The Grammar of English Grammars

by Goold Brown

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the phrase, "follow each other," is here an absurdity; it being impossible for two things to "follow each other," except they alternate, or whirl round. But, according to Critical Note 6th, "Absurdities, of every kind, are contrary to grammar; because they are contrary to reason, or good sense, which is the foundation of grammar." Therefore, a different expression should here be chosen; thus: "And sometimes two unaccented syllables come together." Or: "And sometimes one unaccented syllable follows an other.">[

(2.) "What nouns frequently succeed each other?"—Sanborn's Gram., p. 65. (3.) "Words are derived from one another in various ways."—Ib., p. 288; Merchant's Gram., 78; Weld's, 2d Edition, 222. (4.) "Prepositions are derived from the two Latin words præ and pono, which signify before and place."—Mack's Gram., p. 86. (5.) "He was sadly laughed at for such conduct."—Bullion's E. Gram., p. 79. (6.) "Every adjective pronoun belongs to some noun or pronoun expressed or understood."—Ingersoll's Gram., p. 212. (7.) "If he [Addison] fails in anything, it is in want of strength and precision, which renders his manner not altogether a proper model."—Blair's Rhet., p. 187. (8.) "Indeed, if Horace be deficient in any thing, it is in this, of not being sufficiently attentive to juncture and connexion of parts."—Ib., p. 401. (9.) "The pupil is now supposed to be acquainted with the nine sorts of speech, and their most usual modifications."—Taylor's District School, p. 204. (10.) "I could see, hear, taste, and smell the rose."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 156. (11.) "The triphthong iou is sometimes pronounced distinctly in two syllables; as in bilious, various, abstemious."—L. Murray's Gram., p. 13; Walker's Dict., Prin. 292, p. 37. (12.) "The diphthong aa generally sounds like a short in proper names; as in Balaam, Canaan, Isaac; but not in Baal, Gaal."—Murray's Gram., p. 10. (13.) "Participles are sometimes governed by the article; for the present participle, with the definite article the before it, becomes a substantive."—Ib., p. 192. (14.) "Words ending with y, preceded by a consonant, form the plurals of nouns, the persons of verbs, verbal nouns, past participles, comparatives and superlatives, by changing y into i."—Walker's Rhyming Dict., p. viii; Murray's Gram., 23; Merchant's Murray, 13; Fisk's, 44; Kirkham's, 23; Greenleaf's, 20; Wright's Gram., 28; et al. (15.) "But y preceded by a vowel, in such instances as the above, is not changed; as boy, boys."—Murray's Gram., p. 24; Merchant's, Fisk's, Kirkham's, Greenleaf's, et al. (16.) "But when y is preceded by a vowel, it is very rarely[455] changed in the additional syllable: as coy, coyly."—Murray's Gram. again, p. 24; Merchant's, 14; Fisk's, 45; Greenleaf's, 20; Wright's, 29; et al. (17.) "But when y is preceded by a vowel, in such instances, it is very rarely changed into i; as coy, COYLESS."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 24. (18.) "Sentences are of a twofold nature: Simple and Compound."—Wright's Gram., p. 123. (19.) "The neuter pronoun it is applied to all nouns and pronouns: as, It is he; it is she; it is they; it is the land."—Bucke's Gram., p. 92. (20.) "It is and it was, are often used in a plural construction; as, 'It was the heretics who first began to rail.'"—Merchant's Gram., p. 87. (21.) "It is and it was, are often, after the manner of the French, used in a plural construction, and by some of our best writers: as, 'It was the heretics that first began to rail.' Smollett."—Priestley's Gram., p. 190; Murray's, 158; Smith's, 134; Ingersoll's, 210; Fisk's, 115; et al. (22.) "w and y, as consonants, have one sound."—Town's Spelling-Book, p. 9. (23.) "The conjunction as is frequently used as a relative."—Bucke's Gram., p. 93. (24.) "When several clauses succeed each other, the conjunction may be omitted with propriety."—Merchant's Gram., p. 97. (25.) "If, however, the members succeeding each other, are very closely connected, the comma is unnecessary: as, 'Revelation tells us how we may attain happiness.'"—Murray's Gram., p. 273; Merchant's, 151; Russell's, 115; Comly's, 152; Alger's, 80; Smith's, 190; et al. (26.) "The mind has difficulty in passing readily through so many different views given it, in quick succession, of the same object."—Blair's Rhet., p. 149. (27.) "The mind has difficulty in passing readily through many different views of the same object, presented in quick succession."—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 341. (28.) "Adjective pronouns are a kind of adjectives which point out nouns by some distinct specification."—Kirkham's Gram., the Compend, or Table. (29.) "A noun of multitude conveying plurality of idea[456], must have a verb or pronoun agreeing with it in the plural."—Ib., pp. 59 and 181: see also Lowth's Gram., p. 74; L. Murray's, 152; Comly's, 80; Lennie's, 87; Alger's, 54; Jaudon's, 96; Alden's, 81; Parker and Fox's, I, 76; II, 26; and others. (30.) "A noun or pronoun signifying possession, is governed by the noun it possesses."—Greenleaf's Gram., p. 35. (31.) "A noun signifying possession, is governed by the noun which it possesses."—Wilbur and Livingston's Gram., p. 24. (32.) "A noun or pronoun in the possessive case is governed by the noun it possesses."—Goldsbury's Gram., p. 68. (33.) "The possessive case is governed by the person or thing possessed; as, 'this is his book.'"—P. E. Day's Gram., p. 81. (34.) "A noun or pronoun in the possessive case, is governed by the noun which it possesses."—Kirkham's Gram., Rule 12th, pp. 52 and 181; Frazer's Gram., 1844, p. 25; F. H. Miller's, 21. (35.) "Here the boy is represented as acting. He is, therefore, in the nominative case."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 41. (36.) "Some of the auxiliaries are themselves principal verbs, as: have, do, will, and am, or be."—Cooper's Grammars, both, p. 50. (37.) "Nouns of the male kind are masculine. Those of the female kind are feminine."—Beck's Gram., p. 6. (38.) "'To-day's lesson is longer than yesterday's:' here to-day and yesterday are substantives."—Murray's Gram., p. 114; Ingersoll's, 50; et al. (39.) "In this example, to-day and yesterday are nouns in the possessive case."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 88. (40.) "An Indian in Britain would be much surprised to stumble upon an elephant feeding at large in the open fields."—Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. i, p. 219. (41.) "If we were to contrive a new language, we might make any articulate sound the sign of any idea: there would be no impropriety in calling oxen men, or rational beings by the name of oxen."—Murray's Gram., p. 139. (42.) "All the parts of a sentence should correspond to each other."—Ib., p. 222; Kirkham's, 193; Ingersoll's, 275; Goldsbury's, 74; Hiley's, 110; Weld's, 193; Alger's, 71; Fisk's, 148; S. Putnam's, 95; Merchant's, 101; Merchant's Murray, 95.

(43.) "Full through his neck the weighty falchion sped,
Along the pavement roll'd the mutt'ring head."
—Odyssey, xxii, 365.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE VII.—OF SELF-CONTRADICTION.

(1.) "Though the construction will not admit of a plural verb, the sentence would certainly stand better thus: 'The king, the lords, and the commons, form an excellent constitution.'"—Murray's Gram., p. 151; Ingersoll's, 239.

[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the first clause here quoted is contradicted by the last. But, according to Critical Note 7th, "Every writer or speaker should be careful not to contradict himself; for what is self-contradictory, is both null in argument, and bad in style." The following change may remove the discrepance: "Though 'The king with the lords and commons,' must have a singular rather than a plural verb, the sentence would certainly stand better thus: 'The king, the lords, and the commons, form an excellent constitution.'">[

(2.) "L has always a soft liquid sound; as in love, billow, quarrel. It is sometimes mute: as in half, talk, psalm."—Murray's Gram., p. 14; Fisk's, 40. (3.) "L has always a soft liquid sound; as in love, billow. It is often silent; as in half, talk, almond."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 22. (4.) "The words means and amends, though formerly used in the singular, as well as in the plural number, are now, by polite writers, restricted to the latter. Our most distinguished modern authors say, 'by this means,' as well as, by these means.'"—Wright's Gram., p. 150. (5.) "'A friend exaggerates a man's virtues: an enemy inflames his crimes.' Better thus: 'A friend exaggerates a man's virtues: an enemy his crimes.'"—Murray's Gram., Vol. i, p. 325. "A friend exaggerates a man's virtues, an enemy inflames his crimes"—Key, Vol. ii, p. 173. (6.) "The auxiliary have, in the perfect tense of the subjunctive mood, should be avoided."—Merchant's Gram., p. 97. "Subjunctive Mood, Perfect Tense. If I have loved, If thou hast loved," &c.—p. 51. (7.) "There is also an impropriety in governing both the indicative and subjunctive moods, with the same conjunction; as, 'If a man have a hundred sheep, and if one of them be gone astray,' &c. It should be, and one of them is gone astray, &c."—Ib., p. 97. (8.) "The rising series of contrasts convey inexpressible dignity and energy to the conclusion."—Jamieson's Rhet., p. 79. (9.) "A groan or a shriek is instantly understood, as a language extorted by distress, a language which no art can counterfeit, and which conveys a meaning that words are utterly inadequate to express."—Porter's Analysis, p. 127. "A groan or shriek speaks to the ear, as the language of distress, with far more thrilling effect than words. Yet these may be counterfeited by art."—Ib., p. 147. (10.) "These words [book and pen] cannot be put together in such a way as will constitute plurality."—James Brown's English Syntax, p. 125. (11.) "Nor can the real pen, and the real book be expressed in two words in such a manner as will constitute plurality in grammar."—Ibid. (12.) "Our is an adjective pronoun of the possessive kind. Decline it."—Murray's Gram., p. 227. (13.) "This and that, and likewise their Plurals, are always opposed to each other in a Sentence."—Buchanan's Syntax, p. 103. "When this or that is used alone, i.e. not opposed to each other, this is written or spoken of Persons or Things immediately present, and as it were before our Eyes, or nearest with relation to Place or Time. That is spoken or written of Persons or Things passed, absent and distant in relation to Time and Place."—Ibid. (14.) "Active and neuter verbs may be conjugated by adding their present participle to the auxiliary verb to be, through all its variations."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 159. "Be is an auxiliary whenever it is placed before the perfect participle of another verb, but in every other situation, it is a principal verb."—Ib., p. 155. (15.) "A verb in the imperative mood, is always of the second person."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 136. "The verbs, according to an idiom of our language, or the poet's license, are used in the imperative, agreeing with a nominative of the first or third person."—Ib., p. 164. (16.) "Personal Pronouns are distinguished from the relative, by their denoting the person of the nouns for which they stand."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 97. "Pronouns of the first person, do not agree in person with the nouns they represent."—Ib., p. 98. (17.) "Nouns have three cases, nominative, possessive, and objective."—Beck's Gram., p. 6. "Personal pronouns have, like nouns, two cases, nominative and objective."—Ib., p. 10. (18.). "In some instances the preposition suffers no change, but becomes an adverb merely by its application: as, 'He was near falling.'"—Murray's Gram., p. 116. (19.) "Some nouns are used only in the plural; as, ashes, literati, minutiæ, SHEEP, DEER."—Blair's Gram., p. 43. "Some nouns are the same in both numbers, as, alms, couple, DEER, series, species, pair, SHEEP."—Ibid. "Among the inferior parts of speech there are some pairs or couples"—Ib., p. 94. (20.) "Concerning the pronominal adjectives, that can and can not, may and may not, represents its noun."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 336. (21.) "The article a is in a few instances employed in the sense of a preposition; as, Simon Peter said I go a [to] fishing."—Weld's Gram., 2d Ed., p. 177; Abridg., 128. "'To go a fishing;' i.e. to go on a fishing voyage or business."—Weld's Gram., p. 192. (22.) "So also verbs, really transitive, are used intransitively, when they have no object."—Bullions's Analyt. and Pract. Gram., p. 60.

(23.) "When first young Maro, in his boundless mind,
A work t' outlast immortal Rome design'd."
—Pope, on Crit., l. 130.

UNDER CRITICAL NOTE VIII.—OF SENSELESS JUMBLING.

"Number distinguishes them [viz., nouns], as one, or many, of the same kind, called the singular and plural."—Dr. Blair's Lectures on Rhetoric, p. 74.