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

and mind; Cruel, inclined to bloodshed."—Johnson cor. "Blunt-witted lord, ignoble in demeanour."—Shak. or Joh. cor. "A young fellow, with a bob-wig and a black silken bag tied to it."—Spect. or Joh. cor. "I have seen enough to confute all the bold-faced atheists of this age."—Bramhall or Joh. cor. "Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound."—Joh. Dict., w. Bolt. "For what else is a red-hot iron than fire? and what else is a burning coal than red-hot wood?"—Newton or Joh. cor. "Poll-evil is a large swelling, inflammation, or imposthume, in the horse's poll, or nape of the neck, just between the ears."—Far. or Joh. cor.

   "Quick-witted, brazen-fac'd, with fluent tongues,
    Patient of labours, and dissembling wrongs."—Dryden cor.

RULE VI.—NO HYPHEN.

"From his fond parent's eye a teardrop fell."—Snelling cor. "How great, poor jackdaw, would thy sufferings be!"—Id. "Placed, like a scarecrow in a field of corn."—Id. "Soup for the almshouse at a cent a quart."—Id. "Up into the watchtower get, and see all things despoiled of fallacies."—Donne or Joh. cor. "In the daytime she [Fame] sitteth in a watchtower, and flieth most by night."—Bacon or Joh. cor. "The moral is the first business of the poet, as being the groundwork of his instruction."—Dryd. or Joh. cor. "Madam's own hand the mousetrap baited."—Prior or Joh. cor. "By the sinking of the airshaft, the air has liberty to circulate."—Ray or Joh. cor. "The multiform and amazing operations of the airpump and the loadstone."—Watts or Joh. cor. "Many of the firearms are named from animals."—Johnson cor. "You might have trussed him and all his apparel into an eelskin"—Shak. or Joh. cor. "They may serve as landmarks, to show what lies in the direct way of truth."—Locke or Joh. cor. "A packhorse is driven constantly in a narrow lane and dirty road."—Locke or Joh. cor. "A millhorse, still bound to go in one circle."—Sidney or Joh. cor. "Of singing birds, they have linnets, goldfinches, ruddocks, Canary birds, blackbirds, thrushes, and divers others."—Carew or Joh. cor. "Cartridge, a case of paper or parchment filled with gunpowder; [or, rather, containing the entire charge of a gun]."—Joh. cor.

   "Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night,
    The time of night when Troy was set on fire,
    The time when screechowls cry, and bandogs howl."
        SHAKSPEARE: in Johnson's Dict., w. Screechowl.

PROMISCUOUS CORRECTIONS IN THE FIGURE OF WORDS. LESSON I.—MIXED EXAMPLES.

"They that live in glass houses, should not throw stones."—Adage. "If a man profess Christianity in any manner or form whatsoever."—Watts cor. "For Cassius is aweary of the world." Better: "For Cassius is weary of the world."—Shak. cor. "By the coming-together of more, the chains were fastened on."—W. Walker cor. "Unto the carrying-away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month."—Bible cor. "And the goings-forth of the border shall be to Zedad."—Id. "And the goings-out of it shall be at Hazar Enan."—See Walker's Key "For the taking-place of effects, in a certain particular series."—West cor. "The letting-go of which was the occasion of all that corruption."—Owen cor. "A falling-off at the end, is always injurious."—Jamieson cor. "As all holdings-forth were courteously supposed to be trains of reasoning."—Dr. Murray cor. "Whose goings-forth have been from of old, from everlasting."—Bible cor. "Sometimes the adjective becomes a substantive."—Bradley cor. "It is very plain, that I consider man as visited anew."—Barclay cor. "Nor do I anywhere say, as he falsely insinuates."—Id. "Everywhere, anywhere, elsewhere, somewhere, nowhere"—L. Murray's Gram., Vol. i, p. 115. "The world hurries off apace, and time is like a rapid river."—Collier cor. "But to new-model the paradoxes of ancient skepticism."—Dr. Brown cor. "The southeast winds from the ocean invariably produce rain."—Webster cor. "Northwest winds from the highlands produce cold clear weather."—Id. "The greatest part of such tables would be of little use to Englishmen."—Priestley cor. "The ground-floor of the east wing of Mulberry-street meeting-house was filled."—The Friend cor. "Prince Rupert's Drop. This singular production is made at the glasshouses."—Barnes cor.

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

LESSON II.—MIXED EXAMPLES.

"In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah."—Bible cor. "In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, began Omri to reign over Israel."—Id. "He cannot so deceive himself as to fancy that he is able to do a rule-of-three sum." Better—"a sum in the rule of three."—Qr. Rev. cor. "The best cod are those known under the name of Isle-of-Shoals dun-fish."—Balbi cor. "The soldiers, with downcast eyes, seemed to beg for mercy."—Goldsmith cor. "His head was covered with a coarse, wornout piece of cloth."—Id. "Though they had lately received a reinforcement of a thousand heavy-armed Spartans."—Id. "But he laid them by unopened; and, with a smile, said, 'Business to-morrow.'"—Id. "Chester Monthly Meeting is held at Moorestown, on the Thirdday following the second Secondday"—The Friend cor. "Eggharbour Monthly Meeting is held on the first Secondday."—Id. "Little-Eggharbour Monthly Meeting is held at Tuckerton on the second Fifthday in each month."—Id. "At three o'clock, on Firstday morning, the 24th of Eleventhmonth, 1834," &c.—Id. "In less than one fourth part of the time usually devoted."—Kirkham cor. "The pupil will not have occasion to use it one tenth part so much."—Id. "The painter dips his paintbrush in paint, to paint the carriage."—Id. "In an ancient English version of the New Testament."—Id. "The little boy was bareheaded."—Red Book cor. "The man, being a little short-sighted, did not immediately know him."—Id. "Picture-frames are gilt with gold."—Id. "The parkkeeper killed one of the deer."—Id. "The fox was killed near the brickkiln."—Id. "Here comes Esther, with her milkpail"—Id. "The cabinet-maker would not tell us."—Id. "A fine thorn-hedge extended along the edge of the hill."—Id. "If their private interests should be everso little affected."—Id. "Unios are fresh-water shells, vulgarly called fresh-water clams."—Id.

   "Did not each poet mourn his luckless doom,
    Jostled by pedants out of elbow-room."—Lloyd cor.

LESSON III.—MIXED EXAMPLES.

"The captive hovers a while upon the sad remains."—Johnson cor. "Constantia saw that the hand-writing agreed with the contents of the letter."—Id. "They have put me in a silk night-gown, and a gaudy foolscap"—Id. "Have you no more manners than to rail at Hocus, that has saved that clod-pated, numb-skulled ninny-hammer of yours from ruin, and all his family?"—Id. "A noble, (that is, six shillings and eight pence,) is [paid], and usually hath been paid."—Id. "The king of birds, thick-feathered, and with full-summed wings, fastened his talons east and west."—Id. "To-morrow. This—supposing morrow to mean morning, as it did originally—is an idiom of the same kind as to-night, to-day."—Johnson cor. "To-day goes away, and to-morrow comes."—Id. "Young children, who are tried in Gocarts, to keep their steps from sliding."—Id. "Which, followed well, would demonstrate them but goers-backward"—Id. "Heaven's golden-winged herald late he saw, to a poor Galilean virgin sent."—Id. "My pent-house eyebrows and my shaggy beard offend your sight."—Id. "The hungry lion would fain have been dealing with good horseflesh."—Id. "A broad-brimmed hat ensconsed each careful head."—Snelling cor. "With harsh vibrations of his three-stringed lute."—Id. "They magnify a hundred-fold an author's merit."—Id. "I'll nail them fast to some oft-opened door."—Id. "Glossed over only with saintlike show, still thou art bound to vice."—Johnson's Dict., w. Saintlike. "Take of aqua-fortis two ounces, of quicksilver two drachms."—Id. cor. "This rainbow never appears but when it rains in the sunshine."—Id. cor.

   "Not but there are, who merit other palms;
    Hopkins and Sternhold glad the heart with psalms."—Pope.

CHAPTER IV.—OF SPELLING. CORRECTIONS OF FALSE SPELLING. RULE I.—FINAL F, L, OR S.

"He will observe the moral law, in his conduct."—Webster corrected. "A cliff is a steep bank, or a precipitous rock."—Walker cor. "A needy man's budget is full of schemes."—Maxim cor. "Few large publications, in this country, will pay a printer."—N. Webster cor. "I shall, with cheerfulness, resign my other papers to oblivion."—Id. "The proposition was suspended till the next session of the legislature."—Id. "Tenants for life will make the most of lands for themselves."—Id. "While every thing is left to lazy negroes, a state will never be well cultivated."—Id. "The heirs of the original proprietors still hold the soil."—Id. "Say my annual profit on money loaned shall be six per cent."—Id. "No man would submit to the drudgery of business, if he could make money as fast by lying still."—Id. "A man may as well feed himself with a bodkin, as with a knife of the present fashion."—Id. "The clothes will be ill washed, the food will be badly cooked; you will be ashamed of your wife, if she is not ashamed of herself."—Id. "He will submit to the laws of the state while he is a member of it."—Id. "But will our sage writers on law forever think by tradition?"—Id. "Some still retain a sovereign power in their territories."—Id. "They sell images, prayers, the sound of bells, remission of sins, &c."—Perkins cor. "And the law had sacrifices offered every day, for the sins of all the people."—Id. "Then it may please the Lord, they shall find it to be a restorative."—Id. "Perdition is repentance put off till a future day."—Maxim cor. "The angels of God, who will good and cannot will evil, have nevertheless perfect liberty of will."—Perkins cor. "Secondly, this doctrine cuts off the excuse of all sin."—Id. "Knell, the sound of a bell rung at a funeral."—Dict. cor.

   "If gold with dross or grain with chaff you find,
    Select—and leave the chaff and dross behind."—G. Brown.

RULE II.—OTHER FINALS.

"The mob hath many heads, but no brains."—Maxim cor. "Clam; to clog with any glutinous or viscous matter."—See Webster's Dict. "Whur; to pronounce the letter r with too much force." "Flip; a mixed liquor, consisting of beer and spirit sweetened." "Glyn; a hollow between two mountains, a glen."—See Walker's Dict. "Lam, or belam; to beat soundly with a cudgel or bludgeon."—See Red Book. "Bun; a small cake, a simnel, a kind of sweet bread."—See Webster's Dict. "Brunet, or Brunette; a woman with a brown complexion."—See ib., and Scott's Dict. "Wadset; an ancient tenure or lease of land in the Highlands of Scotland."—Webster cor. "To dod sheep, is to cut the wool away about their tails."—Id. "In aliquem arietare. Cic. To run full butt at one."—W. Walker cor. "Neither your policy nor your temper would permit you to kill me."—Phil. Mu. cor. "And admit none but his own offspring to fulfill them."—Id. "The sum of all this dispute is, that some make them Participles."—R. Johnson cor. "As the whistling winds, the buzz and hum of insects, the hiss of serpents, the crash of falling timber."—Murray's Gram., p. 331. "Van; to winnow, or a fan for winnowing."—See Scott. "Creatures that buzz, are very commonly such as will sting."—G. Brown. "Beg, buy, or borrow; but beware how yon find."—Id. "It is better to have a house to let, than a house to get." "Let not your tongue cut your throat."—Precept cor. "A little wit will save a fortunate man."—Adage cor. "There is many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip."—Id. "Mothers' darlings make but milksop heroes."—Id. "One eye-witness is worth ten hearsays."—Id.

   "The judge shall job, the bishop bite the town,
    And mighty dukes pack cards for half a crown."
        POPE: in Johnson's Dict., w. Job.

RULE III.—DOUBLING.

"Friz, to curl; frizzed, curled; frizzing, curling."—Webster cor. "The commercial interests served to foster the principles of Whiggism."—Payne cor. "Their extreme indolence shunned every species of labour."—Robertson cor. "In poverty and strippedness, they attend their little meetings."—The Friend cor. "In guiding and controlling the power you have thus obtained."—Abbott cor. "I began, Thou begannest or beganst, He began, &c."—A. Murray cor. "Why does began change its ending; as, I began, Thou begannest or beganst?"—Id. "Truth and conscience cannot be controlled by any methods of coercion."—Hints cor. "Dr. Webster nodded, when he wrote knit, knitter, and knitting-needle, without doubling the t."—G. Brown. "A wag should have wit enough to know when other wags are quizzing him." "Bonny; handsome, beautiful, merry."—Walker cor. "Coquettish; practising coquetry; after the manner of a jilt."—See Worcester. "Pottage; a species of food made of meat and vegetables boiled to softness in water."—See Johnson's Dict. "Pottager; (from pottage;) a porringer, a small vessel for children's food." "Compromit, compromitted, compromitting; manumit, manumitted, manumitting."—Webster cor. "Inferrible; that may be inferred or deduced from premises."—Walker. "Acids are either solid, liquid, or gasseous."—Gregory cor. "The spark will pass through the interrupted space between the two wires, and explode the gasses."—Id. "Do we sound gasses and gasseous like cases and caseous? No: they are more like glasses and osseous."—G. Brown. "I shall not need here to mention Swimming, when he is of an age able to learn."—Locke cor. "Why do lexicographers spell thinnish and mannish with two Ens, and dimmish and rammish with one Em, each?"—G. Brown. "Gas forms the plural regularly, gasses."—Peirce cor. "Singular, gas; Plural, gasses."—Clark cor. "These are contractions from shedded, bursted."—Hiley cor. "The Present Tense denotes what is occurring at the present time."—Day cor. "The verb ending in eth is of the solemn or antiquated style; as, He loveth, He walketh, He runneth."—Davis cor.

   "Thro' Freedom's sons no more remonstrance rings,
    Degrading nobles and controlling kings."—Johnson.

RULE IV—NO