IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.
ERRORS OF VERBS.
LESSON I.—PRETERITS.
"In speaking on a matter which toucht their hearts."—Philological
Museum, Vol. i, p. 441.
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the verb toucht is terminated in t. But, according to Observation 2nd, on the irregular verbs, touch is regular. Therefore, this t should be changed to ed; thus, "In speaking on a matter which touched their hearts.">[
"Though Horace publisht it some time after."—Ib., i, 444. "The best subjects with which the Greek models furnisht him."—Ib., i, 444. "Since he attacht no thought to it."—Ib., i, 645. "By what slow steps the Greek alphabet reacht its perfection."—Ib., i, 651. "Because Goethe wisht to erect an affectionate memorial."—Ib., i, 469. "But the Saxon forms soon dropt away."—Ib., i, 668. "It speaks of all the towns that perisht in the age of Philip."—Ib., i, 252. "This enricht the written language with new words."—Ib., i, 668. "He merely furnisht his friend with matter for laughter."—Ib., i, 479. "A cloud arose and stopt the light."—Swift's Poems, p. 313. "She slipt zpadillo in her breast."—Ib., p. 371. "I guest the hand."—Ib., p. 372. "The tyrant stript me to the skin: My skin he flay'd, my hair he cropt; At head and foot my body lopt."—Ib., On a Pen, p. 338. "I see the greatest owls in you, That ever screecht or ever flew."—Ib., p. 403. "I sate with delight, from morning till night."—Ib., p. 367. "Dick nimbly skipt the gutter."—Ib., p. 375. "In at the pantry door this morn I slipt."—Ib., p. 369. "Nobody living ever toucht me but you."—Walker's Particles, p. 92. "Present, I ship; Past, I shipped or shipt; Participle, shipped or shipt."—Murray the schoolmaster. Gram., p. 31. "Then the king arose, and tare his garments."—2 Sam., xiii, 31. "When he lift up his foot, he knew not where he should set it next."—Bunyan. "He lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time."—2 SAM.: in Joh. Dict. "Upon this chaos rid the distressed ark."—BURNET: ib. "On whose foolish honesty, my practices rid easy."—SHAK.: ib. "That form of the first or primogenial Earth, which rise immediately out of chaos."—BURNET: ib. "Sir, how come it you have holp to make this rescue?"—SHAK.: in Joh. Dict. "He sware he had rather lose all his father's images than that table."—PEACHAM: ib. "When our language dropt its ancient terminations."—Dr. Murray's Hist., ii, 5. "When themselves they vilify'd."—Milton, P. L., xi, 515. "But I choosed rather to do thus."—Barclay's Works, i, 456. "When he plead against the parsons."— School History, p. 168. "And he that saw it, bear record."—Cutler's Gram., p. 72. "An irregular verb has one more variation, as drive, drivest, drives, drivedst, drove, driving, driven."—REV. MATT. HARRISON, on the English Language, p. 260. "Beside that village Hannibal pitcht his camp."—Walker's Particles, p. 79. "He fetcht it even from Tmolus."— Ib., p. 114. "He supt with his morning gown on."—Ib., p. 285. "There stampt her sacred name."—Barlow's Columbiad, B. i, l. 233.
"Fixt on the view the great discoverer stood,
And thus addrest the messenger of good."—Barlow, B, i, l. 658.
LESSON II.—MIXED.
"Three freemen were being tried at the date of our last information."—Newspaper.
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the participle being is used after its own verb were. But, according to Observation 4th, on the compound form of the conjugation, this complex passive form is an absurd innovation. Therefore, the expression should be changed; thus, "Three freemen were on trial"—or, "were receiving their trial—at the date of our last information.">[