The legitimate correlative of neither is nor. We need not, nor do not, confine the purposes of God.-Bentley's Sermons. In the growth and stature of souls as well as bodies, the common productions are of different sizes, that occasion no gazing, nor no wonder.-Temple on Ancient and Modern Learning. I'll prove by twenty-five substantial reasons, that you're no composer, nor know no more of music than you do of algebra.—Arbuthnot's Harmony in an Uproar. Nor is danger ever apprehended in such a government from the violence of the sovereign, no more than we commonly apprehend danger from thunder or earthquakes.-Hume's Essays. Among them the people were obliged to consider, not what was safe, but what was necessary; and could not always defend themselves against usurpations, neither by le al forms, nor by open war. -Ferguson's Hist. of the Roman Republic. In each of these sentences there is a double negative, which in English amounts to an affirmative. In the following quotation nor is used for or : There are few scenes more affecting, nor which more deeply engage our sympathy.-Disraeli's Calamities of Authors. FOREIGN IDIOMS. The use of such constructions as belong to the idiom of another language, is, like every species of affectation, to be avoided. An author may sometimes happen to admit them through mere inadvertency, but he may likewise have recourse to them in order to display his erudition. Solomon was of this mind; and I make no doubt but he made as wise and true proverbs as anybody has done since; Him only excepted, who was a much greater and wiser man than Solomon.Tillotson's Sermons. The affectation of foreign idioms is well exemplified in the following imaginary letter by Hannah Moore : Alamode Castle. Dear Madam, I no sooner found myself here than I visited my new apartments, which are composed of five pieces; the small room, which gives upon the garden is practised through the great one, and there is no other issue. As I was exceeded with fatigue, I no sooner made my toilette, than I let myself fall upon a bed of repose when sleep came to surprise me. My lord and I are in the inten tion to make good cheer, and a great expense, and this country is in possession to furnish wherewithal, to amuse oneself. All that England has of illustrious-all that youth has of amiable, or beauty of ravishing sees itself in this quarter. Render yourself here then, my friend, and you shall find all that is assembled of best, &c. Certain nouns, adjectives, and verbs require particular prepositions after them, e.g. :— differ from thirst after, for I shall here subjoin some examples of prepositions, which, if not applied according to the idiom of other languages, are at least applied contrary to the general usage of our standard writers. The only actions to (upon) which we have always seen, and still see all of them intent, are such as tend to the destruction of one another.-Burke's Vindication of Natural Society. To (with) which, as Bishop Burnet tells us, the Prince of Orange was willing to comply.-Bolingbroke's Dissertation on Parties. He had been perplexed with a long compliance to (with) foreign manners.-Sprat's Life of Cowley. Your character, which I, or any other writer may now value ourselves by (upon) drawing, will probably be dropt, on account of the antiquated style and manner they are delivered in.-Swift on the English Tongue. The discovery he made and communicated with (to) his friends. -Swift's Tale of a Tub. The people being only convoked upon such occasions, as, by this institution of Romulus, fell into (under) their cognizance.-Swift's Contests and Dissensions in Athens and Rome, Not from any personal hatred to them, but in justification to (of) the best of queens.-Swift, Examiner. The wisest princes need not think it any diminution to (of) their greatness, or derogation to (from) their sufficiency, to rely upon counsel.-Bacon's Essays. A supercilious attention to minute formalities, is a certain indication of a little mind, conscious to (of) the want of innate dignity.— Hawkesworth's Almoran and Hamet. He found the greatest difficulty of (in) writing.—Hume's Hist. of England. The esteem which Philip had conceived of (for) the ambassador. -Ibid. The greatest difficulty was found of (in) fixing just sentiments.— Ibid. The Christians were driven out of all their Asiatic possessions, in acquiring of which (in acquiring which) incredible numbers of men had perished.-Robertson's View of Society. You know the esteem I have of (for) his philosophy.-Kames's Law Tracts. Meanwhile the prudence of Gylippus profited of (by) the fame of his victory.-Gillies's Hist. of Greece. He is so resolved of (on) going to the Persian court.-Bentley's Dissert. on Themistocles's Epistles. Neither the one nor the other shall make me swerve out of (from) the path which I have traced to myself.-Bolingbroke's Letter to Wyndham. I do likewise dissent with (from) the Examiner.-Addison, Whig Examiner. Dr. Johnson (with (from) whom I am sorry to differ in opinion) has treated it as a work of merit.-Scott's Critical Essays. Ovid, whom ye accuse for (of) luxuriancy of verse.-Dryden on Dramatic Poesy. If policy can prevail upon (over) force.-Addison's Travels. This effect we may safely say, no one beforehand could have promised upon.-Hume's Hist. of England. A greater quantity may be taken from the heap, without making any sensible alteration upon (in) it.—Hume's Essays. Every office of command should be intrusted to persons on (in) whom the parliament shall confide.-Macaulay's History of England. All of which required abundance of finesse and delicatesse to manage with advantage, as well as a strict observance after (of) times and fashions.-Swift's Tale of a Tub. The memory of Lord Peter's injuries produced a degree of hatred and spite, which had a much greater share of (in) inciting him than any regards after (for) his father's commands.-Swift's Tale of a Tub. Among other foreign idioms we must class Scotticisms, of which the following are specimens* amissing for missing as for than, e.g. I would rather caution for security comes to be for becomes coarse (applied to wicked) for counting for arithmetic corn for oats cloth-brush for clothes-brush feel a smell for smell a smell flesher for butcher ten minutes from ten for to ten harvest for autumn hirer for lender on hire labour for till large for plentiful learn for teach meat for food mind for remember policies for pleasure grounds scarce for short of yard for garden There are likewise many provincial idioms, peculiar to Ireland, such as "county Clare," and "island Magee," used instead of "the county of Clare," and "the island of Magee." A plentiful harvest of barbarous phraseology is to be gathered in America, where the changes in the English language have been so considerable, as in many cases to render it unintelligible to an Englishman. Many Americanisms, however, such as talented, progress (verb), locate, &c., have more or less naturalized themselves in England. EXERCISES ON THE RULES OF ENGLISH SYNTAX. Correct or justify the following sentences, stating your reason in each case : * Mainly taken from Bain's Higher English Grammar. I. Now either spoke, as hope or fear impressed Each their alternate triumph in the breast. 2. He was neither learned in the languages nor in philosophy. 3. I was going to have written him a letter. 4. The dead are only happy and the dying. 5. These kind of knaves I know. 6. Death only this mysterious truth unfolds. 7. The beaux of that day used the abominable art of painting their faces as well as their women. 8. The Old and New Testaments are to be had in this form. 9. When men grow virtuous in their old age, they only make a sacrifice to God of the devil's leavings. 10. Others killed partridges; he only killed time. II. The sun has rose and gone to bed, 12. But the greatest error of all the rest, is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of knowledge. 13. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure. 14. The mechanism of clocks and watches were totally unknown. 15. Wolsey left at his death many buildings, which he had begun, in an unfinished state, and which no one expects to see complete. 16. The negroes are to appear at church only in their boots. 17. The palace of Pizarro, together with the houses of service of his adherents, were pillaged. 18. He did not pretend to extirpate French music, but only to cultivate and civilize it. 19. The great original author of Hudibras has been censured for exposing to ridicule Sir Samuel Luke, under whose roof he dwelt, in the grotesque character of his hero. 20. I expected to hear from him. 21. As Dr. Wallis hath long ago observed. 22. Everybody has a right to look after their own interests. 23. Breathing with ease is a blessing of every moment; yet of all others it is that which we possess with the least consciousness. 24. Who did you give it to? 25. How unfortunate then was James Naylor, who desirous of entering Bristol on an ass, Hume informs us that all Bristol could not afford him one. 26. The mate of a British vessel then laying at anchor in Boston harbour brought the news. 27. I hope that I will be excused for repeating what I said some years ago. 28. It is an hereditary aristocracy which alone can be depended upon in such a contest, because it only possesses lasting interests which are liable to be affected by the efforts of tyranny. 29. She is older them me. 30. For him through hostile camps I wend my way; |