logical truth is error; to moral truth a lie; to grammatical truth a solecism.

The only standard by which the conformity implied in grammatical truth must be ascertained in every language, is the authorized, national, and present use of that language.

Grammatical errors, foreign idioms, and obsolete or new-coined words, were mentioned as inconsistent with purity of style. It will not be improper to collect a few hints concerning each of these faults.

GRAMMATICAL ERRORS.

It is not in consequence of any peculiar irregularity or difficulty inherent in the English language, that the general practice both of speaking and writing it, is chargeable with inaccuracy. That inaccuracy rather proceeds from its simplicity and facility; circumstances which are apt to persuade us that a grammatical study of our native tongue is altogether superfluous. Were the language less easy and simple, we should find ourselves under the necessity of studying it with greater care and attention. But we commonly take for granted, that we possess a competent knowledge of it, and are able on any occasion to apply our knowledge to practice. A faculty, solely acquired by use, conducted by habit, and tried by the ear, carries us on without the labour of reflection: we meet with no obstacles in our progress, or we do not perceive them; we find ourselves able to proceed without rules, and we never suspect that they may be of any use. A grammatical study of our own language frequently forms no part of the ordinary course of instruction, and we seldom apply ourselves to it of our own accord. This, however, is a deficiency which no other advantages can supply much intercourse with good society, and a general acquaintance with the best authors, must undoubtedly be considered as excellent helps; but even these will hardly be sufficient. A critical knowledge of ancient

languages, and an intimate acquaintance with ancient authors, will be found still less adequate to the purpose: Dr. Bentley, the greatest critic and most able grammarian of the age in which he lived, was notably deficient in the niceties of his mother tongue.

Grammatical errors are so plentifully scattered over the pages of our eminent writers, that it will be no difficult task to select a sufficient number of examples.

Grammatical Errors in the Use of Pronouns..

We contributed a third more than the Dutch, who were obliged to the same proportion more than us.-Swift's Conduct of the Allies. King Charles, and more than him, the duke, and the Popish faction were at liberty to form new schemes.--Bolingbroke's Dissertatation on Parties.

Phalaris, who was so much older than her.-Bentley's Dissertation on Phalaris.

The drift of all his sermons was, to prepare the Jews for the reception of a prophet, mightier than him, and whose shoes he was not worthy to bear.-Atterbury's Sermons.

If the king gives us leave, you or I may as lawfully preach, as them that do.-Hobbes's History of Civil Wars.

What should we gain by it but that we should speedily become as poor as them.-Alison's Essay on Macaulay.

Sir Thomas More in general so writes it, although not many others so late as him.—Trench's English Past and Present.

In all these examples, the nominative cases of the pronouns ought to have been used. This will more plainly appear from the following resolution of the first illustration: We contributed a third more than the Dutch, who were obliged to the same proportion more than we were obliged to."

The Goths, the Vandals, the Gepida, the Burgundians, the Alemanni, wasted each other's strength, and whosoever vanquished, they vanquished the enemies of Rome. -Gibbon's Hist. of the Roman Empire.

Cæsar having in this manner ma le an example which he supposed was to overawe all the nations of that neighbourhood, he withdrew with his army.-Ferguson's Hist. of the Roman Republic.

Who is the poet but lately arrived in Elysium, whom I saw Spenser lead in, and present him to Virgil?-Lyttelton's Dialogues of the Dead.

Here the pronouns they, he, and him, are redundant. In the last example, the accusative whom is understood before the verb present: "whom I saw Spenser lead in, and whom I saw Spenser present to Virgil."

For ever in this humble cell,

Let thee and I, my fair one, dwell.-Prior.

Gentle reader, let you and I, in like manner, endeavour to improve the enclosure of Mr. Carr.-Southey's The Doctor.

The construction requires me instead of I.

He, whom ye pretend reigns in heaven, is so far from protecting the miserable sons of men, that he perpetually delights to blast the sweetest flowerets in the garden of Hope.--Hawkesworth's Adventurer. Syntax requires who, the nominative case to reigns, not whom, as if it were the accusative or objective case governed by pretend.

Whom do men say that I am?-St. Matthew.

Whom think ye that I am?-Acts of the Apostles.

In both these passages the translators should have written who; which is governed not by the verb say or think, but by the verb am.

These feasts were celebrated to the honour of Osiris, whom the Grecians called Dionysius, and is the same with Bacchus.-Swift. Here the relative pronoun of the accusative case must be understood as the nominative to the verb is. The passage ought to have stood thus: "These feasts were celebrated to the honour of Osiris, whom the Grecians called Dionysius, and who is the same with Bacchus."

Who should I meet at the coffee house t'other night, but my old friend?-Steele, Spectator.

It is another pattern of this answerer's fair dealing, to give us hints that the author is dead, and yet to lay the suspicion upon somebody, I know not who, in the country.-Swift's Tale of a Tub.

My son is going to be married to I don't know who.-Goldsmith's Good-natured Man.

Here the construction requires whom.

Ye, which is the nominative and vocative plural of

the pronoun thou, some writers have inaccurately used as the accusative plural.

His wrath, which one day will destroy ye both.-Milton.

The more shame for ye; holy men I thought ye.-Shakspeare.

I feel the gales that from ye blow.-Gray.

But tyrants dread ye, lest your just decree
Transfer the power and set the people free.-Prior.

Grammatical Errors in the Use of Verbs.

The commonest error in the use of verbs is the disregard of the concord between the verb and its subject. This error most frequently occurs when the verb and its subject are widely separated, especially if some intervening noun, of a different number from that of the subject, immediately precede the verb. False concords frequently occur after either and or; neither and nor; the distributive pronouns, each, everyone, everything; numerals, much, more, many, and one; the conjunctive phrase, as well as, and the preposition with, which is treated as though it were a conjunction. The following examples, selected from Breen's Modern Literature, will illustrate these remarks:

Valentia is one of the most delightful cities which is to be found in Europe.-Alison's Europe.

Sully bought of Monsieur de la Roche Guyon one of the finest Spanish horses that ever was seen.-Southey's Doctor.

The terms in which the sale of a patent were communicated to the public.-Junius's Letters.

It is in such moments of gloom and depression that the immortal superiority of genius and virtue most strongly appear:-Alison's Essay on Chateaubriand.

The richness of her arms and apparel were conspicuous.-Gibbor's Decline and Fall.

Those whose profession or whose reputation regulate public opinion.-Disraeli's Curiosities of Literature.

Neither Charles nor his brother were qualified to support such a system. Junius's Letters.

Each of these chimerical personages come from different provinces.-Disraeli's Curiosities of Literature.

Every one of this grotesque family were the creatures of national genius.-Ibid.

Everything that painting, music, and even place furnish, were called in to interest the audience.-Alison.

Foresight in preparation as well as energy in action were necessary to sustain their fortune.-Ibid.

Madame de Staël observes that much of the guilt and the misery which are vulgarly imputed to great talents, really arise from not having talent enough.-Jeffrey's Essays.

More than a century and a half have elapsed since the first publication of Gondibert.-Disraeli's Quarrels of Authors.

At present the trade is thought to be in a depressed state if less than a million of tons are produced in a year.-Macaulay's Hist. of England.

There sleep many a Homer and Virgil, legitimate heirs of their genius. Disraeli's Literary Character.

The Duchy of Pomerania, with the island of Rugen were ceded by Sweden to the Danish crown.-Alison's Europe.

Concerning some of them little more than the names are to be learned from literary history.Hallam's Lit. of Europe.

But the temper, as well as knowledge, of a modern historian, require a more sober and accurate language.-Gibbon's Hist. of the Roman Empire.

Magnus, with four thousand of his supposed accomplices, were put to death.-Ibid.

Those whom the splendour of their rank, or the extent of their capacity, have placed upon the summit of human life, have not often given any just occasion to envy in those who look up to them from a lower station.-Johnson's Life of Savage.

He knows not what spleen, languor, or listlessness, are.—Blair's Sermons.

The insolence or caprice of those mercenaries were often no less fatal to their friends, than their valour and discipline were formidable to their enemies.-Robertson's Hist. of Charles V.

The daring soul of the first Cæsar, or the deep policy of Augustus, were scarcely equal to the task of curbing the insolence of the victorious legions.-Gibbon's Hist. of the Roman Empire.

His ignorance or severity were alike unworthy of the important office with which he was entrusted. He gave laws which, according to the lively expression of an orator, seemed to be written, not with ink, but with blood; since death or banishment were his ordinary penalties for the most trivial offences.-Gillies's Hist. of Greece.

Neither death nor torture were sufficient to subdue the minds of Cargill and his intrepid followers.-Fox's Hist. of James the Second. Each of these words imply some pursuit or object relinquished.Blair's Lectures.

It is requisite that the language of an heroic poem should be both perspicuous and sublime. In proportion as either of these two qualities are wanting, the language is imperfect.-Addison, Spectator.

Neither of them are remarkable for precision.-Blair's Lectures. We should reckon every circumstance which enable them to divide