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prior to persuasion, and independent of it, nay, sometimes even in contradiction to it.

93. Of different modes of expression, that which comes to be favoured by general practice, may be denominated best, because established; but it cannot always be said with truth, that it is established, because best.

Illus. 1. Time and chance have an influence on all things human, and on nothing more remarkably than on language; and the best forms of speech do not always establish themselves by their own superior excellence; for we of en see, that of various forms, those will recommend themselves, and come into general use, which, if abstractedly considered, are neither the simplest, nor the most agreeable to the ear, nor the most conformable to analogy.

2. Though of any expression, which has obtained the sanction of good use, we cannot properly say, that it is barbarous, we must admit, that in other respects, it may be faulty. To get rid of those gross-improprieties, which, though authorized by practice, ought to be discarded, nothing more is necessary than to disuse them. And to bring us to disuse them, both the example and the arguments of the critic have their weight.

3. The difference is obvious between the bare omission, or rather the not employing of what is used, and the introduction of what is unusual. The former, provided what you substitute in its stead be proper, and have the authority of custom, can never come under the observation, or at least the reprehension of the reader; whereas the latter shocks our cars immediately.

Corol. 1. Here, therefore, lies one principal province of criticism, to point out the characters of those words and idioms which deserve to be disfranchised and consigned to perpetual oblivion. It is by carefully tiling off all roughness and inequalities, that language, like metals, must be polished. This indeed is an effect of Taste. But when criticism hath called forth to this object the attention of a people improving in arts and sciences, there is a probability that the effect will be accelerated, and that their speech will not only become richer and more comprehensive, but that it will become highly refined, by acquiring greater precision, perspicuity, and harmony. (Art. 31. and 32.)

2. It is, however, no less certain, on the other hand, that in the declension of taste and science, language will unavoidably degenerate; and though the critical art may retard a little, it will never be able ultimately to prevent this degeneracy.

Obs. As no term, idiom, or application, that is totally unsupported by use, can be admitted to be good, the following Canons, in relation to those words or expressions, which may be thought to merit degradation from the rank which they have hitherto maintained, will enable us to ascertain whether every term, idiom, and application, that is countenanced by use, is to be esteemed good, and therefore worthy to be retained.

97. CANON THE SIXTH. All words and phrases which are remarkably harsh and unharmonious, and not absolutely necessary, may justly be judged to merit degradation.

Definition. We call a word or phrase absolutely necessary, when, in the event of a dismission, we have none synonymous to supply its place, or in any way to convey properly the same idea, without the aid of circumlocution.

Obs. There are, however, criteria, by which we may discriminate the objectionable words from all others.

93. Criterion first. A term composed of words already compounded, of which the several parts are not easily, and therefore not closely united, is always heavy and drawling, and withal so ill compacted, that it has not more vivacity than a periphrasis, to compensate for the defect of harmony. Example. Such are the words bare-faced-ness, shame-faced-ness, un-success-ful-ness, dis-interest-ed-ness, wrong-headed-ness.

99. Criterion second. When a word is so formed and accented, as to render it of difficult utterance to the speaker, and consequently disagreeable in sound to the hearer, it may be judged worthy of the fate prescribed by the canon. (Art. 97.)

Illus. This happens in two cases; first, when the syllables which immediately follow the accented syllable, are so crowded with consonants, as of necessity to retard the pronunciation; as questionless, remembrancer;-secondly, when too many syllables follow the accented syllable, a similiar dissonance is found; as pri'marily, per'emptorily.

100. Criterion third. When a short or unaccented syllable is repeated, or followed by another short or unaccented syllable very much resembling it, the pronunciation partakes the appearance of stammering.

Example. This happens when we add the adverbial termination to words ending in ly; as holily; or when the participial termination ing, is added to a noun ending in er; as, fa'rriering, soʻldiering.

Scholium. Beside the cases which come under the foregoing criterion, we know of none that ought to dispose us to the total disuse of words really significant. A little harshness by the collision of consonants, which, nevertheless, our organs find no difficulty in articulating, and which do not suggest to the hearer the disagreeable idea either of precipitation or of stammering, is by no means a sufficient reason for the suppression of an useful term. It does not do well to introduce hard and strong sounds too frequently; but when they are used sparingly and properly, they have even a good effect. Variety of sound is advantageous to a language; and it is convenient that we should have some sounds that are rough and masculine, as well as some that are liquid and feminine.*

*Those languages which are allowed to be the most susceptible of all the graces of harmony, have admitted many ill sounding words: such are in Greek Tλx vilεolaι, pepipпpevov; such are also in Latin spississimus, percrebrescebantque ; in Italian, increcicchiare, spregiatrice. The first Greek word hisses worse than any

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101. CANON THE SEVENTH. When etymology plainly points to a signification different from that which the word commonly bears, propriety and simplicity both require the dismission of every such word.

Illus. The word plainly is used in this canon, because no regard should be had to the etymology, when it is from an ancient or foreign language, or from obsolete roots in our own language, or when it is obscure or doubtful. The case is different when the roots either are, or strongly appear to be, English, and, in present use, clearly suggest another meaning.

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Example 1. Beholden implies obliged," or "indebted." As the passive participle of the verb to behold, which it is analogically, it conveys a sense totally different. Not that we consider the term as equivocal; for in the last acceptation, it hath long since been disused, having been supplanted by beheld.

Corol. Every word, therefore, whose formation is as analogical as this, has, at least, the appearance of impropriety, when used in a sense that seems naturally foreign to its radical signification.

Example 2. The verb to unloose should analogically signify" to tie," in like manner as to untie signifies" to loose."

Corol. All considerations of analogy, propriety and perspicuity, unite in persuading us to repudiate the preposterous application of every term which includes the impropriety of conveying a sense the reverse of that which its etymology naturally suggests.

102. CANON THE EIGHTH. When any words become obsolete, or, at least, are never used, except as constituting parts of particular phrases, it is better to dispense with their service entirely, and give up the phrases.

Illus. First, because the disuse, in ordinary cases, renders the term somewhat indefinite, and occasions a degree of obscurity; secondly, because the introduction of words, which never appear but with the same attendants, gives an air of vulgarity and cant, to a style which might otherwise be wholly unexceptionable.

Example. Dint of argument, for "strength of argument;"-not a whit better, for "no better;"-pro and con, for" on both sides;"with many similar phrases, will never be used by those who observe the eighth canon.

103. CANON THE NINTH. All those phrases which, when analysed grammatically, include a solecism, (Art. 111.) and all those to which use hath affixed a particular sense, but which, when explained by the general and established rules

English word; the last presents a dissonant recurrence of the same letter, to a degree unexampled with us, though the mixture of long and short syllables prevents that difficulty of utterance, pointed out in the example of Criterion third. The first Latin word hisses in pronunciation like an adder roused from its slumbers; the second is as rough as any of those in the example of Criterion first. And the two Italian words, from the most musical of all languages, sound harsh and jarring even to us, who are accustomed to a dialect boisterous like our weather.

of language, are susceptible either of a different sense, or of no sense, ought to be discarded altogether.

Illus. We shall distinguish this phraseology by the epithet idiomatical; and since it is the offspring partly of ignorance, and partly of affectation, it divides itself into several examples.

First, that which includes a solecism, is the phrase," I had rather do such a thing," for, "I would rather do it." This expression is irregular, because the auxiliary had joined to the infinitive active do, is a gross violation of the rules of conjugation; and it is unnecessary, because we can supply its place by a phrase purely English. Good use cannot therefore protect it from being branded with the name of a blunder.

Secondly. Phrases, which, when explained grammatically, lead to a different sense from what the words in conjugation commonly bear; as, "he sings a good song," for " he sings well." A good song may be ill sung, and therefore the plain meaning of the words, as they stand connected, is very different. So also, "he plays a good fiddle," for "he plays well on the fiddle," involves a solecism.

A fourth impropriety is, a river's emptying itself. But to empty, is "to exhaust," or "to evacuate." Now passing the word river, as a metonymy for channel, is this ever" evacuated or exhausted?" when it is, it ceases to be a channel, and becomes a hollow or valley. A iver falls into the sea, and a ship "falls down the river," as the motion is no other that a fall down a real, though gentle, declivity.

The fifth sort are those vile but common phrases, which can scarcely be considered as conveying any sense; as, currying favour, dancing attendance.

Sixth. The idiomatical use that is sometimes made of certain verbs, renders their application reprehensible; as," he stands upon security," for " he insists;"-and take for "understand;" as, 66 you take me," and "I take it;"-and hold for " continue;" as, " he does not hold long in one mind."

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Seventh. The worst are those, in which the words, when construed, are not susceptible of any meaning; as, there were seven ladies in the company, every one prettier than another;" which means, that they were all very pretty. But one prettier, implies that there is another less pretty. Now where every one is prettier, there can be none less, and consequently none more pretty.

Corol. Ambitiously to display nonsensical phrases of this sort, under the ridiculous notion of a familiar and easy manner, is not to set off the riches of a language, but to expose its rags. As such idioms, therefore, err alike against purity, simplicity, perspicuity, and elegance, they are entitled to no quarter from those who may deem the foregoing canons of any weight in the art of composition.

Scholium. The first five of these canons are intended to suggest the principles by which our choice ought to be directed in cases wherein use itself is wavering; and the four last, to point out those further improvements of construction, which verbal criticism, without exceeding her legal powers, may assist in producing. There is a danger, however, lest our improvements this way be carried too far, and our mother tongue, by being too much impaired, be impoverished, and so more injured in copiousness and nerves, than all our refinement will ever be able to compensate. For this reason there ought, in support

of every sentence of proscription, to be an evident plea from the principles of perspicuity, elegance and harmony.

104. The foregoing reasoning furnishes a TENTH CANON. Whatever be the opinion of some grammarians, the want of etymology cannot be reckoned a sufficient ground for the suppression of a significant term, which hath come into good

use.

Obs. It were as unreasonable to reject, on this account, the assistance of an expressive word, that opportunely offers its service, when perhaps no other word would so exactly answer our purpose, as to refuse, in common life, the needful aid of a proper person, because he could give no account of his family or pedigree.

use,

Illus. Though what is called cant, is generally, not necessarily, not always without etymology, it is not the defect, but the baseness of the which fixeth on it that disgraceful appellation, No absolute monarch hath it more in his power to ennoble a person of obscure birth, than it is in the power of good use to exalt words of low or dubious extraction.

Examples. Fib, banter, fop, fudge, have arisen from hovels no one knows how; and flimsy, from the cant of a workshop.

Corol. It is never from attention to etymology, which would frequently mislead us, but from custom, the only infallible guide in this matter, that the meanings of words in present use must be learned. (Art. 76. and 77.)

105. What has now been said on this topic, relates only to such words as bear no distinguishable traces of the baseness of their source; the case is quite different in regard to those terms, which may be said to proclaim their vile and despicable origin; and that either by associating disagreeable and unsuitable ideas, or by betraying some frivolous humour in their formation.

Examples. Bellytimber, thoroughstitch, and dumbfound, are of the former; and transmogrify, bamboozle, helterskelter, are of the latter class. Yet most of these words are to be found in " WALKER's Critical Pronouncing Dictionary.”

Obs. These may find a place in burlesque, but ought never to show themselves in any serious performance. A person of no birth, as the phrase is, may be raised to the rank of nobility, and, which is more, may become it; but nothing can add dignity to that man, or fit him for the company of gentlemen, who bears indelible marks of the clown in his look, gait, and whole behaviour.

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