It is readily acknowledged, by all well educated foreigners, that English Grammar is very easy to learn, the difficulties of the language lying in the numberless variations and licenses of its pronunciation. Since to us then, children of the soil, pronunciation has no difficulties to offer, is it not a reproach that so many speak their own language in an inelegant and slatternly manner,—either through an inexcusable ignorance of grammatical rules, or a wanton violation of them? There are two sorts of bad speakers,—the educated and the uneducated. I write for the former, and I shall deal the less leniently with them, because "where much is given, much will be expected." Ay, and where much has been achieved too, and intellectual laurels have been gathered, is it not a reproach that a slatternly mode of expression should sometimes deteriorate from the eloquence of the scholar, and place the accomplished man or woman, in this respect, on a level with the half-educated or the illiterate?
Some one, I think it is Lord Chesterfield, has wisely said, "Whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well." Then, if our native language is worth studying, surely it is worth speaking well, and as there is no standing still in excellence of any kind, so, even in language,—in so simple a thing as the expression of our thoughts by words,—if we do not improve we shall retrograde.
It is a common opinion that a knowledge of Latin supersedes the necessity of the study of English grammar. This must entail a strong imputation of carelessness on our Latin students, who sometimes commit such solecisms in English as make us regret they did not once, at least, peruse the grammatical rules of their native language.
We laugh at the blunders of a foreigner, but perpetrate our own offences with so much gravity that an observer would have a right to suppose we consider them what they really are,—no laughing matter.
CHAPTER I.
I.
Some people speak of "so many spoonsfull," instead of "so many spoonfuls." The rule on this subject says: "Compounds ending in ful, and all those in which the principal word is put last, form the plural in the same manner as other nouns,—as 'handfuls, spoonfuls, mouthfuls,'" &c., &c.
Logic will demonstrate the propriety of this rule. Are you measuring by a plurality of spoons? If so, "so many spoonsfull" must be the correct term; but if the process of measuring be effected by refilling the same spoon, then it becomes evident that the precise idea meant to be conveyed is, the quantity contained in the vessel by which it is measured, which is a "spoonful."
II.