diff options
Diffstat (limited to '79050-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 79050-0.txt | 5045 |
1 files changed, 5045 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/79050-0.txt b/79050-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2402d19 --- /dev/null +++ b/79050-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5045 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79050 *** + + + + + SLIPS OF + + TONGUE AND PEN + + + BY + J. H. LONG, M.A., LL.B. + + + NEW YORK + D. APPLETON AND COMPANY + 1888 + + + _Authorized Edition._ + + + + +CONTENTS: + + + PAGE. + + COMMON ERRORS 1 + + GRAMMATICAL POINTS 32 + + GENERAL SUGGESTIONS UPON COMPOSITION 47 + + WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED, SYNONYMS, OPPOSITES 55 + + PREFER 80 + + OBJECTIONABLE WORDS AND PHRASES 84 + + NOTES ON PUNCTUATION 88 + + INDEX 93 + + + + +COMMON ERRORS + + +Do not say, “The truth of that is _apparent_.” [Use _obvious_ or +_evident_. _Apparent_ or _seeming_ is opposed to _real_; _obvious_ or +_evident_, to _obscure_.] + +Do not use _anticipate_ for _expect_. [_Anticipate_ means to reach +before, to take before, to forestall, as: “I anticipated all his +wishes.”] + +Do not say, _all of them_, _both of them_, for _they_ [or _them_] +_all_, _both_, respectively. + +Do not spell with _z_ _analyse_, _paralyse_, and other words derived +from the Greek luo, lusis. + +Do not use _ale_, _tea_, _sugar_, &c., in the plural. [Instead of +saying, “I have excellent teas, ales and sugars,” say, “I have +excellent tea, ale and sugar, of various qualities] [or, at various +prices, &c.]” + +Do not use _accord_ for _grant_ or _give_. [_Accord_, intransitive, +means to agree or harmonize; transitive, it means to give or grant; but +it carries with it the idea of great condescension, _e.g._: “Pallas +accords their vow.” In ordinary prose it should be employed but rarely.] + +Do not use _accident_ for _wound_ or _hurt_. [_Accident_ means +misfortune or calamity, _e.g._: “In the railway accident the man was +badly injured.”] + +Do not use _aggravate_ for _irritate_ or _vex_. [_Aggravate_ means to +render heavy or more difficult, _e.g._: “The guilt was aggravated by +the circumstances of the crime.”] + +Do not use _alternation_ for _series_ or _succession_. [_Alternation_ +is reciprocal succession, _e.g._: “The alternation of red and white +balls on the string produced a very pretty effect.”] + +Do not use _alternative_ [in the plural] as equivalent to _things to be +chosen from or among_. [_Alternative_ is the choice itself, and should, +properly speaking, be restricted to a choice between two things, +_e.g._: “My alternative was escape or death.”] + +Do not use _antiquarian_ [as a noun] for _antiquary_. [_Antiquarian_ is +an adjective.] + +Do not use _abortive_ of acts. [It may be used of plans or attempts; +but it is, at the best, an inelegant word.] + +Do not say, “The measures _adopted_ by Congress for the quelling of the +rebellion &c.” Say, “The measures decided upon or taken &c.” [_Adopted_ +is correctly employed in such a sentence as, “The report upon ways and +means was adopted.”] + +Do not say, “His _antecedents_ are bad.” Say, “His past history [or, +his reputation] is bad.” + +Do not use _appreciate_ for _value highly_. [_Appreciate_ is to value +correctly or justly.] Say, therefore, “I prize [or value] that horse +highly;” not, “I appreciate &c.” + +Do not say, _at auction_ but _by auction_. + +Do not say, “The wind was _accompanied_ [or attended] _by_ rain &c.” +Use _with_ of things [unless personified]; _by_, of persons. + +Do not use _anniversary_ of celebrations that are not yearly. Thus, +not, _a centennial anniversary_; but, _a centennial celebration_, +_festival_, &c. + +Do not use _affable_ as an exact synonym for _kindly_ or +_good-natured_. [_Affable_ is properly applied to the bearing of +superiors towards inferiors, not to the bearing of equals towards +equals.] + +Do not say, “Both are _alike_;” say, “They [or they two] are alike.” +_Both_ denotes union; _alike_, separation. + +Do not say, “I am _afraid_ it will rain.” Say, “I _fear_ it will rain.” + +Do not say, “That _admits of_ no doubt.” [Leave out the _of_.] + +Do not say, “He _alludes_ [or refers] to Mr. Smith,” when you mean that +he merely names Mr. Smith. Say, “He means Mr. Smith.” [The real meaning +of _allude or refer to_ is to touch lightly upon, to call attention to, +delicately or indirectly.] + +Do not say, “He went _around_ the world.” It should be, “He went round +&c.” [_Around_ denotes rest--“The shelves are around the room;” _round_ +denotes motion.] + +Do not say, “He remained there no longer than could be _avoided_.” +[Logically, it ought to be, _than could not be avoided_; but, as +this is a very inelegant expression, use some other form, _e.g._: +“He remained there no longer than was unavoidable,” or, “than was +necessary.”] + +Do not say, “I went _all over_ the town,” for “I went _over all_ the +town.” + +Do not use _above_ as an attributive adjective. Say, “the _foregoing_ +[or _preceding_] paragraph,” not “the _above_ paragraph.” + +Do not say, “He is as rich, or richer, _than_ my brother.” [It should +be, “He is _as_ rich _as_, or &c.” If preferred, the form of the +sentence may be changed, “He is as rich as my brother, or richer.”] + +Do not say, “John and James _both_ are here.” It should be, “Both John +and James are here.” + +Do not use _balance_ for remainder. [_Balance_ is the excess of one +thing over another, _i.e._, what will make them balance.] + +Do not spell _benefited_ with two _t’s_. + +Do not use _to beat_ for _to defeat_. _E.g._: “The army was beaten,” is +incorrect. [_Beat_ means to strike or hit.] + +Do not say, _at best_, _at most_, _at least_ [the last two in reference +to quantity.] Use the article--at _the_ best &c. + +Do not say, “He is _bound_ to go,” for, “He intends to go,” or, “He is +determined to go.” + +Do not spell _bye_ in _by-the-bye_ without the _e_. [_Bye_ is an old +word meaning place. So _by-the-bye_ is by the place, _i.e._, passing by +the place, or digressing from the main subject. Still, it is customary +to write _by-law_, although _bye-law_ is sometimes seen. In _good-bye_ +bye is, of course, a contraction for _be with ye_, _i.e._, “God be with +ye.”] + +Do not use _banister_ for _baluster_ or _balustrade_. + +Do not say, “He was killed _by_ a bullet.” Use _with_. [_By_ denotes +conscious agency; _with_, unconscious instrumentality. _By_ expresses +indirect; _with_, direct agency.] So, a man is killed _with_ an axe, +_by_ a man. When the unconscious instrument is personified, _by_ may be +used, _e.g._, “The man was struck _by_ lightning.” + +Do not say, “He has a _bad_ cold, a _bad_ wound, &c.” Use some other +adjective--_severe_, _dangerous_, &c. + +Do not say, “I wish very _badly_ to do so.” Use _very much_, _greatly_, +or some other adverbial expression. + +Do not say, “I _beg_ to say &c.,” for “I beg _leave_ to say &c.” + +Do not use _between_ of more than two objects. Use _among_. “I live +between Mr. Smith and Mr. Brown.” “I live _among_ friends.” [_Between_ +is often incorrectly employed in such expressions as, “The distance +between each post was twenty feet.” There can be no distance _between +one_ thing. A different turn must be given to such a sentence; _e.g._: +“The distance from each post to the next one was &c.;” or, “The +distance between any two consecutive posts was &c.”] + +Do not speak of _collecting_ a bill. The items or the various moneys +or amounts constituting a bill may be collected. [It is impossible to +collect one thing only.] + +Do not use an infinitive as the object of _commence_ or _essay_. [There +is no necessity for using commence at all. _Begin_ is a much better +word.] + +Do not use _condone_ for _atone for_ or _palliate_. [_Condone_ is +simply to forgive, as applied to things.] + +Do not use _climax_ for _acme_ or _highest point_. [_Climax_ is a +ladder or gradual ascent, not the top of the ladder.] + +Do not use _constantly_ for _often_ or _continually_. [_Constantly_ +means firmly or steadfastly; as, “He kept his eyes fixed constantly on +the goal.”] + +Do not use _celebrity_ for _celebrated person_. [_Celebrity_ means +renown; _e.g._: “A man of celebrity in Science.”] + +Do not use _consequence_ for _importance_ or _moment_. [_Consequence_ +means result.] + +Do not say, “He is of a _capricious mind_.” Say simply, “He is +capricious.” + +Do not use _claim_ for _assert_ or _say_. + +Do not use _upon_ for _on_, after _to call_. _E.g._: “He called on [not +upon] me.” + +Do not say, “I cannot _catch_ the train,” for “I cannot catch up to +[or, with] the train.” + +Do not use _consider_ for _deem_ or _think_. [_Consider_ means to +ponder.] + +Do not use _curious_ for _strange_ or _remarkable_. + +Do not use _caption_ for _heading_. [_Caption_ means taking, or +capture.] + +Do not use _citizen_ for _person_. + +Do not use _circumstance_ for _event_ or _occurrence_. [A +_Circumstance_ is “something pertaining to a fact, but not essential +thereto.”] + +Do not use _may_, _can_, _must_, _shall_, _will_, and other auxiliary +verbs _alone_, unless the form of the preceding principal verb may be +repeated without change after the auxiliary. _E.g._: “He did as well as +he _could_,” is incorrect. “He will do as well as he _can_,” is correct. + +Do not use _couple_ for _two_, unless the persons or things spoken of +are joined, either literally or figuratively. Thus, speak of a _happy +couple_ [a man and wife], or of a _couple of handcuffs_, but not of a +_couple_ of dollars. + +Do not use _calibre_ [figuratively] of things. It is applicable to +persons only. + +Do not use _contention_ of an individual act: a _contest_, _struggle_, +_combat_. [_Contention_ implies habit or custom; _e.g._: “He displayed +a spirit of contention through all the negotiations.”] + +Do not say, “He was _on_ the horns of a dilemma.” [_Dilemma_ means “two +enclosing positions terminating in what may be called horns.” Say, +therefore, “He was _between_ the horns of a dilemma;” or, “He was in a +dilemma.”] + +Do not say, “In distinction [or contradistinction] _to_.” [Use _from_.] + +Do not say, “It _would be desirable_ [or _advisable_] to go away.” Say, +“It _is_ desirable [or advisable] to go away.” + +Do not use _demean_ for _bemean_. To _demean oneself_ is to behave +oneself; _to bemean oneself_ is to lower or disgrace oneself. + +Do not say, “Goods of that _description_,” for “goods of that kind +or sort.” [Confine _description_ to the meaning of _explanation_ or +_recital_.] + +Do not use _detect_ for _distinguish_, _see_, _make out_. [_Detect_ +means to bring to light, to reveal, to expose.] Thus, “The criminals +were detected in their crime,” is correct. “The peasants could be +detected at once,” is incorrect. + +Do not use _dangerous_ for _very ill_ or _in danger_. + +Do not use _denuded_ as an exact equivalent of _bare_. [A thing cannot +be denuded of that which it has never had.] + +Do not use _deprecate_ for _condemn_ or _censure_. [_Deprecate_ means +to beg off or pray exemption from. _E.g.:_ “I deprecate the infliction +of the death penalty upon the prisoner.”] + +Do not say, “He died _with_ a disease.” [Use _of_.] + +Do not use _directly_ for _as soon as_. [Say, “As soon as he came in, +he went out again;” not, “Directly he &c., &c.”] + +Do not use _donate_ for _give_, unless the gift is princely in amount +or made with great ceremony. + +Do not say _a dirt road_ for _a sand_ [or _earth or gravel_, &c.] road. + +Do not use _divine_ [as a noun] for _clergyman_, _minister_, +_preacher_, &c. + +Do not say, “That property has _depreciated in value_.” _Depreciate_ +alone means to fall in value. _In value_ is therefore pleonastic. +[_Depreciate_ is either transitive (to bring down the value of) +or intransitive (to fall in value). The former is said to be the +preferable use, but the latter is the more common use.] + +Do not say, “I _differ with_ you upon that point.” Say, “I _differ +from_ you &c.” [_Differ with_ is sometimes used for quarrel with, or +have a misunderstanding with. This use is, however, rather rare.] + +Do not say, “He lives _some distance_ from here.” Say, “He lives _at +some distance_ &c.” + +Do not use _differentiate_ for _distinguish_. [_Differentiate_ should +be confined to mathematical and other scientific expressions.] + +Do not employ _expect_ for _think_ or _believe_. [_Expect_ means to +look forward to, and should be used only of the future.] + +Do not say, “He has lost ever so many horses.” If used at all, the +expression should be, “_never so many_.” + +Do not say _equally as well as_. Say, _equally well_, or _as well as_. + +Do not say _equanimity of mind_, _anxiety of mind_, _unanimity of +mind_. That is, do not use compounds of _animus_ or _anima_ along with +_mind_, _temper_, _spirit_, _affection_, &c.; as such expressions are +pleonastic. [So, _unity_ or _agreement of mind_ is a better expression +than _equanimity of mind_.] + +Do not say, “I have _every_ confidence in him,” for, “I have _the +greatest_ [or _entire_] confidence in him.” + +Do not use _executed_ for _put to death_. [Laws or sentences are +_executed_ (_i.e._, carried out), and the criminal is hanged or shot or +otherwise killed.] + +Do not use _enact_ for _act_. _To enact_ is to establish by law, to +decree, to perform. [So say, “A law was passed”--not enacted; but, “It +was enacted by law that all murderers should be put to death.”] + +Do not use _endorse_ for _approve of_, _applaud_, _sanction_. Confine +the employment of _endorse_ to its ordinary commercial meaning. + +Do not use _embrace_ for _comprise_. + +Do not use _empty_ for _discharge_ or _flow into_ [of a river]. + +Do not say, “He _tried an experiment_.” [This is tautological, as +an experiment is a trial. The expression should be, “He made, or +performed, an experiment.”] + +Do not say _on every hand_, for _on each hand_, or _on both hands_. + +Do not use _either_, _neither_ and _whether_ of more than two persons +or things. + +Do not follow _else_ with _but_. _Than_ is the proper word to use after +_else_. + +Do not use _exemplary_ as an exact synonym for _excellent_. +[_Exemplary_ means giving an example, as in: “He inflicted exemplary +punishment.”] + +Do not say, “I _experience_ great pleasure [or pain”]. Say, “I _feel_ +&c.” + +Do not use _excessively_ for _exceedingly_ or _very_. + +Do not use _effluviums_ or _effluviae_ for effluvia [the plural of +effluvium.] + +Do not confuse _few_ and _a few_. There is a great distinction in +meaning between the two. _E.g._: “_Few_ persons like Mr. Smith,” means +that _but few_ like him, _i.e._, that he is generally disliked. “_A +few_ persons like Mr. Smith,” means that some persons [perhaps all who +know him] like him. Therefore, _few_ should be followed by _and_; _a +few_ by _but_; _e.g._: “Few persons like Mr. Smith, _and_ these persons +would not like him did they know him well.” “_A_ _few_ persons like +Mr. Smith, _but_ more persons like Mr. Brown.” + +Do not confuse _at fault_ with _in fault_. [_At fault_ is a hunting +phrase meaning “off the scent” (equivalent to at sea); _in fault_ is in +error.] + +Do not say, “He _faithfully promised_ to do it.” [One may do a thing +faithfully, or may promise to do it faithfully; but one cannot +faithfully promise to do it.] + +Do not use _future_ for _next_ or _subsequent_ [of the past]. Thus, +“The future career of Milton was &c.,” should be, “The after [or +subsequent] career of Milton was &c.” Again, “For the future the course +of Columbus was &c.,” should be, “Thenceforward [or _after this_, or +_thereafter_, or _subsequently_] the course of Columbus was &c.” + +Do not say, “_Go and fetch_ it.” [_Fetch_ alone means _to go and +bring_. The expression is, therefore, pleonastic.] + +Do not say, “I forbid you _from_ going.” Say, “I forbid you to go,” +or, “I forbid your going.” [With _prevent_ or _hinder_, however, use +_from_.] + +Do not compare adjectives ending in _ful_. Say, “He showed more grace,” +or use some other expression in preference to “He was _more graceful_.” +[Of course, the adjective _full_ ought never to be compared. Instead +of saying “That jug is fuller than the other,” say, “That jug is _more +nearly full_ than &c.” A similar remark will apply to many other +adjectives (_entire_, _perfect_, &c.), the meaning of which admits of +no degrees or gradations.] + +Do not use _female_ for _woman_. + +Do not say _fall down_, _sink down_, _rise up_, _ascend up_, &c., as +the adverbs are implied in the verbs. Say _fall_, _sink_, _rise_, +_ascend_, &c. + +Do not use _fix_ for _repair_, _arrange_, _set up_. [_Fix_ properly +means _to fasten firmly_, as, “He fixed a nail into the wall.”] + +Do not spell the plural of _fly_, a carriage, _flies_. The correct form +is _flys_. + +Do not use incorrect forms of _foreign adjectives_. Say, _naïfs men_, +_naïves women_, _naïfs features_, _i.e._, make the adjectives agree in +gender and number with its noun taken as a foreign word. [This rule +applies especially to French adjectives.] + +Do not use the word _graphic_ of sound, or of anything but written or +pictured representation. + +Do not use _going to_ or _just going to_, for _about to_. + +Do not use _grow_ as a transitive verb. Say, “He cultivates [produces, +raises crops of, &c.] corn.” + +Do not say, “He _grows small_;” for this involves a contradiction. Use +_decrease_, _diminish_, _become smaller_. + +Do not use _get to_ for _attend_, _be at_, _be present at_, _go to_. + +Do not use _gubernatorial_ for _governmental_. + +Do not use _gratuitous_ for _asserted without proof_. + +Do not say, “The thing is _no good_ [or _no use_].” Say, “The thing is +_of_ no good [_of_ no use].” + +Do not say, “That is _one of the great_, _if not the greatest_ +man I have ever seen.” This construction involves a grammatical +contradiction, as will be seen by supplying the ellipsis: “That is one +of the greatest [men], if not the greatest [man], I have ever seen.” + +Do not say, “He gives no more than _he can help_.” [Logically, it ought +to be, “He gives no more than he cannot help;” but as this expression +is very awkward, use some other, _e.g._: “He gives no more than is +absolutely necessary,” “He gives only what he must give (or, is forced +to give, or, cannot avoid giving).”] + +Do not use _humanitarian_ for _humane_. [The original and correct +meaning of _humanitarian_ is denying the divinity of Christ.] + +Do not use, as an adverb, _hardly_ for _hard_. Say, “He struck the man +hard,” “He felt the blow hard” [not hardly]. _Hardly_ means scarcely. + +Do not use the word _help-meet_ [one word]. Say, “He has a help meet +[fit] for him,” “He has a help-mate,” but not, “He has a help-meet.” + +Do not use _high_ with _calibre_, when the latter has a figurative +meaning. Say, “A man of _large_ [or _great_] calibre.” + +Do not use _have_ pleonastically, _e.g._: “I do not like to have you +go,” for, “I do not like your going,” or, “I do not like you to go.” + +Do not say, “He reached a _higher stage of perfection_ than most men.” +[There can be no grades or stages in perfection. The sentence should +therefore be, “He came nearer perfection &c.” A similar remark applies +to all these other words (_entirety_, _totality_, _fulness_, &c.), the +meaning of which, from their very nature, admits of no gradations.] + +Do not use _if_ for _whether_. Say, “I cannot tell whether [not _if_] +he will come or not.” + +Do not use _invest_ for _buy_, without an object. Say, “He bought,” +_not_, “He invested in that.” _Invest_ is correctly used as follows: +“He invested a large sum of money in wheat.” + +Do not use _idea_ for _opinion_. [_Idea_ is an image in the mind.] + +Do not use _incorrect_, or _wrong_, or _bad_, with orthography, +orthoepy, calligraphy, &c. [The reason is obvious: _orthos_ means +correct, _kalos_ means beautiful. So say, _wrong spelling_, _incorrect +pronunciation_, _bad writing_, &c.] + +Do not use _individual_ for _person_, unless you wish to emphasize +the idea of individuality, as is the case in the following sentence: +“We may condemn the association as a whole, whilst honoring the +_individuals_ that compose it.” + +Do not use _infallible_ for _inevitable_. Say, “The inevitable [not, +the infallible] result was so and so.” + +Do not use _inaugurate_ for _begin_. [To _inaugurate_ is _to install +in office_ with certain ceremonies. _Inaugurate_ should seldom be used +of things, unless personified. It is the proper word in the following +phrase: “To inaugurate a good and jovial year.”] + +Do not use _implicit_ for _unbounded_ or _unlimited_, as it is used in, +“I have _implicit_ confidence in him.” [_Implicit_ properly means woven +into, expressed by implication, as opposed to _explicit_.] + +Do not employ _item_ for _paragraph_ or _piece of news_. + +Do not say, “I have not seen him _in_ six months, _in_ a year, &c.” +[Use _for_.] + +Do not say _an illy equipped force_, for _an ill_ [or _badly_] +_equipped force_. There is no such word as _illy_: _ill_ being both +adverb and adjective. [In England, _ill_ (as adjective) is preferred to +_sick_: _sick_ having the meaning of _nauseated_. In America _sick_ and +_ill_ are almost interchangeable. Authority shows that _sick_, in the +sense of _ill_, is perfectly correct.] + +Do not use _identified with_ for _prominent in_ or _closely connected +with_, as it is used in the following sentence: “He was _identified +with_ that movement.” _Prominently identified with_, is worse still. +[_To identify_ is, to prove to be the same, or to ascertain or certify +to the identity of. _E.g._: “The body was identified as that of Mr. H.”] + +Do not use _if_ when there is no supposition or doubt. Do not say, +“_If_, in the main, I have so acted, my reason is &c.” [Say, “My reason +for having so acted is &c.”] + +Do not employ _interested in_ for _concerned in_ or _taking part +in_. It is correct to say, “I am _interested in_ [_i.e._, _I take +an interest in_] works of art;” but it is not correct to say, “I am +_interested_ in wheat” [for, “I deal in wheat,” or, “I am engaged in +wheat-buying”]. + +Do not say, _in so far as_, for _so far as_, or _as far as_. [The _in_ +is clearly superfluous. Of the two expressions, _so far as_ and _as far +as_, the first is greatly preferable.] + +Do not speak of a _monthly_ or a _quarterly magazine_ as a _journal_. +[Etymologically, a _journal_ is a _daily newspaper_. The term _journal_ +may, however, be applied to a weekly, a semi-weekly or a tri-weekly +publication.] + +Do not use _jewelry_ of individual gems or other ornaments. Say, “His +stock of _jewelry_ was large;” but, “She wore magnificent _jewels_.” +[_Jewelry_ is a collective noun.] + +Do not spell the plural of _Knight Templar_, _Knights Templar_ or +_Knight Templars_; it is _Knights Templars_. [_Templar_ is a noun in +opposition to _Knight_.] + +Do not say, “The _lowest_ and the _highest_ house on the cliff,” +when referring to the position of the houses. Use _lowermost_ and +_uppermost_. _Lowest_ and _highest_ should be applied to dimensions +only. + +Do not say, “He _left_ it alone,” for “He _let_ it alone.” + +Do not say, “He _lit_ a fire.” Use _lighted_. [_Lit_ is sometimes +vulgarly employed as the past tense of _light_ (alight), to come down +upon, rest upon. Instead of saying, “The bird _lit_ upon the fence,” +say, “The bird _alighted_ upon the fence.”] + +Do not use _leave_ (to quit) without an object, as it is used in “When +did you leave?” [Say, “When did you go away?” “When did you leave home, +town, &c.?”] + +Do not say, “The _lay_ of the land is good,” for, “The _lie_ &c.” [The +use of _lie_ in this sense should be avoided for the same reason that +makes us avoid the use of _certain_, _any_, &c., _viz._, it is an +ambiguous word.] + +Do not use _limited_ as exactly synonymous with _small_ or _short_, but +confine it to its strictly literal and original meaning of shortened, +_abbreviated_, _compressed within limits_; _e.g._: “He was granted +strictly _limited_ hours of recreation.” + +Do not employ _loan_ as a verb. _Loan_ is properly used as a noun, +the corresponding verb being _lend_. Say, “He _lent_ me money, and +afterwards I effected [or made] a _loan_ for him.” + +Do not say, “I speak _loud_,” for, “I speak _loudly_.” [Shakespeare +uses _loud_ for _loudly_, but _loudly_ is the correct prose form of the +adverb.] + +Do not use _at length_ for _at last_, _finally_. [_At length_ means +fully, lengthily, as, “He reported the speech at length.”] + +Do not use _myself_ and the other reflexive pronouns as nominatives, +except for emphasis. Do not say, “When the soldiers and _myself_ had +gone.” [Use _I_ instead of _myself_.] + +Do not use _the masses_ for _the people_. + +Do not say, “He is _more of a man_ than I am.” Use some other +expression: _more manly_, _better_, &c. + +Do not say, “_I am mistaken_,” for, “_I mistake_, _I make a mistake_, +_I am incorrect_, &c.” [“_I am mistaken_” really means, “_I am +misunderstood_,” or “_taken wrongly_.”] + +Do not spell the plural of _miasma_, _miasmæ_. It is _miasmata_. + +Do not use _make_ for _gain_ or _earn_. [Say, “Does he earn much?” +“Will he gain much?” _not_, “Does he make much?” “Will he make much?”] + +Do not use _novitiate_ for _novice_. [The _novitiate_ is the period +during which one is a _novice_.] + +Do not say, “He merely _named_ the incident or occurrence.” [A person +or place may be named, but not an occurrence or event. The latter is +_mentioned_, _alluded to_, _described_.] + +Do not say, “_No one_ was there,” for, “_not one_ was there.” [The +adjective _no_ was originally _no one_. Therefore, _no one_ is +pleonastic. The adverb _no_ is etymologically _not_ or _never_. +Therefore, such expressions as _no sooner_, _no more_ may be considered +correct, although _not sooner_, _not more_ are preferable. _Nobody_, +_no person_, &c., may often be advantageously used in place of _no +one_. To the employment of these there is no objection, as there is to +that of _no one_.] + +Do not say, “_No_ gold _or_ silver.” Say, “No gold _nor_ silver.” [“No +gold or silver” would mean that gold and silver are the same thing. +If this meaning were intended, there ought to be a comma after gold, +or else “or silver” ought to be in parentheses; _e.g._: “No ancient +Mexicans, or Aztecs, or (_or Aztecs_) were to be seen.”] + +Do not say, “_not as good_,” “_not as wise_.” [After _not_ use _so_.] + +Do not say, “He _came near_ dying,” for “He almost died,” “He narrowly +escaped death,” &c. + +Do not say, “No gold and no silver _are_ here.” Use the singular verb. +[The principle in this case is the same as in the case of _each_ and +_every_.] + +Do not use _nasty_ for _disagreeable_. + +Do not say, “I _never_ remember to have seen,” for, “I do not remember +ever to have seen.” [“I never remember to have seen,” really means, “I +always forget &c.”] + +Do not use “next Sunday,” “next Monday,” &c., for _the Sunday, Monday_, +&c., _after next_. [_Next Sunday_ is the nearest Sunday.] + +Do not say, “I _never_ committed the crime,” for, “I did _not_ commit +the crime;” _i.e._, do not use _never_ for _not_. + +Do not say, “I do not think it is true,” for, “I think [or better, +_believe_] it is not true.” + +Do not say, “He was _nothing like so_ good as his brother,” “He wrote +_nothing like so_ well as his brother.” [Use “_not nearly_.”] + +Do not use _near_ for _nearly_. [Say, “He is not _nearly_ so rich as +&c.,” not, “He is not _near_ &c.”] + +Do not use the expression _new beginners_ for _beginners_ alone. + +Do not say _on the street_ for _in the street_. [A street is properly a +passage or space, not a roadway.] + +Do not employ the self-contradictory expression _old news_. + +Do not use _he_, _him_ and _his_, or _she_, _her_ and _hers_, for _one_ +and _one’s_. Say, “When one learns _one’s_ lesson, _one_ &c.;” not, +“When one learns _his_ lesson, _he_ &c.” [Of course, _they_, _their_ +and _them_ ought never to have _one_ as antecedent.] + +Do not use _over and above_ for _more than_. + +Do not use _over his signature_ for _under his signature_. [The latter, +which is the only correct form, means under the sanction of his +signature.] + +Do not use _observe_ for _say_. [I _observe_ means I see or notice.] + +Do not use _ovation_ as an exact synonym for _shouting_ and _cheering_. +_Ovation_ is applied correctly to great occasions, festivals, triumphs. + +Do not say, “I have no _other_ purpose _than_ this.” Say, “I have no +purpose _other than_ this,” _i.e._, keep _other_ and _than_ together. +[A similar rule applies to comparatives in general and to many words +(_e.g._, _rather_) like _other_, which have a comparative form and +force. Therefore say, “Your house is larger than your cousin’s,” in +preference to, “That is a larger house of yours than your cousin’s.”] + +Do not say _old veterans_, as the word _veterans_ implies length of +service. If “length of days,” as well as length of service, is to be +expressed, use _aged_ or some other word or phrase instead of _old_. + +Do not, unless unavoidable, pluralize the indefinite pronoun _one_. +Prefer, “You have three good horses and I have two bad horses,” or, +“You have three good, and I have two bad horses,” to “You have three +good horses and I have two bad _ones_.” + +Do not say, _among the others_, _among others_, _among the rest_. [A +person or thing cannot be _among_ other persons or things. Say, _along +with the others_, or _others_, or _the rest_.] + +Do not use _proposition_ for _proposal_ or _offer_. Say: “I made the +_proposal_ to him; and he, in return, demonstrated the _proposition_ +for me.” [_Proposal_, in the sense of _offer_, is preferable to +_proposition_, because it is shorter and unambiguous.] + +Do not use _pocket-hand-kerchief_ and _neck-hand-kerchief_ for +_hand-kerchief_ or _neck-kerchief_ respectively. + +Do not use _pretend_ for _claim_ or _assert_. Say, “He claimed [or +asserted] that he was correct.” + +Do not use _preposterous_ for _absurd_. [_Preposterous_ properly means, +_putting the first last and the last first_. Besides, it is a longer +word than _absurd_.] + +Do not use _previous_ and _subsequent_ as adverbs. Say: “He came +_previously_ [or _subsequently_] to your arrival.” + +Do not use _partially_ for _partly_. [_Partially_ should be confined to +its meaning of _with partiality_, but is seldom employed.] + +Do not use _people_ for _persons_ individually. Say, “There were three +persons [not, _people_] present.” [_People_ means a race or nation, or +else _persons_ collectively--the old word _folk_.] + +Do not use a plural verb or pronoun with _each_ or _every_. Say: “Each +day and each hour [or, every day and every hour] _brings its_ cares.” + +Do not use the _plural_ form of the noun in such cases as, “Men’s +_healths_ have suffered;” “The children’s _illnesses_ have increased.” +[The rule is, that a noun governing the possessive plural, should not +itself be in the plural, unless the sense requires it. This rule will +apply chiefly to abstract nouns: _virtue_, _sin_, &c. The sense will, +of course, require the plural in such an instance as, “The children’s +_hands_ were injured.”] + +Do not use the _plural_ form in such compound adjectival expressions +as, calves’-_foot_ jelly, ten-_foot_ pole, twenty-_dollar_ watch. + +Do not say, “All have rights and _privileges_.” [_Privilege_ +(literally, _private law_) is some favor or advantage enjoyed by an +_individual_. So, all have _rights_; but all have not _privileges_.] + +Do not use the present participle for the past participle or the +perfect participle. So, instead of saying, “After seeing him, I went +away;” say, “After having seen him,” &c. + +Do not use _plastic_ of the person or hand that fashions, but of the +material fashioned. Say, “His plastic mind was easily impressed;” not, +“He moulded with his plastic touch the mind of his brother.” + +Do not use _pell-mell_ of one person or thing. + +Do not say, “_Providing_ he has the money, he will pay.” Use _provided_. + +Do not use _presume_ for _think_ or _believe_. Do not say, “I presume +that is correct.” + +Do not use _period_ for _point of time_. _Period_ means series of years +or duration. _E.g._: “The period between 1862 and 1882 was” &c. + +Do not use _persuaded_ for _convinced_. One is _convinced_ by argument; +one is _persuaded_ by entreaty. One is persuaded; one’s reason, +convinced. + +Do not use _quite_ before a noun. Do not say, “That is _quite_ a +house.” [_Quite_ may properly be used before an adjective (“He is +quite ill”): it then means _entirely_, _completely_; not _tolerably_, +_pretty_.] + +Do not use _partake_ for _eat_ or _drink_. Say, “He ate some food and +drank some water,” not, “He _partook_ of food and water.” [_Partake_ +means to share or share with; _e.g._: “Sit down, and partake of dinner +with me.”] + +Do not use _per_ before English nouns: use _a_. _Per_ is correct before +Latin nouns. [Thus: “So much per-annum;” “so much _a_ year;” “_per_ +capita,” or “a head.”] + +Do not use the past tense for the perfect tense. Say, “He is the best +man I _have_ ever seen” [not, “I ever saw”]. + +Do not use _replace_ for _displace_. To _replace_ is to place again, +_i.e._, to restore [the same thing] to its former place. _Displace_ is +to put out of place, and therefore [often], to put one thing into the +place of another. + +Do not say, “You have no _right_ to pay him so large a price;” meaning, +“You are not called upon [or, in duty bound]” &c. + +Do not say, “It is _rarely_ that I see him.” [_Rarely_, adverb, should +be _rare_, adjective, after the verb to be.] + +Do not use _recommend_ for _advise_ or _counsel_. “I _recommend_ you to +go away,” should be, “I advise you” &c. + +Do not use _rendition_ for _performance_ or _rendering_ [of a reading, +piece of music, &c.]. _Rendition_ means _surrender_. + +Do not say, “_Rev._ Mr. H. is here.” Say, “_The_ Rev. Mr. H. is here.” + +Do not say, “This _road takes_ you to Paris.” Say, “This road _leads_ +[or, _leads one_] to Paris.” + +Do not use _remit_ for _send_. _Remit_ means to send back, to relax, to +surrender, to forgive. “To send a remittance,” is still worse than, “to +remit money.” + +Do not use the adjective _scarce_ for the adverb _scarcely_. Say, +“Scarcely a bushel” [not, _scarce_]. + +Do not use _species_ for _kind_, unless in a scientific sense. + +Do not say, “I _shall have_ pleasure in accepting your invitation.” Use +the present tense [“I have--or take--pleasure” &c.]. + +Do not say, _seldom or ever_, for _seldom or never_, or _seldom if +ever_. + +Do not use _spare_ for _give_. _Spare_ means to _save_. So: “I cannot +spare you any more”, should be, “I cannot give you any more.” + +Do not use _sensation_ for _exciting news_. + +Do not use _since_ for _ago_. Say, “About a year _ago_;” not, “About a +year _since_.” + +Do not say, “The business was very large, _so much so_ as to require” +&c. [Repeat the adjective: “_so large_ as to” &c.] + +Do not use _summons_, as a verb, for _summon_. Say, “He was _summoned_ +[not _summonsed_] to court.” + +Do not say, “He is _such another_ man as his brother.” [_Another_ +should precede _such_: “another such.”] + +Do not use _superior_ for _able_. Say, “He is an _able_ [not a +_superior_] man.” + +Do not use _supposititious_ for _supposed_ or _hypothetical_. +_Supposititious_ means _spurious_; and there is no necessity for using +it at all. + +Do not use _settle_ for _pay_. Say, “He paid the account;” not, “He +settled the account.” + +Do not use _such_ for _so_. Say, “So good a man;” not: “Such a good +man.” + +Do not say, “_It storms_,” when it only rains or snows. [A _storm_ is a +violent movement in the atmosphere, with or without hail, snow, sleet +or rain.] + +Do not use _splendid_ for merely _great_ or _good_. _Splendid_ should +be used of that only which is literally or metaphorically _brilliant_. +_E.g._: “A _splendid_ endurance of hardships on the march,” is +incorrect. “A _splendid_ charge upon the enemy, when the march was +over;” is correct. + +Do not say, _a summer’s morning_, _a winter’s morning_; for, _a summer +morning_, _a winter morning_. [We should never think of saying, _a +spring’s morning_, _a fall’s morning_.] + +Do not use _strata_ as a singular noun. _Stratum_ is singular; _strata_ +is plural. + +Do not speak of _a wider_ [or _more extended_] _point of view_ [_or +stand-point_]; as a point cannot be anything but a point. [_Point of +view_ is preferable to _stand-point_; as the latter expression is +logically absurd: one cannot stand on a point. If _stand-point_ is +used, do not say, “He _approached_ from the stand-point;” as _approach_ +denotes motion, _stand-point_ rest.] + +Do not use _sincere_ without its completing words. _E.g._: “He is +sincere _in his aims_, in his _means_;” is correct. [This necessity +arises from the two-fold or ambiguous meaning of _sincere_. One may be +sincere in one’s aims, but not sincere in one’s means of reaching those +aims.] _Honest_, on the other hand, may be used alone; as it means +straight-forward and sincere in every thing. + +Do not use _scorn_ and _disdain_, as verbs, with the name of a person +as object. Do not say, “He scorns [or disdains] Mr. S.” Use _despise_, +_look down upon_, or some other expression. + +Do not use _small_ of quantity. [_Small_ is applicable only to +dimensions. Thus, do not say, “The smallest assistance will be +thankfully received.” It should be, “The _least_ assistance” &c.] + +Do not use _statu quo_ or _bona fide_ for _status quo_ or _bona fides_. +Say, “The _status quo_ remained unchanged, each party having preserved +_bona fides_.” A similar remark will apply to many other foreign +expressions. Of course, wherever there is a satisfactory English +equivalent, a foreign word or phrase should not be used. + +Do not say, “Will you _take_ some meat?” Say, “Will you _have_ veal [or +beef, or whatever it is]?” + +Do not say, “It is a quarter _to_ ten.” Say, “A quarter _of_ ten.” + +Do not say, “The _taxes_ are levied on persons, and collected from +land.” The reverse is the case: taxes are levied on land and collected +from persons. + +Do not use _though_ for _if_. Say: “I feel as _if_ [not _though_] I +could die.” + +Do not say, “We _take_ dinner, tea,” &c. Use _have_. + +Do not employ _thereabouts_, _hereabouts_, _whereabouts_ (with final +_s_) as adverbs. Say, “It was in 1859 or _thereabout_.” As nouns these +words take the _s_; _e.g._: “Do you know his _whereabouts_?” + +Do not say, _that far_, _that much_, _that many_, &c., for _so far_, +_so much_, _so many_, &c. + +Do not use the word _tea_ for _broth_, _medicine_, _solution_, unless +absolutely unavoidable. [_Tea_ is the plant itself or the beverage made +from its leaves.] + +Do not say, “I prefer _to walk_ _to ride_.” Say, “I prefer _walking_ to +_riding_.” + +Do not say, “I have been _to_ Paris.” [Use _at_. One can _go to_, but +_not be to_, a place]. + +Do not say, “Which do you _the_ more admire: him or her?” [Omit _the_.] + +Do not use _underhanded_ for _underhand_. Say, “He made money by +_underhand_ [not _underhanded_] dealings.” + +Do not use _utter_ as an exact equivalent of _say_ or _express_. +[_Utter_ is to speak, give forth, or pronounce, generally in a loud +voice.] Say therefore, “He uttered a sharp cry;” but, “He expressed a +noble sentiment.” + +Do not use _ultimate_ of the _past_. Confine it to the _future_. Do not +say: “The _ultimate_ issue of the Thirty Years’ war was” &c. Say, “The +result [or, the issue, the end, the conclusion, the subsequent course +of the Thirty Years’ War was” &c.] + +Do not use the adjective _utter_ indiscriminately for _entire_ or +_complete_. _E.g._: One may say, _utter nonsense_; but not, _utter +sense_. [A similar remark will apply to the adverb _utterly_.] + +Do not use _valuable_ for _valued_. Say: “One of our most _valued_ [or, +_most highly valued_--not _valuable_] contributors has sent us a most +_valuable_ [not _valued_] article.” + +Do not say, “I am _very_ pleased,” “_too_ pleased,” “_so_ pleased;” +for, “I am _very much_ pleased,” “_too much_ pleased,” “_so much_ +pleased.” That is, with past participles used as adjectives or along +with auxiliaries, insert _much_ after _very_, _too_ and _so_. We say, +“He is very little [too little, so little] loved.” We ought, therefore, +to say, “He is very much [too much, so much] loved.” Strictly speaking, +_so hated_ means _hated_, not to a certain degree, but in a certain +manner. + +Do not say Toronto and _vicinity_; but, Toronto and _its vicinity_. +[_Neighbourhood_ is generally a better word to employ than _vicinity_.] + +Do not repeat unnecessarily the word _whether_. Do not say, “Whether he +was rich, or _whether_ he was poor.” [Omit the second _whether_.] As +has been said before, _whether_, _either_ and _neither_ ought properly +to be employed only of two persons or things. Therefore, where several +are mentioned, they should be grouped in couples: _e.g._: “Whether he +has gold or silver, whether he has stocks or bonds;” [or: “Whether +he has gold or silver, stocks or bonds” (the second _whether_ being +unexpressed).] This is better than: “Whether he has gold, silver, +stocks or bonds.” + +Do not say: “Whether he _be_ right or wrong.” [Use with _whether_ the +indicative _is_, not the subjunctive _be_, unless the rules given for +the subjunctive apply to the sentence.] + +Do not say: “Give it to _whomsoever_ asks for it.” Say: “Give it to +_whosoever_ [or _whoever_] asks for it.” [The object of _to_ is not +_whomsoever_, but some noun or pronoun unexpressed: _the person_, +_him_.] + +Do not say, “Where have you gone _to_?” Say, “Where have you gone?” + +Do not use the verb _witness_ for _see_ or _behold_. Say: “That +is the most beautiful scenery I have ever beheld [or _seen_; not +_witnessed_].” To _witness_ means to see or be present at the +performance of some act or at the occurrence of some event. So a +man _witnesses_ a fight, but does not _witness_ scenery. _Witness_, +moreover, generally carries with it the idea of giving testimony. Where +such idea is lacking, it is better to use _see_ or _behold_. + +Do not use _what for?_ for _why?_ Say: “Why do you act so?” not: “What +do you act so _for_?” + +Do not say, “_A widow woman_.” [Omit _woman_, which is superfluous.] + +Do not confuse the “editorial _we_” with the ordinary _we_, as is +done in the following: “As a public journalist, _we_ must say that +when other men act in that way, _we all_ [_i.e._, _all persons_] feel +aggrieved.” + +Do not say _whether or no_, for, _whether or not_, unless _no_ is an +adjective qualifying some noun unexpressed. Thus: “Whether he comes +or _not_ [not _no_];” but, “Whether he is a merchant or _no_.” In the +latter instance, however, _not_ would be quite correct. [“Whether he is +a merchant or is _not_ a merchant.”] + +Do not use “_the whole of_” [before a plural noun] for _all_. Say: “All +the deputies were present;” not, “The whole of” &c. + +Do not use _winsome_ for _winning_. _Winsome_ means joyous, +light-hearted. “His daughter was a winsome lass; she had a winning +smile.” + +Do not use _worse_ for _more_. Say: “He disliked vinegar _more_ [not +_worse_] than pepper.” [A similar remark will apply to _better_.] + +Do not use _want_ for _need_ [verb]. To avoid ambiguity, _want_ should +be restricted to its meaning of _wish_ or _desire_; _need_, to that of +_lack_ or _be under the necessity of_. Say, therefore, “I want to go +for a drive;” but not, “The man was so poor that he actually _wanted_ +[lacked, needed] bread;” or worse, “You _want_ [need to, or must] go +away.” + +Do not say, “_Yesterday’s Times_ has come.” Say, “The _Times_ of +yesterday has come.” + +Do not end a letter with _Yours &c._, for _Yours truly_, _Respectfully +yours_, or some other expression. + + + + +GRAMMATICAL POINTS. + + +Avoid such constructions as, “The object of your brother’s writing +the letter was” &c. [Prefer, “The object your brother had in writing +the letter was” &c.; or, “Your brother’s object in writing the letter +was” &c.] The gerundial infinite ought to be used--if at all--but very +sparingly with a possessive case, especially when the possessive is +preceded by _of_. A similar remark applies still more strongly to the +noun form in _ing_; _e.g._: “His killing of the man was” &c. + +Be careful about the position of _also_, _even_, _only_--in fact, of +all adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions. As a general rule, adverbs +precede the words they modify. Thus: “He only writes,” is correct; but, +say, “He does nothing but write;” or use some other expression. + +Prefer: “In the works _of even_ great men;” to, “In the works _even of_ +great men.” So: “_Of both_ ancient and modern times,” is better than, +“_Both of_ ancient _and of_ modern times.” [_Both_ would properly come +before _of_ in such a construction as: “Both of and from him.”] “Both +of ancient and modern times” [without the second _of_] is entirely +incorrect. + +“Nobody’s else book,” is said to be preferable to, “Nobody else’s +book.” Custom has, however, firmly established the latter form. But it +is better to employ some other expression; _e.g._: “The book of no one +else;” “No other person’s book.” + +“Thou canst not tell whence it cometh _or_ whither it goeth.” _Or_ +should be used here, as the _not_ modifies (in meaning) all the +subsequent part of the sentence. We should never think of saying: +“Whence it cometh _nor_ whither it goeth, thou canst not tell.” In, +“We will not serve thy gods _nor_ worship the golden image which thou +hast set up;” _nor_ is correct; as _serve_ does not govern the rest of +the sentence. [Some grammarians, however, contend that _or_ would be +equally good: the effect of the _not_ extending over both subsequent +verbs. The soundness of this contention is questionable.] The most +elegant form to give the sentence is; “We will not serve thy gods, _nor +will_ we worship the golden image” &c. + +In such an expression as, “I do not want butter or honey;” the strict +meaning is, “I do not want merely one of the two.” “I want neither +butter nor honey,” means, “I do not want either.” + +When two nouns in the possessive case are in apposition, the apostrophe +and _s_ may be added to either noun. Thus: “This book is Virgil, the +Roman _poet’s_;” or: “This book is Virgil’s, the Roman poet.” [If, +however, the appositive enlargement is complex, or if it consists of +several terms, the apostrophe and _s_ should be added to the first +noun. _E.g._: “This book is Virgil’s, the great and renowned Roman +poet.”] Again, if each appositive noun is very emphatic, the apostrophe +and _s_ may be added to each. When any doubt arises as to the proper +form, employ another expression; _e.g._: “This book is one of the works +of Virgil, the great and renowned Roman poet.” + +Avoid the use of such forms as, “John, William and James’s father.” +Prefer, “The father of John, William and James;” or, “The father of +John, of William and of James.” + +_None_ and _any_, although originally singular, may now be used as +plurals. + +Such expressions as, “While playing, the boy was killed,” are quite +correct. That is, the auxiliary may be left out, although the phrase is +introduced by a subordinate conjunction. + +When the auxiliary verb used with a past participle consists of two +words (_i.e._, is compound), the adverb generally comes after the +compound auxiliary, not between its two parts. _E.g._: “Why he should +have suddenly renounced his faith,” &c.; is better than, “Why he should +suddenly have renounced” &c. The best form, perhaps, is, “Why he should +have renounced his faith suddenly” &c. + +It is correct to say, “_This_ seven years has passed;” “This hundred +dollars is there:” the seven years being taken as forming one period +of time; and the hundred dollars, one sum of money. To avoid the +seeming want of agreement between the singular and the plural, use some +collective noun after _this_; _e.g._: _space_, _period_, in the first +case; _sum_, _amount_, in the second. [The forms, _these seven years_, +_these hundred dollars_, would draw attention to the individual years +and the individual dollars.] + +As a general rule, collective nouns (that is, those nouns as which have +both the singular and the plural form, _number_, _crowd_) require a +singular verb with their singular form, and a plural verb with their +plural form. [However, the plural verb may be used with the singular +form when the idea of plurality is to be very prominent.] Nouns of +multitude, on the other hand, (that is, those which have no plural +form, as _clergy_, _nobility_) generally require a plural verb. _E.g._: +“The clergy _were_ assembled; there _was_ a large number present.” + +Do not use such words as _mathematics_, _statics_, _physics_, +_metaphysics_ (_i.e._, words originally plural, but now used in the +singular), as subjects. So, say: “The study [or science, or practice] +of mathematics is useful;” rather than, “Mathematics is [or are] +useful.” + +_Dare_, meaning _to venture_, and used with another verb, requires no +_to_ before this latter verb, and has in its past tense _durst_ and +in its third person singular present indicative _dare_ (not _dares_). +[The form _dared_ may, however, be used for _durst_, in the past tense. +_Dared_ will then take no _to_ before the infinitive.] _Durst_ is often +employed for the present _dare_, although the latter is preferable; +_e.g._: “He durst not do so.” + +_Dare_, as a principal verb, meaning _to challenge_, has _dares_ in +the third person singular present indicative, and _dared_ in the past. +_E.g.:_ “He _dares_ me to-day, and he _dared_ me yesterday to fight.” + +_Need_ has, in the third person singular present indicative, the same +peculiarity as _dare_. Meaning _to lack_ and used as a principal verb, +it takes _s_; meaning _to be necessary_, and used as an auxiliary +(without _to_), it does not; _e.g._: “He _needs_ money; still he _need_ +not beg.” + +The participle and the infinitive may be used absolutely, as: +“_Speaking_ [or, _to speak_] generally, it is advisable to go.” This +absolute form should be but sparingly employed. + +_If_, _although_, and other conditional conjunctions do not necessarily +require the subjunctive mood. They do require it, (1) When the +conception is contrary to facts; _e.g._: “If the world were round.” (2) +When the supposition is a mere mental conception, without reference +to how the matter will really be decided, or to what the result will +be; _e.g._: “If he went away [or, were to go away], I should be +happy.” [In such expressions as, “If it rains, I shall not go out;” the +indicative is to be preferred to the subjunctive.] + +As a principal verb, _do_ may be employed for active transitive verbs +only. For these verbs, moreover, _do_ ought not be used--except to +avoid excessive repetition--when they are of but one syllable, unless +they are followed by other words forming a phrase, for which phrase +_do_ may stand. _E.g._: “He carves marble better I _do_;” but, “He +writes better than I write.” [In this last sentence it would, of +course, be incorrect to omit the verb after _I_; as the first form +of the verb (_writes_) can not be used with _I_.] Many good writers +employ _do_ for active intransitive verbs such as _fly_, _run_, +_act_; but this use should be avoided. As an auxiliary, _do_ may not +be used without its principal verb unless the form of the principal +verb already employed permits such use; _i.e._, unless this preceding +verb may be repeated without change after the _do_. _E.g._: “He has +not looked well lately, nor _does_ he to-day;” should be “He * * * ; +nor does he look well to-day.” [A similar remark applies to other +auxiliaries when employed without their principal verbs.] + +“The verses are _as follows_;” [or, “_as follow_.”] Both expressions +are sanctioned by good usage. + +_Some_ may be correctly used in such expressions as, “some fifty men,” +“some ten miles;” _i.e._, “_about_ fifty men,” &c. This employment of +_some_ is becoming obsolete. + +_You_ may properly occur in the same sentence with, and as an +equivalent of, _Your Majesty_, _Your Excellency_, &c. _E.g._: “Your +Majesty says your Majesty has” &c.; or: “Your Majesty says you have” +&c. [The first is, of course, much more formal than the second, and +should be preferred when addressing persons of high station.] + +“It is I, your brother, who _begs_ you.” “It is I, your brother, who +_beg_ you.” In the first, the emphasis is on the word _brother_; in +the second, on the _I_. [In the latter, it is better to enclose _your +brother_ in parentheses, the comma being omitted.] + +In “_not only_--_but also_,” the _also_ may be omitted. _E.g._: “He not +only killed the man, _but_ he mutilated the corpse.” [It is generally +better to use the complete form, “not only--but also.”] + +Do not use _like_ for _as_. Say: “As did Nero of old, so Thebaw put +countless numbers of victims to death;” not, “_Like_ Nero of old, +Thebaw” &c. The use of _like_ for _as_ is defended on the ground that +the sentence may be expanded into: “Being like Nero, Thebaw” &c. Still, +it is the actions of the men that are compared, not the men themselves. + +Avoid such awkward collocations as, “This is _a far_ [or _much_] +_richer_ man than his brother.” Say, “This man is far [much] richer +[or, richer by far] than” &c. A like remark applies to _such_, +_similar_, and many other words. Say, “A horse such as that is worth +one hundred dollars;” rather than, “Such a horse as that is” &c. + +The _or_ in _whether_--_or_ may be left out; but it is generally better +to express it. So: “I do not know whether he will come _or_ not,” is +better than, “I do not know whether he will come.” + +The adjective is often used for the adverb before a present participle +employed as an adjective to qualify a noun. _E.g._: “a plain-speaking +man,” “a good-looking man,” “a right-living man.” [In such expressions, +it is better to unite the adjective and the participle with a hyphen.] +With a past participle, the adjective is very rarely used. _E.g._: +“a plainly furnished house,” “a well dressed man.” Occasionally the +adjective occurs with the past participle; _e.g._: “a plain-spoken man.” + +When the construction is changed from the negative to the affirmative, +repeat the subject pronoun; or, if a noun is the subject, insert the +personal pronoun before the second verb. Thus: “He does not walk, but +_he_ rides.” With _whosoever_, _whoever_, &c., as subjects, it is not +necessary to use the pronoun before the affirmative verb. _E.g._: “That +whosoever believeth on Him might not perish, _but have_ everlasting +life.” When a change of tense, mood or voice occurs, it is generally +advisable to insert the pronoun before the second verb, although--as +is elsewhere explained--it is necessary to do so only when the verbs +are emphatically distinguished or contrasted. [When the change is from +the affirmative to the negative, the repetition of the subject or the +insertion of the pronoun is not necessary. Indeed, the the repetition +of the subject depends largely on the emphasis desired or on the +“sound” of the sentence.] + +Say, “Solomon, _son_ of David,” rather than, “Solomon, _the_ son of +David.” [The rule is that the article ought not to be used before +those appositive nouns which are strictly limited by other definite +words.] The insertion of the article before _David_ is not absolutely +incorrect; but the omission of it produces a good effect and sometimes +prevents ambiguity, as in, “John, [the] son of Smith, and Jones, are +here.” Where a second addition occurs, the article must be omitted even +although it has been used before the first addition. Thus: “The Apostle +James, son (or, the son) of Zebedee, and _brother_ (not, _the_ brother) +of St John”. + +Say, “The eldest son of a duke is called Marquis [not _a_ Marquis].” +The article is not to be used before titles as titles, or names as +names. [_E.g._: “Derive Thames.”] With two or more nouns, the article +need not be repeated when there is no ambiguity. When there is, it +should be repeated. Thus: “The Queen and King are here,” is correct. +[The repetition of the article would, of course, add emphasis to +the expression, _i.e._, it would draw attention to each individual +person or thing. _E.g._: “A cool temper, a sound judgment, a kindly +disposition.”] + +“The European and _the_ African _race_;” or, “The European _race_ and +_the_ African _race_.” Here two races are meant: the one European, and +the other African. “The European and African _races_,” has the same +meaning. “The European and _the_ African races,” means there are two +or more European and two or more African races. This latter meaning +would be more clearly expressed by inserting the word _races_ after the +word _European_. + +“The conductor and _the_ driver,” implies two men. “The conductor and +driver,” implies one man. Say, therefore: “Solomon, the historian and +builder;” not, “Solomon, the historian and _the_ builder.” + +“The bay or lame horse,” refers to one horse. “The bay _or the_ lame +horse,” refers to two horses. [In the former sentence, it would be +better to put a comma after _bay_.] The rule in all these cases is, +that the article must be repeated when there are two or more persons or +things. With but one person or thing, the article _may_ be repeated, +as in poetry or for the sake of emphasis. _E.g._: “A sadder and _a_ +wiser man.” It follows from the foregoing rule, that there should be +no repetition of the article in such a phrase as, “He is a better poet +than _musician_.” “He is a better poet than _a_ musician,” would mean, +“He is a better poet than a musician _is_.” + +“The logical and grammatical analysis of a language is [are]” +&c. If but one analysis is meant--_i.e._, if there is but one +subject--the verb should be in the singular, _is_. If two analyses +are meant--_i.e._, if there are two subjects--the verb may be in the +plural, _are_. In the latter case, however, it is better to supply +the article before _grammatical_. [“The logical and _the_ grammatical +analysis are,” &c.] It is still better to supply the first subject +[“The logical _analysis_ and” &c.]: the verb being made plural. The +supplying of this ellipsis [_analysis_] avoids the clash between a +singular subject alone and a plural verb. Upon the same principle, +“The position of the materialist and _that_ of the idealist are +reconcilable,” is to be preferred to, “The position of the materialist +and of the idealist are reconcilable.” [The determining principle in +all these cases is not whether the adjectives have the same meaning, +but whether they qualify the same subject.] + +Do not say, “No greater or wiser _a_ man ever lived.” Say, “No greater +or wiser man” &c. + +The gerundial noun with _the_ is generally to be preferred to the +simple gerund. _E.g._: “The eating of meat is forbidden,” is better +than, “Eating meat” &c. [In some instances the latter form would cause +confusion of meaning.] + +An excellent, but rather loosely worded, rule for the use of _shall_ +and _will_ is as follows: “If the speaker is nominative to the verb, +and also determines the accomplishment of the idea expressed by +the verb; or if the speaker neither is nominative to the verb nor +determines the accomplishment of the idea expressed by the verb, use +_will_. In all other cases, use _shall_.” + +Say, “It _should_ seem that he has done so.” [Not, “It _would_ seem” +&c.] + +In impersonal assertions, such as: “It is hoped [desired, &c.] that +all should sit down,” _shall_ and _should_ ought to be used. In +direct and personal assertions, such as: “I desired that my conductor +would explain,” _will_ and _would_ are to be preferred. [_Shall_ and +_should_ are, in such constructions, not incorrect; but _will_ and +_would_ are preferable. Perhaps the best rule, in sentences such as the +foregoing, is, that when a command is intended, _shall_ and _should_ +_must_ be used; when a hope or wish is intended, _will_ and _would_ +_may_ be used.] + +In a subordinate clause, to express simple futurity, use _shall_ and +_should_ when the subject of the subordinate clause is the subject of +the principal clause also; _will_ and _would_ when it is not. Thus: “I +believe I shall live;” “I believe he will live;” “He believes he shall +live.” + +Again, in an independent clause use _shall_ and _should_ when the event +spoken of is under our control; _will_ and _would_ when it is not. +_E.g._: “You said it _should_ be done;” “You said it _would_ rain.” + +Do not say, “I _would_ be happy to go, if” &c.; or, “I _will_ be +happy to go.” Use _should_ and _shall_. [The idea of willingness, or +volition, is sufficiently expressed in the word _happy_. Hence, _would_ +and _will_ are tautological.] + +After nouns and adjectives following intransitive and passive verbs the +infinitive with _to_ is generally preferable to the gerund in _-ing_, +to express purpose, end, design. _E.g._: “He has power _to_ act;” “It +is fitted _to_ produce that result.” + +“Solomon, son of David, who slew Goliath;” is correct. “Solomon, son of +David, who built the Temple;” is incorrect. [The relative should refer +to the nearest antecedent. So, change the second phrase into, “The son +of David, Solomon, who” &c.; or, “Solomon, who was the son of David, +and who” &c.; or employ some other form.] + +Say, “He who was, and who is, and who is to come;” or, “He who was, who +is and who is to come.” That is, repeat the relative, especially when +a conjunction occurs. [If the sentence were to read, “He who was, is +and is to come;” _He_ might seem to be the subject of the first and the +second _is_, and not of some verb unexpressed.] The possessives also +should be repeated before nouns that are to be distinguished. _E.g._: +“Their form and _their_ use give us great trouble.” + +Do not use _that_ for _who_ or _which_, when the antecedent is +explicit. Say: “My father, who [not, _that_] is dead.” + +_Who_ or _which_ is to be preferred to _that_ when the relative +is separated from its verb or its antecedent, and is emphasized +by isolation. _E.g._: “There are many persons _who_, had they +opportunities, would succeed in life.” + +_Who_ or _which_ is to be preferred to _that_ when the relative is +governed in the objective by a preposition that has the appearance of +an adverb (_beyond_, _over_, _under_, &c.). _E.g._: “The limit beyond +_which_ no one has gone,” is better than, “The limit _that_ no one has +gone beyond.” + +Avoid the use of _than whom_ when _whom_ is not really in the objective +case. Instead of _than whom_ [which is grammatically incorrect] and +_than who_ [which, although grammatically correct, has a very strange +sound] employ some other form. _E.g._: In place of “Nero, than whom +no crueller man has ever lived, was” &c.; say, “Nero--and no crueller +man has ever lived--was” &c.; or, “No crueller man than Nero has ever +lived. He was” &c. [Of course, when the relative is in the objective +case, _whom_ is correct after _than_; _e.g._: “My brother, than whom I +love no one more dearly, is ill.”] + +_Who_ or _which_ may sometimes [_e.g._, to avoid undue repetition] be +used for _that_; but _that_ ought never to be used for _who_ or _which_. + +After indefinite pronouns or indefinite pronominal adjectives +(_others_, _several_, _many_, _some_, _none_, _one_, &c.), _who_ or +_which_ is to be preferred to _that_. + +After personal pronouns prefer _who_ or _which_. _E.g._: “He who is +wise,” &c. + +After the conjunction _that_, prefer _who_ or _which_. _E.g._: “He said +_that_ the man _who_ saw him” &c. + +It is not improper to follow the demonstrative _this_ by the relative +_that_. _E.g._: “It was _this that_ caused his death.” + +When _who_ or _which_ is used restrictively for _that_, it is well to +place _the_ or _that_ before the antecedent, _e.g._: “_The_ States [or, +_those_ States] _which_ border on Canada,” &c. + +The objective relative may be omitted whenever the antecedent and the +subject of the relative sentence come into juxtaposition; _e.g._: +“Give me the book you have.” + +The personal pronoun _it_ and the relative pronoun _which_ may have as +antecedents a short, clear clause; but this usage is not desirable. So, +although, “He gave me his word of honour: which I had not expected,” is +not incorrect; yet it is better to say, “He gave me his word of honour: +a thing I had” &c.; or, “He gave me his word of honour. I had never +expected this.” + +Avoid such a relative construction as: “That was the man _who_, the +witness said, had broken into the store.” Say: “That man, the witness +said, had” &c.; or: “That was the man, the witness said, who” &c.; or: +“That was the man whom the witness accused of having broken” &c. [The +fault of the first construction is that, for an instant, the mind is in +doubt whether _who_ or _whom_ ought to be used.] + +Distinguish, according to the sense you wish to convey, between the +use of the adjective and that of the adverb, after intransitive verbs +expressing action [_go_, _come_, _arrive_, _depart_, &c.] _E.g._: “He +arrived safe.” “He arrived safely.” The former denotes his condition +upon arrival, without reference to his condition upon the way. The +latter denotes his condition upon the way, without reference to his +condition upon arrival. So say: “He came safely through numberless +perils, but dropped dead upon the threshold of his own home.” + +_Lesser_ may be used of dimensions, but not of quantity. Thus: “He is +lesser than his brother,” is not incorrect; but, “He is smaller than +[or, shorter than, or not so large as],” &c., is better. “There is +lesser wheat than corn,” is incorrect. + + + + +GENERAL SUGGESTIONS UPON COMPOSITION. + + +To avoid ambiguity, report a speech in the _first_, not in the _third_ +person. + +Try to avoid the use of words that have two or more meanings: _any_, +_certain_, _left_, _lie_, &c. [_Any_ is sometimes used incorrectly for +_indefinitely large_; _e.g._: “He gave me _any_ number of books.”] + +Avoid using a word that leaves us for a moment doubtful what part of +speech it is. _E.g._: “The good remains, he said,” &c. [Until something +further is given, we are in doubt whether _remains_ is a noun, the +subject of some unexpressed verb; or a verb, agreeing with its subject, +_good_, used as a noun.] + +_Avoid_ the excessive use of such expressions as, _of this sort_, _of +this kind_, _in this way_, _in this manner_. It is better to repeat the +words to which the reference is made. + +Avoid what is called the prospective use of _it_. Say, “To give is +good;” not, “It is good to give.” + +It is often said that a sentence ought not to end with a preposition. +There is no objection, however, to such an ending, provided the +preposition governs a relative pronoun and is not likely to be mistaken +for some other part of speech. Thus: “The rule that I always adhere +to,” is quite correct. [If preferred, “The rule to which I always +adhere,” may, of course, be used.] It is hardly necessary to say that +the clause or sentence should not end with the _to_ of the infinitive; +_i.e._, _to_, the sign of the infinitive, ought never to be used alone. + +Avoid the excessive use of _there is_, _there are_, _there will be_, &c. + +To relieve the monotony and to give force to the expression, change +such constructions as, “He replied that he deemed it best that his +example should not be followed;” into, “He deemed it best, he replied, +that his example should not be followed.” + +Force may often be gained by the use of particular, in place of +general, terms. _E.g._: _gold_ for _great riches_, _a crust of bread_ +for _poverty_. On the same principle, a particular proper name may be +used _effectively_ for a common, or class, name. _E.g._: “Solomon,” is +more forcible than “the wisest man;” “Nero,” than “the most cruel man.” + +The great rule, however, for force, or effect, is that the reader +shall be kept _in suspense_; that is, that he shall be made to feel +the incompleteness of the sentence, until the end is reached. To +attain this object the following directions have been given: (1) Put a +conditional clause first, not last. _E.g._: “If he wishes, I will go +away.” [When the conditional clause is very emphatic, it may be placed +last.] (2) Let participial phrases come before the words qualified +by them. _E.g._: “Wasted by disease, worn out with toil, he was fast +sinking into the grave.” [This remark will often apply to adjectives +and adverbs, as well as to participles. _E.g._: “Weary of life, glad to +depart, he quietly passed away.”] (3) Use suspensive words: _not only_, +_but also_; _either_, _or_; _partly_, _partly_; _on the one hand_, _on +the other_; _in the first_, _second_, &c., _place_. Of course, this +“principle of suspense” is not to be too frequently employed. + +Emphatic words must be in emphatic positions; _i.e._, at the +_beginning_ or at the _end_ of the proposition. “Coward though he was, +he was forced to fight;” is much more striking than, “He was forced to +fight, although he was a coward.” + +The most emphatic place for the subject is at the end, its ordinary +place being at the beginning of the proposition. + +On a similar principle, the object is made emphatic by putting it +before its verb. + +Again, emphasis may be given by the use, before the emphatic noun, of +such an expression as, _as for the_, _as to the_, _concerning_, &c. + +Avoid putting a minimizing expression, such as, _at least_, _at all +events_, _at any rate_, between two emphatic expressions. + +Avoid the placing of an unemphatic word at the end of the proposition. +The following sentence is weak, because this rule has not been +observed. “The documents proved how just in all his dealings he was.” + +What have been called “short, chippy endings” should be avoided, as +such endings spoil the rythm which should exist even in prose. _E.g._: +“The man, pierced with balls, died;” is bad. + +Prepositions and pronouns attached to emphatic words need not, however, +be removed from the end. So: “Bear witness how he loved him,” is +correct. [In such instances the emphatic and the unemphatic word form, +as it were, a compound expression.] + +Avoid, on the other hand, a monotonous final emphasis. + +Frequently an idea may be expressed more forcibly in the form of a +question than in that of an assertion. + +Brevity may often be obtained by the use of a word for a phrase. +_E.g._: _unintelligible_, _indelible_. + +Brevity may be obtained, also, by the use of metaphors, in place of +literal words or phrases. + +The omission of the present participle often gives brevity and force to +the sentence. _E.g._: “The Indians [being] on the war-path, what dared +we do?” + +Brevity may be gained by using the imperative for other moods. _E.g._: +“Do this, and you will suffer;” for, “If you do this” &c. [This use of +the imperative should be indulged in but sparingly.] + +Repeat the nominative when the verbs of the various clauses are of +diverse moods, tenses or voices _and_ are emphatically distinguished. +_E.g._: “He is, and _he_ always has been, rich.” + +Repeat the preposition after an intervening conjunction, especially if +a verb and a pronoun also intervene. _E.g._: “The man does not remember +the respect he ought to have for those persons who have helped him, and +_for_ his old friend C. in particular.” [If the preposition _for_ were +not repeated after _and_, the sentence might mean that the man does not +remember his old friend C. in particular.] + +Do not repeat the sign _to_ of the infinitive unless attention is +called to each individual verb. + +When otherwise there would be doubt as to whether an infinitive +expresses a purpose or not, and it is intended that it shall express +a purpose, use _in order that_, _for the purpose of_ [followed by the +form in _-ing_], or some such phrase. [Purpose may be clearly shewn, of +course, by the use of _that_ with an auxiliary verb. _E.g._: “He died +that we might live;” which is equivalent to: “He died in order to give +us life.”] + +To avoid ambiguity, or to add emphasis, repeat the subordinate +conjunction. _E.g._: “When the hunter had returned to the far-off camp, +and _when_ he had recounted his adventures” &c. + +Be careful in the use of participial constructions. _E.g._: “They will +be shunned on their return, accompanied by the oppressors of their +country;” may mean, “on account of their being accompanied” &c.; or, +“when they are accompanied” &c. So: “Children, playing on the ice, +often fall;” may mean: “Children that play” &c.; or “Children, when +they play” &c. It is best to confine the use of the participial phrase +to the adverbial meaning [“Children, _when_ they play” &c.]; and with +other meanings to employ the relative pronoun [“Children that play” +&c.]. When the participial phrase precedes the main proposition, the +former usually implies _cause_; when it follows, _time_. _E.g._: +“Seeing this, he withdrew” [_i.e._ “He withdrew _because_ he saw +this.”] “He withdrew, seeing this” [_i.e._, “He withdrew _when_ he +saw this.”] If there is doubt as to which meaning is intended, use an +introductory phrase, such as, _while seeing_, _upon seeing_. + +There are various constructions that may take the place of the relative +pronoun or of the relative clause. The infinitive may often be used +with effect. _E.g._: “He was the last that died,” may be expressed +as: “He was the last to die.” Again, _if_ or some other conditional +word may be used to introduce a dependent clause. _E.g._: “If a man +sins, he will be punished” [_i.e._, “The man that sins” &c.] Again, +the conjunction and the demonstrative pronoun may be used. _E.g._: “He +wasted his time at X., which was very foolish;” may be changed into: +“He wasted his time at X., and this was” &c. Again, pronominal adverbs +(_whereby_, _wherein_, &c.) may take the place of the relative and a +preposition. + +Very often, after a negative, the antecedent to the relative should be +repeated, or a summing-up noun introduced. _E.g._: “He said he would +not hear me--a refusal that I expected.” When otherwise there would be +ambiguity, the same construction should be used with an affirmative. + +Prefer verbal clauses to verbal nouns. “That he had betrayed his +country was not so plainly shown,” is better than: “His having +betrayed” &c. + +Avoid what is called “mistake of subject.” _E.g._: “The late arrival of +the train caused” &c., should be: “The lateness of the arrival” &c. So: +“Excuse a letter to-day,” should be: “Excuse my not having written a +letter to-day.” + +_In prose_ be careful to avoid zeugma, _i.e._, the application of a +word to two or more ideas, to only one of which it is really suitable. +_E.g._: “The landscape and the shoutings formed a strange _sight_.” + +The great rule for figures of speech, especially for metaphors and +similes, is to use strictly appropriate language. Therefore, do +not say, “_Convey an impression_.” Say, “_Make_ [or _leave_] an +impression.” Do not say, “The _car_ of progress rolls onward, _gnashing +its teeth_ in its course.” + +In metaphorical language the pronouns usually agree with the noun used +metaphorically, as if it were taken in its literal sense. _E.g._: +“The stone _which_ the builders rejected,” &c. Afterwards, however, +the pronouns may agree with the noun in its figurative sense. _E.g._: +“Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone; and he that believeth on +_Him_,” &c. + +Do not employ different forms and expressions for the same person or +thing, unless there is a peculiar appropriateness in each term or +expression. Only confusion results from speaking, within narrow limits, +of Columbus as “the Genoese navigator,” “the discoverer of America,” &c. + +It is a bad fault, therefore, to repeat the meaning in terms but +slightly differing one from another. Thus, do not, in close connection, +use such synonyms as _all_, _universal_, _total_. + +A new construction ought not to be introduced without sufficient cause. +_E.g._: “On horseback and on foot,” is preferable to, “On horseback and +walking;” “The dead and the living,” to, “The dead and those still on +the earth.” + +Let each sentence have one, and only one, subject of thought. That is, +avoid mixed or confused sentences. + +It is often a good thing to introduce each sentence of a paragraph by a +short connecting expression: _accordingly_, _therefore_, _so_, _then_. +[Such words as _but_, _and_, and other conjunctions generally used to +join clauses, may, for the sake of clearness, introduce a new sentence.] + +Sometimes two important sentences may very effectively be united by a +short connective sentence, such as: “This was as follows,” “The result +was as expected.” + +Often a good effect is produced by making a statement or by giving an +explanation twice: first, briefly, and then fully; or _vice versâ_. + +The guiding principle in descriptive writing is to imagine we see, +actually before us, the thing to be described. + +Except in scientific or other very precise writing, avoid the frequent +use of _technical_ terms. It savors of pedantry, as the meaning of +these terms is often unknown to the general reader. This “technical +slang” is commonly seen in newspaper accounts of sporting and musical +events. Why should _bowling_ be called “trundling the leather,” or +a _lacrosse ball_ the “rubber”? Why should the report of a concert +fairly bristle with “technique” and “timbre” and “genre” and “morceau”? +Perhaps it is to display the writer’s intimate knowledge of the subject. + + + + +WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED, SYNONYMS, OPPOSITES. + +_Advantage, benefit._ + + _Advantage_ is “a state of forwardness or advance;” and the word is + applied rightly, therefore, to one person or thing in relation to + other persons or things. _Benefit_ is simply gain or profit, without + comparison of one person or thing with another. [Thus: “He possesses + an advantage over me,” is correct. “All derived advantage from it,” is + incorrect.] + +_Also, likewise._ + + _Also_ is applied to things and qualities, and denotes mere addition. + _Likewise_ is applied to states of being or of action; and denotes + some agreement or connection between the ideas expressed in the words + it joins. [Thus: “He is a prince and _also_ a musician;” but: “He is a + poet and _likewise_ a musician.”] + +_Ability, capacity._ + + _Ability_ is the power of doing something. _Capacity_ is the faculty + of receiving something [_e.g._: new ideas, great thoughts.] [So: “That + statesman has great ability;” “That pupil had wonderful capacity.”] + +_Answer, reply._ + + _An answer_ is given to questions; _a reply_, to attacks and + accusations. [An answer to an answer may, however, be called a reply.] + +_Amid [amidst], among._ + + _Amid or amidst_ is used generally when the surroundings are of a + different nature from the person or thing surrounded. _Among_, when + they are of the same nature. Again, _amid or amidst_ is generally + applied to quantity; _among_, to number. [So: “among friends;” “amidst + enemies;” “among thousands;” “amid the snow.”] + +_Abandon, desert, forsake._ + + _Abandon_ and _desert_ generally imply something blame-worthy in the + one who abandons or deserts; _forsake_ does not. Again: _abandon and + forsake_ are used of persons and things, _desert_ is used of causes or + of persons, but not of things. [Thus: “The soldier deserted his post + of duty.” “The man abandoned his early friends.” “We forsook the dear + old homestead.”] + +_Assist, aid._ + + _Assist_ implies mutuality of help; _aid_, not necessarily so. [“The + sufferers assisted one another.” “I aided him in his distress.”] + +_Anger, wrath._ + + _Anger_ is inward feeling. _Wrath_ is inward feeling accompanied by + outward manifestations. [“The wrath of the elements.” “The anger of + the inmost soul.”] + +_Accurate, exact._ + + _Accurate_ is aiming at, and therefore attaining to, correctness. + _Exact_ has not necessarily this implication of intention, and may be + used of accidental correctness. [“He was very honest and accurate in + his accounts.” “He was exact in that financial statement, but it was + by chance.”] + +_Authentic, genuine_ (applied to books, writing, &c.). + + _Authentic_ is that which gives a true account of the matters in + question. _Genuine_ is that which has been written or composed by the + person whose signature the book or paper bears. [“This is a genuine + letter of the great Captain’s; but it does not give an authentic + account of the voyage.”] + +_Admittance, admission._ + + _Admittance_ is the right of entry; _admission_ is the actual entry. + [“The admittance fee was twenty-five cents.” “The burglar gained + admission to the house by a window.”] + +_Allow and permit._ + + _Allow_ is the stronger of the two. [“I begged to to be allowed to go; + but I was refused.” “Permit me to show you to a seat.”] + +_Appear, seem._ + + _Seem_ is confined to the mind; _appear_, to the senses. [“It seems to + me that you have made a mistake.” “That house appears white to me.”] + +_Bountiful and plentiful._ + + _Bountiful_ is used of persons; _plentiful_, of things. [“The game was + plentiful.” “A bountiful giver.”] + +_Bravery, courage, valor._ + + _Bravery_ is a natural quality; _courage_ and _valor_ are acquired + qualities; courage, in particular, being the result of reason. + _Bravery_ and _valor_ are confined to contests with living beings; + _courage_ is not. Again, _valor_ is not used of single combat, but + of war; _bravery_ and _courage_ may be used of single combat. [“The + natives showed great bravery.” “He bore his sufferings with undaunted + courage.” “His military career was one long record of valor.”] + +_Beneficent, beneficence; benevolent, benevolence._ + + _Beneficent_ is used chiefly--if not entirely--of actions. + _Benevolent_ is used of both actions and feelings, chiefly of + feelings. The same thing may be said of most adjectives and + nouns having the endings _-ficent_ and _-ficence_ [facio, I + do] respectively, and _-volent_ and _-volence_ [volo, I will] + respectively; _e.g._: _munificent_, _malevolent_. [“He was naturally + very benevolent; but, owing to the circumstances of his life, he could + not shew any very great beneficence.” “He was a very munificent man, + continually giving away his money to the poor.”] The use of these + words should be confined to persons or personified things. It is + incorrect, therefore, to speak of a _munificent_ gift. + +_Brevity, conciseness; brief, concise._ + + _Brevity_ is mere shortness. _Conciseness_ is shortness along with + condensation. [“His speech was very brief; for really there was + nothing to be said.” “Mr. H. is very concise in his speeches: they are + short, but full of matter.”] + +_Continuous, continual._ + + Motion is _continuous_ when there are no interruptions. It is + _continual_ when there are interruptions. [“Life itself is + continuous.” “The demands upon ones purse are imperative and + continual.”] + +_Character, reputation._ + + _Character_ is our real inner worth; _reputation_ is the world’s + opinion of our character. [“His reputation is bad; but, could we see + his real character, we should find him not so bad, after all.”] + +_Conscious, aware._ + + _Conscious_ applies to the heart, the soul, the conscience: _i.e._, to + the moral and spiritual part of man. _Aware_ applies to the mind. [“He + was conscious of his sin.” “He was not aware that you saw him.”] + +_Crime, sin, vice._ + + A _crime_ is an infraction of the law of a particular land or people. + _Sin_ is the violation of a religious law. This law may be common to + many lands or peoples. _Vice_ is a continual course of wrong-doing, + and is unaffected by country, religious belief, or state of life: + being a line of conduct harmful to the vicious man or to others. + [Smuggling is a crime; idleness is a sin, and, if long-continued, it + becomes a vice.] + +_Courteous, polite [polished]._ + + _Courteous_ has reference chiefly to others; _polite or polished_, to + ourselves. The former is “objective;” the latter, “subjective.” [Thus: + “We met an old fisherman, who took us home and treated us with great + courtesy and kindness. Of course, he was not polished: in fact, he had + very little idea of politeness.”] + +_Catalogue, list._ + + A _catalogue_ is a list accompanied by short explanations or notes. + “The list of the paintings was only a page and a half long; but the + complete catalogue--compiled later--occupied four pages.” + +_Casual, accidental, fortuitous._ + + That is _casual_ which is unpremeditated. That is _fortuitous_ which + is “opposed to systematic design.” [_Fortuitous_ generally implies + a combination of events.] That is _accidental_ which interrupts + (generally unpleasantly) the ordinary course of events. [“Walking + carelessly along, I took a casual look at the prison window; and there + I beheld my friend.” “The accidental stopping of the coach saved him a + further explanation.” “The meeting was quite fortuitous: it would not + have taken place once in a thousand times.”] + +_Compel, compulsion; coerce, coercion._ + + _Compel and compulsion_ generally imply the employment of physical + force. _Coerce and coercion_ do not, their meaning being almost always + confined to moral or mental pressure. + +_Confess, acknowledge._ + + _Confess_, _confession_, imply that what is told was before unknown + to the person to whom the confession is made. _Acknowledge_, + _acknowledgment_, have no such implication. [“But what was their + surprise when the captain confessed that he himself was the murderer!” + “The monster, being accused of the crime, acknowledged his guilt.”] + +_Conjecture, surmise._ + + _A surmise_ is founded on evidence; _a conjecture_, not necessarily + so. A _conjecture_, therefore, is generally of something visionary; + a _surmise_ of something practical. [“His conjecture, that the moon + is inhabited, is now discredited.” “After taking observations, he + surmised that the Indians contemplated an attack.”] + +_Con- and Co-_ [in composite words]. + + _Con-_ is used before a consonant; _co-_, before a vowel. When, + however, the two parts are very distinct, _co-_ is preferred, before + even a consonant. A hyphen will, in such cases, generally be used. + [_Contemporary_, _coeval_, _co-partner_.] + +_Complete, finished._ + + _Complete_ means lacking nothing. _Finished_ means done as far as was + intended. [“The house is finished for the winter; but still, much more + labor will be required to make it complete.”] + +_Custom, habit, usage._ + + _Custom and usage_ apply to society; _habit_ applies to an individual. + Again, _usage_ implies long standing; _custom_, not necessarily so. + [“My _habit_ in Africa was to rise early. Early rising is a _custom_ + of the country, sanctioned by immemorial _usage_.”] + +_Discriminate, distinguish._ + + _Discriminate_ is used of small differences; _distinguish_, of great + differences. Again: _discriminate_ applies to several objects; + _distinguish_, to two. Further: _discriminate_ is generally used of + the mind; _distinguish_, of the senses. [“By the light of the lantern + he distinguished the bodies.” “He discriminated among the specimens, + which, to an unpractised eye, appeared all the same.”] + +_Despotism, tyranny._ + + _Despotism_ exists by law or of right. _A tyranny_ exists in the face + of law and right. A _despotism_ may, therefore, be mild, as has often + been the case in history. + +_Determine, resolve._ + + _Resolve_ is stronger than _determine_. [“I am resolved to die + rather than give up my Church.” “I am determined to get the book, if + possible.”] + +_Directed, guided._ + + One is _directed_ by a person at a greater or less distance. One is + _guided_ by a person close at hand. [“Taking our hand, he guided + us through the forest.” “Standing on an eminence, he directed the + pilgrims to their various quarters, by a movement of the hand.”] + +_Deduction, induction._ + + In reasoning, _deduction_ is proceeding from generals to particulars; + _induction_, from particulars to generals. + +_Direct, address._ + + A letter is _directed_ to him who is to receive it; _addressed_, + to him who is to read it. A parcel, therefore, is _directed_, not + _addressed_. + +_Drive, ride._ + + _Drive_ is to urge along; _ride_, to be borne along. This is the + distinction in America. [“Mr. Vanderbilt drove a beautiful span of + bays; his wife rode beside him.”] In Great Britain and Ireland, + _drive_ generally refers to vehicles (except busses, cabs, and other + public conveyances, with which its use is confined to the driver); + whilst _ride_ means to be carried upon the back of a horse, donkey, + &c. Thus: “I went out for a drive,” would not necessarily mean that + I myself held the reins. The American use of _drive and ride_ is, + however, more agreeable to reason and authority. + +_Evidence, testimony._ + + _Evidence_ is that which produces proof. _Testimony_ is that which + is intended to produce proof, _i.e._, the giving of what may be + _evidence_. [“Much testimony was taken, but really there was little + evidence of even the commission of the crime.”] + +_Epidemic, endemic._ + + _Epidemic_ is a disease brought upon or into a community from some + outside quarter. It is therefore unnatural to the locality. _Endemic_ + is a disease natural to the community or locality. [“Yellow-fever, + which is epidemic at New York, is endemic in Cuba.”] + +_Expense, cost; expensive, costly._ + + _Expense and expensive_ refer to the purchaser; _cost and costly_, to + the thing purchased. [“That vase is not too costly--for it is very + valuable; but it is too expensive for my limited means.”] + +_Effect, consequence, result._ + + The _effect_ is that which immediately follows the cause. Then comes + the _consequence_, and after that the _result_. [“The effect of + wearing clothes is warmth; the consequence is the wearing out of the + clothes; the result is the purchase of new clothes.”] + +_Eternal, everlasting._ + + _Eternal_: having neither beginning nor end; _everlasting_: having + beginning, but no end. [“Eternal Father, strong to save.” “The + everlasting hills.”] + +_Etc. [etcetera], and so forth._ + + _Etc._ means, “and others of a different kind.” _And so forth_ means, + “and others of the same kind,” “in the same strain,” “and the like.” + [“He has sold his horses, cows, sheep, &c.” “The result is a train of + coughs, colds, consumption, and so forth.”] In dignified composition + the use of these expressions is to be avoided as much as possible. It + is incorrect to use _etc._, _&c._, _and so forth_, in instances like + the following: “Employ some such word as mountain, hill,” &c. [_Some + such_ renders &c. superfluous.] + +_Ferment, foment._ + + _Ferment_ is to produce alcohol by fermentation. Hence _ferment_ + is sometimes used figuratively with the intransitive force of “to + be in an excited state.” _Foment_ is to apply lotions to; hence, + figuratively, to animate or stir up. [“The revolutionary ingredients + seemed to be fermenting; the leaven of socialism seemed to be + working.” “He fomented the disturbance by appeals to the people.”] + +_Faultless, blameless._ + + _Faultless_ is, free from defects as well as from evil or wickedness. + _Blameless_ is, free from evil or wickedness alone. [“His course of + life was blameless, although he made many errors in business matters.” + “His playing was faultless.”] + +_Falsehood, falsity._ + + A _falsehood_ is a false or incorrect proposition. _Falsity_ is + the falseness or incorrectness of the proposition, apart from the + proposition itself. [“That statement is a falsehood. The falsity of + the assertions contained therein is obvious.”] + +_Farther, further._ + + _Farther_ is used of rest; _further_, of motion. In a secondary sense + _further_ is generally preferred. [“Montreal is farther away than + Toronto.” “I throw the ball further than you.” “To speak further is + superfluous.”] + +_Goodness, virtue._ + + _Goodness_ is innate; _virtue_, acquired. [“His goodness of heart + prompted the savage to give us food.” “His virtue was of slow growth: + at first he was a most degraded man.”] + +_However, but, yet, still, notwithstanding, nevertheless, in spite of._ +These words are in their proper gradation from weak to strong. + +_Hidden, concealed, secret._ + + _Hidden and concealed_ imply intention; _secret_ does not. [“Hidden + here, concealed there, the officers found the stolen goods.” “Deep in + the earth he found the secret ore.”] + +_Haste, hurry._ + + _Haste_ is quickness. _Hurry_ is quickness accompanied with confusion + or flurry. [“We are often in haste; we ought never to be in a hurry.”] + +_Hindrance, obstacle, inpediment._ + + A _hindrance_ stops us at the beginning; an _obstacle_, in the + middle; an _inpediment_ retards us all the time. [“Our journey was + very unfortunate. The entrance of a visitor was a hindrance to our + departure; about a mile from the house we found in the road an + obstacle in the shape of a fallen tree; whilst the mass of baggage we + carried was a serious inpediment to our progress.”] + +_Informed, instructed, taught._ + + One who is _informed_ knows something new; one who is _instructed_ + understands something new; one who is _taught_ can do something new. + [“He was informed of the death of his father.” “He was instructed in + matters of trade.” “He was taught how to make sword-blades.”] + +_To take issue, to join issue._ + + _To take issue_ is to object to the right of denial. _To join issue_ + is to admit the right of denial, but to disagree as to facts. _Join + issue_ should, of course, never be used for _agree_. [“He wanted to + argue with me; but I at once took issue with him, alleging that his + position in the matter precluded any argument.” “He said yes; I said + no. Upon this we joined issue.”] + +_Indecent, immodest._ + + _Indecent_ is used of the person; _immodest_, of the conduct or + disposition. [“The wearing of such clothes was simply indecent.” “His + general behaviour was quite immodest.”] + +_Instant, moment._ + + An _instant_ is shorter than a _moment_. [“In a few moments--nay, in a + single instant--we may be ushered into eternity.”] + +_Industrious, diligent; industry, diligence._ + + _Diligent_ and _diligence_ express the idea of thoroughly doing + whatever is at hand. _Industrious_ and _industry_ express the same + idea, and, in addition, imply a readiness or watchfulness for work. + [“He performed his task with diligence--just as a well-trained horse + does. He lacked, however, those habits of industry and thrift which + raised his brother to wealth.”] + +_Import, meaning, sense._ + + _Import_ is the idea most readily conveyed. _Meaning_ is the idea + intended to be conveyed. _Sense_ is the way in which the expression + may be taken, or its general substance or spirit. [“He says the + meaning is so and so. His words may have that sense, but it is not + their obvious import.”] + +_Illusion, delusion._ + + _Illusion_ is the imagining to be existent of something non-existent. + _Delusion_ is an incorrect idea about something really existent. + [“His chief illusion was that there were wild beasts in the room.” + “The delusion under which he labored was that paper currency is real + money, instead of its representative.”] + +_In-_, _un-_ [prefixes]. + + _In-_ is the ordinary negative prefix to be used with nouns and + adjectives of Latin origin. _Un-_ is the negative prefix to be used: + (1) with words of Anglo-Saxon origin; (2) with verbs of Latin origin. + [Thus: _inhospitable_, _ingratitude_; _unclean_, _unauthorize_.] There + are, however, many exceptions; _e.g._: _uncomfortable_, _incapacitate_. + +_Inexorable, inflexible._ + + _Inexorable_ is, not to be prevailed upon by entreaty; _inflexible_, + not to be bent at all. _Inflexible_ is therefore the stronger of the + two. [“We tried entreaties, but he was inexorable. Afterwards, we + tried money and threats; but he was still inflexible.”] + +_Jar, pitcher, jug._ + + _A jar_ is a wide-mouthed vessel without a handle [“A jar of jam”]. + _A pitcher_ is a wide-mouthed vessel with a protruding lip and a + large ear or handle. [“Please pass the milk-pitcher.”] _A jug_ is a + small-mouthed vessel with a swelling body and a small ear or handle + near the mouth. [“He brought a large jug of beer.”] + +_Low-priced, cheap._ + + _Low-priced_ is that for which little has been paid. The thing may + however, really be dear. _Cheap_ is that the price of which is low, + its intrinsic worth being considered. [“The watch was by no means + low-priced; it cost, in fact, one hundred pounds; still, it was cheap + at that sum, for its action was perfect.”] + +_Lazy, idle, slothful._ + + _Lazy_ describes the general disposition, and is the opposite to + _alert_ or _industrious_. _Idle_ refers to a particular time, place + or matter, and is the opposite to _busy_ or _occupied_. _Slothful_ + or _indolent_ implies a hatred of exertion and a general slowness or + languor. The opposite to _slothfulness_ or _indolence_ is _activity_. + [“The boy was thoroughly lazy: he would neither work nor play.” “After + a hard day’s work, he was now enjoying a few minutes of idle repose.” + “Be not slothful in business.”] + +_Laudable, praiseworthy._ + + _Laudable_ is used of things; _praiseworthy_, of persons. [“It is a + most laudable endeavour.” “He is a praiseworthy man.”] + +_Last, latest._ + + _Last_ is used of place or order; _latest_, of time. [“His name + was last on the list.” “He was the latest to arrive.”] _Late_ is + often employed incorrectly for _last_. _E.g._: “The _late_ [_last_] + speaker.” # + + _Leave, quit._ + + _Leave_ generally implies a return. _Quit_ generally implies no + return. [“He left me for a moment.” “He quitted me for ever.”] + + _Malice, spite._ + + _Malice_ is used of conduct in general; _spite_, of individual acts. + [“He followed him for years with untiring malice.” “On this occasion + he certainly shewed spite towards his opponent.”] + + _Marital, matrimonial._ + + _Marital_ means, pertaining to a husband; _matrimonial_, pertaining + to marriage. [“His marital rights were disregarded.” “Matrimonial + alliances between crowned heads are often matters of policy.”] + + _Mistake, error._ + + A _mistake_ is not necessarily blameworthy. An _error_ is + blameworthy. [“That was a fortunate mistake.” “It was a downright + error on his part; for he had been warned again and again.”] + + _Mute, dumb._ + + _Mute_ is used of one who _can_ speak, but who, through compulsion or + otherwise, will not. _Dumb_ is used of one who _cannot_ speak. So, + the expression, _a deaf-mute_, should be, _a deaf and dumb person_. + [“He was mute, in spite of all their threats: he would not betray his + friends.” “He was dumb, having uttered no articulate sound in his + whole life.”] + + _Merely, simply._ + + _Merely_ implies no addition; _simply_, no admixture. [“They were + there merely to prevent bloodshed.” “It was simply incredible that he + should have so acted.”] + + _Nearly, entirely, scarcely; almost, completely, hardly._ + + _Nearly_, _entirely_, _scarcely_, are applied to quantity, time or + space; _almost_, _completely_, _hardly_, generally to degree. [“It is + nearly a mile from here.” “The apple is hardly ripe.” “He is almost + dead.”] + + _Neglectful, negligent._ + + _Neglectful_ refers to an individual act. _Negligent_, to a series + of acts that have produced a habit. [“To forget that book was very + neglectful.” “He was all his life a most negligent man.”] + + _Owing, due._ + + _Due_ is used of debts. _Owing_ calls attention to the source or + origin whence something springs. The present participle [_owing_] + of the intransitive verb _to owe_ has taken the place of the past + participle [_owed_] of the transitive verb _to owe_. [“A large sum + was due him.” “It was owing to the Crusades that many oriental ideas + and inventions were introduced into the West.”] + + _On, upon._ + + _Upon_ is stronger than _on_, and should be employed when + particular attention is to be drawn to the support, whether literal + or figurative. With verbs of motion, also, _upon_ is generally + preferable. [“The book is on the table.” “He lifted the large box, + and put it upon the table.” “Upon truth and righteousness, upon + honour and justice, must rest the foundations of every state.”] + + _Perspicacity, perspicuity; perspicacious, perspicuous._ + + _Perspicacity and perspicacious_ express the power of of seeing + clearly. _Perspicuity and perspicuous_ express the quality of + clearness. The former two are active in their meaning, the latter two + passive. The ending _-city_, here as elsewhere, denotes the power + or ability to do something; _e.g._: _veracity_ is the quality of + speaking the truth, not truth itself. [“I admire the perspicuity of + his explanations.” “He is a most perspicacious man: nothing escapes + his eye.”] In many cases, _clear-sightedness_, _clear-sighted_, + _clearness_, _clear_, are greatly preferable to _perspicacity_ and + the rest. + + _Perpetually, continually; perpetual, continual._ + + _Perpetually_ is an exact synonym of _continuously_, and means, + therefore, never-ceasing. _Continual_ implies interruptions, and is + equivalent to constantly renewed. [“The perpetual flow of the river.” + “The continual roar of the mill, ceasing only for a short time at + night.”] + + _Proclaim, announce._ + + One _proclaims_ opinions, sentiments, and so forth. One _announces_ + news, tidings, and so on. [“He proclaimed to the vast throng the + revolutionary doctrines of socialism.” “The messenger announced that + the battle was lost.”] + + _Purpose, intent or intention._ + + _Purpose_ generally implies the employment of means to accomplish + the end. _Intent and intention_ may exist without the employment of + means. [“His intention was to do wonders; but he never did anything + at all.” “His practical purpose soon found ways and means to + accomplish what he wished.”] + + _Poverty, indigence, pauperism._ + + _Poverty_ means straitened circumstances, one’s position in life + being considered. _Indigence_ is absolute destitution. _Pauperism_ + implies the receiving of public relief. [“The duke was in poverty, + although he had £1,000 a year. But what is that for the expenses + of a duke?” “I found them in the greatest indigence--without any + fuel, and with but a mouthful of bread.” “Legalized pauperism kills + individual effort.”] + + _Reticent, reticence; reserved, reserve._ + + _Reticence and reticent_ are confined to habitual quiet or caution. + _Reserve and reserved_ may refer to temporary quiet or caution. [“He + a very reticent man: during our whole acquaintance with him I have + never heard him make a speech.” “I questioned him upon that point, + but he kept a careful reserve.”] + + _Reverse and converse._ + + _Reverse_ is the opposite or antithesis. _Converse_ is “an opposite + reciprocal proposition.” In the converse, therefore, the cause + becomes the effect, the condition becomes the result. [“Minus is the + reverse of plus.” “If the sides of two triangles are respectively + equal, the angles will be equal. But the converse is not true; for + the angles may be equal, and the sides unequal.”] + + _Recompense, reward, meed._ + + _Recompense_ is a fair compensation. _Reward_ is any present or gift. + _Meed_ is something earned by one’s own toil. [“The recompense for + the loss of his arm at the Alma was not too great.” “He rewarded me + munificently--indeed, far above my deserts.” “He alone who fights and + labours, wins the glorious meed.”] + + _Robbery, theft._ + + _Robbery_ is stealing with violence; _theft_, generally without. + [“After a hard struggle, he robbed the traveller of his watch.” “I + had not noticed the theft, it was committed so quietly.”] + + _Remember, recollect._ + + _Remember_ is to gather materials ready at hand; _recollect_, to + gather materials not ready at hand. [“I do not remember, but I will + try to recollect.”] + + _Religion, piety._ + + _Religion_ is a form of belief or worship. _Piety_ is reverence for + what is good, and the desire to do good. It includes, therefore, + love, charity and such like. [“There are many religions; there is but + one piety.”] + + _Relieve, alleviate, mitigate._ + + _Relieve_ is to remove pain _entirely_. _Alleviate_ or _mitigate_ is + to remove it but partially. _Alleviate_ is used generally of others, + _mitigate_ of ourselves. [“At his touch the pain was instantly + relieved.” “I alleviated his sufferings through the application of a + lotion.” “My anguish was somewhat mitigated.”] + + _Recant, abjure._ + + _Recant_ generally implies the use of force; _abjure_ generally does + not. [“Unable to bear the torture, he recanted.” “I freely abjure all + part in the plot.”] + + _Rend, tear._ + + _Rend_ implies purpose; _tear_ may or may not do so. _Rend_ generally + carries with it the idea of splitting or dividing. Such idea is not + necessarily implied in _tear_. [“He unfortunately tore his coat.” “He + tore his hair.” “He rent his garment.”] + + _Sewerage, sewage._ + + _Sewerage_: a system of drainage or the science of drainage. It is + but rarely used for sewage. _Sewage_: sometimes the same as sewerage, + but generally the matter flowing through the drains. [“How many books + have been written on sewerage!” “The sewage from the city pollutes + the river.”] + + _Spontaneous, voluntary._ + + _Spontaneous_ should be confined to things; _voluntary_, to persons. + [“It was an instance of spontaneous combustion.” “The action was + voluntary on his part.”] + + _Sociable, social._ + + _Sociable_ expresses a readiness for companionship. _Social_ refers + to the relations that men in an organized society bear, one to + another. [“He is a very sociable man.” “Have you read the great works + on social science and social progress?”] _Sociable_ is, therefore, + the correct form of the noun. [“The sociable was successful.”] + + _Satisfied, contented._ + + _Satisfied_ is stronger than _contented_, and means that all our + desires are gratified. _Satisfaction_ is positive pleasure, and comes + from the outside. _Contentment_ is the absence of pain, and lies + in ourselves. _Satisfaction_ is less lasting than _contentment_. + [“The industrious and intelligent artisan may, for a time, remain + contented; but he is certainly far from satisfied with his lot.”] + + _Sufficient, enough._ + + One has _enough_ when one’s desires are satisfied; _sufficient_, when + one’s needs are satisfied. [“Do not let the horse eat as much as he + will. Give him just sufficient.” “He was rich; but, like all other + misers, he never had enough.”] + + _Strong, powerful._ + + _Strong_: of sound constitution, able to stand hard work. _Powerful_: + able to lift heavy weights, to strike heavy blows, &c. [“He + made a gallant fight against disease; for he was a very strong + man.” “Strange to say, he was a very powerful man, able to give + tremendous blows; and yet, his constitution was undermined through + dissipation.”] _Muscular_ is a very effective word. + + _Stubborn, obstinate._ + + _Stubborn_: opposed to the way of others; _obstinate_: set in one’s + own way. [“I tried to induce him to approve my scheme; but, although + he had none of his own to offer, yet he was stubborn and refused.” + “He wished to go his own way, and was very obstinate about the + matter.”] + + _Safety, security._ + + _Safety_: freedom from danger. _Security_: freedom from care. + _Security_ may, therefore, be real or fancied. [“He relied with the + greatest security upon his followers; but, really, he was far from + being in a position of safety.”] + + _Subdue, subjugate._ + + _Subdue_ is to conquer so thoroughly that resistance ceases. + _Subjugate_ is to conquer and then to impose restraints, generally + repeated and severe. _Subjugate_, moreover, is used chiefly in + a literal sense, _i.e._, with reference to nations; _subdue_ is + frequently used in a figurative sense, _i.e._, with reference to the + mind or the moral nature. [“England subdued, but did not subjugate + Russia.” “The Poles have been subjugated; but their spirits are yet + unsubdued.”] + + _Source, origin._ + + _Source_ implies that the supply is continuous; _origin_, that it has + ceased. [“This was the origin of the friendship, which was a source + of such joy.”] + + _Tongue, language._ + + _Tongue_ is generally an original form of speech; _language_, a + derived form. [“The Latin is one of the tongues from which so many + languages have sprung.”] _Language_ may, of course, be used of + inarticulate speech [“The language of birds”], where _tongue_ would + be incorrect. + + _Transitory, transient_ or _fleeting_. + + _Transitory_ is liable to pass away. _Transient or fleeting_ is + actually passing away. _Transitory_ is abstract; _transient and + fleeting_ are concrete, as well as abstract. _Fleeting_ is preferable + to _transient_. [“Earth’s joys are transitory: in a moment they may + pass away.” “Life is fleeting as a shadow: the transient moments can + never be recalled.”] + + _Trivial, trifling._ + + _Trivial_ generally has a tinge of contempt; _trifling_, generally + not. [“That is the most absurd and trivial matter in the world.” “The + greater part of our time ought to be occupied with serious matters; + the rest may be occupied with amusements and other rather trifling + matters.”] + + _Talkative, loquacious._ + + _Talkative_ implies a desire to speak, accompanied or not with + readiness of speech. _Loquacious_ implies a desire to speak, + accompanied with a readiness of speech. [“The little child was very + talkative.” “Unlike most loquacious men, he was very instructive in + his long harangues.”] + + _Voluntary, willing._ + + _Voluntary_ is with seeming readiness or acquiescence; _willing_, + with real readiness or acquiescence. [“He went voluntarily: no + compulsion was used; but still, he looked as if he did not like to + go.” “He was ready--yes, more than ready--willing, to die.”] + + _Vulgar, immodest; vulgarity, immodesty._ + + Only what is metaphorically low is _vulgar_. _Vulgarity_, moreover, + generally implies pretension to refinement along with lowness of + disposition. [“That was a most immodest act.” “His general bearing + was very vulgar.” “The old-fashioned English squire--coarse as he + was--was not vulgar, was not given to cheap display and pretence.”] + + _Whole, entire._ + + _Whole_: that from which nothing has been taken. _The whole_ and _all + the_ are usually interchangeable. _Entire_: that which is undivided. + [“The whole town was burned: not a single house escaped.” “That + congregation, at any rate, was entire in its vote: there were no + divisions among its members.”] + + _Wit, humor._ + + _Wit_ is the effect of unexpected fitness or congruity. _Humor_ is + the effect of unexpected unfitness or incongruity. Again, humor is + not, as wit is, sudden and short-lived; it extends very often through + a whole book or speech. [“Humor is all. Wit should be brought only to + turn agreeably some proper thought.” “He made a very witty pun, and + wrote more than one humorous chapter.”] + + _World, earth, globe._ + + _World_ is our planet viewed from the “moral or abstract point + of view.” _The world_ refers, therefore, almost always to its + inhabitants. _Earth_ is our planet with reference to its external or + material formation or aspect. _Globe_ is our planet in a geological + sense chiefly. _Globe_ is often used in poetry for _world_ or + _earth_. [“The bodies revolving round the sun are the following: + Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,” &c. “When we look abroad upon the world + and see its wickedness, we are lost in wonder at man’s depravity.” + “Who can say how many ages have been required for the formation of + the crust of the globe!”] + + _Wholly_, _totally_ [with expressions denoting deprivation or loss]. + + _Wholly_ lays stress upon the condition of the person deprived; + _totally_, upon the thing of which he has been deprived. [“He is + wholly blind.” “His sight is totally gone.”] + + + PREFER. + + _Prefer_: + + Approve _to_ approve of. [“To shew thyself approved unto God.”] + + Agriculturist _to_ agriculturalist. + + Aside _to_ apart. [“He took me aside.”] _Apart_ means _to pieces_, as, + “He took the clock apart.” + + Alone _to_ only, as much as possible. + + Arise _to_ rise, in a figurative or secondary sense. [“Greece arose + from her ashes.”] + + Advance _to_ progress [as verb]. _Progress_ is not properly formed + from the Latin root. + + Acquaintanceship _to_ acquaintance, as an abstract noun. Reserve + _acquaintance_ for persons or things one is acquainted with. + + + Begin _to_ initiate. _Initiate_ may very properly be used in the sense + of, to induct into a position or introduce to a society. + + Begin _to_ commence. + + Become _to_ grow, denoting a change of condition. [“He becomes rich + and wise.”] + + Believe _to_ think. [“I believe it is so.”] + + Body [dead], or corpse, _to_ the remains. + + Buy _to_ purchase. + + + Coffin _to_ casket. + + Cannot but _to_ can but. [“I cannot but tell what I know.”] There + is an ellipsis in all such expressions: “I cannot do anything but + (_i.e._, except) tell what” &c. + + Come into collision _to_ collide. + + Correct or in the right _to_ right, when correctness, and not + uprightness, is meant, _E.g._: “I am correct in my statistics.” + + Converser or conversationist _to_ conversationalist. + + Controverter, or controversionist, _to_ controversionalist. + + Church _to_ sanctuary. + + Contend against, oppose, be at variance with, _to_ militate against. + + Corpulent, heavy, fat, _to_ fleshy [of persons]. + + + Deadly _to_ lethal. + + Dwell, or live, _to_ reside. + + + Exponental _to_ exponential. + + Earthen, golden, &c., _to_ earth, gold, &c. [as adjectives]. _E.g._: + “An earthen jar.” + + Enlarge on [or, upon] _to_ dilate on [or, upon]. + + + Foregoing _to_ above, as an adjective. [“The foregoing statement is + correct.”] + + Factory _to_ manufactory. + + Forbid _to_ prohibit. + + Forward, backward, toward, &c., _to_ forwards, backwards, towards, &c. + + + Graceful _to_ elegant, when speaking of the body and its movements. + + + Hebrew _to_ Jew, when speaking of race. + + House _to_ residence. + + Incorrect, or in the wrong, _to_ wrong, when incorrectness, and not + unrighteousness, is meant. + + Iced-water, iced-cream, &c., _to_ ice-water, ice-cream, &c. + + Inform _to_ advise [in letters &c.] _Advise_ has a double meaning; + _inform_ has not. + + Kinsman, kinswoman, _to_ relative, relation. + + Last two weeks, last six months, &c., _to_ past two weeks, past six + months, &c. + + Lenity, or lenience, _to_ leniency. + + Loose _to_ unloose. + + Land _to_ real estate. + + Leading article, or leader, _to_ editorial. + + Lengthwise, sidewise, &c., _to_ lengthways, sideways, &c. + + The morrow _to_ to-morrow [as noun]. _E.g._: “The morrow will suit me.” + + The months by name _to_ ult., prox., inst. + + Much _to_ a great deal. + + Muscular _to_ stout. [_Stout_ is somewhat ambiguous, meaning both + _strong_ and _corpulent_.] + + One to [or, with] another _to_ among themselves. _E.g._: “They divided + the money one with another.” + + Oneself _to_ one’s self. + + Oversee _to_ supervise. + + Offensive _to_ obnoxious. + + Ordinal numbers _to_ cardinal numbers in the heading of letters. Write + _March 24th_, or _March the 24th_, rather than _March 24_. + + + Rich _to_ wealthy. + + Railway _to_ railroad. + + + Seeming _to_ apparent. + + Self-same _to_ identical. + + Say _to_ remark, or observe. [_To remark_ and _to observe_ mean _to + notice_.] + + Station _to_ depot [or dépôt]. + + Sympathy _to_ pity, when speaking of or to equals. + + + Truthfulness _to_ veracity. [_Veracity_ should be used of persons + only.] + + Tangental _to_ tangential. + + Thus _to_ so. [“He does it _thus_.”] + + + Unexpressed _to_ understood. [_Understood_ has two meanings.] + + + Violoncello _to_ violincello. [The instrument is a large, not a small, + violin.] + + Various, or diverse, _to_ different. [_Different_ should be confined + to the meaning of _differing from_.] + + Vacant _to_ empty, of buildings no longer inhabited. + + + Wast _to_ wert, in the second person singular, past indicative. + [_Wert_ is the subjunctive, but it is not incorrect in the indicative.] + + Would rather, or should rather, _to_ had rather. [_Had rather_ is not + incorrect, but _would rather_ or _should rather_ is preferable. All + these forms ought to be used as little as possible. Choose some other + expression.] + + With reference to _to_ in reference to. [We never say, _out of + reference to_, but always, _without reference to_.] + + In general, prefer _short_ words and phrases to _long_ words and + phrases, and words of Anglo-Saxon, to those of non-Anglo-Saxon, origin. + + + OBJECTIONABLE WORDS AND PHRASES. + + A day or two, a man or two, &c. [Say, _two or three days_, _a few + days_; _two or three men_, _a few men_; &c. There is lack of agreement + in _a day or two_, _a man or two_. A somewhat similar error occurs in, + “With this, as with many other matters.” The expression should be: + “With this, as with many another matter.”] + + Authoress, poetess, &c. [Such words may be used if the gender is to be + pointed out. Otherwise, the ordinary forms--_author_, _poet_, &c.--are + sufficient] + + Accountable, unaccountable. + + Answerable, unanswerable. + + Antagonize. + + Aborigene [in the singular]. + + A bit [_at all_, _a little_; as: “I am a bit tired”], not a bit [_not + at all_]. + + + Confirmed invalid. + + Cablegram. [Use _telegram_ or _telegraphic message_.] + + + Down East, down South. [Say: “I am going to the South.” “I live in the + East.” “He practised at the South.”] + + Desirability and undesirability. + + Direful. [This word is not properly formed, as _dire_ is not a noun.] + + Defalcate and defalcation [in the sense of _making default_]. + _Defalcate_, correctly used, is _to cut off_ or _lop off_. + + Desiderate [for _desire_]. + + Deceased [for _the late_, _the dead one_, &c.], except in legal and + other formal expressions. + + + Every once in a while. [Say, _once in a while_, _sometimes_, + _frequently_.] + + Electropathy, hydropathy, &c. [_Pathein_ is, to suffer; not, to cure.] + + Effectuate. + + Enjoy oneself. [Say, “I enjoyed the concert;” not, “I enjoyed myself + at the concert.”] + + Eventuate. + + Environment. [Use _surroundings_.] + + Emasculate. + + + Go ahead. + + + Help [in the sense of _to avoid_]. Say: “I cannot avoid doing so;” + not, “I cannot help doing so.” + + Have got [for _have_]. _Get_ is generally superfluous, and should be + used as little as possible. + + + Impute. [Use _ascribe_.] + + Ignore. + + + Lose oneself. [Say, “He was lost--or became lost--or lost his way--in + the wood.”] + + Line of goods. + + Lots [for _much_ or _many_]. + + + Malaprop. [Use _mal-à-propos_; _unsuitable_, _unseasonable_, or the + corresponding adverbs.] + + More guilty, most guilty; less guilty, least guilty. [One is either + _guilty_ or _not guilty_, of a crime; although one may be guilty of a + greater or a less crime. A similar remark applies to _guiltless_ and + _innocent_. These adjectives should properly be used of individual + acts only.] + + + Necessitate. + + + Opine. + + Out West. [Say: “He goes West (or, to the West).” “I live in the West + (or, at the West).”] + + Out of [for _of_, with names of materials]. Say: “The box is made _of_ + [not, _out of_] wood.” + + + Ponder over. [Use _ponder_ alone.] + + Practitioner. [This word is incorrectly formed.] + + Presidential. [The adjective--if formed at all--ought to be + _presidental_. _Presidential campaign_ is a very inelegant and + ill-constructed expression.] + + Proven [for _proved_]. _Gotten_ maybe used for _got_; but not _proven_ + for _proved_. + + Particle [_a little_ or _somewhat_], not a particle [_not at all_]. + + + Rostrum [for _platform_, _pulpit_]. If any form of this word is to be + used, it should be the plural, _rostra_. + + Rehabilitate [for _reïnstate_]. + + Recuperate [for _recover_]. + + Right off. + + Right away. + + Reliable, unreliable. [Use _trustworthy_, _untrustworthy_.] + + Repudiate. [Use _condemn_ or _disown_.] + + + Spread [in the sense of _meal_, _feast_, _banquet_]. + + Suicide, as a verb. [Say, _commit suicide_.] + + Scientist. [Use _scientific man_, _savant_, &c. If a noun with this + meaning is to be formed from _science_, it ought to be _sciencist_, + not _scientist_.] + + Stump, in the sense of _platform_; as: “He took the stump.” + + Seeming paradox. [A _paradox_ is a seeming contradiction. _Seeming + paradox_ is, therefore, tautological.] + + Tiresome. [Use _wearisome_ or _tedious_. _Tiresome_ is incorrectly + formed, _tire_ not being a noun.] + + That much, that little, [for _so much_, _so little_, or _as much as + that_, _as little as that_]. + + + Up North. [Say: “I live at (or in) the North.” “He goes to the North.”] + + + Voice [as a verb]. Say: “He expressed--or gave expression to--the + sentiments of his followers;” not, “He voiced,” &c. + + + Yours, ours, mine, &c., [for _your_, _our_, _my_, _&c._, _letter_]. + Say: “I have received your letter of yesterday;” not, “I have received + yours of yesterday.” + + + + + NOTES ON PUNCTUATION. + + + Use a _comma_ before _or_ when the expressions between which it + occurs, refer to the same person or thing. Thus: “Jones or Smith was + here” [no comma]; but: “Saul, or Paul” [comma]. + + Put a _comma_ after a proposition forming the subject of a verb. So: + “That he did so, is not clear.” + + When an infinitive is the subject of a verb, and follows the verb, + a _comma_ is generally inserted before the infinitive. This is + especially the case if the infinitive or the verb has other words + depending upon it. So write: “It ill becomes great and good men, to + smile at sin.” + + Use no commas after short and closely-connected adjectives qualifying + the same noun. Thus: “A good old sound dry wine.” + + Use a _comma_ before a quotation closely dependent upon such + introductory words as _say_, _tell_, _cry_. _E.g._: “The man said, + I will return.” [With such quotations--especially if short--the + quotation marks are generally omitted.] Before a direct quotation, + _i.e._, one not closely dependent upon introductory words (_say_, + _will_, _cry_, &c.), insert the _colon_. [When the quotation is + poetry, a _dash_ often follows the colon, especially if a space is + left at the end of the line.] + + As a general rule, the subject of a verb must be expressed in every + clause preceded by a _semi-colon_. If, however, there are several + clauses or phrases marked off by semi-colons, to avoid repetition the + subjects may be omitted. [The subject of a verb may, of course, be + understood before a _comma_.] + + A short and serviceable rule for the use of the _comma_ in relative + clauses, and in participial, adjectival and adverbial phrases, is, + to insert it when the clauses and phrases are _coördinate_, but not + when they are _restrictive_. _E.g._: “The things which are seen are + temporal.” “He was a man known in three continents.” [No commas.] “The + king, who was now old, declared for war.” “His brother, known far + and wide, was present.” [Commas.] Where the subject of the verb is + a phrase greatly lengthened by adjuncts, a _comma_ will be required + before the verb. _E.g._: “The fact of his having acted in so strange a + way, warranted his detention.” + + Use a _semi-colon_, and not a comma, in the following cases: + + (1). Before reasons. _E.g._: “Economy is no disgrace; for it” &c. + + (2). Between two opposing clauses, when an adversative conjunction + introduces the second clause. _E.g._: “Straws swim at the surface; + but pearls sink to the bottom.” + + A _colon_, not a _semi-colon_, should be used when the clause or + phrase that follows the mark expresses a result or effect, or when + it is in the form of an analogy, or is a parallel to what precedes. + “He lived a virtuous life: he died a happy death.” “The flowers bloom + and wither: so is it with the life of man.” The use of the _colon_ + before a quotation or a list is an application of this principle. As a + general thing, therefore, the voice should be kept up before _colons_, + and let fall before _semi-colons_. + + A long compound or complex sentence, the various parts of which are + divided by colons or semi-colons, may be separated into two or more + parts by periods. The second part will begin with _for_, _therefore_, + _and_, _as_, or some other introductory word. [This dividing up of + long sentences must be sparingly practised.] + + Use brackets, and not parentheses, when, in a quotation, you wish + to insert words improperly omitted by the author, or when you wish + to explain something, or to correct an error in your own writing. + [In the last two cases parentheses may be employed, but brackets are + preferable.] So: “The man [Mr. Jones] was very rich.” [When brackets + are thus used in a quotation, additional quotation marks are not + required after the word preceding, and before the word following, the + brackets.] + + When both brackets and parentheses are employed, the brackets enclose + the parentheses: [(--)]. + + Parentheses, brackets and dashes do not affect the ordinary + punctuation of the sentence; _i.e._, the points which would be + required in the rest of the sentence if the parentheses, brackets, or + dashes, were omitted, are still used. + + A punctuation mark may be used _before_, but not after, a dash. + + Mark with an interrogation point a question expressed in the form of + an assertion: _e.g._; “I suppose, Sir, you are his physician?” + + The plurals of _two_, _three_, &c., are written without the + apostrophe: _twos_, _threes_, &c. [Written as figures, these words + will have the apostrophe: 2’s, 3’s, &c.] + + A hyphen is used between two substantives expressing a compound + idea, when the second substantive has lost or changed its accent. + Thus: _ship-builder_, _iron-worker_; but _master builder_, _lord + chancellor_. The omission of the hyphen may cause confusion when the + compound expression is qualified by an adjective or an adjectival + phrase. _E.g._: “A large mill owner,” may be taken to mean, _the owner + of a large mill_, instead of, _an extensive owner of mills_, some of + which may be small. If the former sense is intended, say, “An owner + of a large mill [_or_, of large mills].” If the latter, say, “An + extensive [_or_, important] owner of mills;” or else use a hyphen: “A + large mill-owner.” + + A hyphen is used between an adjective and its noun when the two, taken + together, form a compound adjective. _E.g._: “High-church principles.” + [A similar remark may be made of adjectives, one qualifying the other, + as: _a red-hot poker_; also of an adjective (or an adverb) qualifying + a participle used as an adjective, when the compound expression + precedes the noun, as: a _slow-sailing vessel_. When it follows the + noun, the hyphen is not required; as in: “A vessel slow (_or_, slowly) + sailing o’er the sea.” In the latter case, the participle cannot be + said to be used as an adjective.] + + In writing, it is better to divide syllables according to sound than + according to derivation. _E.g._: Epiph-any, pref-ace. + + When a quotation contains several paragraphs, inverted commas should + be used at the beginning of each paragraph, but the apostrophes should + be omitted after all the paragraphs except the last one. The same rule + will apply to several stanzas of poetry in one quotation. When the + poetical quotation consists of verses not separated into stanzas, some + writers use inverted commas before each line. This is unnecessary: + inverted commas before the first line, and apostrophes after the last, + being sufficient. + + Do not write the plural of proper names with an apostrophe. Write: “I + have seen the Smiths” [not, _Smith’s_]. “I know the three Marys” [not, + _Mary’s_]. + + + + + INDEX + + + Apparent, 1 + + Anticipate, 1 + + All of them, 1 + + Analyse, 1 + + Ale, 1 + + Accord, 1 + + Accident, 1 + + Aggravate, 2 + + Alternation, 2 + + Alternative, 2 + + Antiquarian, 2 + + Abortive, 2 + + Adopted, 2 + + Antecedents, 2 + + Appreciate, 2 + + At auction, 3 + + Accompanied, by 3 + + Anniversary, 3 + + Affable, 3 + + Alike, 3 + + Afraid, 3 + + Admit, 3 + + Allude, 3 + + Around, 3 + + Avoided, 4 + + All over, 4 + + Above, 4 + + At best, at most, at least, 4 + + Auxiliary verbs alone, 7 + + Advisable, 8 + + Anxiety of mind, 10 + + Ascend up, 13 + + Among the others, the rest, 22 + + Apposition, 34 + + Any, 34 + + Auxiliary verb omitted, 34 + + Adverb with compound auxiliary verb, 34 + + Although, with the subjunctive mood, 36 + + As follows, 37 + + Awkward constructions, 38, 48 + + Adjective for adverb, 39 + + Article with appositive nouns, 40 + + Article with titles, names, 40 + + Article (definite), repetition of, 40, 41 + + Article (indefinite) after _no greater_, 42 + + Adjectives and adverbs after intransitive verbs, 46 + + Antecedent to relative pronoun, repeated, 52 + + Advantage, 55 + + Also, 55 + + Ability, 56 + + Answer, 56 + + Amid, amidst, 56 + + Among, 56 + + Abandon, 56 + + Assist, 56 + + Aid, 56 + + Anger, 57 + + Accurate, 57 + + Authentic, 57 + + Admittance, 57 + + Admission, 57 + + Allow, 57 + + Appear, 58 + + Aware, 59 + + Accidental, 60 + + Acknowledge, 61 + + Address, 63 + + And so forth, 64 + + Almost, 70 + + Announce, 72 + + Alleviate, 74 + + Abjure, 74 + + Approve, 80 + + Agriculturist, 80 + + Aside, 80 + + Alone, 80 + + Arise, 80 + + Advance, 80 + + Acquaintanceship, 80 + + A day or two, a man or two, 84 + + Authoress, 84 + + Anyhow, 84 + + Anyway, 84 + + Accountable, 85 + + Answerable, 85 + + Antagonize, 85 + + Aborigene, 85 + + + Both of them, 1 + + Both, 4 + + Balance, 4 + + Benefited, 4 + + Beat, 4 + + Bound, 4 + + By, 5 + + By the bye, 5 + + By-law, 5 + + Banister, 5 + + Bad cold, bad wound, 5 + + Badly, 5 + + Beg, 5 + + Between, 5 + + Bad orthography, orthoepy, caligraphy, 15 + + Bona fide, 28 + + Been to, 29 + + Brevity, 50 + + Benefit, 55 + + Bountiful, 58 + + Bravery, 58 + + Beneficent, beneficence, 58 + + Benevolent, benevolence, 58 + + Brevity, brief, 59 + + Blameless, 65 + + But, 65 + + Begin, 80 + + Become, 80 + + Believe, 80 + + Body, 80 + + Buy, 80 + + Backward, 81 + + Bit, a; not a bit, 85 + + Brackets, use of, 90, 91 + + + Collect, 6 + + Commence, 6 + + Condone, 6 + + Climax, 6 + + Constantly, 6 + + Celebrity, 6 + + Consequence, 6 + + Capricious, 6 + + Claim, 6 + + Call upon, 6 + + Catch, 6 + + Consider, 7 + + Curious, 7 + + Caption, 7 + + Citizen, 7 + + Circumstance, 7 + + Couple, 7 + + Calibre, 7 + + Contention, 7 + + Contradistinction, 8 + + Can help, 14 + + Caligraphy, 15 + + Came near, 20 + + Collective nouns, 35 + + Conditional clause, place of, 48 + + Connective sentence, 54 + + Capacity, 56 + + Courage, 58 + + Concise, conciseness, 59 + + Continuous, 59, 72 + + Continual, 59, 72 + + Character, 59 + + Conscious, 59 + + Crime, 59 + + Courteous, 60 + + Catalogue, 60 + + Casual, 60 + + Compel, compulsion, 60 + + Coerce, coercion, 60 + + Confess, 61 + + Conjecture, 61 + + Con-, co-, 61 + + Complete, 61 + + Custom, 61 + + Cost, costly, 64 + + Consequence, 64 + + Concealed, 66 + + Cheap, 68 + + Completely, 70 + + Converse, 73 + + Contented, 75 + + Coffin, 80 + + Cannot but, 80 + + Come into collision, 81 + + Correct, 81 + + Converser, conversationist, 81 + + Controverter, controversionist, 81 + + Church, 81 + + Contend against, 81 + + Corpulent, 81 + + Confirmed invalid, 85 + + Cablegram, 85 + + Comma, use of, 88, 89 + + Colon, use of, 90 + + Cardinal numbers, plurals of, 91 + + + Dilemma, 7 + + Distinction, 8 + + Desirable, 8 + + Demean, 8 + + Description, 8 + + Detect, 8 + + Dangerous, 8 + + Deprecate, 8 + + Denuded, 8 + + Die with, 8 + + Directly, 9 + + Donate, 9 + + Dirt road, 9 + + Divine, 9 + + Depreciate, 9 + + Differ with, 9 + + Distance, 9 + + Differentiate, 9 + + Disdain, 27 + + Dare, 36 + + Do, 37 + + Double meanings, words with, 47 + + Doubtful parts of speech, 47 + + Different expressions for same thing, 53, 54 + + Descriptive writing, 54 + + Desert, 56 + + Discriminate, 62 + + Distinguish, 62 + + Despotism, 62 + + Determine, 62 + + Directed, 62 + + Deduction, 62 + + Direct, 63 + + Drive, 63 + + Diligent, diligence, 67 + + Delusion, 67 + + Dumb, 70 + + Due, 71 + + Deadly, 81 + + Dwell, 81 + + Diverse, 83 + + Down East, down South, 85 + + Desirability, 85 + + Direful, 85 + + Defalcate, defalcation, 85 + + Desiderate, 85 + + Deceased, 85 + + Dash, use of, 91 + + + Essay, 6 + + Expect, 9 + + Ever so many, 10 + + Equally as well as, 10 + + Equanimity of mind, 10 + + Every, 10 + + Executed, 10 + + Enact, 10 + + Endorse, 10 + + Embrace, 10 + + Empty, 10 + + Experiment, try an, 11 + + Every hand, 11 + + Either, 11 + + Else, 11 + + Exemplary, 11 + + Experience, 11 + + Excessively, 11 + + Effluviums, effluviae, 11 + + Each, 23 + + Every, 23 + + Emphatic words, place of, 49 + + Emphasis, 49 + + Exact, 57 + + Evidence, 63 + + Epidemic, 63 + + Endemic, 63 + + Expense, expensive, 64 + + Effect, 64 + + Eternal, 64 + + Everlasting, 64 + + Etc., 64 + + Error, 70 + + Entirely, 70 + + Enough, 76 + + Entire, 78 + + Earth, 79 + + Exponental, 81 + + Earthen, 81 + + Enlarge on, upon, 81 + + Every once in a while, 85 + + Electropathy, 85 + + Effectuate, 85 + + Enjoy oneself, 85 + + Eventuate, 85 + + Environment, 86 + + Emasculate, 86 + + + Few, a few, 11 + + Fault, at; in, 12 + + Faithfully promise, 12 + + Future, 12 + + Fetch, 12 + + Forbid, 12, 81 + + Ful [adjectives ending in], 12 + + Female, 13 + + Fall down, 13 + + Fix, 13 + + Fly, 13 + + Foreign adjectives, 13 + + First person preferred to third, 47 + + Force in construction, 48, 49, 50 + + Figures of speech, 53 + + Forsake, 56 + + Fortuitous, 60 + + Finished, 61 + + Ferment, 64 + + Foment, 64 + + Faultless, 65 + + Falsehood, 65 + + Falsity, 65 + + Further, 65 + + Farther, 65 + + Fleeting, 77 + + Foregoing, 81 + + Factory, 81 + + Forward, 81 + + + Good bye, 5 + + Graphic, 13 + + Going to, 13 + + Grow, 13 + + Grow small, 13 + + Get to, 13 + + Gubernatorial, 13 + + Gratuitous, 13 + + Gerundial infinitive, 32 + + Gerundial noun, 42 + + Genuine, 57 + + Guided, 62 + + Goodness, 65 + + Globe, 79 + + Golden, 81 + + Graceful, 81 + + Go ahead, 86 + + Got, 86 + + Humanitarian, 14 + + Hardly, 14 + + Help-meet, 14 + + High calibre, 14 + + Higher stage of perfection, 15 + + Highest, 17 + + Hereabouts, 28 + + Habit, 61 + + However, 65 + + Hidden, 66 + + Haste, 66 + + Hurry, 66 + + Hindrance, 66 + + Hardly, 70 + + Humor, 79 + + Heavy, 81 + + Hebrew, 81 + + House, 81 + + Hydropathy, 85 + + Help, 14, 86 + + Hyphen, use of, 91, 92 + + + If, 15, 16 + + Invest, 15 + + Incorrect orthography, orthoepy, caligraphy, 15 + + Individual, 15 + + Infallible, 15 + + Inaugurate, 16 + + Implicit, 16 + + In six months, a year, 16 + + Illy, 16 + + Identified with, 16 + + Interested in, 17 + + In so far as, 17 + + Infinitive mood used absolutely, 36 + + If, with the subjunctive mood, 36 + + I, your brother, who begs, 38 + + Infinitive with to, 43 + + It, antecedent of, 46 + + It, prospective use of, 47 + + Imperative mood, 50 + + Infinitive expressing a purpose, 51 + + Introductory expressions, 54 + + Induction, 62 + + In spite of, 65 + + Impediment, 66 + + Informed, 66 + + Instructed, 66 + + Indecent, 67 + + Immodest, 67 + + Instant, 67 + + Industrious, industry, 67 + + Import, 67 + + Illusion, 67 + + In- [prefix], 68 + + Inexorable, 68 + + Inflexible, 68 + + Idle, 69 + + Intent, intention, 72 + + Indigence, 72 + + Immodest, immodesty, 78 + + Incorrect, 82 + + Iced-water, iced-cream, 82 + + Inform, 82 + + Ignore, 86 + + Impute, 86 + + Interrogation mark, use of, 91 + + + Just going to, 13 + + Journal, 17 + + Jewelry, 17 + + Join issue, 66 + + Jar, 68 + + Jug, 68 + + + Knight Templar, 17 + + Kinsman, kinswoman, 82 + + + Lowest, 17 + + Left it alone, 17 + + Lit, 17 + + Leave, 18 + + Lay, 18 + + Limited, 18 + + Loan, 18 + + Loud, 18 + + Length, at, 18 + + Like, 38 + + Lesser, 46 + + Likewise, 55 + + List, 60 + + Low-priced, 68 + + Lazy, 69 + + Laudable, 69 + + Last, 69 + + Latest, 69 + + Leave, 69 + + Language, 77 + + Loquacious, 78 + + Live, 81 + + Last two weeks, last six months, 82 + + Lenity, 82 + + Land, 82 + + Leading article, leader, 82 + + Lengthwise, 82 + + Lose oneself, 86 + + Line of goods, 86 + + Lots, 86 + + Less guilty, least guilty, 86 + + + Myself, 18 + + Masses, 18 + + More of, 19 + + Mistaken, 19 + + Miasma, 19 + + Make, 19 + + Multitude, nouns of, 35 + + Mathematics, 35 + + Metaphysics, 35 + + Minimizing expressions, 49 + + Monotonous final emphasis, 50 + + Metaphors, 50 + + Mistake of subject, 53 + + Moment, 67 + + Meaning, 67 + + Malice, 69 + + Marital, 70 + + Matrimonial, 70 + + Mistake, 70 + + Mute, 70 + + Merely, 70 + + Meed, 73 + + Mitigate, 74 + + Morrow, the, 82 + + Months, the, 82 + + Much, 82 + + Muscular, 82 + + Malaprop, 86 + + More guilty, most guilty, 86 + + + Neither, 11 + + No good, no use, 14 + + Novitiate, 19 + + Name, 19 + + No one, 19 + + No--or, 19 + + Not as, 20 + + No--no--are, 20 + + Nasty, 20 + + Never remember, 20 + + Next Sunday, 20 + + Never, 20 + + Not think, 20 + + Nothing like so, 20 + + Near, 20 + + New beginners, 21 + + Nobody’s else, 33 + + Not--or, 33, 34 + + None, 34 + + Need, 36 + + Not only--but also, 38 + + New construction, 54 + + Notwithstanding, 65 + + Nevertheless, 65 + + Nearly, 70 + + Neglectful, 71 + + Negligent, 71 + + Necessitate, 86 + + + One of the greatest, if not the greatest, 14 + + Orthography, 15 + + Orthoepy, 15 + + On the street, 21 + + Old news, 21 + + One, one’s, ones, 21, 22 + + Over and above, 21 + + Over his signature, 21 + + Observe, 21 + + Ovation, 21 + + Other than, 21 + + Old veterans, 21 + + Omission of present participle, 50 + + One and only one subject of thought, 54 + + Object place of, 49 + + Obstacle,66 + + Owing, 71 + + On, 71 + + Obstinate, 76 + + Origin, 77 + + Oppose, 81 + + One to another, 82 + + Oneself, 83 + + Oversee, 83 + + Offensive, 83 + + Ordinal numbers, 83 + + Opine, 86 + + Out West, 86 + + Out of, 86 + + + Paralyse, 1 + + Proposition, 22 + + Pocket-hand-kerchief, 22 + + Pretend, 22 + + Preposterous, 22 + + Previous, 22 + + Partially, 22 + + People, 23 + + Plural forms, 23 + + Privilege, 23 + + Present participle, 23, 50 + + Plastic, 23 + + Pell-mell, 24 + + Providing, 24 + + Presume, 24 + + Period, 24 + + Persuaded, 24 + + Partake, 24 + + Per, 24 + + Past tense, 24 + + Point of view, 27 + + Prefer to walk to ride, 29 + + Position of adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, 32 + + Position of _of_, _both_, _even_, 33 + + Possessive case, 34 + + Physics, 35 + + Participle used absolutely, 36 + + Preposition, sentence ending with, 47, 50 + + Particular terms for general, 48 + + Participial phrase, place of, 48 + + Pronouns at end of proposition, 50 + + Participial constructions, 51 + + Pronouns, agreement of, in metaphorical language, 53 + + Permit, 57 + + Plentiful, 58 + + Polite, 60 + + Polished, 60 + + Pitcher, 68 + + Praiseworthy, 69 + + Perspicacity, perspicacious, 71 + + Perspicuous, perspicuity, 71 + + Perpetually, perpetual, 72 + + Proclaim, 72 + + Purpose, 72 + + Poverty, 72 + + Pauperism, 72 + + Piety, 74 + + Powerful, 76 + + Poetess, 84 + + Ponder over, 87 + + Practitioner, 87 + + Presidential, 87 + + Proven, 87 + + Particle, a; not a particle, 87 + + Period, use of, 90 + + Parentheses, use of, 91 + + Proper names, plurals of, 92 + + + Quite, 24 + + Quarter to ten, 28 + + Question, for emphasis, 50 + + Quit, 69 + + Quotation marks, use of, 92 + + + Refer, 3 + + Rise up, 13 + + Reflexive pronouns, 13 + + Replace, 25 + + Right, 25 + + Rarely, 25 + + Recommend, 25 + + Rendition, 25 + + Reverend, 25 + + Road takes, 25 + + Remit, 25 + + Repetition of subject 39, 50 + + Relative pronoun, 43, 44, 45, 46, 52 + + Repetition of preposition, 51 + + Repetition of sign of the infinitive, 51 + + Repetition of subordinate conjunctions, 51 + + Relative clause, 52 + + Repetition of meaning, 54 + + Reply, 56 + + Reputation, 59 + + Resolve, 62 + + Ride, 63 + + Result, 64 + + Reticence, reticent, 73 + + Reserve, reserved, 73 + + Reverse, 73 + + Recompense, 73 + + Reward, 73 + + Robbery, 74 + + Remember, 74 + + Recollect, 74 + + Religion, 74 + + Relieve, 74 + + Recant, 74 + + Rend, 74 + + Rich, 83 + + Railway, 83 + + Rostrum, 87 + + Rehabilitate, 87 + + Recuperate, 87 + + Right off, 87 + + Right away, 87 + + Reliable, 87 + + Repudiate, 87 + + + Sugar, 1 + + Sink down, 13 + + Subsequent, 22 + + Scarce, 25 + + Species, 25 + + Shall have the pleasure, 25 + + Seldom or ever, 26 + + Spare, 26 + + Sensation, 26 + + Since, 26 + + So much so, 26 + + Summons, 26 + + Such another, 26 + + Superior, 26 + + Supposititious, 26 + + Settle, 26 + + Such, 26 + + Storms, 26 + + Splendid, 27 + + Summer’s Morning, 27 + + Strata, 27 + + Stand-point, 27 + + Sincere, 27 + + Scorn, 27 + + Small, 28 + + Statu quo, 28 + + Statics, 35 + + Subjunctive mood, 30, 36 + + Some, 37 + + Subject pronoun repeated, 39 + + Shall and will, 42, 43 + + Sentence, end of, 47 + + Suspense, 48 + + Subject, place of, 49 + + Short, “chippy” endings, 50 + + Synonyms, 54 + + Seem, 58 + + Sin, 59 + + Surmise, 61 + + Still, 65 + + Secret, 66 + + Sense, 67 + + Slothful, 69 + + Spite, 69 + + Simply, 70 + + Scarcely, 70 + + Sewerage, 75 + + Sewage, 75 + + Spontaneous, 75 + + Sociable, 75 + + Social, 75 + + Satisfied, 75 + + Sufficient, 76 + + Strong, 76 + + Stubborn, 76 + + Safety, 76 + + Security, 76 + + Subdue, 77 + + Subjugate, 77 + + Source, 77 + + Sidewise, 82 + + Seeming, 83 + + Self-same, 83 + + Say, 83 + + Station, 83 + + Sympathy, 83 + + Should rather, 84 + + Short words and phrases, 84 + + Spread, 87 + + Suicide, 87 + + Scientist, 87 + + Stump, 87 + + Seeming paradox, 87 + + Semi-colon, use of, 89 + + Syllabication, 92 + + + Tea, 1, 29 + + Than, 4 + + Take some meat, dinner, 28 + + Taxes, 28 + + Though, 28 + + Thereabouts, 28 + + That far, much, many, 28 + + The more, 29 + + This seven years, 35 + + That [relative], 44, 45, 46 + + Than whom, 44 + + This sort, kind, way, manner, 47 + + There is, are, will be, 48 + + Twice, making statement, 54 + + Technical terms, 55 + + Tyranny, 62 + + Testimony, 63 + + Taught, 66 + + Take issue, 66 + + Theft, 74 + + Tear, 74 + + Tongue, 77 + + Transient, 77 + + Transitory, 77 + + Trivial, 77 + + Trifling, 77 + + Talkative, 78 + + Totally, 79 + + Toward, 81 + + Truthfulness, 83 + + Tangental, 83 + + Thus, 83 + + Tiresome, 87 + + That much, that little, 88 + + + Unanimity of mind, 10 + + Underhanded, 29 + + Utter, 29 + + Ultimate, 29 + + Unemphatic word at end of proposition, 49 + + Usage, 61 + + Un- [prefix], 68 + + Upon, 71 + + Unexpressed, 83 + + Unaccountable, 85 + + Unanswerable, 85 + + Undesirability, 85 + + Unreliable, 87 + + Up North, 88 + + + Valuable, 29 + + Very, 30 + + Vicinity, 30 + + Verb, number of, 41 + + Verbal clauses, 53 + + Valor, 58 + + Vice, 59 + + Virtue, 65 + + Voluntary, 75, 78 + + Vulgar, vulgarity, 78 + + Variance, at, 81 + + Violoncello, 83 + + Various, 83 + + Vacant, 83 + + Voice, 88 + + + Whether, 11, 30 + + Wrong orthography, orthoepy, caligraphy, 15 + + Winter’s morning, 27 + + Whereabouts, 28 + + Whomsoever, 30 + + Where--to, 31 + + Witness, 31 + + What for, 31 + + Widow woman, 31 + + We, 31 + + Whether or no, 31 + + Whole of, 31 + + Winsome, 32 + + Worse, 32 + + Want, 32 + + Whether--or, 39 + + Will and shall, 42, 43 + + Who, which, that, 44, 45, 46 + + Word for phrase, 50 + + Wrath, 57 + + Willing, 78 + + Whole, 78 + + Wit, 79 + + World, 79 + + Wholly, 79 + + Wast, 84 + + Would rather, 84 + + With reference to, 84 + + + Yesterday’s Times, 32 + + Yours &c., 32, 88 + + You, 38 + + Yet, 65 + + + Zeugma, 53 + + [Illustration] + + + + + _D. APPLETON & CO.’S PUBLICATIONS._ + + + =ERRORS IN THE USE OF ENGLISH.= By the late WILLIAM B. HODGSON, LL. + D., Professor of Political Economy in the University of Edinburgh. + American revised edition. 12mo, cloth, $1.50. + + “This posthumous work of Dr. Hodgson deserves a hearty welcome, for + it is sure to do good service for the object it has in view--improved + accuracy in the use of the English language.... Perhaps its chief use + will be in very distinctly proving with what wonderful carelessness + or incompetency the English language is generally written. For + the examples of error here brought together are not picked from + obscure or inferior writings. Among the grammatical sinners whose + trespasses are here recorded appear many of our best-known authors + and publications.”--_The Academy._ + + + =THE ENGLISH GRAMMAR OF WILLIAM COBBETT.= Carefully revised and + annotated by ALFRED AYRES. With Index. 18mo, cloth, extra, $1.00. + + “I know it well, and have read it with great admiration.”--RICHARD + GRANT WHITE. + + “Cobbett’s Grammar is probably the most readable grammar ever + written. For the purposes of self-education it is unrivaled. Persons + that studied grammar when at school and failed to comprehend its + principles--and there are many such--as well as those that never have + studied grammar at all, will find the book specially suited to their + needs. Any one of average intelligence that will give it a careful + reading will be rewarded with at least a tolerable knowledge of the + subject, as nothing could be more simple or more lucid than its + expositions.”--_From the Preface._ + + + =THE ORTHOEPIST=: A Pronouncing Manual, containing about Three + Thousand Five Hundred Words, including a Considerable Number of the + Names of Foreign Authors, Artists, etc., that are often mispronounced. + By ALFRED AYRES. 18mo, cloth, extra, $1.00. + + “It gives us pleasure to say that we think the author, in the + treatment of this very difficult and intricate subject, English + pronunciation, gives proof of not only an unusual degree of + orthoepical knowledge, but also, for the most part, of rare judgment + and taste.”--JOSEPH THOMAS, LL. D., _in Literary World_. + + + =THE VERBALIST=: A Manual devoted to Brief Discussions of the Right + and the Wrong Use of Words, and to some other matters of Interest to + those who would Speak and Write with Propriety, including a Treatise + on Punctuation. By ALFRED AYRES. 18mo, cloth, extra, $1.00. + + “This is the best kind of an English grammar. It teaches the right + use of our mother-tongue by giving instances of the wrong use of it, + and showing why they are wrong.”--_The Churchman._ + + “Every one can learn something from this volume, and most of us a + great deal.”--_Springfield Republican._ + + + _THE GREVILLE MEMOIRS COMPLETE._ + + + + =A JOURNAL OF THE REIGNS OF KING GEORGE IV AND KING WILLIAM IV.= By + the late CHARLES C. F. GREVILLE, Esq., Clerk of the Council to those + Sovereigns. Edited by HENRY REEVE, Registrar of the Privy Council. Two + vols. 12mo. Cloth, $4.00. + + “Since the publication of Horace Walpole’s Letters, no book of + greater historical interest has seen the light than the Greville + Memoirs. It throws a curious, and, we may almost say, a terrible + light on the conduct and character of the public men in England under + the reigns of George IV and William IV. Its descriptions of those + kings and the kinfolk are never likely to be forgotten.”--_New York + Times._ + + + =A JOURNAL OF THE REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA, FROM 1837 TO 1852.= The + “Greville Memoirs,” Second Part. By the late CHARLES GREVILLE, Clerk + of the Council. Uniform with Part First. Two vols. 12mo. Cloth, $4.00. + + “Mr. Greville’s Diary is one of the most important contributions + which have ever been made to the political history of the middle of + the nineteenth century. He is a graphic and powerful writer; and his + usual habit of making the record while the impression of the events + was fresh upon his mind, gives his sketches of persons and places, + and his accounts of conversations, great vividness. The volumes will + be read with as much interest for their sketches of social life as + for their political value.”--_London Daily News._ + + + =A JOURNAL OF THE REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA, FROM 1852 TO 1860.= By the + late CHARLES GREVILLE, Esq., Clerk of the Council. Being third and + concluding part of the “Greville Memoirs.” One vol. 12mo. Cloth, $2.00. + + The preceding volumes of the “Greville Memoirs” consist of “A Journal + of the Reign of King George IV and King William IV” in two vols.; and + “A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852,” in two + vols. Price in each case, per vol., $2.00. + + This volume, in addition to personal anecdotes, deals with many + important events, such, for instance, as the re-establishment of the + French Empire, the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, and the Italian + War. + + + =THE HISTORICAL REFERENCE-BOOK=, COMPRISING A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF + UNIVERSAL HISTORY, A CHRONOLOGICAL DICTIONARY OF UNIVERSAL HISTORY, + A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. With Geographical Notes. For the Use of + Students, Teachers, and Readers. Second edition. By LOUIS HEILPRIN. + Crown 8vo, 579 pages. Half leather, $3.00. + + “A second, revised edition of Mr. Louis Heilprin’s ‘Historical + Reference-Book’ has just appeared, marking the well-earned success + of this admirable work--a dictionary of dates, a dictionary of + events (with a special gazetteer for all the places mentioned), + and a concise biographical dictionary, all in one, and all in the + highest degree trustworthy. Mr. Heilprin’s revision is as thorough as + his original work. Any one can test it by running ever the list of + persons deceased since this manual first appeared.”--_Evening Post._ + + + =CHINA.= TRAVELS AND INVESTIGATIONS IN THE MIDDLE KINGDOM. A Study of + Its Civilization and Possibilities. WITH A GLANCE AT JAPAN. By JAMES + HARRISON WILSON, late Major-General United States Volunteers, and + Brevet Major-General United States Army. 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + + =ROUNDABOUT TO MOSCOW.= AN EPICUREAN JOURNEY. By JOHN BELL BOUTON, + author of “Round the Block.” 12mo. Cloth, ornamented cover, Russian + title-page, 421 pages, $1.50. + + “This genial book gives the first truly American view of the land of + Nihilists and Novelists. The author exposes and playfully ridicules + the current English misrepresentations of Russia. His epicurean + circuit for getting into and out of the empire includes nearly every + country of Europe. He keeps on the track of all the comforts and + luxuries required by American travelers. Tourists will find the + volume a boon companion. But it is no less designed to please those + who stay at home and travel only by book.” + + + =BRAZIL=: ITS CONDITION AND PROSPECTS. By C. C. ANDREWS, + ex-Consul-General to Brazil; formerly U. S. Minister to Norway and + Sweden. 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + CONTENTS: Prefatory. Voyage to Brazil. Getting to Housekeeping. + Rio and its People. Life and Manners. The Emperor of Brazil. + Tijuca--Pedra Bonita. Situation, Resources, and Climate. + American-Brazilian Relations. A Trip into the Interior. Visit to + a Coffee-Plantation. Public Instruction. Local Administration. + Parliamentary Government. Brazilian Literature. Agriculture and + Stock-raising. The Amazon Valley. Beasts of Prey. Slavery and + Emancipation. The Religious Orders. Public Lands and Immigration. + + “I hope I may be able to present some facts in respect to the present + situation of Brazil which will be both instructive and entertaining + to general readers. My means of acquaintance with that empire are + principally derived from a residence of three years at Rio de + Janeiro, its capital, while employed in the service of the United + States Government, during which period I made a few journeys into the + interior.”--_From the Preface._ + + + =A STUDY OF MEXICO.= By DAVID A. WELLS, LL.D., D.C.L. 12mo. Cloth, + $1.00; paper cover, 50 cents. + + “Mr. Wells’s showing is extremely interesting, and its value is + great. Nothing like it has been published in many years.”--_New York + Times._ + + “Mr. Wells sketches broadly but in firm lines Mexico’s physical + geography, her race inheritance, political history, social condition, + and present government.”--_New York Evening Post._ + + “Several efforts have been made to satisfy the growing desire + for information relating to Mexico since that country has become + connected by railways with the United States. But we have seen no + book upon this subject by an American writer which is so satisfactory + on the score of knowledge and trustworthiness as ‘A Study of Mexico,’ + by David A. Wells.”--_New York Sun._ + + + =IN THE BRUSH=; OR, OLD-TIME SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE IN THE + SOUTHWEST. By H. W. PIERSON, D. D. With Illustrations by W. L. + Sheppard. 16mo. Cloth, $1.50. New cheap edition, paper, 50 cents. + + “It has peculiar attractions in its literary methods, its rich and + quiet humor, and the genial spirit of its author.”--_The Critic._ + + + =PROVERBS FROM PLYMOUTH PULPIT.= SELECTED FROM THE WRITINGS AND + SAYINGS OF HENRY WARD BEECHER. Revised in part by Mr. BEECHER, and + under revision by him at the time of his death. 12mo. Cloth, gilt top, + $1.00. + + “Pithy, piquant, and picturesque sentences from the writings of the + late Henry Ward Beecher. They are admirably selected to show the + author’s characteristics. In the main they enhance one’s appreciation + of his excellences.”--_New York Home Journal._ + + “The wisdom and the world-knowledge of the great preacher have a + brilliant exemplification in this book, which, wherever it may + be opened, presents with the terseness and point of an epigram + impressive thoughts in abundance and of a nature that stimulates + reflection and edifies the understanding.”--_Boston Gazette._ + + “In these wise and witty utterances may be found the quintessence + of Mr. Beecher’s ideas about religion, morals, nature, art, and + man in all his relations to life and eternity. Mr. Beecher looked + for himself and did his own thinking. The result is an actual + contribution to the proverbial philosophy of the world which will + compare favorably with the most brilliant dicta of any other modern + man.”--_New York Journal of Commerce._ + + “If not always original, these selections are generally quaint and + forcible. We append a specimen or two: ‘The piety of impossible boys + is monstrous. A man’s experience stuffed into a little boy is simply + monstrous. The world is soundly skeptical of the whole school of + juvenile _paté-de-foie-gras_ piety.’ ‘There are many men who would + not blaspheme--oh no! but they will use cowards’ oaths. They will not + say “By Jehovah!” but they will say “By Jupiter!”’”--_New York Sun._ + + + =TWELVE LECTURES TO YOUNG MEN=, ON VARIOUS IMPORTANT SUBJECTS. By Rev. + HENRY WARD BEECHER. Revised edition. 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + _CONTENTS._--Industry and Idleness; Twelve Causes of Dishonesty; Six + Warnings; Portrait Gallery; Gamblers and Gambling; The Strange Woman; + Popular Amusements; Practical Hints; Profane Swearing; Vulgarity; + Happiness; Temperance. + + + =HISTORY OF THE OPINIONS ON THE SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE OF RETRIBUTION.= + By EDWARD BEECHER, D. D., author of “The Conflict of Ages.” 12mo. + Cloth, $1.25. + + The momentous question of future retribution is here historically + discussed with an earnestness and deliberation due to its + transcendent importance. The main interest of the inquiry naturally + centers in the doom of the wicked. Will it be annihilation? ultimate + restoration to holiness and happiness? endless punishment? or is + it out of power to decide which of these views is the truth? The + discussion is intensified by being narrowed to the meaning of a + single word, _aionios_. The opinions of those to whom Christ spoke, + and how they understood him, are vital questions in the argument; + and, to solve them, the opinions and modes of speech of preceding + ages must be attentively weighed, for each age is known to have + molded the opinions and use of words of its successor. Hence, Dr. + Beecher has found himself compelled to “trace the development of + thought and language from the outset to the days of Christ, then to + inquire into the import of his words, in the light of all preceding + ages; and, lastly, to trace the development of opinion downward + through the Christian ages.” + + + EDNA LYALL’S NOVELS. + + + + =DONOVAN=: A MODERN ENGLISHMAN. 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + “This story is told with vigor and intelligence, and throughout + the book is well imagined and well written. It is a novel of + sterling merit, being fresh and original in conception, thoroughly + healthy in tone, interesting in detail, and sincere and capable in + execution.”--_Academy._ + + + =WE TWO.= 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + “Well written and full of interest. The story abounds with a + good many light touches, and is certainly far from lacking in + incident.”--_Times._ + + “We recommend all novel-readers to read this novel with the care + which such a strong, uncommon, and thoughtful book demands and + deserves.”--_Spectator._ + + + =WON BY WAITING.= 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + “The Dean’s daughters are perfectly real characters--the learned + Cornelia especially; the little impulsive French heroine, who + endures their cold hospitality and at last wins their affection, is + thoroughly charming; while throughout the book there runs a golden + thread of pure brotherly and sisterly love, which pleasantly reminds + us that the making and marring of marriage is not, after all, the sum + total of real life.”--_Academy._ + + + =KNIGHT-ERRANT.= 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + “‘Knight-Errant’ is marked by the author’s best qualities as a writer + of fiction, and displays on every page the grace and quiet power of + the former works.”--_Athenæum._ + + “Among all the stories, real or fictitious, of Italian brigandage + which we have read, there is none more striking, picturesque, and + terrible than this.”--_Spectator._ + + + =IN THE GOLDEN DAYS.= 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + “Miss Lyall has given us a vigorous study of such life and character + as are really worth reading about. The central figure of her story + is Algernon Sydney; and this figure she invests with a singular + dignity and power. He always appears with effect but no liberties + are taken with the facts of his life. The plot is adapted with great + felicity to them. His part in it, absolutely consistent as it is with + historical truth, gives it reality as well as dignity. Some of the + scenes are remarkably vivid. The escape is an admirable narrative, + which almost makes one hold one’s breath as one reads.”--_Spectator._ + + “‘In the Golden Days’ is an excellent novel of a kind we are always + particularly glad to recommend. It has a good foundation of plot + and incident, a thoroughly noble and wholesome motive, a hero who + really acts and suffers heroically, and two very nice heroines. The + historical background is very carefully indicated, but is never + allowed to become more than background.”--_Guardian._ + + + =THE GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS.= By ANGELO + HEILPRIN, Professor of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Academy of + Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, etc. 12mo. $2.00. + + “An important contribution to physical science is Angelo Heilprin’s + ‘Geographical and Geological Distribution of Animals.’ The author has + aimed to present to his readers such of the more significant facts + connected with the past and present distribution of animal life as + might lead to a proper conception of the relations of existing fauna, + and also to furnish the student with a work of general reference, + wherein the more salient features of the geography and geology + of animal forms could be readily ascertained. While this book is + addressed chiefly to the naturalist, it contains much information, + particularly on the subject of the geographical distribution of + animals, the rapidly increasing growth of some species and the + gradual extinction of others, which will interest and instruct the + general reader. Mr. Heilprin is no believer in the doctrine of + independent creation, but holds that animate nature must be looked + upon as a concrete whole.”--_New York Sun._ + + + =MICROBES, FERMENTS, AND MOULDS.= By E. L. TROUESSART. With 107 + Illustrations. 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. + + “Microbes are everywhere; every species of plant has its special + parasites, the vine having more than one hundred foes of this kind. + Fungi of a microscopic size, they have their uses in nature, since + they clear the surface of the earth from dead bodies and fecal + matter, from all dead and useless substances which are the refuse + of life, and return to the soil the soluble mineral substances from + which plants are derived. All fermented liquors, wine, beer, vinegar, + etc., are artificially produced by the species of microbes called + ferments; they also cause bread to rise. Others are injurious to + us, for in the shape of spores and seeds they enter our bodies with + air and water and cause a large number of the diseases to which the + flesh is heir. Many physicians do not accept the microbian theory, + considering that when microbes are found in the blood they are + neither the cause of the disease, nor the contagious element, nor + the vehicle of contagion. In France the opponents of the microbian + theory are Robin, Bechamp, and Jousset de Bellesme; in England, Lewis + and Lionel Beale. The writer comes to the conclusion that Pasteur’s + microbian theory is the only one that explains all facts.”--_New York + Times._ + + + =EARTHQUAKES AND OTHER EARTH MOVEMENTS.= By JOHN MILNE, Professor of + Mining and Geology in the Imperial College of Engineering, Tokio, + Japan. With 38 Illustrations. 12mo. Cloth, $1.75. + + “In this little book Professor Milne has endeavored to bring together + all that is known concerning the nature and causes of earthquake + movements. His task was one of much difficulty. Professor Milne’s + excellent work in the science of seismology has been done in Japan, + in a region of incessant shocks of sufficient energy to make + observation possible, yet, with rare exceptions, of no disastrous + effects. He has had the good fortune to be aided by Mr. Thomas Gray, + a gentleman of great constructive skill, as well as by Professors J. + A. Ewing, W. S. Chaplin, and his other colleagues in the scientific + colony which has gathered about the Imperial University of Japan. To + these gentlemen we owe the best of our science of seismology, for + before their achievements we had nothing of value concerning the + physical conditions of earthquakes except the great works of Robert + Mallet; and Mallet, with all his genius and devotion to the subject, + had but few chances to observe the actual shocks, and so failed to + understand many of their important features.”--_The Nation._ + + + New York: D. APPLETON & CO., 1, 3, & 5 Bond Street. + + + + + Transcriber's Notes: + + In many areas the author has paid scant attention to alphabetical + order. This is retained. + + Italics are shown thus: _sloping_. + + Bold type is shown thus: =strong=. + + Variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained. + + Perceived typographical errors have been changed. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79050 *** |