self, which he had formerly told me, and which I had often wished to recover. When I returned home, I wrote it down as nearly as I could, in his own words: and here they are. The subject is an achievement worthy of Ulysses himself, and such as many of his school-fellows could, no doubt, have related of him; but I fear I have done it no justice, though the story is so very characteristic that it should not be lost. The inimitable manner in which he told it — the glance of the eye, the turn of the head, and the light that played over his faded features as, one by one, the circumstances came back to him, accompanied by a thousand boyish feelings, that had slept perhaps for years-there is no language, not even his own, could convey to you; but you can supply them. Would that others could do so, who had not the good fortune to know him! - The memorandum (Friday, October 21, 1831) is as follows:

"There was a boy in my class at school, who stood always at the top, nor could I with all my efforts supplant him. Day came after day, and still he kept his place, do what I would: till at length I observed that, when a question was asked him, he always fumbled with his fingers at a particular button in the lower part of his waistcoat. To remove it, therefore, became expedient in my eyes; and in an evil moment it was removed with a knife. Great was my anxiety to know the success of my measure; and it succeeded too well. When the boy was again questioned, his fingers sought again for the button, but it was not to be found. In his distress he looked down for it; it was to be seen no more than to be felt. He stood confounded, and I took possession of his place; nor did he ever recover it, or ever, I believe, suspect who was the author of his wrong. Often in after-life has the sight of him smote me as I passed by him; and often have I resolved to make him some reparation; but it ended in good resolutions. Though I never renewed my acquaintance with him, I often saw him, for he filled some inferior office in one of the courts of law at Edinburgh. Poor fellow! I believe he is dead; he took early to drinking.'

Since we cannot find room for that portion of the autobiography which treats of Scott's apprenticeship, in the law office of his father, we give the following, from his biographer, with the hope that it will not be lost upon the humblest literary aspirant, who may feel his intellectual nature drepressed by the force of circumstances:

"That he entered with ready zeal into such professional business as inferred Highland expeditions with comrades who had known Rob Roy, no one will think strange; but more than one of his biographers allege, that in the ordinary in-door fagging of the chamber in George's Square, he was always an unwilling, and rarely an efficient assistant. Their addition that he often played chess with one of his companions in the office, and had to conceal the board with precipitation when the old gentleman's footsteps were heard on the staircase, is, I do not doubt, true; and we may remember along with it his own insinuation that his father was sometimes poring in his secret nook over Spottiswoode or Wodrow when his apprentices supposed him to be deep in Dirleton's Doubts, or Stair's Decisions. But the Memoir of 1808, so candid—indeed, more than candid—as to many juvenile irregularities, contains no confession that supports the broad assertion to which I have alluded; nor can I easily believe, that with his affection for his father, and that sense of duty which seems to have been inherent in his character, and lastly, with the evidence of a most severe training in industry which the habits of his after-life presented, it is at all deserving of serious acceptation. His mere handwriting, indeed, continued, during the whole of his prime, to afford most striking and irresistible proof how completely he must have submitted himself for some very considerable period to the mechanical discipline of his father's office. It spoke to months after months of this humble toil, as distinctly as the illegible scrawl of Lord Byron did to his self-mastership from the hour that he left Harrow. There are some little technical tricks, such as no gentleman who has not been subjected to a similar regimen ever can fall into, which he practised invariably while composing his poetry, which appear not unfrequently on the MSS. of his best novels, and which now and then dropt instinctively from his pen, even in the private letters and diaries of his closing years. I allude particularly to a sort of flourish at the bottom of the page, originally, I presume, adopted in engrossing as a safeguard against the intrusion of a forged line between the legitimate text and the attesting signature. He was quite sensible that this ornament might as well be dispensed with; and his family often heard him mutter, after involuntarily performing it, 'There goes the old shop again!'

"I dwell on this matter, because it was always his favourite tenet, in contradiction to what he called the cant of sonnetteers, that there is no necessary connection between genius and an aversion or contempt for any of the common duties of life; he thought, on the contrary, that to spend some fair portion of every day in any matter-of-fact occupation, is good for the higher faculties themselves in the upshot. In a word, from beginning to end, he piqued himself on being a man of business; and did with one sad and memorable exception - whatever the ordinary course of things threw in his way, in exactly the business-like fashion which might have been expected from the son of a thoroughbred old Clerk to the Signet, who had never deserted his father's profession."

We pause for the present, but with the purpose of renewing a review of the volume before us, in connection with Part Two, which has already appeared in this country.

THE GRAMMAR Of English GrammARS: With an Introduction Historical and Critical, an Appendix in Four Parts, and a Key to the Oral Exercises.

Ws have been permitted to examine the manuscript sheets of a work entitled as above, now in course of preparation by GOOLD BROWN, Esq., of this city; and we can affirm, with confidence, that a book more complete upon every essential point of its subject, has never been given to the American public. It is, indeed, 'fully ripe,' for the author came amply prepared to his task. It was not, as we gather from the preface, until after fifteen years devoted by the writer to grammatical studies and exercises, during most of which time he had been alternately instructing youth in four different languages, that he published 'The Institutes of English Grammar,' which has been gradually increasing in reputation and demand, until it has reached fifteen editions. In the volume under notice, the principles contained in the 'Institutes' are, with great additional labor, carried out into farther detail, and illustrated by a multiplicity of examples and exercises, accompanied by numerous criticisms and literary notices, which it must have required a long time and laborious research to amass, and patient assiduity to arrange. A book of grammar is too often justly regarded as a dull work on a dull subject: but the fault has generally been with the desultory and immethodical authors, or author-compilers, who have added dullness to the other faults of their originals, and who have dealt in the notional and conjectural, rather than with the correct principles of the science which they professed to teach. In this 'Grammar of English Grammars,' however, the writer's claim to method and distinctness will be acknowledged by every reader. Nothing is left unexplained. The study of the language is facilitated by an extension of its grammatical code, and an improvement of the phraseology of its doctrines-by new illustrations, and by so clear an arrangement of a vast number of particulars, that each item may be readily referred to. The pupil is shown how to parse that which is right, and to correct that which is wrong—and both are made equally easy. In short, we take it upon ourselves to predict- and to prevent misconception, we should add, that our remarks are not made with the knowledge of the writer-that when this volume shall, at some future, perhaps distant, day, be given to the public, it will be found to reflect the highest credit upon its industrious and erudite author, and to supply a most important desideratum to students in our higher institutions of learning, not less than to teachers, authors, and general readers.

We subjoin an extract from the critical portion of our author's 'Introduction, wherein one who has as good a right to make a book as those who know how' is handled with some causticity. Being elevated, however, as he himself boasts, upon a high pedestal above all the grammarians of the nation, he must not complain, if the fearless independence of a gifted fellow-laborer should change that lofty position to a bad eminence. 'Having built the pillory with his own hands, he must abide the missive eggs.' The historian seems familiar with his vouchers:

6

"AMONG the professed copiers of Murray, there is not one who has attempted any thing more honourable to himself, or more beneficial to the public, than what their master had before achieved; nor is there any one, who, with the same disinterestedness, has guarded his design from the imputation of a pecuniary motive. It is comical to observe what they say in their prefaces. Between praise to sustain their choice of a model, and blame to make room for their pretended amendments, they are often placed in as awkward a dilemma, as that which was contrived when grammar was identified with compilation. I should have much to say, were I to show them all in their true light. Few of them have had such success as to be worthy of notice here; but the names of many will find frequent place in my code of false grammar. The one who seems to be now taking the lead in fame and revenue, filled with glad wonder at his own popularity, is SAMUEL KIRKHAM. Upon this gentleman's performance, I shall therefore bestow a few brief cbservations. Kirkham's treatise is entitled English Grammar in Familiar Lectures, accompa nied by a Compendium;' that is, by a folded sheet. Of this work, of which I have recently seen copies purporting to be of the sixty-seventh_edition,' and others again of the hundred and fifth edition,' each published at Baltimore in 1835, I can give no earlier account, than what may be derived from the 'second edition, enlarged and much improved,' which was published at Harrisburg in 1825. The preface, which appears to have been written for his first edition, is dated 'Fredericktown, Md., August 22, 1823.' In it, there is no recognition of any obligation to Murray, or to any other grammarian in particular; but it is said: "The author of this production has endeavored to condense all the most important subject-matter of the whole science, and present it in so small a compass, that the learner can become familiarly acquainted with it in a short time. He makes but small pretensions to originality in theoretical matter. Most of the principles laid down, have been selected from our best modern philologists. If his work is entitled to any degree of merit, it is not on account of a judicious selection of principles and rules, but for the easy mode adopted of communicating these to the mind of the learner.' Kirkham's Grammar, 1825, p. 10.

"It will be found on examination, that what this author regarded as 'all the most important subject-matter of the whole science' of grammar, included nothing more than the most common elements of the orthography, etymology, and syntax of the English tongue- beyond which his scholarship appears not to have extended. Whatsoever relates to derivation, to the sounds of the letters, to prosody, (as punctuation, utterance, figures, versification, and poetic diction,) found no place in his 'comprehensive system of grammar;' nor do his later editions treat any of these things amply or well. In short, he treats nothing well; for he is a bad writer. Take from his 'hundred and fifth edition' a few brief sentences, as a sample of his thoughts and style:

They, however, who introduce usages which depart from the analogy and philosophy of the language, are conspicuous among the number of those who form that language, and have power to control it.'-p. 18.

'PRINCIPLE. A principle in grammar is a peculiar construction of the language, sanctioned by good usage.'-Ib.

form'-Ib

DEFINITION. A definition in grammar is a principle of language expressed in a definite RULE. A rule describes the peculiar construction or circumstantial relation of words, which custom has established for our observance.'-Ib.

"Now, as 'a rule describes the peculiar construction,' and a 'principle is a peculiar construction,' and ' a definition is a principle,' it is certainly not easier for the learner to conceive of all these things distinctly, than it is to understand how a departure from philosophy may make a man deservedly 'conspicuous.' Once more:

'It is correct to say, The man eats, he eats; but we cannot say, The man dog eats, he dog eats. Why not? Because the man is here represented as the possessor, and dog, the property, or thing possessed; and the genius of our language requires, that when we add to the possessor the thing which he is represented as possessing, the possessor shall take a particular form to show its case, or relation to the property.'-p. 52.

"Is it not a pity that more than one hundred thousand children' should be daily poring over language and logic like this?

"Probably no other grammar was ever so industriously spread. Such was the author's perseverance in his measures to increase the demand for his book, that even the attainment of such accuracy as he was capable of, was less a subject of concern. For, in an article designed 'to ward off some of the arrows of criticism,' an advertisement which, from the eleventh to the one hundred and fifth edition,' has been promising to the publick another and a better edition'-he plainly offers this urgent engagement, as an apology for its defects.' He scruples not to say:

'Being able to devote to this subject only a small portion of his time, snatched from the active pursuits of a business life, he hopes that the candid will set down the apology to his credit. Not that he would beg a truce with the gentlemen criticks and reviewers. Any compromise with them would betray a want of self-confidence and moral courage, which he would, by no means, be willing to avow.'- Adv. Gram., p. 7.

"Now, it is well known, that his principal business was, to commend his own method of teaching grammar, and to turn this publication to profit. This honourable industry, aided as himself suggests, by 'not much less than one thousand written recommendations,' is said to have wrought for him, in a very few years, a degree of success and fame, at which both the eulogists of Murray and the friends of English grammar may hang their heads. As to a 'compromise' with any critic or reviewer whom he cannot bribe, it is enough to say of that, it is morally impossible. Nor was it necessary for such an author to throw the gauntlet, to prove himself not lacking in 'self-confidence.' He can show his 'moral courage,' only by daring to do right.

"In 1829, after his book had gone through ten editions, and the demand for it had become so great as 'to call forth twenty-two thousand copies during the year,' the prudent author, intending to veer his course according to the trade-wind, thought it expedient to retract his former acknowledgment to our best modern philologists,' and to profess himself a modifier of the Great Compiler's code. Where then holds the anchor of his praise ? Let the reader say, after weighing and comparing his pretensions:

'Aware that there is, in the publick mind, a strong predilection for the doctrines contained in Mr. Murray's grammar, he has thought proper, not merely from motives of policy, but from choice, to select his principles chiefly from that work; and, moreover, to adopt, as far as consis tent with his own views, the language of that eminent philologist. In no instance has he varied from him, unless he conceived that, in so doing, some practical advantage would be gained. He hopes, therefore, to escape the censures so frequently and so justly awarded to those unfor tunate innovators who have not scrupled to alter, mutilate, and torture, the text of that able writer, merely to gratify an itching propensity to figure in the world as authors, and gain an ephemeral popularity by arrogating to themselves the credit due to another'

Kirkham's Grammar, 1829, p. 10.

"Now these statements are either true or false; and I know not on which supposition they are most creditable to the writer. Had any Roman grammatist thus profited by the name of Varro or Quintilian, he would have been filled with constant dread of somewhere meeting the injured author's frowning shade! Murray simply intended to do good, and good which might descend to posterity. This intention goes far to excuse even his errors. But Kirkham says: My pretensions reach not so far. To the present generation only, I present my claims.' Elocution, p. 346. His whole design is, therefore, a paltry scheme of present income. Being no rival with him in this race, and having no personal quarrel with him on any account, I would for his sake fain rejoice at his success, and withhold my criticisms; because he is said to have been liberal with his gains, and because he has not, like some others, copied me in stead of Murray. But the vindication of a greatly injured and perverted science, constrains me to say, on this occasion, that pretensions less consistent with themselves, or less sustained by taste and scholarship, have seldom, if ever, been promulgated in the name of grammar. I have certainly no intention to say more than is due to the uninformed and the misguided; for I may be thought prejudiced, and even this freedom may be attributed to an ill motive. But facts may well be credited, in opposition to courteous flattery, when there are the author's own words and works to vouch for them in the face of day. Though a thousand of our great men may have helped a copier's weak copyist to take some practical advantage' of the world's credulity, it is safe to aver, in the face of dignity still greater, that testimonials more fallacious have seldom mocked the cause of learning. They did not read his book.

"Notwithstanding the author's change in his professions, the work is now essentially the same as it was at first; except that its errors and contradictions have been

6

greatly multiplied, by the addition of new matter inconsistent with the old. He evidently cares not what doctrines he teaches, or whose; but, as various theories are noised abroad, seizes upon different opinions, and mixes them together, that his books may contain something to suit all parties. A System of Philosophical Grimmar,' though but an idle speculation, even in his own account, and doubly absurd in him, as being flatly contradictory to his main text, has been thought worthy of insertion. And what his title-page denominates A New System of Punctuation,' though mostly in the very words of Murray, was next invented to supply a deficiency which he at length discovered. To admit these, and some other additions, the comprehensive system of grammar' was gradually extended from 144 small duodecimo pages, to 228, of the ordinary size. And, in this compass, it was finally stereotyped in 1829; so that the ninety-four editions published since have nothing new for history.

Once

"But the publication of an other work, An Essay on Elocution,' shows the progress of the author's mind. Nothing can be more radically opposite, than are some of the elementary doctrines which this gentleman is now teaching; nothing more strangely inconsistent, than are some of his declarations and professions. For instance: A consonant is a letter that cannot be perfectly sounded without the help of a vowel.' Kirkham's Grammar, p. 19. Again: A consonant is not only capable of being perfectly sounded without the help of a vowel, but, moreover, of forming, like a vowel, a separate syllable.' Kirkham's Elocution, p. 32. more. Upon his own rules, he comments thus, and comments truly, because he had written them badly: But some of these rules are foolish, trifling, and unimportant.' Elocution, p. 97. Again: Rules 10 and 11, rest on a sandy foundation. They appear not to be based on the principles of the language.' Grammar, p. 59. These are but specimens of his own frequent testimony against himself! But upon the credulity of ignorance, his high-sounding certificates and unbounded boasting can impose any thing. They overrule all in favour of one of the worst grammars extant- of which he says: It is now studied by more than one hundred thousand children and youth; and is more extensively used than all other English grammars published in the United States.' Elocution, p. 347. The booksellers say, he receives ten cents a copy, on this modification of Murray's Grammar, and that he reports the sale of sixty thousand in a year. Be it so- or double, if he and the public please. Murray had so little originality in his work, or so little selfishness in his design, that he would not take any thing; and his may ultimately prove the better bargain.

Ibid.

"A man may boast and bless himself as he pleases, his fortune surely can never be worthy of an other's envy, so long as he finds it inadequate to his own great merits, and unworthy of his own poor gratitude. As a grammarian, Kirkham claims to be second only to Lindley Murray; and says: 'Since the days of Lowth, no other work on grammar, Murray's only excepted, has been so favourably received by the publick as his own. As a proof of this, he would mention, that within the last six years, it has passed through fifty editions.' Preface to Elocution, p. 12. And, at the same time, and in the same preface, he complains, that, "Of all the labours done under the sun, the labours of the pen meet with the poorest reward.' p. 5. This too clearly favours the report, that his books were not written by himself, but by others whom he hired. Possibly, the anonymous helper may here have penned, not his employer's feeling, but a line of his own experience. But I choose to ascribe the passage to the professed author, and to hold him answerable for the inconsistency. I am glad of his present success. It is the only thing which makes him worthy of the notice here taken of him. But I cannot sympathize with his complaint, because he never sought any but the poorest reward;' and all he sought, be found. In his last 'Address to Teachers,' he says: 'He may doubtless be permitted emphatically to say with Prospero, Your breath has filled my sails.'' Elocution, p. 18. If this boasting has any truth in it, he ought to be satisfied. But it is written, 'He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase.' Let him remember this. He now announces three or four other works as forthcoming shortly. What these will achieve, the world will see. But I must confine myself to the Grammar.

"In this volume, scarcely any thing is found where it might be expected. The author,' as he tells us in his preface, has not followed the common artificial and unnatural arrangement adopted by most of his predecessors;' yet he has endeavoured to pursue a more judicious one, namely, the order of the understanding.' Grammar, p. 12. But if this is the order of his understanding, he is greatly to be pitied. A book more confused in its plan, more wanting in method, more imperfect in distinctness of parts, more deficient in symmetry, or more difficult of