OBSERVATION 1. The following absurd phrases so common in the sacred desk
and elsewhere, should be carefully avoided by all who regard common
sense:--"Sing the _two first_ and _three last_ verses." Just as if there
could be more than _one_ first and _one_ last. There may be a _first
two_, a _second two_, &c.; a _first three_, a _second three_, a _last
three_. "Within the _two last_ centuries;" "The second syllable of the
_three first_ words;" "The _three first_ of these orthoepists have no
rule by which their pronunciation is regulated:"--"the _last two_
centuries;" "the _first three_ words;" "the _first three_ of these
orthoepists."
2. Adjectives should not be used to express the manner of action. "The
higher the river, the _swifter_ it flows;" "James learns _easier_ than
Juliet; he sees _deeper_ into the millstone than she:"--"the _more
swiftly_ it flows;" "learns _more easily_; _farther_ into the
millstone." "He conducted the _boldest_ of any:"--"the _most boldly_."
3. _More_ requires _than_ after it. The following sentences are
therefore improper: "He was more beloved, but not so much admired, _as_
Cinthio;" "Richard is more active, but not so studious, _as_ his
companion." The legitimate mode of supplying the ellipses in these
constructions, will show their gross impropriety: thus, "He was more
beloved _as_ Cinthio;" "Richard is more active _as_ his companion," &c.
4. Adverbs, as illustrated on page 85, are generally _substitutes_ for
two or more words belonging to other parts of speech. "Will you
accompany me to Europe next summer?" _"Yes."_ "Do you believe that the
voyage will restore your health?" _"No."_ In these examples, the adverbs
_yes_ and _no_, are substitutes for whole sentences, and, therefore, do
not qualify any words understood. _Yes_, in this instance, literally
means, _"I will accompany you to Europe next summer;"_ and _no_, _"I do
not believe that the voyage will restore my health."_ Many other adverbs
are often employed in a similar manner.
_"Firstly,"_ is often improperly used instead of the adverb _first;_ "a
_good deal_," instead of, _much_, or, a _great deal_.
5. A nice distinction should be observed in the use of _such_ and _so_.
The former may be employed in expressing _quality_; the latter, in
expressing a _degree_ of the quality; as, "_Such_ a temper is seldom
found;" "_So_ bad a temper is seldom found." In the following examples,
_so_ should be used instead of _such:_ "He is _such_ an extravagant
young man, that I cannot associate with him;" "I never before saw _such_
large trees."
The affected use of cardinal, instead of ordinal numbers, ought not to
be imitated. "On page _forty-five;"_ "Look at page
_nineteen_;"--_forty-fifth, nineteenth_.
6. In the choice and application of prepositions, particular regard
should be paid to their meaning as established by the idiom of our
language and the best usage. "In my proceedings, I have been actuated
from the conviction, that I was supporting a righteous cause;" "He
should have profited from those golden precepts;" "It is connected to
John with the conjunction _and_;" "Aware that there is, in the minds of
many, a strong predilection in favor of established usages;" "He was
made much on at Argos;" "They are resolved of going;" "The rain has been
falling of a long time;" "It is a work deserving of encouragement."
These examples may be corrected thus, "actuated _by_ the conviction;"
"_by_ those golden precepts;" "_by_ the conjunction and;" "predilection
_for_;" "much _of_ at Argos;" "_on_ going;" "falling a long time;"
"deserving encouragement."
7. The preposition _to_ is used before nouns of place, where they follow
verbs or participles of motion; as, "I went _to_ Washington." But _at_
is employed after the verb _to be_; as, "I have been _at_ Washington;"
"He has been _to_ New York, _to_ home," &c. are improper. The
preposition _in_ is set before countries, cities, and large towns; "He
lives _in_ France, _in_ London, _in_ Philadelphia, _in_ Rochester." But
before single houses, and cities and villages which are in distant
countries, _at_ is commonly used; as, "He lives _at_ Park-place;" "She
resides _at_ Vincennes." People in the northern states may say, "They
live _in_ New Orleans, or, _at_ New Orleans."
8. Passive agents to verbs in the infinitive mood, should not be
employed as active agents. The following are solecisms: "This house to
let;" "Horses and carriages to let;" "Congress has much business to
perform this session;" because the agents, _house_, _horses_ and
_carriages_, and _business_, which are really _passive_, are, according
to these constructions, rendered as active. The expressions should be,
"This house to _be_ let;" "Horses and carriages to _be_ let;" "much
business to _be performed_."
9. AMBIGUITY.--"Nothing is more to be desired than wisdom." Not
_literally_ correct, for _wisdom_ is certainly more to be desired than
_nothing_; but, as a figurative expression, it is well established and
unexceptionable.
"A crow is a large black bird:"--a large, _black--bird_.
"I saw a horse--fly through the window:"--I saw a _horsefly_.
"I saw a ship gliding under full sail through a spy glass." I saw,
through a spy glass, a ship gliding under full sail.
"One may see how the world goes with half an eye." One may see with half
an eye, how the world goes.
"A great stone, that I happened to find, after a long search, by the sea
shore, served me for an anchor." This arrangement of the members and
circumstances of this sentence, confines the speaker's _search to the
sea shore;_ whereas, he meant, "A _large stone, which,_ after a long
search, I happened _to find by the sea shore,_ served me for an anchor."
"I shall only notice those called personal pronouns." I shall notice
_only_ those called personal pronouns.
10. TAUTOLOGY.--Avoid words which add no thing to the sense; such as,
"_Now_ extant, _free_ gratis, _slow_ mope, _cold_ snow, a _hot_ sun, a
_flowing_ stream, a _dull_ blockhead, _wise_ sages." "I am just going to
go there;" I am _about_ to go.