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

citizens into the Roman camp."—Ib., p. 39. "The pupil may now write a description of the following objects. A school room. A steam boat. A writing desk. A dwelling house. A meeting house. A paper mill. A grist mill. A wind mill."—Ib., p. 45. "Every metaphor should be founded on a resemblance which is clear and striking; not far fetched, nor difficult to be discovered."—Ib., p. 49. "I was reclining in an arbour overhung with honey suckle and jessamine of the most exquisite fragrance."—Ib., p. 51. "The author of the following extract is speaking of the slave trade."—Ib., p. 60. "The all wise and benevolent Author of nature has so framed the soul of man, that he cannot but approve of virtue."—Ib., p. 74. "There is something of self denial in the very idea of it."—Ib., p. 75. "Age therefore requires a well spent youth to render it happy."—Ib., p. 76. "Pearl-ash requires much labour in its extraction from ashes."—Ib., p. 91. "Club, or crump, footed, Loripes; Rough, or leather, footed, Plumipes."—Ainsworth's Dict.

   "The honey-bags steal from the humble bees,
    And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs."
        —SHAK.: Joh.'s Dict., w. Glowworm.

   "The honeybags steal from the bumblebees,
    And for night tapers crop their waxen thighs."
        —SHAK.: Joh.'s Dict., w. Humblebee.

   "The honey bags steal from the humble-bees,
    And, for night tapers crop their waxen thighs."
        —Dodd's Beauties of Shak., p. 51.

EXERCISE IV.—SPELLING.

"His antichamber, and room of audience, are little square chambers wainscoted."—ADDISON: Johnson's Dict., w. Antechamber. "Nobody will deem the quicksighted amongst them to have very enlarged views of ethicks."—LOCKE: Ib., w. Quicksighted. "At the rate of this thick-skulled blunderhead, every plow-jobber shall take upon him to read upon divinity."—L'ESTRANGE: Ib., m. Blunderhead. "On the topmast, the yards, and boltsprit would I flame distinctly."—SHAK.: Ib., w. Bowsprit. "This is the tune of our catch plaid by the picture of nobody."—ID.: Ib., w. Nobody. "Thy fall hath left a kind of blot to mark the fulfraught man."—ID.: Ib., w. Fulfraught. "Till blinded by some Jack o'Lanthorn sprite."—Snelling's Gift, p. 62. "The beauties you would have me eulogise."—Ib., p. 14. "They rail at me—I gaily laugh at them."—Ib., p. 13. "Which the king and his sister had intrusted to him withall."—Josephus, Vol. v, p. 143. "The terms of these emotions are by no means synonimous."—Rush, on the Voice, p. 336. "Lillied, adj. Embellished with lilies."—Chalmers's Dict. "They seize the compendious blessing without exertion and without reflexion."—Philological Museum, Vol. i, p. 428. "The first cry that rouses them from their torpour, is the cry that demands their blood."—Ib., p. 433. "It meets the wants of elementary schools and deserves to be patronised."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 5. "Whose attempts were paralysed by the hallowed sound."—Music of Nature, p. 270. "It would be an amusing investigation to analyse their language."—Ib., p. 200. "It is my father's will that I should take on me the hostess-ship of the day."—SHAK.: in Johnson's Dict. "To retain the full apprehension of them undiminisht."—Phil. Museum., Vol. i, p. 458. "The ayes and noes were taken in the House of Commons."—Anti-Slavery Mag., Vol. i, p. 11. "Derivative words are formed by adding letters or syllables to primatives."—Davenport's Gram., p. 7. "The minister never was thus harrassed himself."—Nelson, on Infidelity, p. 6. "The most vehement politician thinks himself unbiassed in his judgment."—Ib., p. 17. "Mistress-ship, n. Female rule or dominion."—Webster's Dict.

   "Thus forced to kneel, thus groveling to embrace,
    The scourge and ruin of my realm and race."
        —POPE: Ash's Gram., p. 83.

EXERCISE V.—MIXED ERRORS.

"The quince tree is of a low stature; the branches are diffused and crooked."—MILLER: Johnson's Dict. "The greater slow worm, called also the blindworm, is commonly thought to be blind, because of the littleness of his eyes."—GREW: ib. "Oh Hocus! where art thou? It used to go in another guess manner in thy time."—ARBUTHNOT: ib. "One would not make a hotheaded crackbrained coxcomb forward for a scheme of moderation."—ID.: ib. "As for you, colonel huff-cap, we shall try before a civil magistrate who's the greatest plotter."—DRYDEN: ib., w. Huff. "In like manner, Actions co-alesce with their Agents, and Passions with their Patients."—Harris's Hermes, p. 263. "These Sentiments are not unusual even with the Philosopher now a days."—Ib., p. 350. "As if the Marble were to fashion the Chizzle, and not the Chizzle the Marble."—Ib., p. 353. "I would not be understood, in what I have said, to undervalue Experiment."—Ib., p. 352. "How therefore is it that they approach nearly to Non-Entity's?"—Ib., p. 431. "Gluttonise, modernise, epitomise, barbarise, tyranise."—Churchill's Gram., pp. 31 and 42. "Now fair befal thee and thy noble house!"—SHAK.: ib., p. 241. "Nor do I think the error above-mentioned would have been so long indulged," &c.—Ash's Gram., p. 4. "The editor of the two editions above mentioned was pleased to give this little manuel to the public," &c.—Ib., p. 7. "A Note of Admiration denotes a modelation of the voice suited to the expression."—Ib., p. 16. "It always has some respect to the power of the agent; and is therefore properly stiled the potential mode."—Ib., p. 29. "Both these are supposed to be synonomous expressions."—Ib., p. 105. "An expence beyond what my circumstances admit."—DODDRIDGE: ib., p. 138. "There are four of them: the Full-Point, or Period; the Colon; the Semi-Colon; the Comma."—Cobbett's E. Gram., N. Y., 1818, p. 77. "There are many men, who have been at Latin-Schools for years, and who, at last, cannot write six sentences in English correctly."—Ib., p. 39. "But, figures of rhetorick are edge tools, and two edge tools too."—Ib., p. 182. "The horse-chesnut grows into a goodly standard."—MORTIMER: Johnson's Dict. "Whereever if is to be used."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 175.

   "Peel'd, patch'd, and pyebald, linsey-woolsey brothers."
        —POPE: Joh. Dict., w., Mummer.

   "Peel'd, patch'd, and piebald, linsey-woolsey brothers."
        —ID.: ib., w. Piebald.

EXERCISE VI.—MIXED ERRORS.

"Pied, adj. [from pie.] Variegated; partycoloured."—Johnson's Dict. "Pie, [pica, Lat.] A magpie; a party-coloured bird."—Ib. "Gluy, adj. [from glue.] Viscous; tenacious; glutinous."—Ib. "Gluey, a. Viscous, glutinous. Glueyness. n. The quality of being gluey."—Webster's Dict. "Old Euclio, seeing a crow-scrat[129] upon the muck-hill, returned in all haste, taking it for an ill sign."—BURTON: Johnson's Dict. "Wars are begun by hairbrained[130] dissolute captains."—ID.: ib. "A carot is a well known garden root."—Red Book, p. 60. "Natural philosophy, metaphysicks, ethicks, history, theology, and politicks, were familiar to him."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 209. "The words in Italicks and capitals, are emphatick."—Ib., p. 210. "It is still more exceptionable; Candles, Cherrys, Figs, and other sorts of Plumbs, being sold by Weight, and being Plurals."—Johnson's Gram. Com., p. 135. "If the End of Grammar be not to save that Trouble, and Expence of Time, I know not what it is good for."—Ib., p. 161. "Caulce, Sheep Penns, or the like, has no Singular, according to Charisius."—Ib., p. 194. "These busibodies are like to such as reade bookes with intent onely to spie out the faults thereof"—Perkins's Works, p. 741. "I think it every man's indispensible duty, to do all the service he can to his country."—Locke, on Ed., p. 4. "Either fretting it self into a troublesome Excess, or flaging into a downright want of Appetite."—Ib., p. 23. "And nobody would have a child cramed at breakfast."—Ib., p. 23. "Judgeship and judgment, lodgable and alledgeable, alledgement and abridgment, lodgment and infringement, enlargement and acknowledgment."—Webster's Dict., 8vo. "Huckster, n. s. One who sells goods by retail, or in small quantities; a pedler."—Johnson's Dict.

   "He seeks bye-streets, and saves th' expensive coach."
        —GAY: ib., w. Mortgage.

   "He seeks by-streets, and saves th' expensive coach."
        —GAY: ib., w. By-street.

EXERCISE VII.—MIXED ERRORS.

"Boys like a warm fire in a wintry day."—Webster's El. Spelling-Book, p. 62. "The lilly is a very pretty flower."—Ib., p. 62. "The potatoe is a native plant of America."—Ib., p. 60. "An anglicism is a peculiar mode of speech among the English."—Ib., p. 136. "Black berries and raspberries grow on briars."—Ib., p. 150. "You can broil a beef steak over the coals of fire."—Ib., p. 38. "Beef'-steak, n. A steak or slice of beef for broiling."—Webster's Dict. "Beef'steak, s. a slice of beef for broiling."—Treasury of Knowledge. "As he must suffer in case of the fall of merchandize, he is entitled to the corresponding gain if merchandize rises."—Wayland's Moral Science, p. 258. "He is the worshipper of an hour, but the worldling for life."—Maturin's Sermons, p. 424. "Slyly hinting something to the disadvantage of great and honest men."—Webster's Essays, p. 329. "'Tis by this therefore that I Define the Verb; namely, that it is a Part of Speech, by which something is apply'd to another, as to its Subject."—Johnson's Gram. Com., p. 255. "It may sometimes throw a passing cloud over the bright hour of gaiety."—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 178. "To criticize, is to discover errors; and to crystalize implies to freeze or congele."—Red Book, p. 68. "The affectation of using the preterite instead of the participle, is peculiarly aukward; as, he has came."—Priestley's Grammar, p. 125. "They are moraly responsible for their individual conduct."—Cardell's El. Gram., p. 21. "An engine of sixty horse power, is deemed of equal force with a team of sixty horses."—Red Book, p. 113. "This, at fourpence per ounce, is two shillings and fourpence a week, or six pounds, one shining and four pence a year."—Ib., p. 122. "The tru meening of parliament iz a meeting of barons or peers."—Webster's Essays, p. 276. "Several authorities seem at leest to favor this opinion."—Ib., p. 277. "That iz, az I hav explained the tru primitiv meening of the word."—Ib., p. 276. "The lords are peers of the relm; that iz, the ancient prescriptiv judges or barons."—Ib., p. 274.

   "Falshood is folly, and 'tis just to own
    The fault committed; this was mine alone."
        —Pope, Odys., B. xxii, l. 168.

EXERCISE VIII—MIXED ERRORS.

"A second verb so nearly synonimous with the first, is at best superfluous."—Churchill's Gram., p. 332. "Indicate it, by some mark opposite [to] the word misspelt."—Abbott's Teacher, p. 74. "And succesfully controling the tendencies of mind."—Ib., p. 24. "It [the Monastick Life] looks very like what we call Childrens-Play."—[LESLIE'S] Right of Tythes, p. 236. "It seems rather lik Playing of Booty, to Please those Fools and Knaves."—Ib., Pref., p. vi. "And first I Name Milton, only for his Name, lest the Party should say, that I had not Cousider'd his Performance against Tythes."—Ib., p. iv. "His Fancy was too Predominant for his Judgment. His Talent lay so much in Satyr that he hated Reasoning."—Ib., p. iv. "He has thrown away some of his Railery against Tythes, and the Church then underfoot."—Ib., p. v. "They Vey'd with one another in these things."—Ib., p. 220. "Epamanondas was far the most accomplished of the Thebans."—Cooper's New Gram., p. 27. "Whoever and Whichever, are thus declined. Sing. and Plur. nom. whoever, poss. whoseever, obj. whomever. Sing. and Plu. nom. whichever, poss. whoseever, obj. whichever."—Ib., p. 38. "WHEREEVER, adv. [where and ever.] At whatever place."—Webster's Dict. "They at length took possession of all the country south of the Welch mountains."—Dobson's Comp. Gram., p. 7. "Those Britains, who refused to submit to the foreign yoke, retired into Wales."—Ib., p. 6. "Religion is the most chearful thing in the world."—Ib., p. 43. "Two means the number two compleatly, whereas second means only the last of two, and so of all the rest."—Ib., p. 44. "Now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose sirname is Peter."—Ib., p. 96. (See Acts, x, 5.) "In French words, we use enter instead of inter; as, entertain, enterlace, enterprize."—Ib., p. 101. "Amphiology, i. e. a speech of uncertain or doubtful meaning."—Ib., p. 103. "Surprize; as, hah! hey day! what! strange!"—Ib., p. 109. "Names of the letters: ai bee see dee ee ef jee aitch eye jay kay el em en o pee cue ar ess tee you voe double u eks wi zed."—Rev. W. Allen's Gram., p. 3.

   "I, O, and U, at th' End of Words require,
    The silent (e), the same do's (va) desire."
        —Brightland's Gram., p. 15.

EXERCISE IX.—MIXED ERRORS.

"And is written for eacend, adding, ekeing."—Dr. Murray's Hist. of Europ. Lang., Vol. i, p. 222. "The Hindus have changed ai into e, sounded like e in where."—Ib., Vol. ii, p. 121. "And therefor I would rather see the cruelest usurper than the mildest despot."— Philological Museum, Vol. i, p. 430. "Sufficiently distinct to prevent our marveling."—Ib., i, 477. "Possessed of this preheminence he disregarded the clamours of the people."—Smollett's England, Vol. iii, p. 222. "He himself, having communicated, administered the sacrament to some of the bye-standers."—Ib., p. 222. "The high fed astrology which it nurtured, is reduced to a skeleton on the leaf of an almanac."—Cardell's Gram., p. 6. "Fulton was an eminent engineer: he invented steam boats."—Ib., p. 30. "Then, in comes the benign latitude of the doctrine of goodwill."—SOUTH: in Johnson's Dict. "Being very lucky in a pair of long lanthorn-jaws, he wrung his face into a hideous grimace."—SPECTATOR: ib. "Who had lived almost four-and-twenty years under so politick a king as his father."—BACON: ib., w. Lowness. "The children will answer; John's, or William's, or whose ever it may