“I remember that I am not here as a censor either of manners or morals.” This sentence from Richard Grant White will be improved by changing the position of the first member of the correlative. “I remember that I am not here as a censor of either manners or morals.”
“I neither estimated myself highly nor lowly.” It should be, “I estimated myself neither highly nor lowly.”
“He neither attempted to excite anger, nor ridicule, nor admiration.” The sentence should be, “He attempted to excite neither anger, nor ridicule, nor admiration.” But here we have the correlative neither, nor, used with more than two objects, which is a violation of a principle previously stated. The sentence is purposely introduced to call attention to the fact that many respectable writers not only use neither, nor, with three or more objects, but also defend it. This usage may be avoided by a reconstruction of the sentence; as, “He did not attempt to excite anger, nor ridicule, nor admiration.”
CHAPTER X
The Infinitive
Many errors arise from not knowing how to use the infinitive mood. Perhaps the most common fault is to interpose an adverb between the preposition to and the infinitive verb; as, “It is not necessary to accurately relate all that he said.” “You must not expect to always find people agreeable.” Whether we shall place the adverb before the verb or after it must often be determined by considerations of emphasis and smoothness as well as of clearness and correctness. In the foregoing sentences it is better to place accurately after the verb, and always before the preposition to.
Supply “to”
The preposition to as the sign of the infinitive is often improperly omitted.
“Please write clearly, so that we may understand,” “Your efforts will tend to hinder rather than hasten the work,” “Strive so to criticise as not to embarrass nor discourage your pupil.” These sentences will be corrected by inserting to before the italicized words.
In such expressions as “Please excuse my son’s absence,” “Please write me a letter,” “Please hand me the book,” many authorities insist upon the use of to before the verb. The sentences may, however, be regarded as softened forms of the imperative; as, “Hand me the book, if you please.” Transposed, “If you please, hand me the book.” Contracted, “Please, hand me the book.” From this, the comma may have slipped out and left the sentence as first written.
Omit “to”