“Neither do I think, that anything could be more entertaining, than the story of it exactly told, with such observations, and in such a spirit, style, and manner, as you alone are capable of performing it.” This sentence is extremely faulty. “To perform a story” is not English; and the relative clause is ungrammatical, the preposition being omitted. It should be, “performing it in,” which would be grammatically correct, but inelegant, as well as improper. It would be better expressed thus, “in that spirit, style, and manner, in which you alone are capable of narrating it.”
“Notwithstanding of the numerous panegyrics on the ancient English liberty.”—Hume’s Essays. The error here in the use of the preposition after notwithstanding, is, I believe, peculiar to Scotland. Notwithstanding is a compound word of the same import as not preventing. The grammatical construction therefore is, “the numerous panegyrics notwithstanding,” that is, “not hindering,” the noun and the participle being in the absolute case. Of renders the expression solecistical.
IMPROPRIETY.
“If policy can prevail upon force.”—Addison. Here upon is improperly used for over. To prevail on, is “to persuade;” to prevail over, is “to overcome.”
“I have set down the names of several gentlemen, who have been robbed in Dublin streets, for these three years past.”—Swift. It should be, “within these three years past.” Swift’s expression implies, as Baker observes, that these gentlemen had been robbed during the whole three years.
“Ye blind guides, who strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” In this sentence, the preposition at is very improperly used for out. It should be, “strain out a gnat;” that is, exclude it from the liquor by straining.
“Oliver Proudfute, a freeman and burgess, was slain upon the streets of the city.”—Scott. This form of expression is almost universal in Scotland. An Englishman says, “in the streets.”
“I have several times inquired of you without any satisfaction.”—Pope. We say, “inquire of,” when we ask a question; and “inquire for,” or “after,” when we desire to know the circumstances, in which any object is placed. He should have employed the latter expression.
“The greatest masters of critical learning differ among one another.”—Spectator. If the ellipsis be supplied, the sentence proceeds thus: “The greatest masters of critical learning differ, one differs among another.” Here the preposition among, which implies a number, or a plurality, is joined to a term significant of unity. It ought to be, “from one another;” that is “one from another,” or “differ among themselves.”
“I intended to wait of you this morning.” The preposition of is here improperly used for on. We say, to wait on, not to wait of.