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

masculine gender, and objective case."—Id. "It is surprising that the Jewish critics, with all their skill in dots, points, and accents, never had the ingenuity to invent a point of interrogation, a point of admiration, or a parenthesis."—Dr. Wilson cor. "The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth verses." Or: "The fifth, the sixth, the seventh, and the eighth verse."—O. B. Peirce cor. "Substitutes have three persons; the First, the Second, and the Third."—Id. "JOHN'S is a proper noun, of the third person, singular number, masculine gender, and possessive case: and is governed by 'WIFE,' according to Rule" [4th, which says, &c.]—Smith cor. "Nouns, in the English language, have three cases; the nominative, the possessive, and the objective."—Bar. and Alex. cor. "The potential mood has four tenses; viz., the present, the imperfect, the perfect, and the pluperfect."—Ingersoll cor.

   "Where Science, Law, and Liberty depend,
    And own the patron, patriot, and friend."—Savage cor.

UNDER NOTE X.—SPECIES AND GENUS.

"The pronoun is a part of speech[532] put for the noun."—Paul's Ac. cor. "The verb is a part of speech declined with mood and tense."—Id. "The participle is a part of speech derived from the verb."—Id. "The adverb is a part of speech joined to verbs, [participles, adjectives, or other adverbs,] to declare their signification."—Id. "The conjunction is a part of speech that joins words or sentences together."—Id. "The preposition is a part of speech most commonly set before other parts."—Id. "The interjection is a part of speech which betokens a sudden emotion or passion of the mind."—Id. "The enigma, or riddle, is also a species of allegory."—Blair and Murray cor. "We may take from the Scriptures a very fine example of the allegory."—Iidem. "And thus have you exhibited a sort of sketch of art."—Harris cor. "We may 'imagine a subtle kind of reasoning,' as Mr. Harris acutely observes."—Churchill cor. "But, before entering on these, I shall give one instance of metaphor, very beautiful, (or, one very beautiful instance of metaphor,) that I may show the figure to full advantage."—Blair cor. "Aristotle, in his Poetics, uses metaphor in this extended sense, for any figurative meaning imposed upon a word; as the whole put for a part, or a part for the whole; a species for the genus, or the genus for a species."—Id. "It shows what kind of apple it is of which we are speaking."—Kirkham cor. "Cleon was an other sort of man."—Goldsmith cor. "To keep off his right wing, as a kind of reserved body."—Id. "This part of speech is called the verb."—Mack cor. "What sort of thing is it?"—Hiley cor. "What sort of charm do they possess?"—Bullions cor.

   "Dear Welsted, mark, in dirty hole,
    That painful animal, the mole."—Dunciad cor.

UNDER NOTE XI.—ARTICLES NOT REQUISITE.

"Either thou or the boys were in fault."—Comly cor. "It may, at first view, appear to be too general."—Murray et al. cor. "When the verb has reference to future time."—Iidem. "No; they are the language of imagination, rather than of passion."—Blair cor. "The dislike of English Grammar, which has so generally prevailed, can be attributed only to the intricacy of [our] syntax."—Russell cor. "Is that ornament in good taste?"—Kames cor. "There are not many fountains in good taste." Or: "Not many fountains are [ornamented] in good taste."—Id. "And I persecuted this way unto death."—Bible cor. "The sense of feeling can, indeed, give us a notion of extension."—Addison, Spect., No. 411. "The distributive adjectives, each, every, either, agree with nouns, pronouns, or verbs, of the singular number only."—Murray cor. "Expressing by one word, what might, by a circumlocution, be resolved into two or more words belonging to other parts of speech."—Blair cor. "By certain muscles which operate [in harmony, and] all at the same time."—Murray cor. "It is sufficient here to have observed thus much in general concerning them."—Campbell cor. "Nothing disgusts us sooner than empty pomp of language."—Murray cor.

UNDER NOTE XII.—TITLES AND NAMES.

"He is entitled to the appellation of gentleman."—G. Brown. "Cromwell assumed the title of Protector"—Id. "Her father is honoured with the title of Earl."—Id. "The chief magistrate is styled President."— Id. "The highest title in the state is that of Governor."—Id. "That boy is known by the name of Idler."—Murray cor. "The one styled Mufti, is the head of the ministers of law and religion."—Balbi cor. "Ranging all that possessed them under one class, he called that whole class tree."—Blair cor. "For oak, pine, and ash, were names of whole classes of objects."—Id. "It is of little importance whether we give to some particular mode of expression the name of trope, or of figure."—Id. "The collision of a vowel with itself is the most ungracious of all combinations, and has been doomed to peculiar reprobation under the name of hiatus."—Adams cor. "We hesitate to determine, whether Tyrant alone is the nominative, or whether the nominative includes the word Spy."—Cobbett cor. "Hence originated the customary abbreviation of twelve months into twelvemonth; of seven nights into sennight; of fourteen nights into fortnight."—Webster cor.

UNDER NOTE XIII.—COMPARISONS AND ALTERNATIVES.

"He is a better writer than reader."—W. Allen. "He was an abler mathematician than linguist."—Id. "I should rather have an orange than an apple."—G. Brown. "He was no less able as a negotiator, than courageous as a warrior."—Smollett cor. "In an epic poem, we pardon many negligences that would not be permitted in a sonnet or an epigram."—Kames cor. "That figure is a sphere, globe, or ball."—Churchill's Gram., p. 357.

UNDER NOTE XIV.—ANTECEDENTS TO WHO OR WHICH.

"The carriages which were formerly in use, were very clumsy."—Key to Inst. "The place is not mentioned by the geographers who wrote at that time."—Ib. "Those questions which a person puts to himself in contemplation, ought to be terminated with points of interrogation."— Mur. et al. cor. "The work is designed for the use of those persons who may think it merits a place in their libraries."—Mur. cor. "That those who think confusedly, should express themselves obscurely, is not to be wondered at."—Id. "Those grammarians who limit the number to two, or three, do not reflect."—Id. "The substantives which end in ian, are those that signify profession." Or: "Those substantives which end in ian, are such as signify profession."—Id. "To these may be added those verbs which, among the poets, usually govern the dative."—Adam and Gould cor. "The consonants are those letters which cannot be sounded without the aid of a vowel."—Bucke cor. "To employ the curiosity of persons skilled in grammar:"—"of those who are skilled in grammar:"—"of persons that are skilled in grammar:"—"of such persons as are skilled in grammar:" or—"of those persons who are skilled in grammar."—L. Murray cor. "This rule refers only to those nouns and pronouns which have the same bearing, or relation."—Id. "So that the things which are seen, were not made of things that do appear."—Bible cor. "Man is an imitative creature; he may utter again the sounds which he has heard."—Dr. Wilson cor. "But those men whose business is wholly domestic, have little or no use for any language but their own."—Dr. Webster cor.

UNDER NOTE XV.—PARTICIPIAL NOUNS.

"Great benefit may be reaped from the reading of histories."—Sewel cor. "And some attempts were made towards the writing of history."—Bolingbroke cor. "It is an invading of the priest's office, for any other to offer it"—Leslie cor. "And thus far of the forming of verbs."—W. Walker cor. "And without the shedding of blood there is no remission."—Bible cor. "For the making of measures, we have the best method here in England."—Printer's Gram. cor. "This is really both an admitting and a denying at once."—Butler cor. "And hence the origin of the making of parliaments."—Dr. Brown cor. "Next thou objectest, that the having of saving light and grace presupposes conversion. But that I deny: for, on the contrary, conversion presupposes the having of light and grace."—Barclay cor. "They cried down the wearing of rings and other superfluities, as we do."—Id. "Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning, of the plaiting of the hair, and of the wearing of gold, or of the putting-on of apparel."—Bible cor. "In the spelling of derivative words, the primitives must be kept whole."—Brit. Gram. and Buchanan's cor. "And the princes offered for the dedicating of the altar."—Numb. cor. "Boasting is not only a telling of lies, but also of many unseemly truths."—Sheffield cor. "We freely confess that the forbearing of prayer in the wicked is sinful."—Barclay cor. "For the revealing of a secret, there is no remedy."—G. Brown. "He turned all his thoughts to the composing of laws for the good of the State."—Rollin cor.

UNDER NOTE XVI.—PARTICIPLES, NOT NOUNS.

"It is salvation to be kept from falling into a pit, as truly as to be taken out of it after falling in."—Barclay cor. "For in receiving and embracing the testimony of truth, they felt their souls eased."—Id. "True regularity does not consist in having but a single rule, and forcing every thing to conform to it."—Phil. Museum cor. "To the man of the world, this sound of glad tidings appears only an idle tale, and not worth attending to."—Say cor. "To be the deliverer of the captive Jews, by ordering their temple to be rebuilt," &c.—Rollin cor. "And for preserving them from being defiled."—Discip. cor. "A wise man will forbear to show any excellence in trifles."—Kames cor. "Hirsutus had no other reason for valuing a book."—Johnson, and Wright, cor. "To being heard with satisfaction, it is necessary that the speaker should deliver himself with ease." Perhaps better: "To be heard, &c." Or: "In order to be heard, &c."—Sheridan cor. "And, to the end of being well heard and clearly understood, a good and distinct articulation contributes more, than can even the greatest power of voice."—Id.

"Potential purports, having power or will; As, If you would improve, you should be still."—Tobitt cor.

UNDER NOTE XVII.—VARIOUS ERRORS.

"For the same reason, a neuter verb cannot become passive."—Lowth cor. "A period is a whole sentence complete in itself."—Id. "A colon, or member, is a chief constructive part, or the greatest division, of a sentence."—Id. "A semicolon, or half-member, is a smaller constructive part, or a subdivision, of a sentence or of a member."—Id. "A sentence or a member is again subdivided into commas, or segments."—Id. "The first error that I would mention is, too general an attention to the dead languages, with a neglect of our own tongue."—Webster cor. "One third of the importations would supply the demands of the people."—Id. "And especially in a grave style."—Murray's Gram., i, 178. "By too eager a pursuit, he ran a great risk of being disappointed."—Murray cor. "The letters are divided into vowels and consonants."—Mur. et al. cor. "The consonants are divided into mutes and semivowels."—Iidem. "The first of these forms is the most agreeable to the English idiom."—Murray cor. "If they gain, it is at too dear a rate."—Barclay cor. "A pronoun is a word used in stead of a noun, to prevent too frequent a repetition of it."—Maunder cor. "This vulgar error might perhaps arise from too partial a fondness for the Latin."—Ash cor. "The groans which too heavy a load extorts from her."—Hitchcock cor. "The numbers of a verb are, of course, the singular and the plural."—Bucke cor. "To brook no meanness, and to stoop to no dissimulation, are indications of a great mind."—Murray cor. "This mode of expression rather suits the familiar than the grave style."—Id. "This use of the word best suits a familiar and low style."—Priestley cor. "According to the nature of the composition, the one or the other may be predominant."—Blair cor. "Yet the commonness of such sentences prevents in a great measure too early an expectation of the end."—Campbell cor. "A eulogy or a philippic may be pronounced by an individual of one nation upon a subject of an other."—J. Q. Adams cor. "A French sermon is, for the most part, a warm animated exhortation."—Blair cor. "I do not envy those who think slavery no very pitiable lot."—Channing cor. "The auxiliary and the principal united constitute a tense."—Murray cor. "There are some verbs which are defective with respect to the persons."—Id. "In youth, habits of industry are the most easily acquired."—Id. "The apostrophe (') is used in place of a letter left out."—Bullions cor.

CHAPTER III.—CASES, OR NOUNS. CORRECTIONS UNDER RULE II; OF NOMINATIVES.

"The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick."—Bunyan cor. "He will in no wise cast out whosoever cometh unto him." Better: "He will in no wise cast out any that come unto him."—Hall cor. "He feared the enemy might fall upon his men, who, he saw, were off their guard."—Hutchinson cor. "Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."—Matt., v, 41. "The ideas of the author have been conversant with the faults of other writers."—Swift cor. "You are a much greater loser than I, by his death." Or: "Thou art a much greater loser by his death than