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

Matt., xxvi, 49. "And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent."—Luke, xvi, 30. UNDER RULE VI.—OF ONE CAPITAL.

"Fall River, a village in Massachusetts, population 3431."—See Univ.
Gaz., p. 416.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the name Fall River is here written in two parts, and with two capitals. But, according to Rule 6th, "Those compound proper names which by analogy incline to a union of their parts without a hyphen, should be so written, and have but one capital." Therefore, Fallriver, as the name of a town, should be one word, and retain but one capital.]

"Dr. Anderson died at West Ham, in Essex, in 1808."—Biog. Dict. "Mad River, [the name of] two towns in Clark and Champaign counties, Ohio."—Williams's Universal Gazetteer. "White Creek, town of Washington county, N. York."—Ib. "Salt Creek, the name of four towns in different parts of Ohio."—Ib. "Salt Lick, a town of Fayette county, Pennsylvania."—Ib. "Yellow Creek, a town of Columbiana county, Ohio."—Ib. "White Clay, a hundred of New Castle county, Delaware."—Ib. "Newcastle, town and halfshire of Newcastle county, Delaware."—Ib. "Sing-Sing, a village of West Chester county, New York, situated in the town of Mount Pleasant."—Ib. "West Chester, a county of New York; also a town in Westchester county."—Ib. "West Town, a village of Orange county, New York."—Ib. "White Water, a town of Hamilton county, Ohio."—Ib. "White Water River, a considerable stream that rises in Indiana, and flowing southeasterly, unites with the Miami, in Ohio."—Ib. "Black Water, a village of Hampshire, in England, and a town in Ireland."—Ib. "Black Water, the name of seven different rivers in England, Ireland, and the United States."—Ib. "Red Hook, a town of Dutchess county, New York, on the Hudson."—Ib. "Kinderhook, a town of Columbia county, New York, on the Hudson."—Ib. "New Fane, a town of Niagara county, New York."—Ib. "Lake Port, a town of Chicot county, Arkansas."—Ib. "Moose Head Lake, the chief source of the Kennebeck, in Maine."—Ib. "Macdonough, a county of Illinois, population (in 1830) 2,959."—Ib., p. 408. "Mc Donough, a county of Illinois, with a courthouse, at Macomb."—Ib., p. 185. "Half-Moon, the name of two towns, in New York and Pennsylvania; also of two bays in the West Indies."—See Worcester's Gaz. "Le Boeuf, a town of Erie county, Pennsylvania, near a small lake of the same name."—Ib. "Charles City, James City, Elizabeth City, names of counties in Virginia, not cities, nor towns."—See Univ. Gaz. "The superior qualities of the waters of the Frome, here called Stroud water."—Balbi's Geog., p. 223.

UNDER RULE VII.—TWO CAPITALS.

"The Forth rises on the north side of Benlomond, and runs easterly."—Glas. Geog.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the name "Benlomond" is compounded under one capital, contrary to the general analogy of other similar terms. But, according to Rule 7th, "The compounding of a name under one capital should be avoided when the general analogy of other similar terms suggests a separation under two." Therefore, "Ben Lomond" should be written with two capitals and no hyphen.]

"The red granite of Ben-nevis is said to be the finest in the world."—Ib., ii, 311. "Ben-more, in Perthshire, is 3,915 feet above the level of the sea."—Ib., 313. "The height of Benclough is 2,420 feet."—Ib.. "In Sutherland and Caithness, are Ben Ormod, Ben Clibeg, Ben Grin, Ben Hope, and Ben Lugal."—Ib., 311. "Benvracky is 2,756 feet high; Ben-ledi, 3,009; and Benvoirlich, 3,300."—Ib., 313. "The river Dochart gives the name of Glendochart to the vale through which it runs."—Ib., 314. "About ten miles from its source, the Tay diffuses itself into Lochdochart."—Geog. altered. LAKES:—"Lochard, Loch-Achray, Loch-Con, Loch-Doine, Loch-Katrine, Loch-Lomond, Loch-Voil."—Scott's Lady of the Lake. GLENS:—"Glenfinlas, Glen Fruin, Glen Luss, Ross-dhu, Leven-glen, Strath-Endrick, Strath-Gartney, Strath-Ire."—Ib. MOUNTAINS:—"Ben-an, Benharrow, Benledi, Ben-Lomond, Benvoirlich, Ben-venue, and sometimes Benvenue."—Ib. "Fenelon died in 1715, deeply lamented by all the inhabitants of the Low-countries."—Murray's Sequel, p. 322. "And Pharaoh-nechoh made Eliakim, the son of Josiah, king."—SCOTT, FRIENDS: 2 Kings, xxiii, 34. "Those who seem so merry and well pleased, call her Good Fortune; but the others, who weep and wring their hands, Bad-fortune."—Collier's Tablet of Cebes.

UNDER RULE VIII.—OF COMPOUNDS.

"When Joab returned, and smote Edom in the valley of salt."—SCOTT: Ps. lx, title.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the words valley and salt begin with small letters. But, according to Rule 8th, "When any adjective or common noun is made a distinct part of a compound proper name, it ought to begin with a capital." Therefore, "Valley" should here begin with a capital V, and "Salt" with a capital S.]

"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill and said," &c.—SCOTT: Acts, xvii, 22. "And at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives."—Luke, xxi, 37. "Abgillus, son of the king of the Frisii, surnamed Prester John, was in the Holy land with Charlemagne."—Univ. Biog. Dict. "Cape Palmas, in Africa, divides the Grain coast from the Ivory coast."—Dict. of Geog., p. 125. "The North Esk, flowing from Loch-lee, falls into the sea three miles north of Montrose."—Ib., p. 232. "At Queen's ferry, the channel of the Forth is contracted by promontories on both coasts."—Ib., p. 233. "The Chestnut ridge is about twenty-five miles west of the Alleghanies, and Laurel ridge, ten miles further west."—Balbi's Geog., p. 65. "Washington City, the metropolis of the United States of America."—W.'s Univ. Gaz., p. 380. "Washington city, in the District of Columbia, population (in 1830) 18,826."—Ib., p. 408. "The loftiest peak of the white mountains, in new Hampshire, is called mount Washington."—Author. "Mount's bay, in the west of England, lies between the land's end and lizard point."—Id. "Salamis, an island of the Egean Sea, off the southern coast of the ancient Attica."—Dict. of Geog. "Rhodes, an island of the Egean sea, the largest and most easterly of the Cyclades."—Ib. "But he overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea."—BRUCE'S BIBLE: Ps. cxxxvi, 15. "But they provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea."—SCOTT: Ps. cvi, 7.[107]

UNDER RULE IX.—OF APPOSITION.

"At that time, Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus."—ALGER: Matt., xiv, 1.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word Tetrarch begins with a capital letter. But, according to Rule 8th, "When a common and a proper name are associated merely to explain each other, it is in general sufficient, if the proper name begin with a capital, and the appellative, with a small letter." Therefore, "tetrarch" should here begin with a small t.]

"Who has been more detested than Judas the Traitor?"—Author. "St. Luke, the Evangelist, was a physician of Antioch, and one of the converts of St. Paul."—Id. "Luther, the Reformer, began his bold career by preaching against papal indulgences."—Id. "The Poet Lydgate was a disciple and admirer of Chaucer: he died in 1440."—Id. "The Grammarian Varro, 'the most learned of the Romans,' wrote three books when he was eighty years old."—Id. "John Despauter, the great Grammarian of Flanders, whose works are still valued, died in 1520."—Id. "Nero, the Emperor and Tyrant of Rome, slew himself to avoid a worse death."—Id. "Cicero the Orator, 'the Father of his Country,' was assassinated at the age of 64."—Id. "Euripides, the Greek Tragedian, was born in the Island of Salamis, B. C. 476."—Id. "I will say unto God my Rock, Why hast thou forgotten me?"—SCOTT: Ps. xlii, 9. "Staten Island, an island of New York, nine miles below New York City."—Univ. Gaz. "When the son of Atreus, King of Men, and the noble Achilles first separated."—Coleridge's Introd., p. 83.

   "Hermes, his Patron-God, those gifts bestow'd,
    Whose shrine with weaning lambs he wont to load."
        —POPE: Odys., B. 19.

UNDER RULE X.—OF PERSONIFICATIONS.

"But wisdom is justified of all her children."—SCOTT, ALGER: Luke, vii, 35.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word wisdom begins with a small letter. But, according to Rule 10th, "The name of an object personified, when it conveys an idea strictly individual, should begin with a capital." Therefore, "Wisdom" should here begin with a capital W.]

"Fortune and the church are generally put in the feminine gender."—Murray's Gram., i, p. 37. "Go to your natural religion; lay before her Mahomet, and his disciples."—Blair's Rhetoric, p. 157: see also Murray's Gram., i, 347. "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?"—1 Cor., xv, 55; Murray's Gram., p. 348; English Reader, 31; Merchant's Gram., 212. "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."—SCOTT, FRIENDS, ET AL.: Matt., vi, 24. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon."—IIDEM: Luke, xvi, 13. "This house was built as if suspicion herself had dictated the plan."—See Key. "Poetry distinguishes herself from prose, by yielding to a musical law."—See Key. "My beauteous deliverer thus uttered her divine instructions: 'My name is religion. I am the offspring of truth and love, and the parent of benevolence, hope, and joy. That monster, from whose power I have freed you, is called superstition: she is the child of discontent, and her followers are fear and sorrow.'"—See Key. "Neither hope nor fear could enter the retreats; and habit had so absolute a power, that even conscience, if religion had employed her in their favour, would not have been able to force an entrance."—See Key.

   "In colleges and halls in ancient days,
    There dwelt a sage called discipline."—Wayland's M. Sci., p. 368.

UNDER RULE XI.—OF DERIVATIVES.

"In English, I would have gallicisms avoided."—FELTON: Johnson's Dict.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word gallicisms here begins with a small letter. But, according to Rule 11th, "Words derived from proper names, and having direct reference to particular persons, places, sects, or nations, should begin with capitals." Therefore, "Gallicisms" should begin with a capital G.]

"Sallust was born in Italy, 85 years before the christian era."—Murray's Seq., p. 357. "Dr. Doddridge was not only a great man, but one of the most excellent and useful christians, and christian ministers."—Ib., 319. "They corrupt their style with untutored anglicisms."—MILTON: in Johnson's Dict. "Albert of Stade, author of a chronicle from the creation to 1286, a benedictine of the 13th century."—Universal Biog. Dict. "Graffio, a jesuit of Capua in the 16th century, author of two volumes on moral subjects."—Ib. "They frenchify and italianize words whenever they can."—See Key. "He who sells a christian, sells the grace of God."—Anti-Slavery Mag., p. 77. "The first persecution against the christians, under Nero, began A. D. 64."—Gregory's Dict. "P. Rapin, the jesuit, uniformly decides in favour of the Roman writers."—Cobbett's E. Gram., ¶ 171. "The Roman poet and epicurean philosopher Lucretius has said," &c.—Cohen's Florida, p. 107. Spell "calvinistic, atticism, gothicism, epicurism, jesuitism, sabianism, socinianism, anglican, anglicism, anglicize, vandalism, gallicism, romanize."—Webster's El. Spelling-Book, 130-133. "The large ternate bat."—Webster's Dict. w. ROSSET; Bolles's Dict., w. ROSET.

   "Church-ladders are not always mounted best
    By learned clerks, and latinists profess'd."—Cowper.

UNDER RULE XII.—OF I AND O.

"Fall back, fall back; i have not room:—o! methinks i see a couple whom i should know."—Lucian, varied.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the word I, which occurs three times, and the word O, which occurs once, are here printed in letters of the lower case.[108] But, according to Rule 12th, "The words I and O should always be capitals." Therefore, each should be changed to a capital, as often as it occurs.]

"Nay, i live as i did, i think as i did, i love you as i did; but all these are to no purpose: the world will not live, think, or love, as i do."—Swift, varied. "Whither, o! whither shall i fly? o wretched prince! o cruel reverse of fortune! o father Micipsa! is this the consequence of thy generosity?"—Sallust, varied. "When i was a child, i spake as a child, i understood as a child, i thought as a child; but when i became a man, i put away childish things."—1 Cor., xiii, 11, varied. "And i heard, but i understood not: then said i, o my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?"—Dan., xii, 8, varied. "Here am i; i think i am very good, and i am quite sure i am very happy, yet i never wrote a treatise in my life."—Few Days in Athens, varied. "Singular, Vocative, o master; Plural, Vocative, o masters."—Bicknell's Gram., p. 30.

   "I, i am he; o father! rise, behold
    Thy son, with twenty winters now grown old!"—See Pope's Odyssey.

UNDER RULE XIII.—OF POETRY.

   "Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense,
    lie in three words—health, peace, and competence;
    but health consists with temperance alone,
    and peace, O Virtue! peace is all thy own."
        Pope's Essay on Man, a fine London Edition.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the last three lines of this example begin with small letters. But, according to Rule 18th, "Every line in poetry, except what is regarded as making but one verse with the preceding line, should begin with a capital." Therefore, the words, "Lie," "But," and "And," at the commencement of these lines, should severally begin with the capitals L, B, and A.]

"Observe the language well in all you write, and swerve not