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Exercise.

It may be remarked, that all the knowledge we possess on any subject is, in reality, abused, whenever we employ it for any other purpose than to improve ourselves in virtue, or to alleviate the distresses of

others.

He had strayed many miles

from home than he had ever done before; the night was gathering in, and looked black and stormy, and he began to speculate upon the not very pleasing probability of being obliged to spend the night in one of the forest trees.

The advocate, after speaking with great eloquence in his defence, alleged that the extreme youth and inexperience of his client should certainly be admitted, in this case, as powerfully extenuating cir

cumstances.

I had not proceeded much when a troop of urchins, vociferating with all their might, burst from the door of one of the village cottages, and immediately spreading over a wide green, began, with the greatest activity, to engage in a variety of sports.

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Nevertheless excludes subtraction; notwithstanding excludes opposition. "He did his duty nevertheless," signifies that circumstances did not make him do less of his duty, or did not diminish the activity with which he performed it. "He did his duty notwithstanding," means that opposing circumstances had not the effect of preventing him from doing his duty. Nevertheless is for "not the less," or nathless, as Milton uses it; notwithstanding signifies "nothing opposing." Notwithstanding is often used as a preposition: as in the phrase "notwithstanding my exertions"-nevertheless is never so used. Nevertheless is more frequently used with a verb; notwithstanding, with a noun.

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Exercise.

all the opposition of the nobles, Tiberius Gracchus had sufficient

influence to procure the passing of the Agrarian Law.

Though opposed by the whole body of the Roman aristocracy, Gracchus persisted in carrying out his measures to secure an improved condition to the poorer classes of Rome.

"Many of the men were gone ashore, and our ships ready to depart; the admiral, with such ships only as could be put in readiness, set forth towards them."

all the losses he has sustained from unfortunate speculations, and from over-confidence in the unworthy, he is still so rich, that if he chose, he could retire from business, and live in the greatest luxury on his property.

This sudden change of fortune had no apparent effect upon his mind; for though he was unexpectedly put in possession of immenso wealth, he as attentive to his duties and as industrious in his habits as

was before.

Here-hither. Where-whither. There—thither.

The proper distinction between where (in what place), and whither (to what place), is not always maintained; indeed, a strong tendency exists to banish the latter word from our language altogether. These adverbs, with their cognates here-hither, and there—thither, have become so confounded as to make a distinction between them almost hopeless. It is very common to hear, "Where are you going? Come here.” These sentences strictly mean, "In what place are you going?" "Come in this place;" which are manifest absurdities. Here, there, and where, should be used where rest is implied. Hither, thither, and whither, after verbs of motion. Thus Stay here. Come hither. Where do Whither are you going? I saw him there; thither.

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you live? he proceeded

King John, iii. 1.

Id., iii. 3.

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King. Where is Polonius?

Cymbeline, v. 5.

Hamlet. In heaven; send thither to see; if your messenger find him not there, seek him i' the other place yourself.

Hamlet, iv. 3.

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EXERCISES ON ENGLISH SYNONYMES.

I shall go to Brighton next week. Shall you be "That lord advanced to Winchester,

him two regiments more of foot."

I visited last autumn the place

your acquaintance.

this summer? Sir John Berkley brought

I first had the pleasure of making

"Who brought me

Will bring me hence; no other guide I seek."

Pompey followed Cæsar into Thessaly,

the latter had already

taken his position in the neighbourhood of Pharsalus, and armies met each other.

Cleopatra returned to Alexandria,

Antony.

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the hostile

she was accompanied by

Nature first begins

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The following synonymous words, to be classified and explained according to some of the principles before laid down, are offered as a further exercise for the student.

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