., p. 21. "Who is generally used when we would inquire for some unknown person or persons; as, who is that man."—Ib., p. 24. "Our fathers, where are they, and the prophets, do they live forever?"—Ib., p. 109.

"It is true, that some of our best writers have used than whom; but it is also true, that they have used other phrases which we have rejected as ungrammatical: then why not reject this too.—The sentences in the Exercises [with than who] are correct as they stand."—Lennie's Gram., 5th Ed., 1819, p. 79.

"When the perfect participle of an active-intransitive verb is annexed to the neuter verb to be? What does the combination form?"—Hallock's Gram., p. 88. "Those adverbs which answer to the question where, whither or whence, are called adverbs of place."—Ib., p. 116.

"Canst thou, by searching, find out God; Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection; It is high as heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know?"—Blair's Rhet. p. 132.

   "Where, where, for shelter shall the guilty fly,
    When consternation turns the good man pale."—Ib., p. 222.

UNDER RULE II.—QUESTIONS UNITED.

"Who knows what resources are in store? and what the power of God may do for thee?"

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because an eroteme is set after store, where a comma would be sufficient. But, according to Rule 2d for the Eroteme, "When two or more questions are united in one compound sentence, the comma, semicolon, or dash, is sometimes used to separate them, and the eroteme occurs after the last only." Therefore, the comma should here be preferred, as the author probably wrote the text. See Key.]

"The Lord is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said it? and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it? and shall he not make it good?"—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 353; 12mo, 277; Hiley's, 139; Hart's, 181. "Hath the Lord said it? and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it? and shall he not make it good?"—Lennie's Gram., p. 113; Bullions's, 176.

   "Who calls the council, states the certain day?
    Who forms the phalanx, and who points the way."
        —Brit. Poets, vi, 376.

UNDER RULE III.—QUESTIONS INDIRECT.

"To be, or not to be?—that is the question."—Enfield's Sp., p. 367; Kirkham's Eloc., 123.[466]

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the note of interrogation is here set after an expression which has neither the form nor the nature of a direct question. But, according to Rule 3d for the Eroteme, "When a question is mentioned, but not put directly as a question, it loses both the quality and the sign of interrogation." Therefore, the semicolon, which seems adapted to the pause, should here be preferred.]

"If it be asked, why a pause should any more be necessary to emphasis than to an accent? or why an emphasis alone, will not sufficiently distinguish the members of sentences from each other, without pauses, as accent does words? the answer is obvious; that we are pre-acquainted with the sound of words, and cannot mistake them when distinctly pronounced, however rapidly; but we are not pre-acquainted with the meaning of sentences, which must be pointed out to us by the reader or speaker."—Sheridan's Rhet. Gram., p. lvi.

   "Cry, By your Priesthood tell me what you are?"
          —POPE: British Poets, London, 1800, Vol. vi, p. 411.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"Who else can he be. Where else can he go."—S. Barrett's Gram., 1845, p. 71. "In familiar language here, there and where are used for hither, thither and whither."—N. Butler's Gram., p. 183. "Take, for instance, this sentence, 'Indolence undermines the foundation of virtue.'"—Hart's Gram., p. 106. "Take, for instance, the sentence before quoted. 'Indolence undermines the foundation of virtue.'"—Ib., p. 110. "Under the same head are considered such sentences as these, 'he that heareth, let him hear,' 'Gad, a troop shall overcome him,' &c."—Ib., p. 108.

"TENSES are certain modifications of the verb which point out the distinctions of time."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 38; Pract. Les., p. 44. "Calm was the day and the scene delightful."—Id. E. Gr., p. 80. "The capital letters used by the Romans to denote numbers, were C. I. L. V. X. which are therefore called Numeral Letters. I, denotes one; V, five: X, ten; L, fifty; and C, a hundred."—Id., Lat. Gram., p. 56. "'I shall have written;' viz, at or before some future time or event."—Id., ib., p. 89. "In Latin words the liquids are l and r only. In Greek words l, r, m, n."—Id., ib., p. 277. "Each legion was divided into ten cohorts, each cohort into three maniples, and each maniple into two centuries."—Id., ib., p. 300. "Of the Roman literature previous to A. U. 514 scarcely a vestige remains."—Id., ib., p. 312.

   "And that, which He delights in must be happy.
    But when!—or where!—This world was made for Cæsar."
        —Burgh's Sp., p. 122.

    "And that which he delights in must be happy.
    But when, or where? This world was made for Cæsar."
        —Enfield's Sp., p. 321.

    "Look next on greatness. Say, where greatness lies?
    Where but among the heroes and the wise."
        —Burgh's Sp., p. 91.

    "Look next on greatness! say where greatness lies.
    Where, but among the heroes and the wise?"
        —Essay on Man, p. 51.

    "Look next on Greatness; say where Greatness lies:
    Where, but among the Heroes and the Wise?"
        —Brit. Poets, vi, 380.

SECTION VII—THE ECPHONEME.

The Ecphoneme, or Note of Exclamation, is used to denote a pause with some strong emotion of admiration, joy, grief, or other feeling; and, as a sign of great wonder, it is sometimes, though not very elegantly, repeated: as, "Grammatical consistency!!! What a gem!"—Peirce's Gram., p. 352.

RULE I.—INTERJECTIONS, &c.

Emphatic interjections, and other expressions of great emotion, are generally followed by the note of exclamation; as, "Hold! hold! Is the devil in you? Oh! I am bruised all over."—MOLIERE: Burgh's Speaker, p. 250.

   "And O! till earth, and seas, and heav'n decay,
    Ne'er may that fair creation fade away!"—Dr. Lowth.

RULE II.—INVOCATIONS.

After an earnest address or solemn invocation, the note of exclamation is now generally preferred to any other point; as, "Whereupon, O king Agrippa! I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision."—Acts, xxvi, 19.

   "Be witness thou, immortal Lord of all!
    Whose thunder shakes the dark aërial hall."—Pope.

RULE III.—EXCLAMATORY QUESTIONS.

Words uttered with vehemence in the form of a question, but without reference to an answer, should be followed by the note of exclamation; as, "How madly have I talked!"—Young.

   "An Author! 'Tis a venerable name!
    How few deserve it, and what numbers claim!"
        —Id., Br. Po., viii, 401.

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION. FALSE PUNCTUATION.—ERRORS CONCERNING THE ECPHONEME.

UNDER RULE I.—OF INTERJECTIONS, &c.

(1.) "O that he were wise."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 111.

[FORMULE. Not proper, because this strong wish, introduced by "O," is merely marked with a period. But, according to Rule 1st for the Ecphoneme, "Emphatic interjections, and other expressions of great emotion, are generally followed by the note of exclamation." Therefore, the pause after this sentence, should be marked with the latter sign; and, if the "O" be read with a pause, the same sign may be there also.]

(2.) "O that his heart was tender."—Exercises, ib., p. 111. (3.) "Oh, what a sight is here!"—Lennie's Gram., p. 48. (4.) "Oh! what a sight is here."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 71; (Obs. 2;) Pract. Les., p. 83. (5.) "O virtue! How amiable thou art."—Id.,, p. 71; Pract. Les., p. 82. (6.) "O virtue! how amiable thou art."—Day's Gram., p. 109. (7.) "O, virtue! how amiable thou art."—S. Putnam's Gram., p. 53. (8.) "Oh! virtue, how amiable thou art!"—Hallock's Gram., p. 191; O. B. Peirce's, 375. (9.) "O virtue! how amiable thou art!"—Hallock's Gram., p. 126. (10.) "Oh! that I had been more diligent."—Hart's Gram., p. 167; see Hiley's, 117. (11.) "O! the humiliation to which vice reduces us."—Farnum's Gram., p. 12; Murray's Ex., p. 5. (12.) "O! that he were more prudent."—Farnum's Gram., p. 81. (13.) "Ah! me."—P. Davis's Gram., p. 79. (14.) "Ah me!"—Ib., p. 122. (15.) "Lately alas I knew a gentle boy," &c.—The Dial, Vol. i, p. 71.

(16.) "Wo is me Alhama."—Wells's School Gram., 1st Ed., p. 190.

(17.) "Wo is me, Alhama."—Ibid., "113th Thousand," p. 206.

UNDER RULE II.—OF INVOCATIONS.

"Weep on the rocks of roaring winds, O maid of Inistore."—Kirkham's
Gram., p. 131; Cooper's Plain and Practical Gram., p. 158.

[FORMULE—Not proper, because the emphatic address in this sentence, is marked with a period after it. But, according to Rule 2d for the Ecphoneme, "After an earnest address or solemn invocation, the note of exclamation is now generally preferred to any other point." Therefore, this period should be changed to the latter sign.]

"Cease a little while, O wind; stream, be thou silent a while; let my voice be heard around. Let my wanderer hear me. Salgar, it is Colma who calls. Here is the tree, and the rock. Salgar, my love, I am here. Why delayest thou thy coming? Lo, the calm moon comes forth. The flood is bright in the vale."—See Key.

   "Ah, stay not, stay not, guardless and alone;
    Hector, my lov'd, my dearest, bravest son."—See Key.

UNDER RULE III.—EXCLAMATORY QUESTIONS.

"How much better is wisdom than gold."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 153; Hiley, p. 113.

[FORMULE—Not proper, because this exclamatory sentence is pointed with a period at the end. But, according to Rule 3d for the Ecphoneme, "Words uttered with vehemence in the form of a question, but without reference to an answer, should be followed by the note of exclamation." Therefore, this period should be changed to the latter sign.]

"O virtue! how amiable art thou."—Flint's Murray, p. 51. "At that hour, O how vain was all sublunary happiness."—Day's Gram., p. 74. "Alas! how few and transitory are the joys which this world affords to man."—Ib., p. 12. "Oh! how vain and transitory are all things here below."—Ib., p. 110.

   "And oh! what change of state, what change of rank,
    In that assembly everywhere was seen."—Day's Gram., p. 12.

    "And O! what change of state! what change of rank!
    In that assembly every where was seen!"—Pollok, B. ix, l. 781.

MIXED EXAMPLES OF ERROR.

"O shame! where is thy blush."—S. Barren's Principles of Language, p. 86. "O shame, where is thy blush; John, give me my hat."—Ib., p. 98. "What! is Moscow in flames."—Ib., p.