How much the imagination of such a presence must exalt a genius, we may observe merely from the influence which an ordinary presence has over men.
Characteristics, vol. 1. p. 7.
This arrangement leads to a wrong sense: The adverb merely seems by its position to affect the preceding word; whereas it is intended to affect the following words an ordinary presence; and therefore the arrangement ought to be thus.
How much the imagination of such a presence must exalt a genius, we may observe from the influence which an ordinary presence merely has over men.
The time of the election of a poet-laureat being now at hand, it may be proper to give some account of the rites and ceremonies anciently used at that solemnity, and only discontinued through the neglect and degeneracy of later times.
Guardian.
The term only is intended to qualify the noun degeneracy, and not the participle discontinued; and therefore the arrangement ought to be as follows.
———— and discontinued through the neglect
and degeneracy only, of later times.
Sixtus the Fourth was, if I mistake not, a great collector of books at least.
Letters on history, vol. 1. let. 6. Bolingbroke.