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

Spelling-Book, wrote Charlestown with a hyphen and two capitals."—G. Brown. "He also wrote European without a capital."—Id. "They profess themselves to be Pharisees, who are to be heard and not imitated."—Calvin cor. "Dr. Webster wrote both Newhaven and New York with single capitals."—G. Brown. "Gay Head, the west point of Martha's Vineyard."—Williams cor. "Write Crab Orchard, Egg Harbour, Long Island, Perth Amboy, West Hampton, Little Compton, New Paltz, Crown Point, Fell's Point, Sandy Hook, Port Penn, Port Royal, Porto Bello, and Porto Rico.'"—G. Brown. "Write the names of the months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December."—Id. "Write the following names and words properly: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Saturn;—Christ, Christian, Christmas, Christendom, Michaelmas, Indian, Bacchanals;—East Hampton, Omega, Johannes, Aonian, Levitical, Deuteronomy, European."—Id.

   "Eight letters in some syllables we find,
    And no more syllables in words are join'd."—Brightland cor.

CHAPTER II.—OF SYLLABLES. CORRECTIONS OF FALSE SYLLABICATION. LESSON I.—CONSONANTS.

1. Correction of Murray, in words of two syllables: civ-il, col-our, cop-y, dam-ask, doz-en, ev-er, feath-er, gath-er, heav-en, heav-y, hon-ey, lem-on, lin-en, mead-ow, mon-ey, nev-er, ol-ive, or-ange, oth-er, pheas-ant, pleas-ant, pun-ish, rath-er, read-y, riv-er, rob-in, schol-ar, shov-el, stom-ach, tim-id, whith-er.

2. Correction of Murray, in words of three syllables: ben-e-fit, cab-i-net, can-is-ter, cat-a-logue, char-ac-ter, char-i-ty, cov-et-ous, dil-i-gence, dim-i-ty, el-e-phant, ev-i-dent, ev-er-green, friv-o-lous, gath-er-ing, gen-er-ous, gov-ern-ess, gov-ern-or, hon-est-y, kal-en-dar, lav-en-der, lev-er-et, lib-er-al, mem-or-y, min-is-ter, mod-est-ly, nov-el-ty, no-bod-y, par-a-dise, pov-er-ty, pres-ent-ly, prov-i-dence, prop-er-ly, pris-on-er, rav-en-ous, sat-is-fy, sev-er-al, sep-ar-ate, trav-el-ler, vag-a-bond;—con-sid-er, con-tin-ue, de-liv-er, dis-cov-er, dis-fig-ure, dis-hon-est, dis-trib-ute, in-hab-it, me-chan-ic, what-ev-er;—rec-om-mend, ref-u-gee, rep-ri-mand.

3. Correction of Murray, in words of four syllables: cat-er-pil-lar, char-i-ta-ble, dil-i-gent-ly, mis-er-a-ble, prof-it-a-ble, tol-er-a-ble;—be-nev-o-lent, con-sid-er-ate, di-min-u-tive, ex-per-i-ment, ex-trav-a-gant, in-hab-i-tant, no-bil-i-ty, par-tic-u-lar, pros-per-i-ty, ri-dic-u-lous, sin-cer-i-ty;—dem-on-stra-tion, ed-u-ca-tion, em-u-la-tion, ep-i-dem-ic, mal-e-fac-tor, man-u-fac-ture, mem-o-ran-dum, mod-er-a-tor, par-a-lyt-ic, pen-i-ten-tial, res-ig-na-tion, sat-is-fac-tion, sem-i-co-lon.

4. Correction of Murray, in words of five syllables: a-bom-i-na-ble, a-poth-e-ca-ry, con-sid-er-a-ble, ex-plan-a-to-ry, pre-par-a-to-ry;— ac-a-dem-i-cal, cu-ri-os-i-ty, ge-o-graph-i-cal, man-u-fac-tor-y, sat-is-fac-tor-y, mer-i-to-ri-ous;—char-ac-ter-is-tic, ep-i-gram-mat-ic, ex-per-i-ment-al, pol-y-syl-la-ble, con-sid-er-a-tion.

5. Correction of Murray, in the division of proper names: Hel-en,
Leon-ard, Phil-ip, Rob-ert, Hor-ace, Thom-as;—Car-o-line, Cath-a-rine,
Dan-i-el, Deb-o-rah, Dor-o-thy, Fred-er-ick, Is-a-bel, Jon-a-than, Lyd-i-a,
Nich-o-las, Ol-i-ver, Sam-u-el, Sim-e-on, Sol-o-mon, Tim-o-thy,
Val-en-tine;—A-mer-i-ca, Bar-thol-o-mew, E-liz-a-beth, Na-than-i-el,
Pe-nel-o-pe, The-oph-i-lus.

LESSON II.—MIXED EXAMPLES.

1. Correction of Webster, by Rule 1st:—ca-price, e-steem, dis-e-steem, o-blige;—a-zure, ma-tron, pa-tron, pha-lanx, si-ren, trai-tor, tren-cher, bar-ber, bur-nish, gar-nish, tar-nish, var-nish, mar-ket, mus-ket, pam-phlet;—bra-ver-y, kna-ver-y, sla-ver-y, e-ven-ing, sce-ner-y, bri-ber-y, ni-ce-ty, chi-ca-ner-y, ma-chin-er-y, im-a-ger-y;—a-sy-lum, ho-ri-zon,—fin-an-cier, her-o-ism, sar-do-nyx, scur-ri-lous,—co-me-di-an, pos-te-ri-or.

2. Correction of Webster, by Rule 2d: o-yer, fo-li-o, ge-ni-al, ge-ni-us, ju-ni-or, sa-ti-ate, vi-ti-ate;—am-bro-si-a, cha-me-le-on, par-he-li-on, con-ve-ni-ent, in-ge-ni-ous, om-nis-ci-ence, pe-cu-li-ar, so-ci-a-ble, par-ti-al-i-ty, pe-cu-ni-a-ry;—an-nun-ci-ate, e-nun-ci-ate, ap-pre-ci-ate, as-so-ci-ate, ex-pa-ti-ate, in-gra-ti-ate, in-i-ti-ate, li-cen-ti-ate, ne-go-ti-ate, no-vi-ti-ate, of-fi-ci-ate, pro-pi-ti-ate, sub-stan-ti-ate.

3. Correction of Cobb and Webster, by each other, under Rule 3d: "dress-er, hast-y, past-ry, seiz-ure, roll-er, jest-er, weav-er, vamp-er, hand-y, dross-y, gloss-y, mov-er, mov-ing, ooz-y, full-er, trust-y, weight-y, nois-y, drows-y, swarth-y."—Webster. Again: "east-ern, ful-ly, pul-let, ril-let, scant-y, need-y."—Cobb.

4. Correction of Webster and Cobb, under Rule 4th: a-wry, a-thwart´, pros-pect´-ive, pa-ren´-the-sis, re-sist-i-bil´-i-ty, hem-i-spher´-ic, mon´-o-stich, hem´-i-stich, to´-wards.

5. Correction of the words under Rule 5th; Eng-land, an oth-er,[524] Beth-es´-da, Beth-ab´-a-ra.

LESSON III.—MIXED EXAMPLES.

1. Correction of Cobb, by Rule 3d: bend-er, bless-ing, brass-y, chaff-y, chant-er, clasp-er, craft-y, curd-y, fend-er, film-y, fust-y, glass-y, graft-er, grass-y, gust-y, hand-ed, mass-y, musk-y, rust-y, swell-ing, tell-er, test-ed, thrift-y, vest-ure.

2. Corrections of Webster, mostly by Rule 1st: bar-ber, bur-nish, bris-ket, can-ker, char-ter, cuc-koo, fur-nish, gar-nish, guilt-y, han-ker, lus-ty, por-tal, tar-nish, tes-tate, tes-ty, trai-tor, trea-ty, var-nish, ves-tal, di-ur-nal, e-ter-nal, in-fer-nal, in-ter-nal, ma-ter-nal, noc-tur-nal, pa-ter-nal.

3. Corrections of Webster, mostly by Rule 1st: ar-mor-y, ar-ter-y,
butch-er-y, cook-er-y, eb-on-y, em-er-y, ev-er-y, fel-on-y, fop-per-y,
frip-per-y, gal-ler-y, his-tor-y, liv-er-y, lot-ter-y, mock-er-y,
mys-ter-y,[525] nun-ner-y, or-rer-y, pil-lor-y, quack-er-y, sor-cer-y,
witch-er-y.

4. Corrections of Cobb, mostly by Rule 1st: an-kle, bas-ket, blan-ket, buc-kle, cac-kle, cran-kle, crin-kle, Eas-ter, fic-kle, frec-kle, knuc-kle, mar-ket, mon-key, por-tress, pic-kle, poul-tice, pun-cheon, quad-rant, quad-rate, squad-ron, ran-kle, shac-kle, sprin-kle, tin-kle, twin-kle, wrin-kle.

5. Corrections of Emerson, by Rules 1st and 3d: as-cribe, blan-dish, branch-y, cloud-y, dust-y, drear-y, e-ven-ing, fault-y, filth-y, frost-y, gaud-y, gloom-y, health-y, heark-en, heart-y, hoar-y, leak-y, loun-ger, marsh-y, might-y, milk-y, naught-y, pass-ing, pitch-er, read-y, rock-y, speed-y, stead-y, storm-y, thirst-y, thorn-y, trust-y, vest-ry, west-ern, wealth-y.

CHAPTER III.—OF WORDS. CORRECTIONS RESPECTING THE FIGURE, OR FORM, OF WORDS. RULE I.—COMPOUNDS.

"Professing to imitate Timon, the manhater."—Goldsmith corrected. "Men load hay with a pitchfork."—Webster cor. "A peartree grows from the seed of a pear."—Id. "A toothbrush is good to brush your teeth."—Id. "The mail is opened at the post-office."—Id. "The error seems to me twofold."—Sanborn cor. "To preëngage means to engage beforehand."—Webster cor. "It is a mean act to deface the figures on a milestone."—Id. "A grange is a farm, with its farm- house."—Id. "It is no more right to steal apples or watermelons, than [to steal] money."—Id. "The awl is a tool used by shoemakers and harness-makers."—Id. "Twenty-five cents are equal to one quarter of a dollar."—Id. "The blowing-up of the Fulton at New York, was a terrible disaster."—Id. "The elders also, and the bringers-up of the children, sent to Jehu."—ALGER, FRIENDS, ET AL.: 2 Kings, x, 5. "Not with eyeservice as menpleasers."—Col., iii, 22. "A good-natured and equitable construction of cases."—Ash cor. "And purify your hearts, ye double-minded."—James, iv, 8. "It is a mean-spirited action to steal; i.e., To steal is a mean-spirited action."—A. Murray cor. "There is, indeed, one form of orthography which is akin to the subjunctive mood of the Latin tongue."—Booth cor. "To bring him into nearer connexion with real and everyday life."—Philological Museum, Vol. i, p. 459. "The commonplace, stale declamation of its revilers would be silenced."—Id. cor. "She [Cleopatra] formed a very singular and unheard-of project."—Goldsmith cor. "He [William Tell] had many vigilant, though feeble-talented and mean-spirited enemies."—R. Vaux cor. "These old-fashioned people would level our psalmody," &c.—Gardiner cor. "This slow-shifting scenery in the theatre of harmony."—Id. "So we are assured from Scripture itself."—Harris cor. "The mind, being disheartened, then betakes itself to trifling."—R. Johnson cor. "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them."—Bible cor. "Tarry we ourselves how we will."—W. Walker cor. "Manage your credit so, that you need neither swear yourself, nor seek a voucher."—Collier cor. "Whereas song never conveys any of the abovenamed sentiments."—Dr. Rush cor. "I go on horseback."—Guy cor. "This requires purity, in opposition to barbarous, obsolete, or new-coined words."—Adam cor. "May the ploughshare shine."—White cor. "Whichever way we consider it."—Locke cor.

"Where'er the silent e a place obtains, The voice foregoing, length and softness gains."—Brightland cor.

RULE II.—SIMPLES.

"It qualifies any of the four parts of speech above named."—Kirkham cor. "After a while they put us out among the rude multitude."—Fox cor. "It would be a shame, if your mind should falter and give in."—Collier cor. "They stared a while in silence one upon an other."—Johnson cor. "After passion has for a while exercised its tyrannical sway."—Murray cor. "Though set within the same general frame of intonation."—Rush cor. "Which do not carry any of the natural vocal signs of expression."—Id. "The measurable constructive powers of a few associable constituents."—Id. "Before each accented syllable or emphatic monosyllabic word."—Id. "One should not think too favourably of one's self."—Murray's Gram., i, 154. "Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you?"—2 Cor., xiii, 5. "I judge not my own self, for I know nothing of my own self."—See 1 Cor., iv, 3. "Though they were in such a rage, I desired them to tarry a while."—Josephus cor. "A, in stead of an, is now used before words beginning with u long."—Murray cor. "John will have earned his wages by next new year's day."—Id. "A new year's gift is a present made on the first day of the year."—Johnson et al. cor. "When he sat on the throne, distributing new year's gifts."—Id. "St. Paul admonishes Timothy to refuse old wives' fables."—See 1 Tim., iv, 7. "The world, take it all together, is but one."—Collier cor. "In writings of this stamp, we must accept of sound in stead of sense."—Murray cor. "A male child, a female child; male descendants, female descendants."—Goldsbury et al. cor. "Male servants, female servants; male relations, female relations."—Felton cor.

   "Reserved and cautious, with no partial aim,
    My muse e'er sought to blast an other's fame."—Lloyd cor.

RULE III.—THE SENSE.

"Our discriminations of this matter have been but four-footed instincts."—Rush cor. "He is in the right, (says Clytus,) not to bear free-born men at his table."—Goldsmith cor. "To the short-seeing eye of man, the progress may appear little."—The Friend cor. "Knowledge and virtue are, emphatically, the stepping-stones to individual distinction."—Town cor. "A tin-peddler will sell tin vessels as he travels."—Webster cor. "The beams of a wooden house are held up by the posts and joists."—Id. "What you mean by future-tense adjective, I can easily understand."—Tooke cor. "The town has been for several days very well-behaved."—Spectator cor. "A rounce is the handle of a printing-press."—Webster cor. "The phraseology [which] we call thee-and-thouing [or, better, thoutheeing,] is not in so common use with us, as the tutoyant among the French."—Walker cor. "Hunting and other outdoor sports, are generally pursued."—Balbi cor. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden."—Scott et al. cor. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son to save it."—See ALGER'S BIBLE, and FRIENDS': John, iii, 16. "Jehovah is a prayer-hearing God: Nineveh repented, and was spared."—Observer cor. "These are well-pleasing to God, in all ranks and relations."—Barclay cor. "Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle."—Bible cor. "The words coalesce, when they have a long-established association."—Mur. cor. "Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them."—MODERN BIBLE: Ps. cxviii, 19. "He saw an angel of God coming in to him."—Acts, x, 3. "The consequences of any action are to be considered in a twofold light."—Wayland cor. "We commonly write twofold, threefold, fourfold, and so on up to tenfold, without a hyphen; and, after that, we use one."—G. Brown. "When the first mark is going off, he cries, Turn! the glassholder answers, Done!"—Bowditch cor. "It is a kind of familiar shaking-hands (or shaking of hands) with all the vices."—Maturin cor. "She is a good-natured woman;"—"James is self-opinionated;"—"He is broken-hearted."—Wright cor. "These three examples apply to the present-tense construction only."—Id. "So that it was like a game of hide-and-go-seek."—Gram. cor.

   "That lowliness is young ambition's ladder,
    Whereto the climber-upward turns his face."—Shak.

RULE IV.—ELLIPSES.

"This building serves yet for a schoolhouse and a meeting-house."—G. Brown. "Schoolmasters and schoolmistresses, if honest friends, are to be encouraged."—Discip. cor. "We never assumed to ourselves a faith-making or a worship-making power."—Barclay cor. "Potash and pearlash are made from common ashes."—Webster cor. "Both the ten-syllable and the eight-syllable verses are iambics."—Blair cor. "I say to myself, thou say'st to thyself, he says to himself, &c."—Dr. Murray cor. "Or those who have esteemed themselves skillful, have tried for the mastery in two-horse or four-horse chariots."—Ware cor. "I remember him barefooted and bareheaded, running through the streets."—Edgeworth cor. "Friends have the entire control of the schoolhouse and dwelling-house." Or:—"of the schoolhouses and dwelling-houses" Or:—"of the schoolhouse and the dwelling-houses" Or:—"of the schoolhouses and the dwelling-house." Or:—"of the school, and of the dwelling-houses." [For the sentence here to be corrected is so ambiguous, that any of these may have been the meaning intended by it.]—The Friend cor. "The meeting is held at the first-mentioned place in Firstmonth; at the last-mentioned, in Secondmonth; and so on."—Id. "Meetings for worship are held, at the same hour, on Firstday and Fourthday." Or:—"on Firstdays and Fourthdays."—Id. "Every part of it, inside and outside, is covered with gold leaf."—Id. "The Eastern Quarterly Meeting is held on the last Seventhday in Secondmonth, Fifthmonth, Eighthmonth, and Eleventhmonth."—Id. "Trenton Preparative Meeting is held on the third Fifthday in each month, at ten o'clock; meetings for worship [are held,] at the same hour, on Firstdays and Fifthdays."—Id. "Ketch, a vessel with two masts, a mainmast and a mizzenmast."—Webster cor. "I only mean to suggest a doubt, whether nature has enlisted herself [either] as a Cis-Atlantic or [as a] Trans-Atlantic partisan."—Jefferson cor. "By large hammers, like those used for paper-mills and fulling-mills, they beat their hemp."—Johnson cor. "ANT-HILL, or ANT-HILLOCK, n. A small protuberance of earth, formed by ants, for their habitation."— Id. "It became necessary to substitute simple indicative terms called pronames or pronouns."

   "Obscur'd, where highest woods, impenetrable
    To light of star or sun, their umbrage spread."—Milton cor.

RULE V.—THE HYPHEN.

"Evil-thinking; a noun, compounded of the noun evil and the imperfect participle thinking; singular number;" &c.—Churchill cor. "Evil-speaking; a noun, compounded of the noun evil and the imperfect participle speaking."—Id. "I am a tall, broad-shouldered, impudent, black fellow."—Spect, or Joh. cor. "Ingratitude! thou marble-hearted fiend."—Shak. or Joh. cor. "A popular license is indeed the many-headed tyranny."—Sydney or Joh. cor. "He from the many-peopled city flies."—Sandys or Joh. cor. "He many-languaged nations has surveyed."—Pope or Joh. cor. "The horse-cucumber is the large green cucumber, and the best for the table."—Mort. or Joh. cor. "The bird of night did sit, even at noon-day, upon the market-place."—Shak. or Joh. cor. "These make a general gaol-delivery of souls not for punishment."—South or Joh. cor. "Thy air, thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first."—Shak. or Joh. cor. "His person was deformed to the highest degree; flat-nosed and blobber-lipped."—L'Estr. or Joh. cor. "He that defraudeth the labourer of his hire, is a blood-shedder."—Ecclus., xxxiv, 22. "Bloody-minded, adj., from bloody