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and the philosopher are set up as the standards and models of propriety. Although, therefore, grammatical rules are subsequent to the formation of a language, and are merely the statements or deductions drawn from general usage, yet those who form or deduce them should be careful in the quest of general usage, and not mistake the anomalies of ignorance and barbarism, for the form and the features of general speech. It is to the scholar and the philosopher that we are to look for correct deductions from general principles, not to the rude and illiterate peasant, or the idle "loafer." It is to him, who seated on an eminence, can command the vista of the past as well as the present that we are to turn if we wish for a correct representation of what is, or what has been. Language is not the creation of a day. It rolls down to us from antiquity, and in its descent it gathers like the rolling ball of snow, and changes its form as it is indented by the surfaces over which it glides. He, therefore, who would analyze its original structure, must be intimately acquainted with the channels through which it has passed; the natural effects of the objects which impede or expedite its progress, and the materials by which its mass is augmented, or its rough edges are worn off.

If the English language is in danger from any quarter, it is the sycophancy of the demagogue, whether of letters or of politics, which it has most to fear. There is, at the present day, too great a disposition among public speakers to flatter the rabble, and seek popularity by the adoption of local phrases and cant terms, which are sweet to the ears of those whose fancy can revel only in low epithets and vulgar phrases. The language of Hooker, Milton, and Cowper, of Johnson, Addison, Swift, Steele, Goldsmith, Campbell, Byron, Scott, Moore, and Southey, can receive no ornament from the mouths of those whose lips are eloquent only in party slang and political cant. Here, then, the teacher has a task of much moment to perform. He should carefully point out to his pupils the inconsistencies and impurities which are too often found in the speeches and the writings of popular men and authors, and endeavor to form in the pupil's mind, correct ideas of pure English style. The language, in the opinion of Dr. Lowth and most other philologists, excels, in simplicity, all the languages of scientific nations, ancient or modern. Let the teacher, who is to form and direct the taste of the young, carefully look to it, that this beautiful feature be not marred.

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After the pupil has been carried through the principles of analysis according to the plan which I have proposed in the suggestions already made, the synthesis of the language should be the subject of attention. Preparatory to this, it will be a useful exercise to require him to commit to memory the rules for the formation of the plural number of nouns, the formation of the possessive case, the mode of distinguishing the genders, the comparison of adjectives, the proper use of pronouns, &c.; under each and all of which principles, copious examples of faulty expression should be given for his correction. Exercises on the verbs should follow next in order; particularly such as will enable him readily to distinguish those which require the nominative from those which admit only the objective case after them. In connexion with the verb, the participles present themselves to notice; and here I cannot refrain from allusion to a barbarism which has lately crept into partial favor, and which, it is feared, will, unless teachers unite in condemning it, become a part and parcel of the language. I refer to the use of the words is being, before the perfect participle, as a substitute for that well known idiom, by which the present participle of an active verb is used in the passive sense. expressions as the following have recently become very common, not only in the periodical publications of the day, but are likewise finding favor with many of our popular writers: "The house is being built." "The street is being paved." "The actions that are now being performed."* The patents are being prepared." The usage of the best writers does not sanction these expressions; and they therefore must be condemned. It would certainly sound strange to our ears to be informed that" the king of Spain has been seriously indisposed, but that he was being improved at the last dates." Every language," says Mr. Booth in his principles of English Composition, "has its idioms, which pedants alone would attempt to change. For some time past the bridge is being built, the tunnel is being excavated, and other expressions of a like kind have pained the eye and stunned the ear. Instead of the stone is falling, and the man is dying, we shall next be taught to say, the stone is being fallen, and the man is being dead." Mr. Pickbourn in his very valuable treatise on the Eng

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*See Progressive Exercises in English Grammar, Part 2d, Page 20. + Page 12, 2d London Edition. 1833.

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lish Verb, gives us the following rule, which may well be studied by these affected refiners of the idiom of our language. It may here be remarked that Mr. Pickbourn's authority is paramount; as he has, in the volume referred to, presented a more clear, methodical, and philosophical account of the verb and its derivatives than any or all who have preceded or followed him. "Whenever," he says, "the participle in ing is joined by an auxiliary verb, to a nominative capable of the action, it is taken actively; but when joined to one incapable of the action it becomes passive. If we say "The men are building a house," the participle building is evidently used in an active sense; because the men are capable of the action. But when we say, "The house is building," or "Patents are preparing," the participles building and preparing must necessarily be understood in a passive sense, because neither the house nor the patents are capable of action."

The expressions which we have condemned will appear faulty also, if we consider the time expressed by the words is, being, and built. The participle built, implies that the action is performed. Whatever is built, or is being built, certainly requires nothing to finish the action of building, for the word built, wherever we place it, or with what word soever we connect it, certainly implies a finished action; and if finished, it cannot in any sense imply an action which is now incomplete. Those, therefore, who squeamishly object to the apparent inconsistency of using an active participle in a neuter or passive sense, must sharpen their appetites to digest a cruder inconsistency, and use their vain endeavors to reconcile the discrepancy between past and present time, in order that they may use them indiscriminately.

To return to the subject of synthesis; it is to be remarked that great attention must be paid to the proper use of the pronouns. The exercises for the correction of errors in the use of the pronouns should be copious and extensive. Few persons can be found who invariably use the pronouns, especially the adjective pronouns, correctly in writing; still fewer are there, who, in colloquial language, do not frequently err in this respect. How often we hear such directions as the following, in the mouths even of the teachers of grammar: "No one must leave their places,' "You have been idle this two hours," "Let each one come in their turn," &c. "Every boy must close their books," "Every person, whatever be

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their station, is bound by the rules of morality," &c.; and even in one of the most judicious and tasteful selections for the reading exercises in our first classes, compiled by a most distinguished scholar and poet, who by the way is not chargeable with the errors in selections, which he did not feel authorised to correct, we find the following monstrous expression :

the eagle had fixed its nest;

"Here on a cotton-wood tree, an eagle had fixed its nest, and seemed the undisputed mistress of a spot, to invade which neither man nor beast could venture across the gulf that surrounds it; while it is farther secured by the mist that rises from the falls. * * * * The river is still in the act of cutting down the bottom of an ancient lake, and will require many ages to accomplish its work, or to reduce the whole to a moderate and uniform declivity. The eagle may then be dispossessed of his ancient and solitary domain." You will observe that the sentence begins with making the eagle of the neuter gender, the poor bird is immediately afterwards changed into the feminine, and becomes the undisputed mistress of the spot. But it is not long before she is stripped of her feminine loveliness, and invested with royalty, merely that she may be dispossessed of his ancient and solitary domain. This extract is not taken from an English Bard, but from a Scotch Reviewer, it is from that high authority, the Edinburgh Review. Had the British Lion been treated thus, the whole science of pyrotechnics could scarcely be thought able to furnish an adequate storm of squibs and rockets, to punish the assailant. Thanks to the patriotism of our country, the American Eagle needs no such defenders.

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Among the exercises on the verbs, especially the irregular verbs, it should not be forgotten that frequent errors are made by the use of the imperfect tense for the perfect participle, and the perfect participle for the perfect tense. Copious exercises, therefore, should be given in order that the pupil may acquire skill and readiness in the correction of such errors. In connection with the verbs also, it should not be forgotten that there is a propriety to be studied in the prepositions which are used after certain verbs, and other words. Thus we boast of bestow on, confide in, &c. Many of the prepositions are improperly used. Take an example, "Her sobriety is no derogation to her understanding." Now the preposition from and not to should be used after the word

"derogation," and the sentence should be, "Her sobriety is no derogation from her understanding." Errors of this kind are frequently found in our best writers, and they therefore require the constant vigilance of the teacher, and the attention of the pupil.

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There is another very common error in the use of neuter verbs in such expressions as the following, "I am come,"—"I was fallen," "I am grown, "The tumults of life are not begun," &c. These expressions are sanctioned by the usage of the most distinguished theological writer of this western continent, but notwithstanding, I venture to assert that they ought to be condemned as a useless anomaly, although Murray and Lowth do not condemn them; and the former expressly asserts, that "the neuter verb in some instances admits the passive form." The question, however, arises, whether this de-. parture from grammatical consistency adds any thing to the beauty, the harmony, or the copiousness of the language. If not, why should it be allowed? Certainly the expressions, "I have come," "I had fallen," "I have grown, "Tumults have begun," are as elegant as those which I have already quoted; and as the use of the objectionable phrases creates the necessity of a new grammatical rule, they may as well be given up. Mr. Pickbourn in his Dissertation on the English Verb, decides against them. Although, therefore, these forms of expression are sanctioned by such high authorities, yet reason and analogy will not justify us in assenting to their decision; for, besides the awkwardness of the expressions they are objectionable as an unnecessary anomaly.

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The allowable abbreviations of some words have also led into errors which have almost incorporated themselves with the language. Thus, the abbreviation of the expressions "You had" and "You would," into "You'd," has caused "You had," to be used for " You would." Thus in the sentence, "I'd rather be a dog and bay the moon than such a Roman,' we hear read, "I had rather be a dog," &c. Again the distinguished and almost faultless Cowper says

"No, dear as freedom is, and in my heart's
Just estimation prized above all price,

I had much rather be myself the slave

And wear the bonds, than fasten them on him."

Once more, Shakspeare makes Cassius say

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