vey a different meaning from that intended; as, "He sings a good song," for "He sings well." A good song may be ill sung, and therefore the grammatical meaning of the sentence is different from that which it is made to bear. Similar solecisms are involved in the expressions, “He tells a good story," "He plays a good fiddle," &c. III. Foreign idioms: such as, “He knows to sing," for "He knows how to sing;"—"It repents me," for “I repent," &c. § 356. In § 354 we spoke of words not authorized by good usage; it becomes necessary to inquire into the meaning of this expression. It is evident that usage is the only standard both of speaking and writing; that it is the highest tribunal to which, in cases of grammatical controversy, we can appeal. This, however, can not be the case with all usage; if it were, we might with propriety defend the grossest violations of orthography and syntax,. for which abundant precedents can be found. That usage alone must be regarded as a standard, which is, I. Reputable, that is, authorized by the majority of writers in good repute: not such as are most meritorious, because on this point individual views may disagree; but those whose merit is generally acknowledged by the world, respecting which there can be little diversity of opinion. II. National, as opposed to provincial and foreign. The ignorant naturally regard the limited district in which they live as the world at large, and all that it authorizes as correct. The learned are apt to conceive a fondness for foreign tongues, and to transplant thence peculiarities of diction into their own vernacular. Thus originate provincial and foreign usage, neither of which carries with it any weight of authority. § 356. What is the only standard of speaking and writing? Why may we not regard all usage as a standard? To be so regarded, what three essential qualities must usage possess? What is meant by reputable usage? Why are not meritorious, rather than reputable, authors selected as standards? What is meant by national usage? Show how provincial and foreign usage originate. To what is present usage opposed? How far may the authority of old writers be admitted? III. Present, as opposed to obsolete. The authority of old writers, however great their fame, can not be admitted in support of a term or expression not used by reputable authors of later date. § 357. We sometimes find, however, that good usage is not uniform; that is, that respectable authors can be produced on both sides of a question, in support of two different forms of expression, respecting which there is controversy. In this case, we can not characterize either as barbarous; yet between them we have to select; and it is the province of criticism to establish principles by which our choice may be directed. Reference is here made to controverted points; not to those differences in words and constructions which are not questions of right and wrong, but allowable variations of expression. In doubtful cases, the following rules will be found of service: I. When usage is divided as to any two words or phrases, if either is ever used in a different sense from the one in question while the other is not, employ the latter. Thus, to express consequently, the two phrases by consequence and of consequence are employed. The former is preferable, because the expression of consequence may also mean of moment, of importance. II. In the forms of words, consult the analogies of the language. Thus, contemporary is preferable to cotemporary; because, in words compounded with con, the final n, though expunged before a vowel or h mute, is generally retained before a consonant: as, coincide, coheir, concomitant. We have, indeed, an exception in copartner; in which, though the radical commences with the consonant p, the final n of con is omitted: but in doubtful cases we must be guided by the rule, and not the exception. III. When there are several different forms in other respects equal, that ought to be preferred which is most agreeable to the ear. Thus amiableness and amiability are both correct and authorized words, formed according to the analogies of the language; but, under this rule, the latter, being the more harmonious, should have preference. IV. When there is doubt, if either of the words or expressions in §357. What do we sometimes find with respect to good usage? In this case, to what must we have recourse? Give the substance of the first rule, and illustrate it. As regards the forms of words, what must we consult? Exemplify this with the word contemporary. Other things being equal, which form of a word, question would seem, from its etymological form, to have a signification different from that which it commonly bears, we should reject it. Thus, loose and unloose are both used to denote the same idea. Since, however, the prefix un negatives the meaning of the radical, to unloose would etymologically signify to fasten, to tie, and we should therefore, in all cases, give the preference to loose. § 358. The second essential quality of style is PROPRIETY: which consists in avoiding vulgarisms, or undignified and low expressions; in choosing correctly between words formed from the same radical, which resemble each other in appearance, but differ in application and meaning; and in employing words only in such acceptations as are authorized by good usage. Vulgarisms are out of place in every variety of composition except low burlesques. Under this head are included, not only coarse expressions, such as 'to turn up one's nose at any thing", but also words which are proper enough in conversation but not sufficiently dignified for composition. The latter are technically called colloquialisms; "by dint of argument," not a whit better,' to get a disease," will serve as examples. Young writers naturally express themselves in writing as they would in speaking. Hence colloquialisms, unless they exercise great care, will constantly occur in their compositions. 99 66 99 66 The second fault which violates Propriety is the confounding of kindred derivatives, in the case of which the writer is misled by the resemblance in the appearance of the words, though the difference between their respective meanings may be so great that they can hardly be regarded as synonymes. Thus, from false we have three nouns formed, which are too often used without proper discrimination,-falseness, falsity, and falsehood. The following distinction should be observed in their use:-falseness is equivalent to the want of truth, and is applied to persons only: falsity and falsehood are applied to things alone; the former denotes that abstract quality which may be defined as contrariety to truth, the latter is simply an untrue assertion. We speak of the falseness of one who tells falsehoods, and expose the falsity of his pretensions. according to the third rule, should be preferred? Give the substance of the fourth rule, and apply it in the case of loose and unloose. § 358. What is the second essential quality of style? In what does propriety consist? Where alone are vulgarisms admissible? What are included under this head? What writers are apt to fall into colloquialisms? What is the second fault which violates propriety? Give the three nouns derived from false; show the proper application, and illustrate the use, of each. Define the two derivatives So, observation and observance are often confounded. The radical, to observe, signifies both to note, to mark, and to keep, to celebrate. In its former acceptation, it gives rise to the verbal noun observation; in its latter, to observance. We say, a man of observation," not observance ;— "the observance [not observation] of the Sabbath." Conscience and consciousness are thus distinguished: the former is the moral sense which discerns between right and wrong; the latter is simply knowledge, as used in connection with sensations or mental operations. Dryden, therefore, violates Propriety in the following couplet ::"The sweetest cordial we receive at last, Is conscience of virtuous actions past." Negligence is often improperly used for neglect. habit; the latter, an act. The former is a "His negligence was the source of all his misfortunes."-" By his neglect he lost the opportunity." In like manner, sophism and sophistry are apt to be confounded. The former is a fallacious argument; the latter, a fallacious course of reasoning. Gorgias, who was noted for his sophistry, then had recourse to a transparent sophism." The third fault that violates Propriety is the employment of a word in a sense not authorized by good usage; as when we say a road is impracticable, for impassable; or speak of decompounding a mixture, instead of analyzing it. LESSON LVII. EXERCISE ON PURITY AND PROPRIETY. CORRECT the violations of Purity and Propriety in the following sentences: PURITY. 1. If the privileges to which he has an undoubted right, and has so long enjoyed, should now be wrested from him, would be flagrant injustice. 2. The religion of these people, as well as their customs and manners, were strangely misrepresented. 3. Removing the term from Westminster, sitting the Parliament, was illegal. 4. This change of fortune from the verb observe, and illustrate their use. Show the difference between conscience and consciousness. How does Dryden violate propriety by the use of the former? Define the difference between negligence and neglect; between sophism and sophistry. Define and illustrate the third fault that violates propriety. had quite transmogrified him. 5. The king soon found reason to repent him of provoking such dangerous enemies. 6. The popular lords did not fail to enlarge themselves on the subject. 7. I shall endeavor to live hereafter suitable to a man in my station. 8. It was thought that the coup d'état would have occasioned an émeute. 9. The dernier ressort of the emperor will be to make the amende honorable; but nous verrons. 10. The queen, whom it highly imported that the two monarchs should be at peace, acted the part of mediator. 11. The wisest princes need not think it any diminution to their greatness, or derogation to their sufficiency, to rely upon counsel. 12. He behaved himself conformable to that blessed example. 13. I should be obliged to him, if he will gratify me in that particular. 14. May is par excellence the month of flowers; it is delicious at this season to go stroaming about the fields. 15. You can't bamboozle me with such flimsy excuses. 16. I hold that this argument is irrefragable. 17. Whether one person or more was concerned in the business, does not yet appear. 18. The conspiracy was the easier discovered from its being known to many. 19. These feasts were celebrated to the honor of Osiris, whom the Greeks called Dionysius, and is the same with Bacchus. 20. Such a sight was enough to dumfounder an ordinary man. 21. This will eventuate in jeopardizing the whole party. 22. Firstly, he has conducted matters so illy that his fellow countrymen can hereafter repose no confidence in him. 23. All these things required abundance of finesse and délicatesse to manage with advantage. 24. When I made some à propos remarks upon his conduct, he began to quiz me; but he had better have let it alone. 25. A large part of the meadows and cornfields was overflown. 26. Having finished my chores before sundown, I lit a fire. 27. The pleasures of the understanding are more preferable than those of the senses. 28. Virtue confers the supremest dignity on man, and should be his chiefest desire. 29. Temperance and exercise are excellent preventatives of debility. 30. I admire his amiableness and candidness. 31. It grieves me to think with what ardor two or three eminent personages have inchoated such a course. PROPRIETY. 1. Every year a new flower, in his judgment, beats all the old ones, though it is much inferior to them both in color and shape. 2. The [cere monious, or ceremonial?] law is so called in contradistinction to the moral and the judicial law. 3. Come often; do not be [ceremonious, or ceremonial?]. 4. Meanwhile the Britons, left to shift for themselves, were forced to call in the Saxons to their aid. 5. Conscience of integrity supports the misfortunate. 6. His name must go down to posterity with distinguished honor in the public records of the nation. 7. Every thing goes helter-skelter and topsy-turvy, when a man leaves his business to be done by others. 8. The alone principle;—a likely boy;-he is considerable of a man ;-the balance of them;-at a wide remove;-I expect he did it ;-I learned him the lesson;-to fall trees;-he conducts well;like he did; we started directly they came ;-I feel as though;-equally as well. 9. What [further, or farther ?] need have we of caution? 10. Still [further, or farther?], what evidence have we of this? 11. We may try hard, and still be [further, or farther?] from success than ever. 12. If all men were exemplary in their conduct, things would soon take a new face, and religion receive a mighty encouragement. 13. A reader can |