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WORDS
WORKS BY ALFRED AYRES
THE ORTHOEPIST
A Pronouncing Manual, containing over Four Thousand Words, including the Names of Foreign Authors, Artists, etc. Revised Edition. i8mo. Cloth, $1.25.
THE VERBALIST
Brief Discussions of the Right and the Wrong Use of Words. Revised Edition. $1.25.
THE MENTOR
A Book for the Guidance of such Men and Boys as would appear to Advantage in the Society of Persons of the Better Sort. i8mo. Cloth, $1.00.
ACTING AND ACTORS
Elocution and Elocutionists. i8mo. Cloth, $1.25.
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Leveled specially at some half-dozen errors made by well-nigh every one that uses the English language. l8mo. Cloth, $1.00.
Grammar -without a Master THE ENGLISH GRAMMAR
OF WILLIAM COBBETT. Carefully Revised and Annotated. i8mo. Cloth, $1.00.
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
UUu^
BY
ALFRED AYRES
AUTHOR OF
THE ORTHOEPIST, THE VERBALIST, ACTING AND ACTORS, THE MENTOR, THE ESSENTIALS OF ELOCUTION, ETC.
As there is never but one best way, so there is never but one best word
NEW YORK
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1908
PE
COPYRIGHT, 1901, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY.
Every writer should aim to preserve the individuality of the words he uses; he should not allow any word to trench on the domain of any other word. This he should do in the interest of clearness; in this way only can he avoid ambiguity. The so-called " new mean- ings" are the product either of a restricted vocabulary or of a lack of painstaking.
Familiarity with the examples here gath- ered should do something, it would seem, toward mending the ways of the careless.
PREFACE
THIS book is levelled, specially, at some half dozen errors that are made by wellnigh every one that uses the English language.
Who, for example, does not misuse the auxiliary verbs, and the words anticipate, anxious, financial, and hurry, and who does not over-use the words former and latter? Then who does not use a certain ponderous locution in which a noun is made to do duty as a verb? And then tliere are not a few that persist in using that repulsive construction in which there are two nomi- natives and only one verb?
Something about these words and phrases, and some little besides, is what
herein will be found.
A. A.
NEW YORK, January, igoi.
CONTENTS
PAGE
THE AUXILIARIES . 9
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION 30
THE NEW YORK SUN'S SPECIAL ABHORRENCE . 58
FORMER AND LATTER 66
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION .... 77
ANTICIPATE 94
ERRORS IN TENSE 107
ANXIOUS 123
FINANCIAL 133
HURRY 139
THE POSSESSIVE 144
CAPABLE — SUSCEPTIBLE 152
PROPOSITION — PROPOSAL 157
PREVIOUS TO 163
GENERALLY 169
APPRECIATE 174
DICTION .178
NONE 181
INDIVIDUAL 185
IN RESPECT OF 189
FEELS BADLY 192
7
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
PAGE
OF THE NAME OF IQ5
COMMENCE .... Iqg
A OR AN, WHICH ? 200
MISCELLANEOUS .... ,202
WHY USE THAT TO INTRODUCE RESTRICTIVE
CLAUSES ? ,227
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
THE AUXILIARIES
THE misuse of the auxiliary verbs is vvellnigh universal.
,/The errors are made in using will for shall and would for should.
The auxiliaries are most misused in in- direct discourse; there, they are more fre- quently used incorrectly than correctly. Properly, thus: " He said he should be glad to see you." " They think they shall be here to-morrow." " He thinks he shall soon be well." " They are confident they shall get it." We see will more frequently in sentences like these than shall.
In The Verbalist, page 252, the auxil- iaries are treated with tolerable fulness.
The book was just then published and was very badly printed. When I got through I
9
IO SOME ILL-USED WORDS
thought I would [should] never see again. — Charles A. Dana.
Before leaving City Hall the chief marshal said he would [should] write the Mayor a letter explaining the whole matter.
Governor Roosevelt said that he would [should] be very glad to have the honor of shak- ing hands with the members of the congrega- tion.
If that were all that he meant he would not be supporting it, and I would [should] not be taking the trouble to oppose it. If everything in the world be increased 10 per cent in value, why we would [should] pay 10 per cent in ad- dition for what we would [should] buy and we would [should] get 10 per cent more for what we would [should] sell, and we would [should] be exactly in the same place we occupied [were in] before. — Bourkc Cockran as reported in the New York Sun.
Chairman Hanna of the National Republican Committee said he would [should] have nothing to add to the statement issued last night.
When I come back to New York City, after my trip through the State, I will [shall] be able
THE AUXILIARIES \\
to judge better what the New York vote will be. The Democratic leaders of this State have as- sured me that I will [shall] carry New York by a comfortable majority.
The morning after this dinner Minister Tay- lor sent to the Spanish Foreign Office a peremp- tory notification that unless the communication to the Ambassadors was instantly withdrawn he would [should] demand his passports and return to Washington. — New York Sun.
If he were [should be] elected we woiild [should] have a President with all a President's influence in the Senate and in the House, deter- mined by every means in his power to throw the exchanges of the country into chaos.
Archbishop Cranmer, the first primate of the English Church, said in his Catechism : " If we should have heathen parents and die without bap- tism, we would [should] be damned everlast- ingly."
" Let me see," said Mrs. Dobley, reflectively ; " I have promised to give up sugar, sweets and pastries of all sorts, cream, jellies — really every- thing I like best. It's dreadful, isn't it? We will [shall] not be so happy, but we will [shall] grow thin."
12 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
We will [shall] sweep the country from one end to the other and the Republicans will not be able to carry eight States in the Union. — John P. Altgeld.
She would not say to-night whether she would [should] or would [should] not comply with the provisions of the will. The Sister Superior thought Miss Jewell would enter the sisterhood regardless of family opposition.
" I don't see, just at present, that I will [shall] need to resort to force to keep me [myself] in office." If this be not the language of revolt, we would [should] like to know what it is.
I believe it should be allowed to carry out any reasonable tariff policy without obstruction. If it brings prosperity we will [shall] all be content. If it does not we will [shall] all know that some other remedy is required, and by the process of elimination [we] will [shall] come down to the only radical cure. Let tariff legislation be en- acted immediately and we will [shall] have a chance to test the sentiments of the country on the silver question alone, unembarrassed by tariff. — New York Evening Sun.
With this accomplished the Chicago scientist believes that he will [shall] have a fairly accurate idea of how many years it took the whole lime- stone stratum to accumulate.
I assert that aggregated capital is the neces- sary and natural handmaid of advancing com- merce; that we would [should] never have reached the colossal developed condition in which we find ourselves if the instrumentalities of ag- gregated wealth had not aided it.
Mr. Bryan is just as resolute and uncom- promising an advocate of free silver to-day as [he was] in the days immediately following his defeat in 1896, when he said that if everybody else abandoned the cause he would [should] be found fighting for it with his last breath.
Neither a promise nor determination, simply future action.
Chairman Jones serves notice on the support- ers of President McKinley that " we have won the fight, and, by Heaven, we will not be de- frauded out of our victory by the chicanery of election judges."
Determination, hence correct.
President Eliot's mind made up. He says he won't support McKinley, but doesn't know how he will [shall] vote.
He added that, although he believed that he would [should] carry his own State by 20,000, he had been informed that his plurality in Nebraska would be 50,000.
I4 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Some three summers ago Charles Dudley Warner was sitting on the balcony of a club over- looking Madison Square taking his afternoon coffee ; there had been some, talk of the club [club's] moving uptown. Mr. Warner said, in his quiet way : " Ten years from now they will be sorry they moved uptown. I will, [shall] be sorry, too. Hold on, no I won't, for I will [shall] be dead. Yes, but I will [shall] be sorry any way."
When the two men were arrested, Frederick B. House, their attorney, said that he would [should] have no difficulty in getting bail for them.
Second, what prosperity we have came in spite of the Republican party. If the Republican party had had its way we would [should] have had no prosperity.
He said to-day that he would [should] remain in Lincoln and devote his time to magazine and special writing and to lecturing. He said he had not the least idea of retiring from politics, and that whether as a leader or [as] a private he proposed to continue his labors on [in?] behalf of Democracy.
An engineer working for the market may find means to make a fortune. Of course, in the vast majority of cases he does not, but he always hopes he will [shall].
THE AUXILIARIES \^
I have a lot of very important business to attend to that requires all my time at present and for several weeks to come, and I should be obliged to neglect it if I should go to Chicago. Besides, my presence at the Convention would really do no good. The free-silver people seem to have about everything their own way, and, as I should stand by the resolutions of our State Convention and vote for a sound-money platform and sound-money candidates, I should stand with the minority in a hopeless and embarrassing posi- tion.
It would seem from this paragraph, that the Baltimore correspondent of the New York Sun knows how to use his auxiliaries. He's one in a thousand.
We will [shall] have the finger of scorn pointed at us by all other nations, and justly, too, for we will [shall] be dishonest and dishonorable.
Mr. House was asked if he would [should] begin habeas corpus proceedings to-day for his clients and he replied :
" I don't think I will [shall]. Probably our only work to-day will be to get the prisoners out on bail."
Young Vickery was placed hors du [de] com- bat. Mrs. Vickery declared that she would never 2
j6 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
be driven by a rooster — so sallied forth to meet her adversary.
Determination, hence correct.
We have broken up his alibi, we will [shall] connect him with the bloody finger marks on the door, and we will [shall] tell one other thing that will absolutely convince a jury of his guilt.
According to report President Marroquin has decided not to accept the Atalanta. Senor Isaza said he would [should] not act in this regard until he had received full instructions from Presi- dent Marroquin.
We would [should] simply take our present North Atlantic fleet and drive them from Cuban waters. We would [should] still require the other squadrons in foreign ports. — New York Evening Sun.
I will [shall] remain with my family in the city a couple of days, then I will [shall] go on to Washington.
Israel Ludlow, a lawyer, who represents the negroes who [that] have filed claims, said this morning that he would [should] file four addi- tional claims against the city to-day.
THE AUXILIARIES \-j
" No, my lord," was the reply of the aged prisoner; "this is getting a trifle monotonous. I would [should] like to know how a fellow can manage to please you judges. When I was only seventeen I got three years, .and the judge said I ought to be ashamed of myself stealing at my age. When I was forty I got five years, and the judge said it was a shame that a man in his very best years should steal. And now, when I am seventy years of age, here you come and tell me the same old story. Now, I would [should] like to know what year of a man's life is the right one, according to your notion ? "
There were several men in different parts of the audience who suggested that they would [should] like to hear about free silver, but there was no opportunity to ask the speaker questions.
If we assert sovereignty over the Filipinos we will [shall] have to defend that sovereignty by force, and the Filipinos will be our enemies.
" A paper," said the Senator, growing per- sonal, " said that I was interested in steel trusts. I would [should] like to know where the informa- tion was obtained. I want to know what steel trust I am in."
What am I going to do? Why, try and [to] cure the rheumatism, of course. Oh, you mean in
jg SOME ILL-USED WORDS
a professional way ! Why, I'm under contract to Mr. Daniel Frohman. I will [shall] be a perma- nent member of his stock company at Daly's Theatre and will [shall] open there on November 26th in The Man of Forty. I will [shall] go to Baltimore next week to begin rehearsals with the company.
I won't say that I wouldn't like to have mar- ried him [should not have liked to marry him] because I would [should], but you see there was no way out of the Gray marriage.
Lieutenant-Governor Woodruff finally de- clines a renomination. He tells Mr. Platt that he can not accept, but would, [should] like to be chairman of the State committee. Mr. Platt says that he [Woodruff] will not be chairman of the committee, and that Horace White will probably be nominated for Lieutenant Governor.
Send your reader hunting antecedents only when you can not well avoid it.
My husband was determined that I should ac- cept his offer, and I — well, I was crazy to go, but I weighed what I would [should] gain against what I would [should] lose. — A. E. B. in the Dramatic Mirror.
I thought you said a short time ago that you would [should] not recover the use of your voice until a certain person had been elected.
THE AUXILIARIES ig
Presumably, this was not a case of de- termination.
Without any desire to bring politics into the church, he said that he would [should] like to have Governor Roosevelt make an address to the people.
We will [shall] have headquarters in the future at 246 West Fifty-third Street, where we will [shall] meet every Thursday evening.
Mrs. Leslie said that although she had given up part of her stock without consideration and was a minority holder, she did not intend to be frozen out altogether, and that she would [should] call on Mr. Colver for an explanation.
What will Cleveland say when Mrs. Dominis remarks [says] to him : " But for your encour- agement I would [should] have accepted the revolution as an accomplished fact, and would [should] be now in the enjoyment of [enjoying] a substantial pension " ? — New York Sun.
Better re-use say than to use remark as it is here used.
The fact of the matter is, that instead of us [our] owing either of them, they have quite a little of our money, which we would [should] be very happy to get back. — New York Sun.
20 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Where would [should] we be without a navy? If we had no navy we might presently find the Powers of Europe considering us as they are at present considering the Empire of China.
Will [shall] you hold any important confer- ences ?
I will [shall] have several consultations with leading Republicans. Will [shall] likely meet Senators Sherman, Quay, Proctor, and others. Can not say who the others will probably be. — New York Sun.
So far as this committee is concerned, we feel something like the Methodist minister who shouted downstairs to the burglar to go ahead and see if he could find anything, and if so [he could] he would [should] be glad to divvy with him.
Mr. Croker's gaze sank to the floor as he said : " I am disappointed. I never [have] had a greater disappointment. I felt sure that we ivotdd [should] win — that Bryan would win. But it can't be helped. You can never tell."
Flossie is six years old. " Mamma," she asked one day, " if I get married will [shall] I have a husband like papa?"
" Yes," replied the mother, with an amused smile.
THE AUXILIARIES 2l
" And if I don't get married, will [shall] I have to be an old maid like Aunt Kate? "
" Yes, Flossie."
" Mamma," she said, after a short pause, " it's a tough world for us women, ain't it ? "
I believe that we are now in a better posi- tion to wage a successful contest against imperial- ism than we would [should] have been had the treaty been rejected.
Mr. Van Wyckle says in case of a strike he will [shall] abandon his collieries.
I have been for long years a Democrat, but at the last presidential election [I] voted for McKinley. I will [shall] vote for him [McKin- ley] again. Mr. Bryan is the incarnation of eco- nomic heresies.
The diction is strengthened by re-using McKinley.
A Democrat who [that] had learned the lesson of experience in the last three years and a half asked a friend of his how he was going to vote this year. He said : " I'm going to vote for Bryan, of course." The Democrat asked " Why? " Then the friend said: " They told me four years ago that if I would vote for Bryan we would [should] have four years of good times ; and haven't we had it?"
22 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
He had adopted the idea that he would [should] like to work outdoors. — Charles A. Dana.
Judge John A. Grow, who has heretofore been a Democrat, informed National Republican Com- mitteeman Frederick S. Gibbs yesterday in a letter that he could no longer act with that party, but would [should] vote the straight Republican ticket this fall.
If we follow down the official chronologies to 499 A. D. we will [shall] find an account of one Hwui Shan, who in that year returned to China.
Colonel Gardiner and General Burnett told Magistrate Flammer that they would [should] like to have his examination postponed until an agreement had been reached about the jurisdic- tion.
I will [shall] have it so arranged that it can be flooded with water, making a stagecraft vessel look mighty realistic. If necessary I will [shall] be able to run a locomotive on that stage.
It was said that he had expressed the opinion that he could not take a senatorship during the coming four years because he would [should] " be a very busy man."
THE AUXILIARIES 23
There will be no change in the theatre's plans for the season. Miss Irwin will stay there as long as it is profitable to do so [stay]. Then Amelia Bingham will come in with her proposed dramatic stock company. Miss Irwin said last night, in reference to the future policy of the house : " I will [shall] form a stock company of well-known actors and will [shall] play all or the greater part of each year at my theatre. I will [shall] open next September for a preliminary season of revivals. I will [shall] get as many of the original casts as possible. I will [shall] then produce one or two new plays."
The story of the defendant is different. Speaking of the action of the other, he said : " If he had touched me on the shoulder and asked me to move, I would [should] have done so [moved].
" Will [shall] you be able to convince the public," it was asked, " that this crusade of Tam- many's is not a mere bluff, set on foot to offset the Bishop Potter crusade?"
The chief says he will [shall] be able to show that a four-seat carriage was hired from Stow- croft, and that he drove the men to the Goffle Road.
We concluded that if we could organize our- selves on his system, we would [should] be sure
24 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
of making [to make] a greater impression on in- telligent people. — Charles A. Dana.
" Gentlemen," said Colonel Bryan, smilingly [smiling], " if I were superstitious I would [should] look upon the breaking of this looking- glass as an ill omen."
Miss Bacon herself laughingly remarked that she thought it likely that she would [should] marry an American.
I shall bring a suit for damages against the city and in all probability -will [shall] file a com- plaint with the police commissioners.
This speaker — or reporter — evidently thinks shall and zvill are interchangeable.
Keenly aware, as we are, of the serious re- sponsibilities which [that] a political party owes to the State, we will [shall] strive to shape our action in accordance with the requirements of public interest.
" Unfortunately while money talks all that talks is not money."
" Why do you say ' unfortunately ' ? " she asked.
" Because if that were so," he answered, " I would [should] be married to a fabulous fortune."
THE AUXILIARIES
Personally I would [should] like at least once a week to get out from under the incubus of ordinary obligation and to yield myself up intel- lectually and emotionally to the domination of dramatic power. — The Rev. Dr. Parkhurst.
He said he would [should] prefer State banks founded on a specie basis to national banks, no matter how good the system, founded on the credit of the Government.
He intimated, however, that he had been to Police Headquarters about the case, and would [should] probably go there again.
You know that with the slightest prospect of a foreign war we would [should] suspend gold payments and go either to a silver or [to] a paper basis at once.
I would [should] like to see them try it. I would [should] like to see the Police Board sub- poena me to give testimony against accused policemen. I would [should] simply refuse to honor the summons. — Bishop Potter as reported by the New York Herald.
After he had plead [pleaded] guilty he thought mercy would be shown him — went into the court- room full of confidence that he would [should] be leniently dealt with. — New York Evening Sun.
26 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
A large corporation is organized by charter to conduct business and not politics, and we will [shall] try to see to it that they attend to their own business and allow their employees to do the same [attend to theirs].
I would [should] like to have Bryan distin- guish between the trusts. Whenever trusts amenable to law have encountered the law they have suffered. Trusts contrary to the law can not stand.
We will [shall] export no goods and we will [shall] import from foreign lands all the goods we use ; thus will ruin, want and misery be with us.
They deny that there is any possibility that they will [shall] receive such treatment if once they receive the consent of the Sultan to settle in Palestine.
All the contest now, apparently, is to show not that the Filipinos will be injured by annexation to our country, but that we ourselves will [shall] thereby lose our liberties. Even if we intended to hold the Philippines in subjection would it follow that we would [should] be slaves?
Will [shall] I do any speaking here? Well, I may make a few remarks at noonday meetings, but I have no speaking engagements.
THE AUXILIARIES
But at the bottom of it all was confidence, pro- duced by the assurance that we would [should] be spared the degradation of a debased currency and that the gold standard would be maintained.
He said he would [should] rather have, at the beginning of a campaign, the wife than the hus- band on his side. — New York Sun.
He said that if I did so, I would [should] be doing him an everlasting favor, for he hoped to secure a place with the company when it was formed.
The chief shifted the responsibility by saying that if the State Superintendent of Elections had any evidence he would [should] be glad to re- ceive it and to act upon it.
We will [shall] continue on to control our schools and teach our children the history of that period as it was, not as these partisans who still hate us have it.
A few minutes after this conversation the young woman came out, entered a brougham that was standing in front of the house and drove away. She left word with her servant that she would [should] not be back until evening.
28 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
He refused to take an active part in the cam- paign, but he announced that he would [should] vote for Bryan. — New York Sun.
E. L. Mordecai, a broker, of 52 Broadway, said that he had $9,750 that he would [should] like to bet on the election.
I think I will [shall] make it as near [nearly] like the Drury Lane Theatre in London as pos- sible, but of course everything will be upon a much larger scale.
I am glad I came to-night, although I felt, after hearing two such speakers as Mr. Dalzell and Mr. Barrett, that I would [should] be out of place.
I expected to give her, and would [should] be compelled to do so [give her] by the terms of our contract, the forty performances during the sea- son.— New York Sun.
If getting up public subscription will [shall] be glad to give $1,000. — Lipton.
I would [should] not be surprised if McKinley carried Kentucky by 30,000 majority.
Queen Victoria fears she will [shall] not out- live 1896. — Headline New York Sun.
THE AUXILIARIES
29
If a man wearing a shirt waist entered the dining car and ladies objected to his garb, we •would [should] ask him to put on his coat. If he refused to do so [to put it on] we would [should] request him to wait for his dinner until the ladies left the car.
We have grown so accustomed to the ubiqui- tous speculators that we would [should] not be surprised to find them grouped around the gate of heaven waiting for their prey.
If these examples do nothing else, they will go a long way toward making it appear that will and would have good reason to complain of being unconscionably ill-used, since they show that will and would are continually made to do duty not only for themselves but also for their kinsmen shall and should.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
THIS is a construction that is wellnigh universally employed, and yet, in strictness, it is commonly, perhaps invariably, ungram- matical. Wordy it certainly always is.
By Noun Construction I would desig- nate that construction that expresses action, doing, without employing a verb in any form soever; as, for example, " It tends to the elimination of the weak and the preserva- tion of the strong." — New York Sun, March 3, 1895.
This sentence is weak, the result of hav- ing fifty per cent more syllables than are necessary, and, to my thinking, it is un- grammatical. Its grammar is mended by changing the nouns elimination and preser- vation to the verbal nouns eliminating and preserving, and both grammar and rhetoric are mended by employing infinitives, which would give us, " It tends to eliminate the weak and to preserve the strong " — thirteen syllables against twenty-one. 30
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION 3!
Economics is the science that treats of the development [developing] of material resources, or of the production [producing], preservation [preserving], and distribution [distributing] of wealth and of the means and methods of living well. — Standard Dictionary.
The science of the developing and the producing; the history of the development and the production. It is always desirable to express the thought absolutely.
At the present stage of the canvass no occupa- tion is less profitable than the construction [con- structing] of tables of the electoral vote showing the probable results in November. — N. Y. Sun.
The act of constructing a table, which is what is here meant, is one thing; the con- struction, the make-up, of a table, after it has been constructed, is quite another thing. The same word should not be used to ex- press the thought in both cases. In strict- ness, we must employ a verb in some form properly to express a doing. The using of nouns where verbs are required — or, I should say, perhaps, the making of nouns do verbal service — is wellnigh universal. Is it, or can it ever become, good grammar? I think not. 3
3 2 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The special order for the opening day of the session is for the erection [erecting] of a bridge across the Detroit River at Detroit. Among other special orders are the house bills to prevent the extermination of the fur-bearing seals of Alaska and to reduce [to lessen the number of] cases in which the death penalty may be inflicted. — New York Sun.
In the first sentence, the writer uses a noun in precisely the same manner that he uses verbs in in the second. " To reduce the cases" seems to me too elliptical. Lessen the number is more idiomatic than reduce the number.
The scheme for the retirement of [to retire] the greenbacks, therefore, can not furnish an issue for the Democratic party. — New York Sun.
Why use six syllables when three will suffice? Then, with three syllables the sen- tence is grammatical, which with six it is not.
During the past year rapid progress has been made toward the completion of [completing] the scheme adopted for the erection [erecting] and armament [arming] of fortifications along our sea- coast, while equal progress has been made in pro- viding the material for submarine defence in con- nection with these works. — President Cleveland.
33
The Republican party claimed protection and the Democratic party silver to be the paramount issue. The people have declared in favor of pro- tection and have given the Republican party a contract for the restoration of [to restore] pros- perity.
The dukes were to receive compensation for the resignation of [resigning] their claims.
Most of the provinces were pays detection, i. e., they were divided into districts in which the assessment [assessing] and collection [collecting] of taxes were vested in royal officials.
The arrangements for diffusing education and the establishment of newspapers. — New York Sun.
Why two forms of expression in the same sentence? Why not establishing newspapers?
In the consideration of [considering] Hamlet's case, nothing should be. — Richard Grant White.
Education that is not centred on the refine- ment [refining] and ennoblement [ennobling] of the mind ... is worse than the shadow. — Daivson.
34 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Chief Byrnes puts at the disposal of Mayor Strong his services for the reformation [reform- ing] and reorganization [reorganizing] of the police force. — New York Sun.
Better: in reforming and reorganizing.
Statistics is the science that deals with the collection [collecting], classification [classifying], and tabulation [tabulating] of facts. — Standard Dictionary.
Mr. Iselin is giving unremitting personal care and labor to the supervision [supervising] and development [developing] of the Defender. — New York Sun.
It is merely a matter of police regulation; it will also be serviceable in the imposition and col- lection [imposing and collecting] of taxes. — New York Sun.
The policy of the Administration has resulted in the establishment of [establishing] a precedent. — New York Sun.
The determination [determining] of distances with a telemeter. — Standard Dictionary.
The preparation [preparing] of tobacco for use is called curing. It has for its purpose
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
35
the drying and preservation [preserving] of the leaf as well as the development [developing] of the peculiar aroma.
The Legislature may provide by-laws for the supervision [supervising], registration [register- ing], control [controlling], and identification [identifying] of all persons.
The slowness in the collection [collecting] and circulation [circulating] of news. [Better: in collecting and circulating news.]
It is not by the consolidation or the concentra- tion of powers, but by their distribution, that good government is effected. [It is not by con- solidating or concentrating powers, but by dis- tributing them, that ]
The indication of an infinitive by to without the actual expression of the verb to which it be- longs is a colloquialism. Rewritten : The indicat- ing of an infinitive with to without the verb it belongs to is a colloquialism.
The imposition [imposing] of a duty on wool will help the wool business by giving it incidental protection. — New York Sun.
For above all the grievances of the miners has been pushed a greater question, the question
36 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
of whether might or right shall rule in the settle- ment [settling] of labor disputes, and on this question the operators have put themselves un- qualifiedly in the wrong.
If this be so, it is plain that the time is by no means yet ripe for the evacuation of [to evacuate] Pekin.
The Washington Star calls for the dethrone- ment [dethroning] of the Empress Dowager.
For our own part we wish Mr. Allen would re- dedicate his rare talents to the production [pro- ducing] of books in his earlier manner.
No doubt Mr. Allen knows; but if there is anything to make him imagine that the propaga- tion [propagating] of his dry and dreary agnosti- cism will make men either better or happier, he keeps that secret very closely to himself.
And Mr. McKinley declares that this would be the immediate effect of the election [electing] of Bryan.
That is, the effect of doing something.
Taking the city and county of New York as an example, it is found that over [more than]
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
37
$20,000,000 was spent during 1899 'n tne repres- sion [repressing] and correction [correcting] of crime, out of a total expenditure of about $90,- 000,000. This means a crime taxation of $6 per capita. An analysis of San Francisco's budget shows an average of $5 per capita. In smaller cities, the average is about $3.50 per capita. With these averages as a basis, Mr. Smith calculates that $i per [an or the] inhabitant in the " open country " is a conservative estimate.
The Latin preposition per is a good deal used in such phrases as per day, per man, per pound, per ton, and so on. In all such cases it is better to use plain English, and say a day, a man, a pound, etc. Per is cor- rect before Latin nouns only; as per annum, per diem, per cent. In short: Never mix languages, if you can well avoid it. — The Verbalist, page 205.
No department offered less encouragement to the spirit of monopoly than the production [pro- ducing], refinement [refining], and distribution [distributing] of this natural oil.
It is possible, however, that, if Germany and Great Britain persist in retaining possession of the Chinese capital pending negotiations for the restoration [restoring] of order and the settle*-
38 SOME ILL- USED WORDS
ment [settling] of questions in dispute, Russia and France may deem it advisable to keep a part of their forces also in Pekin.
The dissolution [dissolving] of Parliament was therefore an absolute necessity. The Gov- ernment hopes that the people will send men willing to assist in the development of [develop- ing] the country. The Government, by dissolving a Parliament which [that] did no positive work, carries out a constitutional principle.
From the days of the Revival of Learning authors appear to have exercised a large amount of ingenuity in the selection of [selecting] titles for their works.
In 1311 Pope Clement had ordered the estab lishment of professorships for the study of the Sacred Word ; and Pius VI, in 1778, congratu- lated the Archbishop of Florence on his success in placing the Scriptures in the hands of the people.
Here is the very acme of awkwardness. Ordered professorships to be established; or, elliptically, established.
These results tended to a restoration of [to restore] confidence, but it was not until the defeat
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
39
of Bryan and [the] success of the party of sound money in 1896 that confidence was fully restored.
Every patriotic American, and every Demo- crat in particular, should favor expansion.
Jefferson was an expansionist, otherwise he would not have favored the acquisition [acquir- ing] of Louisiana with its foreign population which in Jefferson's time was quite as remote as the Philippines.
The acquiring of Louisiana was a mag- nificent acquisition.
THe Liberal press of Great Britain have been quickest in the recognition of [to recognize] this fact and strongest in deploring it.
The malaria problem is not yet entirely solved, but these experiments certainly afford very strong confirmation of the theory that makes mosquitoes chiefly responsible for the conveyance [convey- ing] of the poison to man.
The mosquito is the conveyance that does the conveying?
In the application of [applying] that definition to religious matters it at once becomes evident that there must be a large exercise of reason be- fore there can be any such thing as an act of faith.
40 SOME ILL-USED WOKDS
People in the West can scarcely imagine how much attention is paid in Persia and elsewhere in the Orient to1 the production [producing] of a finely finished manuscript.
Richard H. Adams, chairman of the Com- mittee on Buildings, Board of Education, adver- tised to-day for bids for the erection [erecting] of a building for the High School of Commerce.
By the treaty of Shimonoseki, May, 1895, China renounced her claim of suzerainty, and Japan began to institute reforms, such as the divi- sion [dividing] of the country into districts, the raising of revenue by taxation, the establishment [establishing] of Government departments, and the regular payment [paying] of officials.
If raising, why not paying?
The collection [collecting] of rubber, how- ever, presents many features of interest, and de- serves more extended treatment.
It was argued that enough laxity or careless irregularity in the conduct of [conducting] the office had been shown to justify the removal of the prosecuting officer of this county, and, fur- ther, that whether such were [was] the case or not, it would be excellent politics to assume the guilt of the defendant.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION 41
We do not need the subjunctive here; and if we did, were would not serve. Were can never, properly, be employed as a past or as a future subjunctive.
Secretary Hay to-day transmitted to the Ger- man Government the answer of the United States to the recent communications of Germany, in which modifications are made of the proposals for the punishment [punishing] of the Boxer leaders by the Powers as a condition precedent of peace negotiations. This first proposal of Germany did not meet with the approval of the United States.
Better: Proposals to punish the Boxer leaders. Note the circumstance that the writer says proposal, and not proposition. Proposition is a much misused word.
Special attention given to the management [managing] of real estate and the collection [col- lecting] and remittance [remitting] of rents.
What was left of the Democratic organization, however, assembled at Chicago in August, 1864, for the nomination of [to nominate] a candidate for President, and it adopted a platform denounc- ing the war as a " failure."
To the great shame of the city of New York, it is now represented in Congress by a delegation
42 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
elected in 1898, no one of the sixteen members of which could be induced to declare himself in favor of the preservation of [preserving] the gold standard.
He leaves to Congress the decision [deciding] of the question of the future government of the islands.
The trades unions had given notice that in the celebration of [celebrating] Labor Day there was to be no politics. If the speeches of Mr. Bryan and Governor Roosevelt are read it will be found that the latter [Governor Roosevelt] scrupulously respected the wishes of his hosts, while Mr. Bryan violated the understanding. The Governor's address was a manly, thoughtful, dis- interested treatment of the condition of labor. Mr. Bryan's address was an [a] harangue for
They like him personally, but they are afraid to trust him in the management of [to manage] their governmental affairs. It is like the relations of a good many business men with those they meet socially. The men they enjoy playing bil- liards with at the club may not be the ones [men] they would want to put in charge of their busi- ness affairs. ^___
That was bound to be a condition, but a seri- ous problem will confront the Allies when it be- comes necessary to agree upon a plan for the collection of [collecting] the money.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
43
These documents constitute the first definite step which [that] has been taken toward the solu- tion [solving] of the Chinese problem since the rescue of the legations.
They exist for the accomplishment [accom- plishing] of public objects. They should have for their ideals the maintenance [maintaining] of good government, the application [applying] of right principles to public affairs, the ascertain- ment [ascertaining] of the will of the people touching public policies, and the embodiment [em- bodying] of that will in prompt and effective legislation. The Republican party is the giant in- strument for the attainment [attaining] of these ideals.
The success of the law for the taxation [tax- ing] of franchises recently enacted in New York State, a measure which [that] has resulted in putting upon the assessment books nearly $200,- 000,000 worth of property which [that] had there- tofore escaped taxation, is an illustration of
The effort for the adoption by the Powers of [by the Powers to adopt] a programme for har- monious action in China has resulted in expres- sions from all the Powers to the effect that only by unity can the Allies successfully negotiate for peace.
44
SO ME ILL-USED WORDS
It must be understood that the delegates do not know the details of the plan for the liberation of [to liberate, or for liberating] their race.
An officer of prominence said that the rules of common sense would prevail in the settlement [settling] of the future of China and he was evi- dently hopeful of a favorable outcome.
Later he assisted in the bombardment [bom- barding, i. e., to bombard] of Fort Anderson.
So far, then, from the reviled " trusts " offer- ing injury to labor, they [the trusts] are destined to offer to it [labor] an opportunity for combina- tion in production [to combine in producing] which will settle the " labor question " by making labor itself the capital.
Trusts should be in the possessive case.
These two advisory bodies have recommended the building of battle ships and armored cruisers. It is understood that Mr. Long is opposed to the construction [constructing] of any armorclads, and in this he is supported by several naval offi- cers, members of the boards.
If building is correct — which it certainly is — then construction must be incorrect; if the one is good grammar, the other is bad grammar.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
45
The inventor discards tall poles in the opera- tion of [operating] his system and uses cylinders of moderate height.
The hackney taught the value of type in the heavy harness horse, and through breeding on and more often [oftener] by " hackneyizing " the made trotter, the effect of the introduction of [in- troducing] the breed has been clearly apparent.
Should it be proved that the girl came to her death through acts leading up to and in the com- mission [committing] of a felony, the law classi- fies the crime as murder in the first degree.
For two weeks fifty or more persons, some connected with the Police Department, and others privately employed, all of them experienced in detective work, have directed all their energies to the solution [solving] of the problem.
Wherever Nietzsche's teachings reach, wher- ever men become acquainted with his great and peculiar personality, it will attract strongly, as well as repel, but everywhere it will contribute to the development [developing] and formation [forming] of each individuality.
It will help to develop and form each in- dividuality.
46 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Since the death of Brahms, a struggle has been going on between [among] his relatives and several musical societies with regard to the dis- position [disposing] of his possessions.
Counsel for Miss Wendel said he would [should] fight the confirmation [confirming] of the report of the commissioners based on the ver- dict of the sheriff's jury, and if he lost he would [should] appeal.
He should fight against the report's being confirmed.
Protestants were even obliged to complain that Catholic countries were in advance of them in the printing and circulation [circulating] of the Scriptures.
The details relating to the organisation [or- ganizing] of the Relief Committee were perfected by the selection of [selecting] the following as officers.
I have deposited $50,000 in marketable rail- road bonds, to be used as a fund for defraying expenses incident to the investigation [investigat- ing] and prosecution [prosecuting] of frauds of the election to be held next Tuesday and in Feb- ruary.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
47
Whatever, then, the Republican party has al- ready done for the establishment [to establish] and preservation of [and preserve] the gold standard and whatever further law it might pass at the coming second session of, Congress for its protection [to protect it] against Bryan could be repealed by his Congress at once, if it was [should be ?] so disposed.
In case of another Power [Power's] making use of the complications in China in order to ob- tain, under any form whatever, such territorial advantages, the two contracting parties reserve to themselves the right to come to a preliminary understanding regarding the eventual step to be taken for the protection of [to protect] their own interests in China.
It was not a question of the imposition [im- posing] upon the people of South America of any system of government devised in Europe, but simply the determination [determining] of the frontier of a British possession.
The commission is to begin at once organisa- tion of [to organize] native municipalities on the model of General Otis and to build from these to provincial governments.
Telegraphic advices from Minister Conger re- ceived at the State Department to-day show that 4
48 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
the diplomatic body at Pekin is making progress in its determination of [determining] the pro- gramme to be submitted to the Chinese peace plenipotentiaries as a basis for the settlement [settling] of the existing troubles.
Basis on which to settle existing troubles. In matters grammatical, the thought deter- mines.
A survey of the past [last] twenty or twenty- five years reveals nothing more striking than the progress labor has made. This is seen in the numerous [many] laws that have been passed for the protection of [to protect] employees' rights and the betterment of [better] their con- dition.
For the first time in our history the world has seen, during Mr. McKinley's administration, the army and navy promptly and effectively used for the protection [to protect] and relief of [relieve] American citizens suffering from violation of treaty rights in a foreign country.
The Kansas City Convention was adverse to reaffirmation of [reaffirming] the Chicago plat- form, and a majority of its delegates honestly hoped to purge the party of the vicious heresies which [that] had lost it the respect and confi- dence of the country.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
49
Another magazine, in high standing among the Catholics, the Ave Maria, said : " In Father O'Conor's version the work of editing has con- sisted in the omission [omitting] of certain genu- ine passages and the insertion [inserting] of other brief ones [passages] which [that] are commonly supposed to be innocent interpolations."
As the telegrams from Shanghai which [that] we printed on Sunday have been confirmed by subsequent despatches to London newspapers, we are justified in assuming that the first step has been taken toward the solution [solving] of the Chinese problem.
Put them all through ; but let the legislation for the absolutely necessary re-enforcement [re- enforcing] of the army have the right of way over them all.
The dates for the beginning and termination [terminating] of relations were precisely fixed.
The right of a man to make a fool of himself is probably inalienable. Equally so [inalienable] is the right of any two men to agree that under [in?] certain circumstances one shall do some- thing for the amusement of [to amuse] the other.
On all sides complaints loud and deep are heard as to the scarcity of servants, and various
5Q SOME ILL-USED WORDS
[many] remedies, more or less practical, have been suggested for the alleviation of [to alleviate] the housewife's trouble.
The deposition [deposing] of the Empress Dowager is, indeed, believed by many papers to be a necessary precaution for the future.
The plan calls for the construction [construct- ing] of three battle ships, three armored cruisers, and twelve gunboats ; the exact number of the latter class of vessels [gunboats], however, has not been fixed.
It is very likely, however, as was indicated in a Washington despatch to the Sun yesterday, that the Government will not agree to the proposition [proposal] to prohibit the importation [import- ing] of firearms and ammunition into China.
He reminded the board that out of sixty-eight ordinances for the betterment [bettering] of the water supply in the city, it had only passed [passed only] fifteen.
I have been so busily engaged in the construc- tion of [constructing] my steel plant during these prosperous times that I have given hardly a thought to politics.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION ^\
I certainly think that the drawing up and the passage [passing] of this bill will be the first and primary business of the State Legislature when it assembles.
Yesterday was the first day for the collection [collecting] of taxes, and between $10,000,000 and $12,000,000 was taken in at the Tax Re- ceiver's office.
He has had a stormy career, but in the main [he] has been successful, as far as the attainment [attaining] of political honors at the hands of his party is concerned.
Does the Constitution authorize any one to commit the United States to the maintenance [maintaining] and support [supporting] of the ambitions or [the] pretensions of any foreign ruler or usurper?
His conduct in the enforcement [enforcing] and collection of [collecting] forfeited bail bonds was claimed to have been improper.
Engineers started this morning making a sur- vey and running lines preparatory to the resump- tion [resuming] of work.
But the Chinese have special grievances: the opening of ports and the imposition [imposing]
52 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
of obnoxious treaties on them by force, the con- struction [constructing] of railways and tele- graphs, and the working of mines in such a way as to disturb the graves of ancestors.
If " opening of ports " and " working of mines," why not " imposing of treaties " and " constructing of railways " ?
The judiciary department of this Government, aided by the Minister of Commerce, is reported to be working on a general law governing the formation [forming] and conduct [conducting] of trusts.
The embroidery [embroidering] of robes is also done by men, and is in very great demand.
Another decree is to be issued in regard to the selection [selecting] of judges of first instance and judges of the Audencia.
If the selecting was judiciously done, it resulted in their having a good selection.
It would hardly be surprising to find that there was [is] an enterprising young lawyer behind that Cleveland club for the encouragement [en- couraging] of divorce.
It is not a question here of past but of present time, hence is.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
53
But all the same the question of the preven- tion [preventing] of seasickness is always inter- esting.
The title of the organization is " The National Society for the Relief of [to Relieve] Dependent Widows and Orphans of the Officers and Enlisted Men of the Regular Army of the United States."
A considerable period of time was required for the manufacture [to manufacture] and erec- tion of [erect] this monster machine.
In the argument [arguing] of legal questions before the courts his briefs were prepared by his assistants, and no man knew better how to use them.
Better, because simpler: In arguing legal questions.
Protest Government against evacuation [evac- uating] Pekin and recognition [recognizing] Li Hung Chang. Both disastrous to missions.
The eight hundred students at the college pro- pose to experience all the excitement of a presi- dential campaign, even if their votes do not con- tribute directly to the election [electing] of any candidates.
54
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The committee would not listen to the de- mands of the men in regard to the employment [employing] and discharge [discharging] of the workmen.
Prince Ching will leave the arrangement [ar- ranging] of the preliminaries largely to Li Hung Chang.
That is, Prince Ching will leave to Li Hung Chang the doing of something — the arranging.
The steamer Boscowitz, the last to arrive from the north, brings details of one of the strangest mysteries connected with the explora- tion [exploring] and development [developing] of Alaska.
The authority of the United States is to be exerted for the securing of the persons and prop- erty of the people of the islands and for the con- firmation [confirming] of all their private rights and relations.
The discharge of Colonel Harrison is the re- sult of the abolishment of [abolishing] the De- partment of Porto Rico, of which he was In- spector General.
The dredgers are fully aware of this and never feel any fear of bodily harm while being chased. Another thing which [that] hampers the adminis-
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
55
tration [administering] of the law is the fact that t-he sympathies of the justices and judges are gen- erally [commonly] with the oystermen in the country districts.
The real crusade against the promotion [pro- moting] and protection [protecting] of vice in this city has begun.
Offers its services for the safe keeping and judicious management [managing] of trust funds.
It is admitted by the present biographer that the cardinal was a cold man, unwavering in his animosities and merciless in the infliction of [in- flicting] punishment.
This clause provides that the residue and re- mainder of the estate, which is a large one, be used for the erection [to erect] and maintenance of [maintain] a suitable building by the city of Woburn, to be used and occupied as a library.
\Yhich is large, instead of Which is a large one.
After careful consideration of [carefully con- sidering] the subject of Boston [Boston's] being represented in the Cup defence, it developed be- yond question that the sentiment of our best yachtsmen was [is] that the city should be, if it were [is] possible. It likewise developed that
56 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
there were [are] many obstacles in the way of successful realization of [realizing] this desire. Modern Cup defending has grown to be expen- sive, so expensive as to almost [almost to] exclude small communities like ours from taking part.
It is not necessary to follow every word that expresses a condition with the subjunc- tive, many as there are that seem to think it is. Here, the subjunctive says: " If it were possible, which it is not," which is wide of the thought.
Desirous as we are to secure the harmonious working of the administrative [administration] machinery and to preserve the equity and justice of its action, we propose to use scrupulous vigi- lance in the appointment of [appointing] officials ; to avoid useless formalities in the transaction of [transacting] official business, to clearly define and rigidly exact [clearly to define and rigidly to exact] the performance of the duties and respon- sibilities attaching to the various official posi- tions, to maintain strict discipline among public functionaries and to secure such despatch and precision in the conduct of [conducting] business as are required by the country.
There could not be such a thing as ad- ministrative machinery. We do not per- form duties or responsibilities, we discharge them.
THE NOUN CONSTRUCTION
57
The holding of public position should be an incident and not the aim of the citizen; it should be not an end, but the means for the accomplish- ment of a purpose. — William Jennings Bryan, as reported in the New York Sun.
Here we have a sentence that few per- sons would pause to find fault with, yet if we look at it closely, we find it very vul- nerable. We mend it, in part, by changing for the accomplishment of to to accomplish, and we mend it wholly (?) by rewriting it thus: "The holding of public office should be an incident, not an aim; it should be not an end, but the means to attain an end."
The words of the citizen are worse than useless, and the using of purpose instead of re-using end is weakening, hence a dictional error. Accomplish an end might be allowed to pass unchallenged, though it is question- able idiom. We accomplish a purpose, at- tain an end, and compass an object.
Much that we read, especially in the daily papers, would suffer as much from close scrutiny as does this sentence.
THE NEW YORK SUN'S SPECIAL ABHORRENCE
SAYS the New York Sun : " Constant at- tention is the price of good English. There is one error that constantly appears in spite of all castigation. It is a sort of phrase- ology that is exceedingly vicious. The in- fernal ingenuity of the reporters contrives to frame a sentence in which there are two nominatives and only one verb."
This locution that is The Sun's special abhorrence might be called the he-was- given-an-ovation locution.
Has this double-headed barbarian come to stay? It looks that way, though more offensive no locution easily could be. Whether infernal, as The Sun intimates, or not, it's a pity The Infernal does not take it.
This story was given a place of honor in the Brooklyn Eagle, and was extensively copied in different papers throughout the country. In each 58
THE NEW YORK SUN'S ABHORRENCE
59
[every] case the proper credit was given to the authors. — New York Dramatic Mirror.
Something like this is, probably, what The Mirror intended to say: The Brooklyn Eagle gave the story a place of honor, and it was extensively copied.
The sailor is given the fight in the eighth round. — Head line of a New York paper.
This probably means: The fight is given to the sailor in the eighth round.
Religious intolerance ceased and Christian missionaries zvere given freedom of action, and the Jews were allowed to build a second syna- gogue.— The Literary Digest.
If this is all that is done, if American manu- facturers are placed simply on equal conditions with foreign manufacturers instead of being given an advantage over them [an advantage being given them] at the expense of the consumers, there would be, we imagine, small disposition to keep the question in the realm of party politics. — New York Voice.
An old Irish laborer walked into the luxurious studio of an artist, a few days ago, and asked for money to obtain a meal. He was given a trifle and departed. — Tid-Bits.
6o SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The history of his struggles is celebrated. As- suredly the victory will remain with him. At the last debate he was refused a cruiser squadron. — New York Sun.
In the first place, you are given a home, luxu- riously and more or less beautifully and expen- sively furnished, where real estate is highest. You are given every comfort and convenience. — Home Journal.
She borrowed money and went into a business which she carried to a splendidly successful com- pletion, and when her second daughter became an invalid she was given every luxury and tender care that money and affection could supply, while a comfortable home was established for the so- called " Man."
Most of the Cubans who were identified with the revolutionary movement against Spain are bit- terly opposed to annexation by the United States, and if they are not given independence they will make trouble for those who undertake to thwart their aspirations.
One evening, just as the farmer hacj finished his chores, a fine-looking man in clerical garb drove up to the house in a buggy. He requested shelter for the night, and was given the best room in the house.
THE NEW YORK SUN'S ABHORRENCE 6 1
When he had finished he thanked the court and, still tapping his cane on the floor, keeping time with his step, left the room. The result was that on that day / was given a judgment for $22,000.
When an Evening Telegram reporter saw young Kiely in the prison he complained bitterly that he was being given a "dirty deal."
Did Kiely say to the reporter, " I am being given a dirty deal? "
In a short three years under Republican pro- tection they have been given more general em- ployment and at higher wages than ever before.
Jerry, soon after his return from the war, was given a minor position in the bank, and being a clever, well-educated fellow he rapidly advanced until he was made paying teller.
One of the men gave him some meat and cheese and the alligator ate it out of his hands. As soon as he was given the food he returned to the water.
It isn't because there are not able, respectable, patriotic, and brilliant Americans in Mr. Bryan's parties that they should be refused power now, but because they have no business policy upon which they can agree as a unit.
62 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The medal is a fitting token of the nation's appreciation of such a deed. The hero will soon lead to the altar a beautiful bride, and among all the wedding presents that will be received this golden tribute to the husband's valor should be given a place of honor.
Forrest was given a negro "song and dance act " to do when he was very young, and after he had studied it up he asked where was the " old negro lady " that was to act as his assistant in the piece.
But the laboring man is even more interested in the proposition [proposal] to establish a labor bureau with a Cabinet officer at its head. Such a bureau would keep the Executive in constant touch with the wage-earners of the country, and open the way to redress their present and future grievances. // labor is given a place in the Presi- dent's official household, the man selected will necessarily be a worthy and trusted representa- tive of the people.
They were given a great send-off as they left the grounds.
Will Mr. Bryan denounce his party associates in Congress who voted on June 1st last that the National Government should not be given the power to control trusts ?
THE NEW YORK SUN'S ABHORRENCE 63
" No sooner was this done," continued the story-teller, " than a great uproar of protests arose from the group in the corner. They in- sisted that they had been given no chance to bid, but the auctioneer stood firm."
He was given the control of the third military district.
He was given a life interest in the estate.
/ was given one of the copies.
Examples in the first person are com- paratively rare.
The nations should be given warning. — Gov- ernor Budd.
With us ministers, we are constantly given occasion [an opportunity ?] to study character
Among the questions discussed at a ses- sion of the University of the State of New York this was one:
Should the A. M. degree be abandoned, or given a distinct pedagogic significance ?
" What should be done," asked the New York Sun, " when the chiefs of a university 5
64 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
show such dreadful ignorance of the Eng- lish language? "
For every scratch 7 have been given he has two scars.
He was convicted, and was given a sentence of twenty years.
He had been refused her hand.
While in prison, he was given a position in the Warden's office, and was granted many privi- leges. On account of his good behavior, he was given credit, and in 1888 had but three years more to serve.
Going on to New York, the committee were [was] given a great and enthusiastic meeting at Cooper Union.
He caused astonishment by offering to pay the other $4,000 at once provided he was granted five per cent discount.
" I am not ruled off," he said. " The de- spatches merely say that 7 will [shall] be refused a license."
It is enough to say concerning my youth that I was raised [reared] on a farm and was ac-
THE NEW YORK SUN'S ABHORRENCE 65
counted a pretty weedy crop. The cockleburrs and crab-grass seemed to spring up all the more prolific after / had been given a good thrashing.
After a good thrashing had been given I. Turning it around a bit doesn't mend it. Offensive as this locution is, it, now and then, gets into some well-written books.
FORMER AND LATTER
THESE two words, the pronouns, and all other words that send the reader back to an antecedent, should be used as sparingly as possible.
Nine times in ten, at the least, when the former or the latter is used, it would be better to 'repeat the noun.
Mr. Aldrich, Mr. Morill, and Mr. Gear were formerly merchants, but the former [Mr. Aldrich] is now the manager of the street-car interests in Rhode Island.— W. E. Curtis.
The words former and latter are properly used only when it is a question of two. Commonly, it is better not to use them at all. The reader always has to go back to see which is which.
For illustration, n is classed lingual, when in truth it is lingual-nasal, with a deal more of the latter [nasal] than [of] the former [lingual]. — Professor R. E. Mayne. 66
FORMER AND LATTER §j
Letters passed back and forth between Mc- Comb and Ames, in one of which the latter [Ames], a plain, outspoken man, declared that he had placed the stock with influential gentlemen. — New York Sun.
All communications between Wagner and Bii- low naturally ceased, and the latter [Biilow] began his period of Wandcrleben.
These tablets consisted partly of contracts and other legal documents, partly of public and pri- vate letters. The latter [letters] have just been carefully arranged, and for the first time their full importance is evident.
Mr. W. D. Howells, who for many years was a close friend of James Russell Lowell, includes in his reminiscences of the New England poet and critic in Scribner's Magazine (September) some interesting statements as to the tatter's [Lowell's] attitude toward religion.
In these cartoons all foreigners are repre- sented as goats and all Christians as pigs. The predominance of the latter [pigs] in most of the cartoons throws some light on the question as to how far a hatred of the missionaries, rather than of foreigners in general, is responsible for the present outbreak.
68 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Victor Emmanuel II and his son Humbert I were both men of strong and ineradicable attach- ment to the church, and the usurpation of the Pope's temporal domain by the former [Victor Emmanuel] and the continuance in possession by the latter [Humbert] were, it has been proved by repeated incidents, the source of continual heart- burnings to them.
The present generation is distinctly an eater of sweets, not of fats; but while the former [sweets] supply the heat that would be obtained from the fats, they do not supply certain lubricant qualities which [that] are so important for the proper performance of the intestinal functions.
One Esquimau for the management of [to manage] the dogs, of which there were 120. The latter [dogs] were fed on a " pemmican," made of horse meat and flour.
If William III and his consort, Queen Mary, daughter of James II, had had a son, the latter [son] would have become not only King of Eng- land, but Stadtholder of the Netherlands.
The woman was soon in tears, which gave way later to anger. She scolded her father-in-law and her youthful husband and defied the former [father-in-law] to take the latter [husband] away from her.
FORMER AND LATTER 69
Mr. Henley says that had Rossetti and Byron been contemporaries, some of the former s [Ros- setti's] verses would have had the proud distinc- tion of making the author of Don Juan blush.
On November 25th, the seals were taken from du Vaire and given to Mangot. At the same time the secretaryship of state held by the latter [Man- got] was given to Richelieu.
Richelieu hoped by depriving Gaston of his refuge to induce him to a reconciliation, but the latter [Gaston] was persuaded by his chief ad- viser to withdraw to Brussels.
British and Russians clash. Railway interests of the former [British] believed to be in danger.
The portents of war between England and France are looming large upon the horizon, and the former Power [England] has just determined upon a step which [that] shows that she is ready to make the best of her opportunities on this quarter of the globe.
Albeit there are numerous [many] thrifty souls that find a bank in hens and eggs and coax the former [hens] by many ingenious and suc- cessful devices to produce the latter [eggs] in quantities to suit.
70 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Soon after his return to the United States Jones became involved in a controversy with Arthur Lee, and he did not hesitate to charge the latter [Lee] with having betrayed our most secret policy to our arch enemy, Great Britain.
Lord Salisbury then made a veiled thrust at the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Wolseley, because of the recent speech in which the latter [Wolse- ley] placed most of the responsibility for the shortcomings of the army on the War Office.
There is no need to assume that there is any disagreement between him and the Emperor. The latter [Emperor], as the world knows, has been for years his own Chancellor, and there is no evidence that Prince Hohenlohe ever challenged or wished to challenge his Majesty's authority.
There is no love lost between the Coreans and the Japanese. On the side of the latter [Jap- anese] the feeling is one of contempt, and the hatred of the Coreans is justified by the treatment they have received from Japanese adventurers and speculators. In case of a clash between Rus- sia and Japan the Coreans would probably side with the former [Russia].
The Cherries, as they are known throughout Ohio, are the daughters of a farmer who died some time ago, leaving them a farm covered with clay, on top of which rested a nice thick mort-
FORMER AND LATTER ji
gage. In order to lift the latter [mortgage] so that they might till the former [farm] the girls started out as a " troupe " to give entertainments in the Iowa towns.
The easier we make it for the reader to get our thought the better is our diction.
Their present population does not fall short of 30,000,000, more than two thirds of which are in Java. If the administrative methods followed so successfully in the last-named island [Java] were to be applied to all the Dutch East Indies, these would easily sustain 100,000,000 of inhab- itants.
The Marquis de Noailles, the French Ambas- sador to Germany, called on Imperial Chancellor von Biilow to-day. The latter [Von Biilow] as- sured the representative of France [Marquis] that the Anglo-German agreement in regard to China was [is] merely in regard to commerce.
Three days later a rumor got abroad that D'Esterre was going to horsewhip O'Connell, and the former [D'Esterre] actually appeared in the Four Courts with a whip in his hand, but failed to find the latter [O'Connell].
Subsequently she sang for a period of seven months at Geneva, was heard also in Nice, Mar- seilles, Cairo, Monte Carlo, and Bordeaux, and was invited by Sonsogne to sing in Milan and
72 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Genoa. In the last-named city [Genoa] she ap- peared as the heroine of Massenet's Le Cid.
In the controversy between Max Miiller and the late Professor Whitney of Yale University it is generally admitted that the former [Miiller] was worsted.
His story is that Captain Herlihy called him a liar and that he then went to see Inspector Cross. When he got to the latter 's [Inspector's] office, he says, he found Captain Herlihy already there.
.Mr. Walton next proceeded to Li Hung Chang's private residence, where he found one of the latter s [Li's] private secretaries, Mr. Pethick, an American, who had arranged the in- terview.
If one citizen may properly withhold his vote, logically all may, while to decline rating [to vote] because practically assured that others will vote, is to give to the latter [others] an undue share of political power and to forfeit the right to com- plain of any abuse of it [power].
The country lying between Daiquiri and Si- boney. and between the latter place [Siboney] and Santiago, was marvellously adapted for a stub- born defence.
FORMER AXD LATTER
73
Both leader and subleader resisted arrest, the former [leader] fighting his way clear to the station-house.
Mr. Perkins is convinced, that, had Father Joseph survived Richelieu, the former [Joseph] would have succeeded the latter [Richelieu] in his position at the head of affairs in France.
The accident occurred while the train was running from Tuxedo to Paterson. It left the former place [Tuxedo] at 3.48 o'clock and was due at Paterson at 4.21.
The Magdeburg correspondent of the Gazette telegraphs an interview with a Japanese diplomat, in which the letter [diplomat] says that Japan has not assumed Russia's attitude toward China.
The quarrel between the Mayor and [the] Bishop this morning puts the latter [Bishop] in the background. The clergymen, however, are likely to form an organization. Many of them have announced that they will [shall] preach on the subject to-morrow.
The two young women convicted of carrying on this particular swindle were sisters, Catherine and Marian M. The former [Catherine] is twenty-two and the latter [Marian] twenty.
74
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Eugene Field and the farmer. Having killed the latter 's [farmer's] duck, the poet presented his vi£w of the matter.
The Brooklyn policeman who [that] clubbed his own roundsman when the latter [roundsman] remonstrated with him for being in a saloon while on post, is a nice sort of individual [person] to look after the safety of the public.
There is a distinction to be drawn between the rights of a master in his home and his rights in his public store. In the latter case [store] there is an implied invitation to the general public to -come in, and a person entering such an estab- lishment has greater privileges, and, consequently, the master less rights.
Learning that his visitor had [had] an audi- ence with Prince Ching at Pekin, he pertinently asked whether Jung-lu had been [was] present, adding that the latter [Jung-lu] was Prime Min- ister and Generalissimo of the Chinese Army.
A harpy eagle could carry off a small baby and the golden eagle can carry off a small fawn or a kid or a wild turkey, and does it when op- portunity offers. The latter [golden eagle] some- times weighs twelve pounds and has an expanse of wing of seven feet and a half.
FORMER AND LATTER
75
A student may be admitted without any knowl- edge of either Greek or Latin, but he must offer French or German as a substitute for the latter language [Latin].
Here is the syllogism : The cases of China and the Philippines are identical. In the former [China] the President has pursued the only policy -L'/nV/i [that] is right. In the latter [Philippines] he has pursued a different policy, and it therefore must be wrong.
A conductor who [that] is not afraid to per- form [do] his duty will remove the obstructing baggage if the owner refuses to do so [remove it]. But, should the conductor lack the will or the nerve to protect the traveller in his rights, the latter [traveller] will have the sympathy of his fellow-travellers if he removes the obstructor's be- longings.
Watts — The more I think of that fellow [fel- low's] murdering another over fifteen cents, the more awful it seems. Fancy a human life lost for fifteen cents !
Potts — I see nothing in it. In the first place, the affair occurred in Kentucky, and in the second place, the money was part of a jackpot. There are things in that State [Kentucky] more sacred than life.
76 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
On the whole, then, Mr. Bryan, in spite of inferior intellectuality, would wear better as a leader than Mr. Towne. When the latter [Towne] was rejected at Kansas City, it was a protest against nominating a Republican on a Democratic ticket.
It must be a government of intelligence as well as one of honesty. An ignorant, incompetent honest man in an important office is likely to do more permanent harm than a rascal who [that] is intelligent and progressive. The latter [rascal] may steal some money, but the former [honest ignoramus] may mar or destroy a park or boule- vard or construct an eyesore of brick and stone where there should be an artistic public edifice.
The one should come out or a government should be repeated.
The professional politician is usually disposed to decry and ridicule the professional reformer, and the latter [reformer] can rarely see any good in the politician.
Who will deny that former and latter are much overworked? True, we couldn't get along well without them, but nine times in ten where now we use them they are not needed.
THE ANTECEDENT CON- STRUCTION
NEVER choose any antecedent construc- tion, if you can well avoid it. The fewer the antecedents, the more forcible the dic- tion.
That the American people will express their opinions in November, no one knows better than Chairman Hanna, and hence the pressure that he is bringing to bear on the coal barons to comply with the miners' demands and put an end to the strike. He [Mr. Hanna] is fearful, and justly so [fearful], of its [the strike's] effect on the American mind.
Eliza Ruhama Scidmore, who has written sev- eral books on far Eastern countries, reminds those who are looking for " the break-up of China " that China has been " breaking up " and " dying " for thousands of years, and will probably continue to do so [break up] for thousands of years to come.
Well, he came to Brook Farm ; and I remem- ber that some of his natural predilections devel-
77
78 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
oped themselves there as they had not before been able to do [develop]. — Charles A. Dana.
Under [in] these circumstances the patriotic citizen has to consider this fall whether the public interests are to be better advanced by maintain- ing in power the present administration with all its shortcomings or by providing a wholly un- tried one [administration].
We will [shall] not all share alike, but some- thing each one of us will get. Let us strive to make the conditions of life such that as nearly as possible each man shall receive the share to •which he is honestly entitled [he is honestly en- titled to] and no more ; and let us remember at the same time that our efforts must be to build up, rather than to strike down, and that we can best help ourselves, not at the expense of others, but by heartily working with them [others] for the common good of each and all.
In this the Duke of Reichstadt dies a la Camille, but before he docs so [dies] he receives, so says the playbook, the " last sacraments."
This is the last Thanksgiving of the century. That in itself is not a matter to be joyous over, for it reminds us that we are getting along. But it has been a very fine century for this country.
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION
79
And the indications are that the next one [cen- tury] will be more so [still finer for the country].
That is not the danger. They know that if I am elected I will put the same kind of striped clothes on a big thief that are put on a little one [thief].
Is woman less or more intelligent than man ? Less so [intelligent], decidedly, says Professor Paolo Mantegazza.
We have no record of the part played by Richelieu in the preceding debates, but that it must have been a distinguished one [part] is proved by the fact
Somewhat careless of the smaller moralkies, still more so [careless] of his own reputation.
The days following were ones [days] of ter- rible suspense at [in] Washington.
In discussing the South African crisis in the Revue des Deux Mondes several months ago, a Dutch writer, a member of the States-General of the Netherlands, makes some remarks on im- perialism which [that] are very striking, the more so [striking], perhaps, because the writt-r G
8o SOME ILL-USED WORDS
seems to have a genuine admiration for the Brit- ish people.
It is to be observed that while the South Afri- can republics made like requests of other Powers the United States is the only one which [Power that] complied.
It is noticed that the Eastern cities are now growing about as fast as the Western ones [cities], while the cities of the South are lagging somewhat.
He observes, with an eye on Messrs. Carlisle, Peabody, Dickinson, Morton, Eckels, and others, that " those men who [that] clamor for reorgani- zation after defeat are the very ones who [men that] contribute to the defeat."
But while we recognize the perils of the pres- ent and are bound to do our duty in meeting them, the perils through which we have passed in safety both give ground for hope that the present ones [perils] will eventually be surmounted.
The campaign four years ago was notable for its changes in the political alinement of State and national leaders. The campaign this year has not furnished as yet nearly as [so] large a num- ber of surprises, but it has not been devoid of them [surprises] by any manner of means.
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION gl
I think there will be found a strange coinci- dence in the range of their ages, which may ap- pear to, at least [at least to], favor a more natu- ral theory as explanation than the constant and almost wearisome one [theory] of the epileptic possession or influence.
The Bulgarian agitation — to a large extent a sham one [agitation] — for the " redemption," as it is called, of Macedonia, is a safety-valve that relieves Prince Ferdinand from much unpleasant criticism.
She had mistaken a desire to act for the ability to do it [act]. — New York Sun.
The Kentucky is a sister ship of the Kearsarge and was built at Newport News. These ships are the only ones [ships] in any navy equipped with superimposed turrets. On top of the turrets for the 13-inch guns are placed smaller ones [turrets] containing the four 8-inch guns.
This boot is much lighter and more flexible than ordinary ones [boots].
But beside this, there are other questions you have to consider as important, and even more so (important], than the demand for [the] unlimited coinage [coining] of silver.
82 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The coming test of the silver question at the polls must, in all human probability, be the final one [test].
The city authorities are anxious [desirous] to proceed with this work, but inform us that they can not do so [proceed] until they are in a posi- tion to make contracts for the interior work.
I hate a " coward," especially a dishonest one [coward]. This man Sulzer at least has the courage to tell the truth, and if I lived in his dis- trict I would [should] vote for him.
. This is not the language of statesmanship, but rather that [the language] of a candidate who is not very particular what he says if it will bring him the support of unthinking voters.
As to trusts, he declares that " if the present law can be extended more certainly to control or check these monopolies or trusts, it should be done [extended] without delay."
The Know Nothing party showed that there was dissatisfaction in the North with existing political organizations and that a new one [or- ganization] was needed.
The subtlety of his character was perhaps in- dispensable in the atmosphere of deceit and plots
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION 83
amid which he lived, but, while cunning may be a serviceable quality, it is not an [a] heroic one [quality].
The peace of 1783 was , a calamitous one [peace] for England, and yet it was only with difficulty obtained. — New York Sun.
This sentence would be further bettered by changing the position of the words thus: Was obtained only with difficulty. This puts the most emphatic word at the end of the sentence, besides keeping the parts of the verb together.
Two nights ago, on top of all the hullabaloo that landed him in Eldridge Street, a tramp through his precinct and the two adjoining ones [precincts], those in Fifth Street and Union Market, at 2 A. M., discovered just one police- man on post.
The political objections to Oriental labor are scarcely less weighty than the economic ones [ob- jections].
Blanche Walsh has a spell of polished comedy and one [a spell] of rough melodrama in Mar- celle. For the former [comedy] her stately beauty is displayed in a pompadour toilet of a fine lady
84 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
of a century and a half ago in Quebec, when French fashions prevailed in that city.
Our industrial and agricultural conditions are more promising than they have been for many years; probably more so [promising] than they have ever been [before].
The American matron is just as powerful, and a good deal more so [powerful], than the cele- brated Mrs. Grundy.
Colonel Fellows's condition to-day is very grave, more so [graver] than last night or yester- day. There are serious doubts of his recovery. — New York Evening Sun.
Headache is also very prevalent, but for this they have a remedy, or what they allege to be one [a remedy].
No one in official circles here has believed that Russia would insist on withdrawing from Pekin if the other Powers refused to do so [withdraw].
Then there would be a battle royal between the various strong tribes to subdue the weaker ones [tribes], then a fierce row to see who would [should] come out on top.
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION 85
The British Museum, in its manuscript depart- ment, has an unrivalled collection of letters of celebrities, and by far the most valuable one [col- lection] in existence. In 1895 they commenced [began] publishing a series of specimens of the handwritings of royal, historical, literary, and other eminent persons.
The tone of the leading Republican papers in- duces us to believe that the policy of the White House is to maintain American interests in op- position to European ones [interests] in various parts of the world more steadily than hitherto.
Even after the triumphs of the courts of law had yielded to the greater ones [triumphs] of the House of Commons, the title of " counsellor " ever remained his favorite appellation with the Irish peasantry.
Remember all the terrible things you said were going to happen if you were not elected in 1896. It was money in my pocket to have you beaten then. It will be money in my pocket to have you beaten next November, and I'm going to help do it [beat you].
The country is still prosperous and will re- main so [prosperous] under Republican manage- ment.
86 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
" I know something I won't tell," sang the widow boarder's little girl, as little girls have done [sung] ever since language was invented.
It is a real pity, as much so [as great a pity] as would be the destruction of the beautiful flow- ers which [that] everywhere distil their perfumes on the slumbrous air. — New York Sun.
And it would not if there were not plenty of persons who had [that have] read it, as well as many more who [that] may be expected to do so [read it].
I wish I knew as much about anything as Tom Macaulay does [knows] about everything — meaning, of course, everything historical.
Can you pick out a man whose moral fibre is any stronger, or is likely to be made so [stronger], by the fact that McKinley was [has been] elected ? Or one whose moral fibre would have been made so [stronger] had Bryan been elected?
These monarchs behave very well when at- tempts are made on their lives. Of course it is part of their business to do so [behave well]. But all the same, the display of professional spirit is to be commended.
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION g/
I agree with him, that this will be one of the great issues in this campaign — aye, the paramount one [issue] — upon which we may hope to receive the support of Republicans.
Beyond doubt the present year is a critical one [year] for our country.
The remarkable character of the wins made by the Chicago man was the wonder of the racing world, and they will become even more so [won- derful] when it is known that he had not previ- ously raced horses in this country.
Unless the police are willing to tell the truth, or can be compelled to do so [tell the truth], we may not be able, in many cases, to produce legal evidence of this state of things that would satisfy a grand jury.
Representatives of fifteen denominations pres- ent. Theoretical topics considered yesterday. Only practical ones [topics] are to be on the pro- gramme from this time out.
That objection of Mr. Olney's may be passed by. It is an old argument, but it was never a good one [argument], even when it was new.
Some plays should never have a Metropolitan 1 first night," and such a one [play] is The Parish
88 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Priest, which Daniel Sully produced at the Four- teenth Street Theatre last week.
This policy is not only patriotic but it is the only safe one [policy] to pursue. Any other policy would show weakness on the part of the United States and invite foreign complications.
The most noteworthy feature of the coal miners' strike is the familiar attempt of organ- ized labor to force all men to leave work, whether they want to do so [leave work] or not.
I have no more sympathy than he displays with abstention from voting, a recognized method • of expressing political opinions undoubtedly, but to my mind a singularly ineffective one [method].
The office is one of the most attractive in the Government, and was rendered doubly so [attrac- tive] by the cordiality of your tender of it. — Chauncey M. Dcpew.
In other cities of England the number of prin- cipal centres, each with subordinate ones [cen- tres], will number from one to six, according to size.
My retirement dates from that year, not from this. Few men have made more speeches for
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION
89
their party than I have done [made], and no ex- President, I am sure, has made so many.
Ptomaines may be developed from a variety of foods, but the principal ones [foods] from \\hich the poisoning occurs are meat, milk, shell- fish, and fish.
When we told them that Admiral Dewey was inclined to permit the three to go to Manila on the collier Nanshan if they could give any good reason for so doing [going], they informed us that they did not wish to go to Manila until
As the number of persons using open cars in this city is very large, and as every person travel- ling in that way desires to occupy an end seat, the question is a very important one. It is more so [important] than that involving the right of a passenger on a railroad car to place his bag- gage in the seat beside him.
I never indulge in personalities. I have re- frained from indulging in personalities through- out the campaign and will [shall] continue to do so [refrain].
In civilized countries the Jewish kitchen is, after the vegetarian one [kitchen], the most nar- rowly confined as far as selection goes. There,
90 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
where in all other kitchens the delicacies com- mence [begin], the bill of fare of the Jewish kitchen has already come to an end.
Now there is nothing at all humorous in any of these things, as such. Nor do they become any more so [humorous] when woven into the texture of a song.
It seems that no one can go into court to prosecute a just claim or resist an unjust one [claim] without having his family skeleton pro- duced and his private life made the subject of public ridicule.
I had the good fortune to go through South Dakota. There were few victories that gave me more unalloyed satisfaction than the one [vic- tory] in that State.
In the alleged fraudulent divorce suits which [that] resulted in several indictments [indict- ments'] being found by the grand jury, answers, some of them alleged to have been " fake " ones [answers], were interposed and the referees who [that] heard the cases were imposed upon.
These two passages should be read in the light of his declaration at Zanesville on September 4th : " The party stands where it did [stood] in 1896 on the money question."
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION g\
Mention is made in the seventh century of our era by a Chinese traveller of a city either on or near the site of the present one [city], called Tchatch or Jadj.
The way to stop this is not to wait until the men have registered, but to stamp it out before they have a chance to do so [register].
Villard first studied law. Beginning with correspondence to German papers, and afterward, as his English grew better, to American ones [papers], he finally went into newspaper work.
That the sun was once much hotter is prob- able, but [it is] equally so [probable] that at an earlier period it was much colder.
The ultra-Conservative Kreuz Zeitung says in regard to American relations with Europe that Mr. McKinley's election will perhaps not inspire so much confidence as Mr. Bryan's would have given [inspired].
The writer thought he should not re-use the word inspire. This aversion to re-using a word often weakens the diction.
In response he announced that he was [is] heartily in favor of the election of [electing]
92
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Bryan. He epitomized the issues that he con- siders the leading ones [issues] of the cam- paign.
Having practised the acquisition [acquiring] of territory for nearly sixty years, the question of constitutional power to do so [to acquire terri- tory] is no longer an open one [question] with us. — Lincoln.
It is fair to assume that his later prophecies are worth just as much as his earlier ones [prophecies] and that expansion will be the source of new prosperity and power.
That the marquis's party is numerically strong and influential through the character of the po- litical leaders who [that] have already joined it, or are likely to do so [join it] in the future, seems to be the general opinion in Japan.
It has taken them a long time to get around to this view, which is the logical one [view]. But we may be happy yet.
He shows plainly that Aguinaldo, after the Spanish-American War, was never at the head of any government, unless a paper one which [gov- ernment that] he created himself.
THE ANTECEDENT CONSTRUCTION
93
If the millionaires pay their proportion of the tax this year and every succeeding one [year], as the town people expect the assessors will make them do, the town debt problem will be solved easily.
The advantages are all on the side of employing a non-antecedent locution. Not only does it result in greater clearness and strength, but it commonly produces better rounded sentences.
ANTICIPATE
THIS is a much misused word. It is not a synonym of expect, foresee, look forzvard to, some of our lexicographers to the con- trary notwithstanding. We do not, prop- erly, anticipate a good time; we, properly, expect to have, or look forward to Jiaving a good time. We do not anticipate successes, failures, or storms; we expect them. If I know your sect, I anticipate your argument, said Emerson; whereas Emerson should have said, If I know your sect, I foresee your argument.
Properly used, anticipate means, to take beforehand; to go before so as to preclude; to get the start of, or to get ahead of; to enjoy, possess, or suffer in expectation; to foretaste.
The word is correctly used thus:
Seward, learning of the doings of the caucus, anticipated the action of the committee by send- ing in his resignation. — Lothrop.
94
ANTICIPA TE
95
If not anticipated, I shall make an attempt at a magazine paper on The Philosophy of Point. — Poe.
The chief portion of Professor Espy's theory has been anticipated. — Poe.
Why should we
Anticipate our sorrows? 'Tis like those Who die for fear of death. — Shakespeare.
But, after all, it may simply anticipate on the English of the future. — Hall.
It is well to have it understood that our mu- nicipal authorities had anticipated by practical work the proclamation issued by the President. New York Sun.
Politeness seeks the opportunity to please, and renders asking unnecessary by anticipating the wishes.
But ex-Senator Gorman's off-hand remarks on the politics of the day are always vague, for he was never inclined to anticipate events.
From all appearances, the proclamations an- ticipate the facts by only a short time, for each day shows more and more plainly the disintegra-
96 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
tion of the Boer forces and the increasing power of the British in the two republics.
During our Revolutionary War, Great Britain had to face a combination. In the course of that contest a Franco-Spanish fleet cruised triumphant in the British Channel, and, could the allies have agreed, or could they have been commanded by a man of even moderate capacity [ability], they might have anticipated Napoleon's dream, and ended forever the dominion of England. — New York Sun.
Here is an excellent example of the cor- rect use of anticipate. Capacity is shown in quickness to perceive; ability is shown in quickness to do. Ability does what is per- ceived by capacity; ability supposes doing.
And so these people who pack up and get back to town with pleasant anticipations of set- tling down for the winter will be disappointed, just as they were last year and the year before.
This, doubtless, would be generally reck- oned a correct use of anticipations, yet for my part, I should very much prefer expecta- tions.
Tesla's plan for " insulation by freezing " was anticipated about two years ago by Prof. R. A.
ANTICIPA TE
97
Fessenden, so the latter [Professor] writes to The Electrical World.
I would not anticipate the relish of any, nor feel the weight of any misery, before it actually arrives. — Addison.
In the chapters allotted to New Zealand it is, indeed, surprising to remark to what an extent Sir Joseph Banks was able to anticipate what we now know of the Maoris. — New York Sun.
The results of the exploration will probably show that Nippur was as important in the fifth millennium before Christ as it was in the third, that it anticipated the civilization and the period when Babylon took the lead by at least two thou- sand years.
Our travelling restaurants have been antici- pated many years by the Chinese purveyor of food, who carries his table on one end of a pole, balanced by his stove and cooking utensils on the other.
The Secretary for the Colonies anticipated inquiry on this last delicate question by saying that reasonable men would not ask the Govern- ment to fix a time for " full self-government." — New York Sun.
98
SO ME ILL-USED WORDS
Secretary Gage announces that the Treasury will anticipate the payment of interest on bonds due January 1st.
What an admirable word anticipate is when properly used! But when it is made the word of all-work, as it is by the slovens, what an offensive word it becomes!
Examples of the correct use of anticipate are not easy to find; not so, however, with examples of its misuse. They abound. Here are some of the many I have gathered:
The dismemberment of China seems almost in- evitable. It is not anticipated [expected] that Russia will withdraw in any circumstances, but will re-enforce her troops now occupying Man- churia.
No one anticipated [expected] that we would [should] attain our plurality of four years ago. This was abnormal and was largely due [owing] to the fact that but little concerted effort was made by the Democrats to get out their party vote.
An account zvhich [that] is published by the headquarters staff of the occupation of Kerin and Bedune, Manchuria, by the Russians, concludes by stating that further hostilities in that country are not anticipated [looked for, or expected].
ANTICIPA TE
99
They do not anticipate [look for, or expect] any hostile demonstrations in either America or Great Britain, but they know, too, that unlimited immigration of oppressed Jews from Europe will not be permitted in either of those countries.
It is anticipated [expected] that the recog- nized government in China will be forced to make promises which [that] the anti-foreign ele- ment will not greet with favor.
There was no tendency, however, to congratu- late each other [one another] on the fact that fewer miners had gone out than the union lead- ers expected. In fact, it was said that the strike is no [not] less serious than has been anticipated [it was thought it would be].
It will not be as [so] large as I had antici- pated [expected], considering the fact that the party organization was so active and united. Four years ago the Democrats did not get out much over [more than] half of their vote.
The empress has ordered a commissioner to investigate the conduct of the southern viceroys, who entered into compacts with the foreign con- suls for the protection of [to protect the] mis- sionaries. Their degradation is anticipated [It is expected that they will be degraded].
IOQ SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Did all the southern viceroys enter into compacts, or only a part of them? With the comma, the sentence says that all did; but this is evidence that has little weight. So long as the relative pronouns are used as they are now commonly used, ambigu- ous sentences similar to this will frequently be met with.
We do not anticipate [look for, or expect] any alternative, for we are a peaceful, law-abid- ing people. We shall be loyal subjects and we shall keep our part of the agreement.
I can not tell you how we expect to bring about this scheme, but I will say that I do not anticipate [look for, or expect] any further trouble. It is not yet entirely settled, but I am confident that we have overcome all obstacles.
Do you anticipate that the free coinage of silver will be an important issue in the next presi- dential campaign? — New York Sun.
The barbarity of this use of anticipate could not be overtopped.
These statesmen, as Mr. Foster reminds us, could not, in their times, anticipate [foresee] the
ANTICIPATE I0i
influence of two physical factors which [that] have since changed the whole aspect of the ques- tion of territorial expansion, to wit : steam and electricity.
The President has said that he does not antici- pate [expect, or look for] any trouble with Spain over the Cuban situation.
An exceedingly interesting gathering is antici- pated [expected].
It was evident from the actions of the crowd and the remarks made that a demonstration of some kind was anticipated.
Looked for, or expected.
Trade is paralyzed and many bankruptcies are anticipated. The French charge d'affaires tried ineffectually to protect French interests.
Looked for, or expected.
"They were scared, and the man who had a small sum in a bank was scared worse than the man with a big one [sum]. They shied at the 16 to i."
" You favored it. Did you anticipate [fore- see?] the result?"
102 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Ex-Governor Levi P. Morton, of New York, said to-day that he could only speak reservedly on American affairs until his arrival home. He anticipated an early settlement of the Chinese question.
Looked for, or expected.
It is the worst of follies to allow the antici- pation that other people's foolishness will render futile our own wise action to lure us into acting foolishly ourselves.
Expectation.
The statement that General Gaselee has stopped British re-enforcements arriving at Hongkong from proceeding farther north is taken as an indication that the British Government anticipates that the diplomatists will very shortly take the place now occupied by the military.
It is fair to presume that the writer of this sentence does not know that we have the word expect. Re-enforcements should be in the possessive case.
The provisions of the treaty are so eminently just and fair that the assent of Venezuela thereto may confidently be anticipated [expected]. — President Cleveland.
ANTICIPA TE I03
The Reichstag will meet on November I4th, when stormy debates on China and violent at- tacks on the Government's policy are antici- pated.
Expected.
O'Connell, who had long anticipated such a contingency, at once issued a proclamation in his own name countermanding the meeting.
Expected.
This activity has been anticipated and re- ported upon in letters August 25th, and cable August 3 1 st.
Was foreseen?
No steam sizes of anthracite to be had, -even now, it is reported. Plenty of stove sizes, but re- tailers anticipate a rise and, besides, may want to make some money.
Expect, or look for.
General MacArthur recalls the department's attention to his letters of last August, in which he anticipated a renewal of Filipino hostilities.
Predicted? To what a variety of uses the word is put!
IO4 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Anticipating storms of an exceptionally dan- gerous character, all shipping on Lake Michigan has been advised to remain in port.
Fearing?
Anticipating that the properties of the Emi- gres would be confiscated, he sold his castles and forest before the laws against the Emigres were promulgated.
Foreseeing, or expecting, or fearing; certainly not anticipating.
The breaking of the concert is hardly to be anticipated unless the United States have in view some new combination of the Powers.
Expected, or, perhaps, feared.
The Opera House was owned by a stock com- pany. It was newly fitted up at the opening of the season, and a successful year was anticipated.
Expected, or looked for.
Conditions at Galveston seem to be worse, if possible, than first anticipated.
Thought to be.
There had been more or less curiosity to see this new work of Rostand's, and it was easy to
ANT1CIPA TE
105
anticipate that this, added to the usual demand for first-night seats, would make a brisk sale.
Foresee.
Judgment in his case was delivered on May 3Oth. O'Connell had not been mistaken when he anticipated that the punishment would be a severe one.
Predicted? The a and one are worse than useless.
No disturbance of Republican cart-tail meet- ings here anticipated. Maurice B. Blumenthal loads four issues on to his orators and gives them a sample of blague. .
Expected, looked for.
Our enthusiastic correspondent seems to an- ticipate some very good results from the verdict of the people. He will not be disappointed.
Expect, look for.
These are some of the more important means of avoiding the revolution which [that] the writer anticipates.
Fears?
IO6 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Had that fleet been as powerful as was gen- erally believed and had Dewey met with the op- position that was anticipated [expected], he would . . . have endeavored to carry out his instructions.
The State Board of Charities has always been friendly to me and I anticipate no friction from this investigating committee.
It is not probable that Commissioner Keller used the word anticipate. He, prob- ably, said he did not look for any friction.
Words might be likened to. the em- ployees of a large establishment where each has special duties to perform and where satisfactory service is possible only by re- stricting each to his special field.
ERRORS IN TENSE
ERRORS in using the tenses are very abundant. The error most frequently met with is that of using the imperfect tense where the perfect tense is required.
Properly, we use the imperfect tense when the time is given: The tallest man I saw in Paris; the tallest man I ever have seen, i. e., anywhere, at any time. The per- fect tense always reaches to the present; the imperfect tense is always limited by some specified period past and gone.
To use the imperfect tense, then, where the perfect is required is absolutely inde- fensible.
I never saw a more determined purpose than that pervading our membership.— Charles A. Dana.
Have seen.
Mr. Rice was one of the most careful eaters I ever knew.
Have known.
107
IO8 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Perhaps it never occurred to you that the charges at a first-class hotel are exceedingly low. Very possibly, on the other hand, it has struck you that they were [are] high. — Home Journal.
Has occurred.
We can equip your office with everything in office furniture you ever saw.
Have seen.
One of the saddest sights I ever saw was the placing of a $300 rosewood piano in a country school in the South that was located in the midst of the " Black Belt."
Have seen.
The panic and period of depression would set in the morning after election. There would be a pell-mell rush to unload stocks and bonds and other securities the like of which was never seen in this country.
Never has been seen.
As religion has its martyrs, politics has its slaves, and among examples of such slavery the Hon. Richard Olney, of Massachusetts, is the most remarkable that we ever heard of.
Ever have heard.
ERRORS IN TENSE
ICQ
All this imperialism and militarism talk is the worst tommyrot I ever listened to. No citizen of the United States, with as much brains as an ape, has the slightest fear that any President — Democrat, Republican, Populist, Prohibitionist, or what-not — is going to turn himself into an em- peror, or that he could if he wanted to [would].
Ever have listened.
Roosevelt is a hero. He is one of the most successful campaigners that the Republican party ever had.
Ever has had.
John R. Walsh, president of the Chicago Na- tional Bank, says that he never knew a time when commercial paper was paid more promptly than to-day.
Never has known.
It is the only sensible book on the subject that I ever saw.
Ever have seen.
I wish to state that so far as the Democracy of the city of New York is concerned, there never was a time when it was more united and in accord.
Never has been.
IIO SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Another common error is that of put- ting two verbs in a past tense, when only one should be in that time.
Those were parts which [that] might have been supposed to have belonged to me, as I had been here for several years before him. — New York Sun.
To belong.
The time is sufficiently indicated by the first verb — were.
In this case, how much wiser it would have been to have taught the girls in this community sewing, intelligent and economical cooking, housekeeping, something of dairying and horti- culture !
To teach.
It is probable, however, that as soon as time enough has elapsed for the Czar to have heard from this Government the matter will be made public.
To hear.
They will prove our Nemesis for not having been wise enough and strong enough, for not having been right-minded enough and unselfish
ERRORS Iff TENSE \\\
enough to have prevented this war in the days when it might have been prevented.
To prevent.
If they did they may fairly claim, I think, to be the last amateur sportsmen to have killed a buffalo on his native range.
To kill.
It was the intention to have captured the city by Sunday, after which an immediate move was to have been made upon Porto Rico.
To capture. To be made.
It might have been wiser ; it certainly would have been more dignified, to have said nothing, rather than to have filled the air with magnilo- quent phrases which [that] are not to be followed by action [acts?].
To say. To fill.
In the first place a representative of the Public Hack Owners' Union stood up and very rapidly recited a little speech to the effect that his or- ganization deplored such occurrences, and that he deeply regretted that a gentleman of such prominence should be the first to have felt it 8
112
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
necessary to use the courage required to bring complaint forward in this public way.
To feel.
I think it would have been better for the G. A. R. committee to have given the name or names of the book or books from which the ex- tracts quoted were taken and to have named the Southern schools that were using those specific books.
To give. To name.
At the time of the civil war the only way to secure peace was to fight for it, and it would have been a crime against humanity to have stopped fighting before peace was secured.
To Stop.
There were police enough, mounted and on foot, to have held a small army in check.
To hold.
I would have given $500 to have landed that
fish.
To land.
Had any such feeling survived, the intention of Mr. O'Connell in making the communication
EKKOKS IN TENSE j \ 3
which [that] he had recently made would not have failed completely to have extinguished them.
To extinguish.
We would [should] have much preferred, and it would have been largely to our financial [pe- cuniary] interests, to have done the work on the whole of Broadway both night and day, more par- ticularly at night.
To do.
Surely the plainer and more honorable course would have been to have opposed its ratification.
To oppose.
" If you were running your precinct properly there would not have been any place for him to have gone into to gamble," said the magis- trate.
To go.
A Richard Mansfield would have imbued the mobs and courtiers who wandered woodenly through the acts with enough of his own fire to have made them seem almost human.
To make.
114 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The pressure from every side was sufficient to have carried a light-weight President off his feet.
To carry.
They were to have played a scene from L'Aiglon at a benefit for the Texas storm suffer- ers, but it was impossible to find a suitable theatre.
To play.
Though often used as such, were never is a grammatical past or future subjunc- tive; at the best it is a reportorial subjunc- tive, except when used in the present tense.
The fish towed the light skiff as if it were a cork, making some swift dashes far under the boat.
Had been.
If Great Britain were defeated by the Boers she would be driven out of South Africa alto- gether.
Should be.
A young woman tried to drown herself in the North River yesterday. Before jumping in she
ERRORS IN TENSE ric;
carefully gathered up her short skirt as if she were about to walk across a muddy street.
Had been.
He looked much as if he were ill, and it was said by his mother and sister, who were in the courtroom, that he should be sent to a hospital, as he was anything but a well man.
Was.
Should he decide to give up his visits, it would be a decided check to the diplomacy that planned them, and unless some counterstroke were made, would weaken its influences in the future.
Should be.
The use of the word " abuses " in the Quarto of 1864, indicates either that Shakespeare had the Hystorie before him when he wrote, or that the older play, if there were one
Was.
The people of London were delighted at the repeal of the Stamp Act and it seemed as if all the trouble were at an end.
Was.
He was treated by all those around him with the greatest respect, as though [if] he were a
H6 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
healthy, sane man ; never a word about him was spoken in his presence, as he might possibly have understood.
Had been.
Just what form this open warfare will take can not as yet be definitely stated, but all Mul- berry Street buzzed to-day with rumors that if the decision were adverse immediate action would be set on foot toward effecting the chiefs removal.
Should be. There are writers that seem to think that were, whether the time be past, present, or future, is the only form of the verb to be that should follow if.
For more than two decades, indeed, contract- ors have complained that English firms were dila- tory, and that Englishmen would [will] seldom leave their dinners or their sport for business.
Are.
One of the latter explained that Jews -were not unlike Christians in that respect. Some were devout worshippers, others were more inclined to worship Mammon.
Are.
But if this be so the operators might meet on a friendly basis with the representatives of the
ERRORS IN TENSE
i\7
mine workers, show them they were unreasonable in their demands, wherein they were unreason- able, and all would be peace instead of strife.
Are.
The candidate could tell the Mayor that par- ties were essential to policy, that there have al- ways [always have] been and always will be par- ties, and that any politician who [that] thinks he could get on without them [parties] is a dreamer.
Are.
Never use a word that sends the reader in search of an antecedent, if you can well avoid it. Such words always weaken the diction.
He said there were now forty-one companies in Richmond, with a membership of 4,000, and twenty-nine companies in Queens with a large membership.
Are now.
I remember reading years ago that with the ancients the practice existed of bringing out at all public banquets a cloaked and hooded figure, masked, with the skull and crossbones, to indi- cate that all human triumphs were ephemeral and that man was [is] but mortal.
Are.
Il8 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The Kansas and Nebraska act of 1854 was sufficient notice, if any were needed, to the North, that the compromise measures of 1850 were not " finalities."
Was.
Mr. Coler was quite indignant about it. Mr. Coler said that if the Governor were quoted cor- rectly, his remark was unfair.
Was.
The imperfect tense is often used when the thought requires the present.
He caused a sensation by his scathing arraign- ment of his former colleagues. He declared that followers of Bryan were [are] not entitled to a party name, being men of all parties who for the last twenty-five years had [have] nursed griev- ances. The chief issue in this campaign was [is] silver, he said, and " imperialism " was [is] only a scarecrow set up to obscure the real object. Ex- pansion, he said, had [has] ever been a Demo- cratic policy, and acquisitions of territory had [have] been made under Democratic administra- tions, without the consent of the governed.
The announcement of the Philippine Com- mission that it was about to assume legislative and appointive powers under the decree of Presi-
ERRORS IN TENSE
dent McKinley has pleased the business com- munity.
Is.
The British will remembef that General Sher- man informed [told?] them what war was sev- eral years ago. — The Chicago Record.
Is.
And the fact that Mr. Belmont has repeatedly asserted that he was responsible for the opinions expressed in his paper is now giving that staunch free silverite more than his peck of trouble.
Is.
When this was written, the paper was appearing regularly, and Mr. Belmont's re- lations to it were unchanged.
He quoted Sobolkin, the great Russian re- former, who gave a description of Jews in Rus- sian towns, and declared that they were worse off than any [other] people in the whole world.
Are.
Louis V. Bell made a bet of $10,000 to $25,000 with A. C. Tower, of Tower & Sherwood, on the general result, taking the Bryan end of it. It
12O SOME ILL-USED WORDS
was reported that the $10,000 was money of Richard Croker [Croker's], but this was not admitted.
Is.
This is not a statement of what took place at some past time; it is essentially this: Bell bet yesterday, or this afternoon, and the story goes that the money is Croker's, but this is not admitted.
The Republican National Committee made no mistake when it called on Theodore Roosevelt to show the country the kind of stuff he was made of.
Is.
His physician, Dr. Burke, said last night that Mr. Faversham's condition was very favorable. Dr. Burke said that while he was not yet out of danger there was every hope of recovery.
Is.
A table of the fastest fifty-seven railroad trains in the world which [that] was printed in an English newspaper recently snowed that Eng- land was no longer in the van.
Is.
ERRORS IN TENSE I2i
Mr. Altgeld admitted sadly that Illinois was in doubt, and then he said that the wicked Re- publicans had [have] a campaign fund of at least $25,000,000 with which they intended [intend] to corrupt the free and independent voters of the United States. Mr. Altgeld said that he was very much shocked at this, and then, without any par- ticular reason, he said that he was very much dissatisfied with the manner in which Chairman Benjamin B. Odell of the Republican State Com- mittee was acting in this campaign.
Is. Since the present is the most forci- ble of the tenses, it is a great mistake to put what is really present in the past.
Dr. Charles F., of New Jersey, corroborated last night the report printed in the newspapers that he was to marry Miss Mary E. W., the authoress. The doctor said that he and Miss W. had [have] kept their engagement a secret for the reason that she was at work writing a new novel, and under [in?] the circumstances to an- nounce
Is.
If you were to attempt to define a " trust," in all probability you would say it was a corpora- tion designed or calculated to produce a mo- nopoly.
Is.
122 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Confucius would be called an agnostic now. He taught that there were four topics to be avoided.
Are.
He proposed that the testimony of Mrs. Cox be allowed and then stricken out later, if it were found to be illegal.
Should be.
No one will question the importance of using the verbs correctly. We commonly are understood when we do not use them correctly; so we may be, and often are, understood when we do not say just what we intend to say. The diction, however, is never good, unless the thought intended is clearly and grammatically expressed.
ANXIOUS
THIS word is continually made to do duty for desirous, and that, too, by wellnigh everybody, by the lettered as well as by the unlettered. If used only when it should be used, anxious would not be used once where now it is used twenty times. On the other hand, if desirous were used when it should be used, it would be used twenty times where now it is used hardly once. Indeed, anxious has banished desirous — which, prop- erly, is not even its synonym — from , the vocabulary of many a one that is reckoned among good speakers.
Where there is anxiety, there is always dread, fear, mental distress, painful solici- tude, apprehensive foreboding; whereas in desire there is only a wish, a longing, as a desire to be rich, to see the world, to be famous.
Anxiety and solicitude are close syno- nyms, anxiety being the stronger term.
123
124
SO ME ILL-USED WORDS
Not infrequently, anxiety is used when so- licitude would be the proper term.
Here are two sentences that I used in The Verbalist as examples of the correct use of anxious:
Then he was trying his 'prentice hand and was more anxious about the treatment than about the matter. — Julian Hawthorne.
Is not anxious too strong a term? Would not concerned or solicitous be quite strong enough? Of veritable anxiety there could hardly have been any.
Naturally she was anxious about the appear- ance he made in what is called society. — Badeau.
I am now inclined to think that the thought would be better expressed by so- licitous. She was solicitous with regard to the appearance he made.
The office of the Monarch Line of steamships had many callers yesterday. They had friends or relatives on board the Lydian Monarch and were anxious in regard to their fate.
Here, no other word would serve.
ANXIOUS
125
The story of a man who [that] grew gray in the space of one night's anxiety is very famous. — Spectator.
I am very sincerely solicitous for the preserva- tion [preserving] or curing of Mr. Langton's sight. — Johnson.
Of the many examples I have gathered of the misuse of anxious, here are a few :
We are anxious to make this point clear so as to avoid any disappointment.
Surely desirous is as strong a term as is here required. Of anxiety there can be none.
Not that the benefits granted to Germany are important, as German wines chiefly are affected; but the agreement is taken as an indication that both the American and the German Governments are anxious to avoid a tariff war.
Desirous.
The justices of the Supreme Court, who are most anxious to prevent any wrong practices in the divorce court, have for a long time been try- ing to formulate some plan to prevent the court [court's] being imposed upon and deceived.
Desirous.
126 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Then will arise the question of details of the indemnities and means of security. Therefore the Chinese Commissioners are more anxious than the Powers to hurry [hasten] the negotia- tions to a close.
Desirous.
One thousand tons of coal were mined in the two collieries which [that] were in operation yesterday, and one mine is still working to-day. Mr. Thorne said that 80 per cent of his men were anxious and willing to get back.
Desirous.
Germany is not in favor of continuing hos- tilities in China. She is most anxious that the Powers agree upon a middle course, pleasing alike to those nations which [that] favor the occupa- tion of Pekin and those which [that] would like to withdraw.
Desirous.
The property adjoins that of John D. Rocke- feller, who is said to be desirous of getting rid of Melin and his saloon. The saloon keeper is anx- ious to sell, but it is said wants too high a price.
This writer evidently thinks that desir- ous and anxious are interchangeable. De- sirous to get.
ANXIOUS
127
The great success of American jockeys has of course stirred up a little jealousy, but the ma- jority of English racing men are, I am sure, anx- ious to treat us fairly.
Desirous.
Belief that he has now asserted his authority and will behead Prince Tuan. To leave the Em- press Dowager at Singan-fu. No Power anxious to prolong the crisis.
Desirous.
Mr. Olney dismisses free silver at 16 to i without even mentioning it, lumping it with other minor differences of opinion -which [that] may be overlooked by any Democrat anxious to remain with his party.
Desirous.
For himself, being anxious to get the ordeal of his maiden speech over as soon as possible, he spoke on the very evening when [that] he entered Parliament.
Desirous.
But however much the American heiress may pity the princeling who has placeu his art treas- ures and himself at her feet, she will do well to 0
I2g SOME ILL-USED WORDS
ask, " Would you be so anxious to marry me if you could sell your pictures ? "
Desirous.
Mayor Joseph Mason's office was surrounded last night by over [more than] five hundred people, all anxious to catch sight of a woman in man's clothes who [that] had caused the arrest of her husband for assault.
Desirous.
But all of them are interested in the welfare of the Manhattan Club and are anxious to see it successful.
Desirous.
Moreover, England is anxious to enlist the in- tervention of the United States in the Chinese settlement, and she could not have looked for aid in this direction from Mr. Bryan.
Desirous.
There was one thing he was particularly anx- ious to have made clear, and that was that he had not been in Mount Vernon since the night his def- alcation was discovered.
Desirous.
ANXIOUS
129
Mr. Burdine was very anxious to have the mother back. She had long been a faithful and trusted servant.
Desirous.
The reason for Michael's glee was that eggs are selling for 24 cents a dozen, and twenty-four dozen would cost $5.76. He forgot that others besides Baker were anxious to see the fun, and that $5.76 was but a small item among 150 men.
Desirous.
The late king once remarked, it seems, that he was not particularly anxious to acquire all the youth and beauty of Siam himself, but, as so many of her fairest daughters had already been pre- sented to him, he could not possibly refuse similar gifts in the future, as he did not wish to offend any of his subjects.
Desirous.
Boston has been very generous in the past in all such cases, and the mayor is anxious that the city shall maintain its reputation for open-handed- ness.
Desirous.
We are most anxious to preserve our his- torical continuity, and we are far too patriotic
130 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
ever to dream of such a thing as denationali- zation.
Desirous.
I am certainly as anxious to maintain the gold standard as you are. — Carl Schurz's letter to Sec- retary Gage.
Desirous.
Wiggs — Why are you so anxious to be cast for the role of Hamlet?
Futlites — As I recollect the part, I get a chance to kill most of the other members of the company.
Desirous.
Of course I am very anxious to get married immediately. I told her, however, that I was willing to wait until she had finished this new novel.
Desirous.
I am very anxious to make a success in the new piece, and if hard work will accomplish it I will [shall]. We begin rehearsals to-morrow morning, and there will be a lot of work before we will [shall] have it ready for the stage.
Desirous.
ANXIOUS 131
We are gathered here to-night as patriotic citi- zens, anxious to do something toward reinstating the prosperity of our fellow-countrymen, and pro- tecting the fair fame of our nation against shame and scandal.
Desirous.
Mr. Bryan was so anxious to have this treaty ratified that he came in person to Washington to use his influence with the opposition Senators in its behalf, and he himself has admitted that he was responsible for its ratification.
Desirous. If he was, he still is, hence why not write is?
The Republican party is not afraid to meet any issue, past or present. I am always anxious myself to oblige my adversaries by discussing any subject they may select.
Desirous.
The Government is anxious to have the ne- gotiations transferred to some place remote from Pekin, such as Brussels, Berne, or The Hague.
Desirous.
For this reason he was so anxious to secure the contract that he was willing to pay liberally.
Desirous.
132
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
For some time past it has been known that Lieutenant-Governor Woodruff has been anxious to reorganize the party in Kings in order to at- tract to it the independent element for the coming municipal campaign.
Desirous.
The Government is anxious to have some naval representation on the west side of the Isthmus during the present disturbed condition of political affairs in Colombia, but does not re- gard the situation as so serious as to demand immediate attention.
Desirous.
We write best when we say just what we would say and say no more. The fre- quency of our talking about Anxiety when we mean Desire, does not lessen its dic- tional sinfulness.
FINANCIAL
HERE is a verbal invader that, probably, has as much to answer for as any other \vord in the language.
Financial, pecuniary, and monetary, though related in signification, are not in- terchangeable. A monetary transaction is one in which money changes hands; pe- cuniary refers to a transaction in which value is involved; financial is used in speak- ing of the money affairs, the finances, of a government and of private business enter- prises of great magnitude. Successes are pecuniary, not financial, and we assist our friends pecuniarily, not financially.
Scores of others have been bribed by appoint- ments to the Senate of Canada for life, and others by invitations to accept seats in the Cabinet, and hundreds of others by financial considerations ex- pressed in public contracts, land grants, grants of timber lands, and mines of great value.
Had Sir John A. Macdonald offered the Hon. Sir Oliver Mowat a financial consideration for
134
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
his support of British connection he would have spurned it with contempt. — Alice Stone Black- well.
Pecuniary, or money consideration.
One of the most serious features of the Gal- veston storm from a financial standpoint, is that there were scarcely a dozen storm policies held in the entire city, according to a statement of Mr. Charles Janvier, of this city, president of the Sun Insurance Company, of New Orleans, and one of the besi-posted [informed] insurance men in the South.
Monetary, or money.
From the financial standpoint the college women married better than the non-college women.
Pecuniary, or worldly; certainly not financial.
It is alleged by the detectives that Mulhall, who, they assert, is Salman, received credit from a number of firms, who took the circular as a true statement of his financial responsibility.
Pecuniary.
The directors of the company operating the mill say that they kept the mill in operation dur-
FINANCIAL
135
ing the summer at a financial loss because they did not want to throw the girls out of work and in order to retain them for the busy season.
Pecuniary.
The men who [that] put up the money were the Hon. Richard Croker, Chieftain of the New York Democracy, and some of his political and financial friends.
Moneyed.
No one is financially interested in this latest undertaking but myself. Because of my experi- ence I think I am more competent than any [other] manager or [any] architect in this city to build the kind of a playhouse the people want.
Pecuniarily.
The financial profit obtained by Secretary Long's refusal to accept the original bids is con- siderable.
Pecuniary.
We have now been paying these debts and bringing home many of our securities and estab- lishing countervailing credits abroad by [with?] our loans, and placing ourselves upon [on] a sure foundation of financial independence.
Pecuniary.
136 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
At that time the Manhattan was housed in the Stewart Mansion at Thirty-fourth Street and Fifth Avenue, and was in a bad way finan- cially.
Pecuniarily.
The company had been in financial difficulties for over [more than] a year, but through heavy advances had been kept afloat until after its through line had been completed.
Pecuniary, or money difficulties.
Money, so far as I know, is not recog- nized as an adjective, yet it would not re- quire much courage so to use it.
News of Henry V as a financial success seems to have reached London. Lewis Waller, a popu- lar actor there, says that he will [shall] revive the Shakespeare drama on a fine scale at the Lyceum.
Pecuniary.
The play will undoubtedly have a great finan- cial success.
Pecuniary.
Auditor Castle, of the Post Office Department, made public to-day a statement which [that]
FINANCIAL
137
shows the entire financial result of the postal service for the year 1900.
Monetary.
Furthermore, all his financial obligations to the estate are to be cancelled. — New York Sun.
Pecuniary.
The President is not unmindful of the dis- tressed financial condition of Spain, and what- ever consideration the United States may show must come from its sense of generosity and be- nevolence, rather than from any real or technical obligation.
Spain was in want of money, hence her troubles were pecuniary, if she had been well supplied with money, but had had dif- ficulty in managing her finances — if her finances had simply been in a tangle— her troubles would have been financial. Being in financial difficulties is, by a good deal, not so serious a matter as being in pecun- iary difficulties. True, the thing that com- monly makes financiering difficult is a lack of means.
As far as any one here knows, he is in that same financial condition to-day.
Pecuniary.
138 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
There will be a thorough canvass of the under- graduate and alumni bodies this fall for sub- scribers to the orchestra fund, and there is little fear that any financial deficit will ensue.
Monetary.
Hinsdale being a small county and in financial straits, there is no regularly appointed deputy sheriff, so the imprisoned physician claims this office.
Pecuniary or monetary.
We do not believe that it will be a failure. Its financial success for one year at least is secured in advance, providing [provided] the editor's in- numerable friends do their duty at the beginning, and providing [provided] likewise that Mr. Bryan is careful that The Commoner does not degenerate into The Communist. — New York Sun, December 29, /poo.
Pecuniary.
It is quite as difficult, perhaps, always to use financial, pecuniary, and monetary cor- rectly as it is to use generally, commonly, and usually correctly. Who is the he or the she that does it? Financial would be little used, if used only in its true significa- tion.
HURRY
As an invader, hurry is a close second to anxious. Hurry has crowded haste pretty nearly out of the vocabulary field. Hurry, if properly used, is a word that would be used rarely, whereas haste, now little used, is a word that would be used much, if hurry would but keep out of its field.
Though widely different in meaning, both the noun and the verb hurry are con- tinually used in the sense of haste- and hasten.
Hurry implies not only haste, but haste with confusion, flurry; to move or to act with injurious haste. Haste, to the con- trary, implies only celerity of movement, despatch, speed, expedition, an eager de- sire to make progress. Unlike hurr\, haste is not incompatible with dignity and delib- eration. In hurry there is an absence of forethought and method. Hasten we often
139
140
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
should, but hurry never! Properly, then, we tell others to make haste, not to hurry up.
The bookkeeper may sometimes be in haste, but of all men he should never be in a hurry. — /. M. Buckley.
It is rough all around for Spain, so much so [rough] that we could [should?] not be surprised if Weyler were any day to jump into one of the cars of the railroad train which [that] is held in readiness for him, and hurry back to Havana. — New York Sun.
Hasten.
The aldermen are in no hurry to revive street music. — New York Sun.
Haste.
Though I am in a great hurry, I can not let the opportunity slip to let you know —
Great haste.
If you do not hurry, you will be late. Hasten.
Delay will suit the Empress Dowager. But it is impossible to hurry matters in China.
Hasten.
HURR Y
141
When Chairman Stranahan rapped for order at 10.13 o'clock, delegates and spectators were still pouring into the building in a steady stream. The late comers were seated in a hurry and then Mr. Stranahan said— —
Haste.
The correspondent of The Sun knows that pressure is being brought to bear on some of the Ministers by merchants in their own countries to hurry up the completion of the treaty.
Hasten.
The party leaders, the officers of the Conven- tion, and the men who were to make the speeches were not in a hurry; most of them had been up until long after midnight, and this morning they slept late.
Haste.
She was without her hat and seemed to be in a hurry.
Perhaps she was flurried, and conse- quently in a hurry.
After declaring himself in this manner, the Democratic nominee hurried to make speaking
I42 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
engagements for La Salle and Joliet for the even- ing of October Qth.
Hastened?
According to advices received here the Vice- roys have received urgent orders to hurry money to Singan-fu to pay the troops, who are believed to be mutinous.
Hasten.
Go slowly, there is no hurry. Haste.
Returns from Mexico in a hurry and after a stormy conference lieutenant governor with- draws opposition.
Haste.
Immediately upon his arrival he conferred with some of his associates and then hurried off to Woodruff's home to have it out with the lieu- tenant governor.
Hastened.
Despite Mr. Nixon's statement there did not seem to be any hurry on the part of the gambling houses and poolroom keepers to get under cover. — New York Sun.
Haste.
HURRY
143
Miles may answer Alger. The General says he is in no hurry to reply, but may do so [reply] later.
Haste.
The mind is hurried out of itself by a crowd of great and confused images. — Burke.
Hurry, whether as noun or as verb, is a word we should seldom have use for, if we used it to express only what it really means.
10
THE POSSESSIVE
WE should always put pronouns and commonly nouns in the possessive case, when they precede verbal nouns, as they are called by some, participial nouns, as they are called by others, and infinitives in ing as they are called by still others. Some- times we see the pronoun in the objective form — or case — and oftentimes we see the noun in no case at all; or, if you will, in any case you please, except the case, in gram- matical strictness, demanded — the posses- sive. In such locutions as, His coming was not unexpected, My going depends on the weather, John's leaving made no difference, the possessive is imperative; but some- times, in the interest of euphony, when nouns precede a participial noun, they are, purposely, not inflected. In the great ma- jority of cases, however, when the inflexion is absent, it is the result of non-knowledge or of non-painstaking. The possessive 144
THE POSSESSIVE
145
construction in these sentences is the primitive and regular form.
Sometimes the downtown barbers throw out -broad hints about it being necessary to rehone the razor after a hard shave as a gentle induce- ment for a tip.
Its.
If you can get any kind of decent odds put some money up on McKinley ; it is like finding it. Even out here in Colorado the odds are 3 to i on him winning.
His.
" That is ridiculous," said Mr. Croker. " I have not heard of him giving up and I would [should] certainly know of it."
His.
Yet he was compelled to say that the army corps that was engaged in the operations that day — some 30,000 men — was not in a condition which [that] would warrant it being sent abroad as fit to take the field.
Its.
His former cook sued him for $5,000 for al- leged indignities and last night had him arrested,
I46 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
ostensibly to prevent him going to the Klon- dike.
His.
Moreover, as the correspondent of the Daily Telegraph points out, it would surpass the wit of man to prevent them knowing our movements, if not our intentions.
Their.
Nevertheless, there have been pretty well established cases of it having carried off young lambs and kids, and one has been shot while eat- ing a rabbit which [that] it had just killed. Yet one naturalist who [that] watched the laemmer- geier for twelve years never once saw the bird attack anything alive. The laemmergeier some- times weighs sixteen pounds and has a wing ex- panse of over [more than] nine feet.
Its.
I am glad that some one has concerned them- selves [himself] about the matter to express their conviction in a daily paper. — 5". C. R.
His.
Late in August he gave out an interview de- claring that if Mr. Bryan were [should be] Presi- dent the gold standard law would offer no effec-
THE POSSESSIVE 147
tive protection against the country being placed on a silver basis.
Country's.
The average American finds it hard to think patiently of an American Minister being extra civil to a sovereign whose hands smell of blood that has smoked [ ?] to the sky for vengeance. Congratulations to such an [a] one are only an absurd mockery.
Minister's.
The Berliner Tageblatt, Hamburgischer Cor- respondent, and other newspapers express in simi- lar terms their satisfaction that Germany is saved forever from the possibility of Great Britain grabbing the Yangtse Valley.
Britain's.
But most important of all, these three notes say to the American people : You are weary of unctuous phrases. You are opposed to your President wandering about the Orient " outside [of] the Constitution."
President's.
It was just at this time that Captain Eason put in an appearance and prevented the bunco game being played any further.
Game's.
I48 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
It sees no reason for any Power dissenting, and says it should especially be indorsed with alacrity by the Washington Government.
Power's.
He adds : " We see, then, that there was not the slightest hope for our Government behaving with any sort of magnanimity in the matter."
Government's.
Such a marriage affords too splendid [ !] an opportunity to Germany to permit of any effort being spared to accomplish it.
Effort's.
Yet within the last few days he has been going around telling his audiences that the fact of American money going abroad for investment is a proof that the country is in a bad way.
Money's.
In a case like this where a false mark is put on the package, there is but little chance of the sender getting his loss made good.
Sender's.
In 1896 she prevented a man named Pietras from building a pier, and beat him when he car-
THE POSSESSIVE 149
ried the case to the Court of Appeals. She also prevented another pier being built two years later.
Pier's.
I can not think for a moment there is any danger of such a thing happening.
Thing's.
Read this at midnight roll call and at the roll calls in the morning prior to the men leaving their stations for duty at the polling places.
Men's.
Miss FitzGerald had Adolph examined by the school medical inspector, who reported that there were no evidences of the boy being in danger.
Boy's.
She and her husband live apart, but he re- sented another man taking her out.
Man's.
Previous to [Previously to] that date it had occupied a small building across the street. The space was so limited here that it did not admit of a railing being placed around the teller.
Railing's.
150
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The Gleaner further asserts that, instead of the revenue being honestly expended, there has been more extravagance and corruption than was ever before witnessed.
Revenue's. Than ever before had been witnessed.
The people are opposed to this Government acquiring territory which [that] is not to be gov- erned by our Constitution. It has no more con- stitutional right to set up a colonial system than it has to create [make ?] a king.
Government's.
This led to the heroine recalling how the two brothers, then in a wordy war with one another [each other], used to form with their hands a seat on which to carry her about.
Heroine's. Each other, when it is a ques- tion of two only.
One can not have good or bad fortune with- out the other being in the same box.
Other's.
It sometimes happens that flesh becomes poi- sonous from the animal having fed upon [on] noxious substances shortly before it was killed.
Animal's.
THE POSSESSIVE 151
The boy insisted on the bookmaker taking the $100 and putting it all on the cheap thoroughbred that he thought had a chance of winning the handicap.
Well, the horse that the kid had picked only won by [won by only] about half a block at 30 to i, that's all.
Bookmaker's.
My reason for giving so many examples of this simple error is the exceeding fre- quency with which we meet with them. Reportorial English teems with them.
CAPABLE— SUSCEPTIBLE
THE Standard Dictionary defines capa- ble thus : Possessing power or capacity to do, perform, or undergo; as, he is capable of any crime; capable of improvement [im- proving?].
From which it would seem that capable, when properly used, is used only in an active sense. In the passive sense, the proper word to use is susceptible.
Capable of being defended. — Webster's Dic- tionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being defended. — Standard Dic- tionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being protected against outward violence; capable of vindication. — Worcester's Dictionary.
Properly : Susceptible of being vindi- cated, of being protected. 152
CA PABLE—SUSCEP TIBLE
153
Capable of being destroyed. — Standard Dic- tionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being surmounted. — Century Dic- tionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of solution, as a problem. — Standard Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being set on fire. — Worcester's Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being ignited. — Standard Dic- tionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being ignited. — Webster's Dic- tionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being solved; capable of being paid. — Webster's Dictionary.
Susceptible.
154
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Capable of being corrected or set right. — Standard Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being comprehended. — Webster's Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being grasped or comprehended by the mind. — Standard Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being explained. — Worcester's Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being reversed. That may have direction or position reversed; that may be used in some way opposed to the normal or usual way. — Standard Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being apprehended or grasped. — Standard Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being understood. — Standard Dic- tionary.
Susceptible.
CAPABLE— SUSCEP TIBLE \ 5 5
Capable of being reduced. — Webster's Dic- tionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being set right or amended. — Web- ster's Dictionary.
Susceptible.
Capable of being corrected or amended. — Worcester's Dictionary.
Susceptible.
The trouble about the word is that it is not capable of any definition. You can tell a " bounder " when you see one. But it is impos- sible to say what a " bounder " is.
Susceptible of being defined.
When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman? The poetic interrogation, frequently propounded, has never, we believe, been capable of satisfactory solution.
Susceptible of being satisfactorily solved.
They are capable, too, of enduring great heat and for that reason grow well in sub-tropical and tropical countries.
Correctly used.
156 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Not capable of being divided without losing identity. — Standard Dictionary.
Susceptible.
A vivid-hued, sometimes a many-colored, scarf, often of immoderate length, capable of being wound around and around the youthful neck or over the head and ears and neck — that was a tippet. — New York Sun.
Susceptible.
To my surprise, I find that not only the Standard, Worcester, and Webster use capable in the passive sense, but the word is used in like manner in .the Encyclopaedic and in the Century and by Johnson and by Murray. Indeed, in all the dictionaries capable is made to do double duty — for itself and for susceptible.
Now if the dictionary way of using capable be correct, it is also correct to say that coffee is capable of being ground, that sugar is capable of being dissolved, that lead is capable of being melted, and that iron is capable of being welded. If it be proper to use capable in a passive sense, what use have we for susceptible?
PROPOSITION— PROPOSAL
THE word proposition is much misused in the sense of proposal. Indeed, it is quite certain that more than half the time propo- sition is improperly used.
A proposition is something to be consid- ered; a proposal, something to be acted on.
We admit or deny the truth of a propo- sition ; we accept or reject a proposal.
Here is a writer that, seemingly, looks on proposition and proposal as being inter- changeable:
The German Government has indicated to the United States that it will submit a new general proposition [proposal] in regard to the settlement [settling] of the Chinese troubles, which will, it is understood, take the place of the German pro- posal to punish the leaders of the anti-foreign outbreak as a condition precedent to peace negoti ations.
Better : With regard to settling the Ch> nese troubles.
157
158 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Examples of the correct use of propo- sition are not easily found. Here are what I have:
Surely there is nothing startling, to persons familiar with the principles of American consti- tutional law, in the proposition that even a great city may not take away a man's private property without paying for it.
Her success as a clergyman was immense; only second, indeed, to her success in personally proving the proposition that a woman can't work at all, apparently, without overworking.
That woman is as much man's inferior in- tellectually as she is physically is a proposition the truth of which is generally admitted.
It is dangerous for a debater to affirm a uni- versal proposition, since that can be negatived by a single exception.
Herbert Spencer, and many other thinkers be- fore him, have shown that if we try to realize the absolute nature of the simplest phenomena, we are inevitably landed either in a contradic- tion or in some unthinkable proposition.
Thus, his main proposition that Christianity is necessarily superior to all other systems be-
PROPOSITION— PROPOSAL 159
cause it is Divine is obviously based primarily on his own " sentiment " or inward feeling or conviction due to his religious faith, and not on any rational facts.
Examples of the misuse of proposition abound.
Then he applauded the proposition of the Democratic platform to establish a " Department of Labor " with its head a Cabinet officer.
Proposal.
The next propositions are that the forts at Taku and the other forts on the coast of Chi-Li shall be razed and the importation [importing] of arms and war material prohibited.
Proposals.
In one of his reports Judge Taft refers to the propositions of peace submitted by a number of leading Filipinos, and also tells of the feast of amnesty which [that] followed the issuance [is- suing] of the amnesty proclamation.
Proposals.
An official note announces that France, Italy, and Austria have formally assented to the propo- 11
l6o SOME ILL-USED WORDS
sitions in the German note for the punishment [punishing] of the leaders of the recent outbreak before beginning peace negotiations.
Proposals.
The nations, with the exception of Austria and Italy, declined to accept the German propo- sition that the Powers undertake the punishment of [to punish] the anti-foreign leaders before peace negotiations should be instituted. As Ger- many has now so modified her proposition as to remove the feature to which the Powers objected, it is regarded certain that there will be a harmo- nious agreement.
Proposal.
The Rev. W. F. Graham (colored) was asked to-day what was the feeling among the colored people of the city concerning the proposition of Miss Lillian Clayton Jewett to come here and make one of her famous speeches.
Proposal.
And the proposition in the Municipal Assem- bly of New York to abolish the name of old Elm Street and substitute the name of " Dewey Ave- nue " exemplifies the third class.
Proposal.
PROPOSITION— PROPOSAL 161
The proposition for the creation of the office of State Auditor is defeated.
The proposal to create.
It is learned here that the discussion now pro- ceeding in Berlin of an alleged American propo- sition to limit the occupying forces in China to 1,000 in Pekin, 2,000 outside the walls, and 20,000 elsewhere is not based upon any plan suggested by the State Department here. It can be said positively that such a proposition has not figured in the diplomatic negotiations.
Proposal.
The diplomatic negotiations looking to an amicable settlement of the Chinese troubles cen- tre in the proposition of Germany that the Chi- nese Government be made to surrender the lead- ers of the anti-foreign uprising. There is a strong feeling of hope here that Germany will modify her proposition.
Proposal.
Russia has made a proposition to the United States as to a plan of solving the Chinese difficulty which the Cabinet considered in a special session to-day. — New York Sun.
Proposal.
1 62 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
It is thought here that the United States se- cured considerable advantage by promptly reply- ing to Russia's proposition. — New York SIM.
Proposal.
The amended canal treaty is the American proposition to Great Britain. — New York Sun.
Proposal.
The using of proposition when one means proposal, will commonly, perhaps always, suffice to convey the thought intended; but the would-be fine young woman that says she " has saw " can defend her diction with the same argument.
PREVIOUS TO
THE adjectives previous, subsequent, in- dependent, antecedent, relative, and possibly others are often erroneously used in an ad- verbial sense. When used adverbially they should have the adverbial termination.
The captain is very severe upon the conduct of the English after the battle, but independently of such strictures his narrative is very interest- ing as a description of a part of the great naval battle. — New York Sun.
Not independent of, as we often see it. Independent is never anything but an ad- jective.
More influential still, in this way, have been the growing scarcity of gold relatively to the need of it. — President E. Benjamin Andrews.
Unusual, but correct. Relative is an ad- jective when not a noun, and when used adverbially must have the adverbial inflec- tion.
163
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Of these phenomena, the most important are the failure-of Great Britain to maintain her finan- cial and industrial preponderance relatively to her competitors, and the evidence that the seat of wealth and power is migrating westward, and may even now have entered America.
Without reference to the Hay-Pauncefote negotiations, and independently of the provisions or restrictions of the proposed treaty, the Hep- burn bill authorizes the President to acquire from Costa Rica and Nicaragua the necessary terri- tory.— New York Sun.
The size of the Democratic majority rela- tively to the past was of no consequence, even in the estimation of the Democrats of Arkansas. — New York Sun.
Pekin — Germany's proposal is not acceptable to this Government, and Minister Conger may be instructed to begin peace negotiations, independ- ently of the other Powers.
Examples of the other sort are more abundant.
But I am sorry to say that George Ripley no longer possessed the fine library that he had previous to our experiment ; it was sold to pay off the creditors. — Charles A. Dana,
Previously to,
PREVIOUS TO 165
On August 28th last, Minister Taylor, at Madrid, learned at a dinner given by the Brit- ish Ambassador to the representatives of the foreign Powers that two or three days previous the Prime Minister of Spain had. — New York Sun.
Previously.
At the last official dinner given by Bismarck previous to this fall, the Emperor gathered about him a group from which the Chancellor held aloof. — New York Sun.
Previously to.
The mayor will review the parade of the Knights of Labor, which passes City Hall an hour previous to the time set for that of the Central Labor Union and Building Trades Council.
Previously to.
First, aim to correct any mannerisms, any ab- solutely discordant conditions in the presence, action, or speech independent of any system. — New York Sun.
Independently of.
A younger contemporary of Herodotus was Hellenicus of Mytilene, whom Thucydides men-
1 66 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
tions as almost the only historian who [that] had treated of the period subsequent to the Persian wars.
Subsequently to.
Petition of Li and the other viceroys sub- mitted to the throne at this meeting, subsequent to the appointment of Tuan and Chwang.
Subsequently to.
For the last year, Mr. Rice drew only six or eight checks a month, but previous to last year he would send from fifteen to twenty checks through our bank, and was what we would [should] term a comparatively active depositor.
Previously to.
The great epochs that mark the history of Constantinople previous to its capture by the Turks may be indicated in a paragraph.
Previously to.
The origin dated long previous to the Jack- son campaign, for nearly fifty years previous the best tobacco and the best rum came from Aux Cayes, and the best of everything was designated as Aux Cayes, or O. K.
Previously.
PREVIOUS TO
i67
She lived at the Park Avenue previous to her last marriage. After that event she left the hotel with her young husband.
Previously to.
The lawyers refuse to disclose the terms of settlement previous to the meeting of the bank directors to be held next week. Mrs. Schreiber, the mother of the defaulter, who was prostrated when her son's crime became known, is still suf- fering with [from] heart trouble.
Previously to.
Previous to the present Chinese trouble what influence, if any, had Secretary Hay exerted toward the establishment of [establishing] the " open door " in China?
Previously to.
Previous to the death of Beha-u'llah he made many prophecies, and all of them came true, say his followers.
Previously to.
He recalled that the Socialists alone disap- proved the Emperor's telegram to President Kruger in 1896, subsequent to the Jameson raid.
Subsequently to.
1 68 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Having read one of Mr. Charles Reade's novels (the title of which I forget), I wish to inquire whether white slavery existed in this country previous to the Revolution (i//6) or not.
Previously to.
Directors refuse to give details of the negotia- tions with the United States. Some urge that the canal be finished independent of any action by this Government.
Independently of.
It is safe to say that we meet with the incorrect form of these adverbs ten times where we meet with the correct form once. Indeed, we are so used to seeing and hear- ing the incorrect form that the correct form not infrequently is disturbing.
GENERALLY
IT is a common thing to see the word generally used where one of its synonyms would better serve. Indeed, there are per- sons, among them some clever writers, that seem to have little or no acquaintance with any of Generally's kinship. It is easier to write in an indiscriminating way, but that is not a good way to choose if one would produce what the world always has been readiest to applaud and most willing to pay for — quality.
I am often in doubt whether I should use commonly, generally, usually, or ordi- narily, but I am sure I more frequently use the right word of the four than I should if I were not of opinion that there is always a best one of the four to use in any given sentence.
The distinctions between these words may, perhaps, be intimated thus:
Commonly is opposed to rarely or ex- ceptionally.
169
1 70
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Generally to restrictedly.
Usually to occasionally.
Ordinarily to exceptionally or rarely. Commonly and ordinarily are very closely allied.
The American eagle — that is, the so-called bald-headed eagle, which is not bald-headed at all — is a fish-eating bird generally, though it will not disdain flesh when it can get it.
Commonly?
A certain portion of the wages was generally advanced as earnest money.
Commonly?
The Post, which is known as the Ambassa- dors' organ, and is generally well informed, semi- officially states that the dispute between Field Marshal Count von Waldersee and General Chaf- fee, growing out of the tatter's [General Chaf- fee's] letter to the German commander in rela- tion to
Ordinarily?
He is a conservative Republican, very careful in his estimates, and his figures have generally proved to be strikingly accurate.
Commonly?
GENERALLY
171
In the case of the man, as generally in Semitic law, the opportunity for divorce was theoretically unlimited.
Commonly or ordinarily.
Foreign press comment upon American na- tional character is generally the reverse of flat- tering, even when it appears in English publica- tions. Yet even those journals which [that] are most hostile in their criticism concede that Americans possess certain qualities which [that] place them in some respects in the front rank of nations.
Commonly or ordinarily.
While it is generally most convenient to be able to light all the stair lights from any story, it may in some cases be thought undesirable to have to light all the upper landings if only one flight of stairs is to be used.
Commonly or ordinarily.
Of the contract for rent there were various forms. Houses were generally rented for one year, though, occasionally, the lease ran for a longer period. A certain portion of the rent for the term was generally paid in advance.
Commonly?
172 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
" Sporty " McAlister was what he was called, and he was very often seen on [in] the streets in the evening, generally in the neighborhoods fre- quented by young girls.
Commonly?
He usually goes to Philadelphia every Mon- day.
I am a great believer in sleep. I usually go to bed early and rise late.
Ill-used, because over-used, generally is properly used thus: It is generally known; it is generally believed; it is generally ac- cepted; it is generally regarded.
The opinion generally prevails, in my neigh- borhood, that McKinley will be our President for another four years.
Until recently, it was the generally accepted belief, throughout the Christian world, that the world was made in six times twenty-four hours.
It is generally understood that the law is aimed at the executive council, to prevent that body from acting in an executive and legislative capacity.
GENERALLY
173
The distinction that should be made in using these words is often very delicate, too delicate indeed for it always to be made even by the cleverest and most painstak- ing. Nevertheless, however delicate the distinction, it is none the less worth while to try to make it.
APPRECIATE
IF any word in the language has cause to complain of ill-usage, appreciate has. Appreciate can not, properly, be employed with a limiting, a qualifying word — i. e., with an adverb, since the word means to estimate justly; to set the true, the real value on men or things. An overestimate, therefore, is no more appreciation than is an underestimate. He that appreciates justly estimates, and justly to estimate one must weigh the demerits as well as the merits.
" We appreciate him highly " — a locu- tion often heard- — is nonsense. " We have great regard for him," or, " We think a great deal of him," or, " We hold him in high esteem."
We value things highly, and we prise things highly, but we do not appreciate things highly.
Such proofs of kind and generous feeling are naturally most highly prised by me and will for-
APPRECIA TE
175
ever be cherished in my memory. — Albert Ed- ward.
I number him among my most highly valued friends.
She said she greatly appreciated [fully appre- ciated] all we were doing for her country and her people.
All this only shows how much Queen Victoria thinks of what Americans are doing in getting this hospital ship, and how much she appreciates [values] any expression of good feeling from America.
Singing birds are esteemed in all countries, but in Japan the musical sounds emitted by cer- tain insects are appreciated.
Bettered, but not mended, by using prised where the writer has used esteemed and appreciated.
Unskilled writers are commonly far too solicitous to avoid tautophony. The re- using of a word often betters the diction ; in part, too, because the sound is repeated. When one has a word that fully expresses one's thought, as a rule, it is better to re- use it than to use a synonym. 12
!j6 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Should I write, "than to employ"? I do not think so, though employ would serve as well, as far as the thought is concerned. Note the circumstance that the first use is under the emphasis, whereas the second is barely touched in the utterance. This suf- fices to prevent any monotony there might otherwise be.
If one would appreciate how thoroughly the entire industrial system depends upon iron, let him imagine what the world would be to-day without it.
Here is a writer that probably makes appreciate do duty for a considerable list of words. In this instance, realise, I fancy, would have been a good choice to make.
" You can appreciate" said Kerr, " that we naturally have nothing to give out."
Not appreciate, certainly; perhaps under- stand.
He appreciated that his countrymen had a claim on his memory.
Realized, or, was not unmindful.
APPRECIA TE
177
A little care should certainly suffice to enable any one to avoid the misuse of ap- preciate. The signification of the word is so simple!
DICTION
Diction, according to the dictionaries — and what they say on the subject has never been questioned — is the manner of using words; is especially that department of rhetoric that treats of the choosing and ar- ranging of words. We speak of the diction of a book, an essay, a drama, a speech, meaning the manner in which and the felic- ity, or the lack of felicity, with which the speaker or writer has expressed his thought. This is the only sense in which, until re- cently, so far as I know, the word diction ever has been used.
" Diction," says Johnson, " being the ve- hicle of the thoughts, first presents itself to the intellectual eye."
When the word diction is used as it is used in the following examples, what is it intended to mean?
Mr. Mann had gained a reputation as an elabo- rate disguiser of himself and as a speaker of 178
DICTION
179
astonishingly broken English. He appeared in this piece in much the same aspects of droll vis- age and awkward physique, but his diction was markedly improved in amusing value, because its tedious slowness and reiteration were gone and all its funniness was retained.
Quite apart from its great success as a song, Rhoda and Her Pagoda, as Miss Ashley rendered it, was a delicious piece of acting. Somehow or other, this little girl, since she graduated from the newsboy ranks in " 1492," has learned what diction means. Yvette Guilbert herself could not have got more meanings — either single or plural — out of this remarkably clever song.
Shall we ever have another actor with Booth's wonderfully facile and expressive diction? •
He begins to speak more rapidly, his eyes brighten, and the long sentences which [that] roll from his lips are as pure in diction as if he were on the stage delivering in classical style the sentences he reads so wonderfully.
The French have a word that presents the same appearance to the eye that the English word diction presents. They use it where a writer content to confine himself to English would use delivery, utterance, or
igo SOME ILL-USED WORDS
elocution. This may possibly account for the " new meaning " in which certain writ- ers use this good old English word. For the benefit of the average reader — for a time at least — the innovation should be ac- companied by an explanatory foot-note.
NONE
THE word none is commonly treated as a plural, as, " None of them were his equals." Though none is a contraction of not one, construing none as a singular in a sentence like this antagonizes established usage. Instead of using none as a singular, it is better to write not one or no one, which, besides being more idiomatic, is more em- phatic.
None of these conditions arc at present ful- filled. We do not know who or what is the actual Government of China. The reports which [that] reach us on this subject continue to be untrust- worthy and conflicting. — London Times.
Thus it happens that none of the Cordilleran States from Venezuela to Chili has as yet emerged from the stage of rough, pioneer ex- ploration.
Have.
The European papers are now discussing the problems that confront the Powers since the occu-
181
1 82 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
pation of Pekin. None of them appears to favor the Russian proposal to withdraw from the Chi- nese capital.
Appear.
No man here expects to see Coler nominated. None claims more than 150 votes for him.
Claim.
None of the boys is over fourteen years old, and young Meehan is only seven. Their parents are all respectable people.
Are more than.
It is midway in merit among' them, and, al- though none of the others has won success in a dis- tinctly fashionable New York theatre, Mr. Herne has the advantage of an adulatory following.
Have.
True, the role of Beckmesser is not a severe test of the voice, but of all the roles in comic opera none perhaps is as difficult from the purely dramatic viewpoint.
Are so.
The same is the case with Kerr. None of his relatives has called to see him.
Have.
NONE 183
None of the relatives of the accused was pres- ent except Judge John F. Kerr, brother of George Kerr, and his counsel.
Were.
None of the proposals which has been made at Washington, except this violation of a princip of international law, if it ever was suggested, excites any resentment here.
That have.
Of the eighteen persons referred to as still missing in The Sun yesterday none has yet been accounted for.
Have.
None of those named by Charles Stewart Smith has as yet announced his intention of- de- clining to serve on the committee.
Have.
Neither " none have " nor " not one has " is offensive to anybody, whereas " none has " is offensive to many, if for no other reason than because it conflicts with habit. It is always unwise to make use of any form of expression that, in any degree, is calculated to divert the reader's, or the listener's, attention.
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
There is one of our big dailies that seem- ingly is adverse to printing a plural verb with none under any conditions, yet this same daily prints dictional errors of every description. Its columns teem daily with auxiliary verbs misused. Somebody said something once about a gnat and a camel. If the saying doesn't apply here, it's only because there is no gnat.
INDIVIDUAL
THE word individual, as a noun, is prop- erly used in contradistinction to collective terms. It is often improperly used where Person or man, for example, would be the proper word.
The rules applicable to a corporation must be the same as would be applied to an individual in a similar case. There can be no question in the present case that if the defendant were an in- dividual, there is no way in which his acts could be held illegal. — New York Sun.
Properly used.
The industries of a nation depend upon the actions of an aggregation of individuals. When the individual considers an expenditure for a permanent improvement, and finds that improve- ment will cost 50 per cent to 100 per cent more than it would have done [cost] a year before, or is likely to do [cost] a year later, he acts, and that action is almost invariably a postponement of that improvement.
Properly used.
185
1 86 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
It is to the Mormons as a sect that I object, and not as individuals, for among them I have met many excellent persons.
Properly used.
Changes, both in individuals and in communi- ties, are often effected by trifles. .
Properly used.
Action by State and individual must go hand in hand.
Properly used.
Great events affect individuals as well as nations.
Correctly used.
Individual is opposed to what is divisible into parts. Etymologically, it means that that can not be divided.
When the Jehu got into the dispute with his fare, two other rough-looking individuals ap- peared on the scene and took the part of the former [Jehu]. — New York Evening Sun.
Men or fellows.
To this, of course, there have been many nota- ble exceptions, for endurance of sight, like any
INDIVIDUAL 187
form of physical strength, differs greatly in dif- ferent individuals.
Persons.
There are physical limits to the executive energies of any single individual, and, broadly speaking, there are limits beyond which it is not safe to test the administrative capacity [ability] of a single head.
Any man. The individual is always single.
There are two or three circumstances under which the editor appears to be an agreeable in- dividual.— George H. Westley.
Person.
This proceeding is usual, it seems, at 'such audiences, and the fact that so many individuals hear everything, even at the most important in- terviews, accounts for the impossibility of keep- ing secret anything that happens at the Tsung-li- Yamen in regard to political or other affairs.
Persons.
The Lord Mayor is a very busy individual and the following list is a thoroughly authentic account of some of the functions in which a re- cent Lord Mayor took part.
Person or man.
1 88 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
There was nothing of the jaunty air which
[that] first distinguished William T about
that interesting individual this morning when he was seen in the city prison. — New York Evening Sun.
Person.
The public trustee is a corporation, and it is immaterial whether the individual, for the time being holding the office, disappears, resigns, or dies, the corporation continues.
Man or person.
Using individual, when one should use person or man, is not quite so objectionable as it is to use party; but the difference is not great.
IN RESPECT OF
IF I knew how to hit the locution " In respect of " any harder than George P. Marsh hits it in his Lectures on the Eng- lish Language, I should not quote Marsh, who says:
' The deliberate introduction of incor- rect forms, whether by the coinage [coin- ing] of new or the revival [reviving] of obsolete and inexpressive syntactical com- binations, ought to be resisted even in trifles, especially where it leads to the con- fusion [confusing] of distinct ideas. • An example of this is the recent use of the ad- verbial phrases in respect of, in regard of, for in or with respect to, or regard to. This innovation is without any syntactical ground, and ought to be condemned and avoided as a mere grammatical crotchet."
Much would depend on the rapid flow of blood in the case of the head of the guillotined criminal in respect of the existence of movement or con- sciousness.
To.
189
190 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
There was not any appreciable improvement in to-day's stock market in respect of activity but a distinctly better tone was evident in the dealings.
To.
It admits the principle that, in respect of South American republics, the United States may not only intervene in disputes, but
To.
In respect of area, indeed, the French colonies much exceed the Dutch.
To.
In the Periclean age no writer on morals or physics can be compared in respect of style with Plato, who belongs to the next generation.
To.
You will see that I ask for no change in the conditions, as I was perfectly satisfied with all the arrangements made on the last occasion and in respect of which the New York Yacht Club was so deservedly congratulated.
To.
Every reader of the papers, too, knows of your action as Governor in respect of the Ice Trust.
To.
IN RESPECT OF \^\
There is indeed one striking difference in re- spect of custom.
To.
Even if " In respect of " were as idio- matic as " In respect to," the fact that the one locution is offensive, at the least, to some, while the other locution is offensive, it is certain, to none, should, it would seem, suffice to determine one's choice.
13
FEELS BADLY
WE frequently see, and more frequently hear, adverbs used where the qualifying word should be an adjective. In grammar it is always the thought that determines. He that says, " She looks badly or miser- ably " means that she looks to be in a bad or miserable physical condition. " She looks sadly or gladly or madly " is not more incorrect. The thought is, " She has the appearance of being glad, or sad, or mad." The noun, then, not the verb, is the word qualified.
From the last hole the wind smelled so strongly [strong] of gas that the drillers were unable to work over it. — Pittsburg Dispatch.
If this be correct, then we should say, The butter smells or tastes sweetly.
The oil used was that of the cocoanut, in which some sweet-smelling woods or flowers had been infused. Most commonly, however, it was 192
FEELS BADLY
193
very rancid. Hence the wearers of it smelled unpleasantly [unpleasant], but Banks found that he soon got reconciled to it. — New York Sun.
The oil did not really smell; it was smelt, and to the smeller it was unpleasant.
When taken home and skinned the carcass weighed 246 pounds, and it smelled so strongly of checkerberry that Nye's family had to go out doors to breathe while the work of dressing it was going on.
Strong.
" Now," as he there said himself, " thanks to my misfortune, one can see me nakedly as I am/' — Lord Rosebery.
Naked. Grammatical French, probably, translated into ungrammatical English.
I wish you would deny for me that story that Mr. Jiggins committed suicide on my account. I heard about his death before I left, and as he had been a friend of mine I naturally felt very badly.
Bad.
It sounded strangely to the listeners in the courtroom to hear the girl in giving her testi-
194
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
mony speak always as she did of " papa, mamma, and the baby." — New York Sun.
Strange. That is, It had a strange sound to the listeners.
Why, then, does he suddenly feel so badly about the Philippines?
Bad.
OF THE NAME OF
THE locution, " Of the name of " is met with frequently, and the locution, " By the name of " is met with occasionally. The first is objectionable, the second — nearly always — erroneous. Nearly always, the one word named is all that is required.
We might know a man of the name of, or named, Jones by the name of Smith. That is, the man we know by the name of Smith might really be named Jones.
Accompanied by a young man of the name of Gaerin she attended the theatre last night and after the performance the pair went to Court- ney's saloon.
Named.
At 165 West I36th Street last night it was said that nobody of the name of Johnson lived there.
Named.
The police of this city have arrested a Ve- netian shoemaker of the name of Giuseppe To-
195
I96 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
mazio, who is suspected of having been the ac- complice of Luccheni, the assassin of the Em- press of Austria.
Named.
A young Frenchman of the name of Cauchois has successfully crossed the Straits of Dover, from Dover, in a canoe.
Named.
A young man of the name of Stevens is nearly dead to-day at his home in Spring Valley from an encounter with a bull.
. Named.
His mother, Mary, daughter of James Coghler, was descended from an old Italian family of the name of Righi.
Named.
Here are two examples of the other sort:
Singularly enough, a German woman by the name of Helena Bohlan, a convert to Moham- medanism and an inmate of a Turkish harem, has written a novel entitled Half Animal, which is in opposition to Midhat's story, being an [a] eulogy of Turkish marriage life. — Literary Digest.
Named.
OF THE NAME OF 197
Upon the trial he offered to prove by a com- petent witness that a man by the name of John Cline had confessed that he was the guilty party. — New York Sun.
Named.
This is a locution that the dictionist strenuously objects to. Why use four words when one would better serve?
COMMENCE
MOST careful writers are content — if I do not err — to look on commence and begin as being absolutely interchangeable, and, as a consequence, seldom, if ever, use com- mence, a word that comes to us from, or at the least through, the French. They prefer the Saxon word begin and use it exclusively.
They that would make a distinction — if such there be — between the two words are counselled to consult " Crabb's English Synonyms." One will seldom, if ever, be vulnerable to the faultfinder, if one confines oneself to begin. In truth, we could dis- pense with commence entirely.
An older man, with a well-developed beard that is commencing to get a bit wiry, will fre- quently exhaust 700 strokes.
Beginning.
At the commencement of the war, and at the time of the defeat 9f the Spanish fleet at Manila,
198
COMMENCE
199
Spain was the supreme and sovereign authority in the Philippines.
Beginning.
A passenger conductor must by experience qualify himself for that position; commencing as freight brakeman, next as freight conductor.
Beginning.
We will [shall] not commence [begin] operat- ing the Broadway line by [with] electricity be- fore spring, but we have placed contracts for material to connect the Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue and other East Side lines with the Broad- way line, and soon after we commence [begin] operations with electricity on the Broadway line we will [shall] be able to run the cars of these lines as well as those of the Sixth Avenue line right down to South Ferry.
This paragraph tells us that the Broad- way line will be run, next spring, by the Company with electricity.
A OR AN, WHICH ?
As the American has no difficulty in aspirating his h's, there is no excuse for his dropping the initial h in polysyllabic words, though the h does not stand under the accent. The truth is, however, that most Americans that use an before these /t's are not aware that, when they do so, the h should be dropped in the utterance, which to that extent is to Cockneyize the lan- guage. It's a question of euphony, nothing more; in strictness, grammar has nothing to do with it.
A historical, a heroic, a habitual, is offensive to nobody; whereas an historical, an heroic, an habitual, is offensive to many. And then a is American, you know!
Schuck, who is of powerful physique, has an hallucination that he is still at the top of the ladder on which he was injured.
A.
200
A OR AN, WHICH?
2O I
" Since then the Congress gatherings," he said, " had shown that a race accused of money grabbing could rise to an heroic measure."
A. ,
This lack of German patriotism and of ag- gressiveness in employing the many superior qualities and acquirements of the Germans is an hereditary weakness.
A.
That purpose the author endeavors to carry out in an historical introduction and in the last four of his nine chapters.
A.
" He had," he said, " all his long life been an habitual drinker of strong liquors."
A.
He indulged in an harangue that for violence I never have heard equalled.
A.
MISCELLANEOUS
He left Fort Resolution for Great Bear Lake in April, hauling his canoes by dog teams over the ice of Slave Lake to its outlet.
With.
The building will be as high as the law allows. It will be lighted with electricity and heated by steam.
With.
Another authority averred: "Henry George had little influence ; he frightened us by the con- fiscatory features of his plan."
With.
Sir Ernest Satow, the British Minister, is suf- fering with [from] pleurisy. While his condi- tion is serious it is not believed to be dangerous.
There is no improvement in the condition of General Gaselee, the British commander, who is suffering with [from] pneumonia. 202
MISCELLA NEO US
203
Osgood Field, who died in Paris on Thursday after a month's illness with [of] pneumonia and complications, was a New Yorker by birth, but had lived abroad for many years.
Perhaps no word in the language is oftener misused than by. We often see it where with is the proper preposition. Theatres are cooled in summer with ice, heated in winter zvith steam, and lighted at all times either with gas or electricity, yet their advertisements often tell us that they are cooled by ice and so on. They are cooled by the management — the agent — with ice — the means. We never light our houses by candles, cool our wine by ice, or sweeten our coffee by sugar.
Commonly, it is not difficult to decide what preposition to use, but sometimes the most learned are in doubt. Indeed, the English language offers no greater diffi- culty than the proper use of the preposi- tions. It is the last thing the foreigner learns.
But the cruelty of the treatment accorded new cadets of late years is spread on the records of the court by the admissions of many cadets. Fourth-class men have been exercised to fatigue,
2O4
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
exhaustion, fainting, and convulsions. — New York Sun.
The word accord is here used in a sense directly opposed to its accepted meaning, which is, To condescend to grant, to vouch- safe. We accord only good.
Whereupon a most affectionate and cordial welcome was accorded the Baroness, and she was invited to pass a long period with them.
Prepositions frequently, and sometimes other words, should be repeated where they are not.
I must especially refer to Captain McCalla, of the United States Navy, who was of the greatest value to me and [to] all concerned. He was slightly wounded in three places, and well merits recognition.
Never before in the politics of this country or [of] any other [country] have advocates of any political party seeking national control under- taken to commend it to favor by arguing that its triumph would be innocuous.
The above figures are sufficient assurance to me and [to] many others that the workingman knows which side his bread is buttered on.
MISCELLA NEO US
205
As a rule, the money in institutions for sav- ings in this or [in] any other country is the con- crete result of the toil and self-sacrifice of the poor and of those who [that] are only moderately well-to-do.
Separating to, the sign of the infinitive, from its verb is a thing to be avoided.
All Europe, inimical to England, is drawing its own conclusions from the fact that fifteen or at most twenty thousand Boer soldiers have been able to so long resist [so long to resist] the com- bined military resources of the empire.
The circumstances in the case of Mr. Pear- son, who died in official harness, were to some extent an excuse, but far from a justification, for the precedent which [that] the placing of his bust established — a precedent which [that] it is better now to promptly overthrow [promptly to overthrow] than to further strengthen [further to strengthen]. — Home Journal.
For no one would [should] we expect to more clearly [more clearly to] voice the sentiments of the Cleveland Democracy, save it be Cleveland himself, than Mr. Olney.
To really love [really to love] the conversion, welfare, and salvation of never-dying souls is to faithfully and persistently tell [faithfully and per-
2o6 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
sistently to tell] them not only of the wondrous love of God, but it is also to fully [fully to] in- doctrinate them respecting hell. — The Rev. Sill- man Blagdon.
It would seem that with the Reverend Mr. Blagdon, the matter is everything, the manner nothing.
Both Mr. Platt and Mr. Berri believe that Mr. Woodruff should reconsider his decision not to again [again to] be the candidate for Lieu- tenant Governor.
But I know that few things could happen to so seriously and, in some cases, so disastrously [to] affect the men and women of this country who [that] have been able to save enough money to open accounts in the savings banks as the elec- tion of William J. Bryan.
Here we have no fewer than eight words between the sign of the infinitive and its verb.
We have here an example of a nauseous exudation of the vanity of the player folk that occasionally gets into print.
The leading part of Timmendorf will be created by the leading comedian of the Irving Place Theatre, Mr. Gustav von Seyffertitz.
MISCELLANEOUS 2O?
If Herr von Seyffertitz is the " creator " of Timmendorf, what is the author of the play of which Timmendorf is a part? Com- monly, very little discretion is allowed these " creators " of parts; they must, as a rule, play as author and stage-manager direct. The Dramatic Mirror never uses create as it is used in the sentence above; it uses originate, which, however, is not very much better, since there is little difference in the signification of the two words. Until re- cently, an actor that was the first to play a part was said to be The original so and so. Forrest, for example, was said to be the original Jack Cade; he was never spoken of as having created or as having originated Jack Cade. To express the thought abso- lutely, we should have to use the locution, The first to play.
To use either in the sense of each is little better than an affectation.
Two other pages marched on cither [each] side of him, and each held by the bridle a valu- able charger.
The fishermen live during the season on small vessels or immense scows fitted with a 'cabin at 14
2o8 SOME TLL-USED WORDS
either [each] end if their camp is near a swampy shore.
Almost every trade has its own street, the shops on either [each] side being devoted to shoe-making or harness-making, or crockery-mak- ing, in all their different branches.
The mob was strung out along on either [each] side, shouting, cursing, and every little while making a rush at the Governor's company.
Snow is piled up so high on either [each] side of the walks that one can not see persons walking on the opposite side of the street.
The patriarch of the pack is a dog nine years old, who [that] has helped to kill over 200 moun- tain lions.
These lions, so-called, of California and the Northwest, like the cougar, the puma, the catamount, and the painter — a corrup- tion of panther — are panthers. They might, very properly, be called the American leop- ard, like which they are, except in color. They and the leopard are tree-climbers, which the lion and the tiger are not. There is nothing leonine about them, except that they, like the lion, are of the cat family.
M ISC ELLA NEO US
209
Indeed, it would not be surprising if a mob were to attempt a rescue. If forty murderers re- main unhung [unhanged], why should a new murderer be a victim ?
He that is lynched is " hung by the neck"; he that is executed judicially is " hanged by the neck."
" Well, you had better keep out of the way of each other," said Magistrate Hogan. " I shall discharge the prisoner this time, but my advice to him is that he leave [let] his wife alone in the future."
But, as a rule, actresses have left [let] man- agement alone in this country; and few women not actresses have undertaken the task.
This use of leaiv is indefensible.
Lincoln had been practising law on one side of the Wabash River and Thompson on the other and they had many mutual [common] friends. — Chicago Record.
Mutual implies reciprocity of sentiment, sentiment received and returned. Jones and Smith have a mutual aversion — they dislike each other — or they are mutually de- pendent'— i. e., they depend on each other.
2io SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Jones and Smith have a common acquaint- ance in the person Brown. Jones and Smith found two of their common friends in the audience. Common enmities often cement friendship.
The jealousy of England, on the part of both France and Germany, is so bitter that the two nations have almost forgotten that the river Rhine exists. Their common hatred of the island kingdom is inspired by the circumstance. — New York Sun.
The careless writer would be quite sure to use mutual instead of common in a sen- tence such as we have here, yet mutual would be indefensible.
A mutual [common] friend of the married pair stops the elopement and saves the merely foolish woman from becoming criminal.
Yet the actress who [that], out of character, ought to sit for her picture most often [oftenest] with unadorned head, insists most often [often- est] upon wearing for portraiture a hat or [a] bonnet that destroys the future value of her picture.
The common origin of such pieces is often demonstrated by analysis or by general appear-
MISCELLA NEO US 211
ance, but more often [oftener], perhaps, it re- mains in doubt.
Never smoke upon [in] a, crowded street, in public carriages, or in any other place where it may be offensive at the time or afterward. — How to Behave.
We live in a street, meet people in a street and do things in a street, and not on or upon a street. The man, however, that smokes in the street would be likely to in- sist that on the street is good enough Eng- lish for him. This is doubly true of the man that smokes a pipe in the street. No man can smoke a pipe in the street and have the appearance of being other than a vulgar fellow. He that does it descends — in his manners — to the level of the groom and the hackman.
A knot of people can always be found on [in] Broadway looking up at the banner and studying its inscriptions.
The presence of the Yale students was made conspicuous by the appearance of hazing parties and their victims on [in] the principal streets of the city to-night.
212 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The locution " on the street " has a sig- nification in England that deters every one from using it in the sense of " in the street."
The author of The Gods, Some Mortals, and Lord Wickenham never by any chance, it would seem, gets the little word only in the right place. Examples:
His eyes only directed their gaze [only] on the finest feature of each face, his ears only caught [only] the happiest remarks, his heart only thrilled [only] at the noble motive in every action.
Beauty is only given [only] to few.
Only, when used as an adjective, is more frequently misplaced than any other word in the language.
Unhappily, they only persevered in this ex- cellent resolve for [only] a few days. Within a week their abhorrence of the bottle had disap- peared, and they were drinking with a zest that comes of temporary privation.
The right-placing of only is commonly a very simple matter.
The word other is frequently wanting.
Probably more women have fallen in love with Jane Eyre's Rochester than with any [other] man within the pages of a book,
MISCELLANEO US
213
When he returned to the United States in the autumn of 1863 he was at the height of his career. He was then more loved and honored than any [other] man of his day.
Here's a genuine romantic actor for you ! One who [that] really appreciates the value of lines and reads them with more intelligence than any [other] actor on the American boards to-day.
The Sun has shown up the tricky document as no [other] paper could do. Let us have a truly American canal or none.
Salisbury and Bayard. They congratulate one another [each other] upon the signing of the arbitration treaty. — Headline New York Sun.
One another is properly used only when it is a question of more than two. The headline man of the Sun has long been a bit careless.
He may also define how far he and his wife are to mutually [mutually to] support one another [each other] in cases where assistance is required.
There was a time when the speakers at public dinners were supposed to show off. Now they devote their attention to making a §how of Other [one another].
214 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The expression fin de siccle is .supposed to sum up in itself a number of peculiarities of the time. This is in spite of the fact that it is perpetually [continually] used in a loose and reckless way. — New York Sun.
Perpetual means never ceasing, continu- ing without intermission, which is not the thought the writer intended to express. Occurring with interruptions is expressed by continually.
The preparations for the monster Bryan meet- ing, when all records of attendance will be broken if Tammany obeys orders, are inspired by Mr. Croker. His teeming brain is never still, he is perpetually [continually] on the go.
The members of the gang with which Barrett has worked are four crooks known to the police as George Willard, "Dan" Algin, "Billy" Burke, and " Micky " Gleeson.
Simpler and more idiomatic, hence bet- ter, thus: That Barrett has worked with.
The despotism under which this country is suf- fering is worse than confinement in a penitentiary.
The despotism that this country is suf- fering under; or, simply, The despotism this country is suffering under.
MISCELLA NEOUS 215
This reminds one of the Hamlet line, " There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so."
It is a mistake to think that neither a sentence nor a clause of a sentence ever should be ended with a preposition.
Never mix the languages, if you can avoid it. One language at a time. Per is Latin.
The rent of rooms in the college buildings ranges from $15 to $80 per [a or the] year, and board is procurable in the college hall for $2.75 per [a or the] week.
Before the freeze, when the yield was 5,000,- ooo boxes, they sold at 50 cents per [a or the] box, but this year the average price per [a or the] box is $2.
A dealer in this city -who [that] bought coal in Amboy recently finds to-day that he can pur- chase [buy] the same only at an advance of $i per [a or the] ton. A man who [that] bought four consignments of coal from a dealer recently received yesterday an offer of re-purchase at an advance of 50 cents per [a or the] ton, the dealer saying that he ivould [should] soon be able to dispose of the coal for $i a ton more.
2i6 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
The presence of the word purchase be- trays the tyro. The use of the instead of a is not common, but the one is quite as cor- rect as the other.
When apples are plenty [plentiful] and rea- sonable in price as they are this season. — New York Sun.
Dr. Campbell, in his Philosophy of Rhet- oric, says: "Plenty [a noun] for plentiful [an adjective] appears to me so gross a vul- garism that I should not have thought it worthy of a place here if I had not some- times found it in works of considerable merit." The error is more common in America than in England.
The masculine roles in plays predominate largely. Of comely, intelligent, and tolerably facile actresses the supply is far in excess of the demand. Heroes are scarce. Heroines are plenty [plentiful].
Where the worn coins come from is not known, but the fact that they are so plenty [plentiful] has led some persons to believe that they are purchased by weight somewhere.
MISCELLANEOUS
217
A special word must be recorded in favor of Mr. Watts's rendition [rendering] of the poetry. — New York Home Journal.
We have authority for using rendition as it is used in this example, yet this use of the word does not find favor with our most careful writers. They use the word only in the sense of yielding possession, surrender, thus: They remained till the rendition of the fortress.
Let him confess, publicly, over [under] his signature, the truth that the $262,000,000 worth of bonds. — New York Sun.
" Given under my hand and seal " means under the guarantee of my signature and seal. The position of the signature on the paper has nothing to do with it. We write under a date though the date be placed, as it often is, at the bottom of the sheet.
Joseph H. Manley, chairman of the Repub- lican State Committee, over his signature to- night, issued the following.
Under.
Ex-President Cleveland has spoken at last, and in a most emphatic way. He is opposed to Bryan
2ig SOME ILL-USED WORDS
and Bryanism. He to-day authorized over his signature the publication of his views.
Under.
That way is to issue to the Democracy of the United States an address, over the signatures of the Democratic National Committee.
Under.
Here is a common error — an error of omission. The preposition should have been repeated.
The chrysanthemum seems to have recovered from the partial disfavor into which it fell [it fell into] last year, and to be once more flourishing in popular fashion. There is a tide in the affairs of flowers as well as [of] men.
Transpire is frequently used in the sense of to occur; to happen; to come to pass; whereas it should be used only in the sense of to leak out; to become known. Here is a good example of the correct use of the word:
" Do angels ever come back and pay the money they owe ? " she asked. It transpired that this particular angel owed the child $5.
MISCELLA NEO US
219
Reliable information about the real extent of the plague in Bombay and the vicinity is lacking. — New York Sun.
We commonly see its vicinity, but the vicinity is equally correct. Supply the el- liptical words and we have, " In Bombay and in the vicinity of Bombay."
M. Leroy Beaulieu is sanguine enough to anticipate that this alliance would not remain purely economical.
Here is a use of anticipate that should be cast in brass and kept as a dictional curi- osity. Predict would probably have served the writer's purpose; but very likely in his judgment, predict was not fine enough. -
Alvord, the notorious bank robber, pleaded guilty yesterday. It is curious to note the ag- grieved air adopted by the prisoner. You would think that it was a case of the culprit [culprit's] being more sinned against than sinning. It shows that when one is a criminal it is well to be a big one [criminal]. — New York Evening Sun.
\Ye do not adopt airs, we assume them. Neither word is necessary. " The ag-
220 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
grieved air of the prisoner " would suf- fice.
The close student of the life of Samuel Rich- ardson does not think of him as a novelist alone [only]. He was a business man who had a con- siderable eye for material enterprises. This fact is recalled by the disappearance of an [a] historic house of his, the building in Salisbury Square, London, which he built for himself in 1754.
We could not say, The student does not think of him alone as a novelist. Alone and only, we see, are not interchangeable.
In an interview in the Pittsburg Dispatch of yesterday morning, Mr. Carnegie said, in sub- stance, that the real reason for the Carnegie Company [Company's] taking up the making of steel pipe was [is] because it wanted to. He said that the reason it had [has] been decided to have the plant at Conneaut was [is] because the rail- roads running into Pittsburg had [have] been charging altogether too high freight rates. The only way to get rid of the railroads and their rates, Mr. Carnegie said, was [is] for his com- pany to take to water.
The Columbia oarsmen begin the year in ex- cellent financial [pecuniary or monetary] condi- tion. If the university shows the same sort of
MISCELLANEO US 22 1
improvement on the water that it displayed [showed] on the football field, all will be well.
It was fortunate for us that nothing happened to him in the circumstances.
Quite correct, but not very common. The French always write in the circum- stances.
Balance is often improperly used in the sense of rest or remainder. Not the balance of the stock, but the rest or the remainder of the stock. The word means, when properly used, the excess of one thing over another, as the difference between the debits and the credits.
The balance of the officers of the university were either doubtful, non-committal, or their views could not be ascertained.
The rest.
Shades of my grandmother ! Perhaps they would take me ! As though I were an outcast, whose faults might be forgiven if I promised to be good !
As if. The locution " as though " is very common, but it never says what the writer really intends to say.
222 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Their object seems to be to try and bring about an awakening among the younger people of India.
Not try and, but try to bring.
We follow a negative with so, not with as.
However good Alderman Bridges's poetry may be, it is not half as [so] interesting or pic- turesque as his prose.
There is no train in England as [so] luxurious as the Pennsylvania Limited and none as [so] fast as the Empire State Express. As regards the ad- vantage in speed, it may be said that the hauls in the United States are longer, distances between stations are greater, and the tracks not as [so] crowded.
Use the verb in the infinitive, when that form is permissible.
It looks as if a great many of Governor Odell's views would [will] be embodied in legis- lation. Many statesmen have ideas, but few have the happiness of seeing them take a concrete shape.
To see.
Clauses are often much misplaced. Here is an example: The queen-mother had ex-
MISCELLANEO US
223
hausted the treasures Sully had amassed in bribes to the princes. Not so. The queen- mother had exhausted, in bribes to the princes, the treasures amassed by Sully.
Look to your clauses, or you may some day unwittingly advertise for " a coachman to look after a pair of horses of a religious turn of mind." Or you may advertise " a splendid gray horse, calculated for a charger, or would carry a lady with a switch tail."
" Son-in-law of mine, too," groaned the old gentleman. " As bright a young fellow as I ever knew [have known]. I loved him as though [if] he were [had been] my own flesh and blood."
" You always [have] told me that he was [.is] a veritable Napoleon of finance."
" And so he is," and the old gentleman made [an] attempt to laugh. " And I [have] encour- aged him in it. I must admit that I [have] lit- erally drummed it into him that business was [is] business and that sentiment, friendship, even re- lationship, had [have] to be put aside when it came [comes] to business."
" But what has he done? Nothing criminal? "
" Taken me at my word, the world would say. I'm going to retire. I'm out, frozen out. You know the factory I have my biggest investment
224 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
" Certainly. It is coining money, and your salary as president is $20,000."
Here the old gentleman groaned again.
" I took a vacation. What more natural than that my son-in-law should vote my stock ? I gave him authority to do so [vote it]. He elected himself president, chose his own board of di- rectors, and increased the salary of his position [the president] $5,000 per annum [a year]. I'm simply turned out to pasture. My, what a boy ! " — Detroit Free Press.
We all know what tipping is. It is a vile, foreign practice tvhich [that] has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished. It de- stroys the self-respect of him who gives and him who takes. It stamps the one as a coward and the other as a sort of blackmailer.
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. — Shakespeare.
The subject is one of such tremendous im- portance to Americans that the fullest considera- tion will unquestionably be given to it by busi- ness men who are alive to the broad and epoch- making developments of the day. — Dry Goods Economist.
Are all business men alive, or are only a part of them alive? There being no comma before who, the sentence says only a part.
MISCELLANEOUS
225
If there were a comma before who, the sen- tence would say all business men are alive, in which case we should think the meaning doubtful. The meaning, then, depends on the presence or the absence of a comma, a thing that often owes its presence or its absence to the compositor. If the relative tJiat instead of who had been used, the mean- ing would not have depended on a comma, though a comma should never be put be- fore a relative pronoun that introduces a restrictive clause. We sometimes see com- mas that properly stand before restrictive relatives, but they have been put after a parenthetic clause and not before the rela- tive.
The religious communities, which have inci- dentally involved the common ownership of prop- erty and have employed their members in pro- duction for the benefit of a commonwealth, have become rich.
This sentence says that all religious com- munities are co-operative, which we know is not true. No comma and that and the sentence would say what it was intended to say.
226 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
Lizards, snakes, and grasshoppers, which live in the sand, are gray or brown, while their brethren of the trees and grass are green. — New York Sun.
The first ten words of this sentence tell us that all lizards, snakes, and grasshoppers live in the sand; while the remainder of the sentence tells us that some lizards, snakes, and grasshoppers live in trees and grass.
Not content with destroying the Teutonic peoples, which had already settled on Roman soil, Justinian intrigued with the tribes that were still north of the Danube, and fomented their quarrels.
This sentence begins by saying that all the Teutonic peoples had settled on Roman soil, which we sec by the last half of the sentence was not true.
The men that have shown themselves as masters of prose are not, for the most part, the men that are widely read and the men that are most widely read owe many millions of readers to something else than their mastery of prose form. — Prof. Thomas R. Price.
Here is a writer that introduces his re- strictive clauses with that.
WHY USE THAT TO INTRODUCE RESTRICTIVE CLAUSES?
NOTE. — This essay, to be understood, must be carefully studied. Simply reading it will not suffice.
Owing to the indiscriminate, haphazard use of the relative pronouns that almost universally prevails, there is never, proba- bly, a newspaper, and rarely a book, printed in the English language in which there are not ambiguous sentences; and yet this am- biguity can be easily avoided, as we see if we give the subject a little attention.
So long as we continue to use the rela- tive pronouns indiscriminately, the mean- ing of all but one of the following six sen- tences— which are all grammatically and idiomatically correct — and of all like sen- tences, will be doubtful:
i. These are the master's rules, who must be obeyed.
227
228 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
2. These are the rules of the master, who must be obeyed.
3. These are the rules of the master, that must be obeyed.
4. These are the rules of the master, which must be obeyed.
5. These are the master's rules, which must be obeyed.
6. These are the master's rules, that must be obeyed.
Nos. i and 2 should mean : These are the rules of the master, and he must be obeyed ; but they may mean : These are the rules of a certain one of several mas- ters, and this one is the one we must obey.
No. 3 may mean: Of the master's rules, these are the ones that must be obeyed. It may also mean: Of several masters, these are the rules of the one whose rules must be obeyed.
Nos. 4 and 5 may mean: These are the rules of the master, and they must be obeyed; or they may mean: Of the rules of the master, these are the ones that must be obeyed.
That is properly the restrictive relative
WHY USE THAT?
229
pronoun, and winch and who are properly the co-ordinating relative pronouns. That, when properly used, introduces something without which the antecedent is not fully defined, whereas wliicli and who, when prop- erly used, introduce a new fact concerning the antecedent.
Whenever a clause restricts, limits, de- fines, qualifies the antecedent — i. e., when- ever it is adjectival, explanatory, in its func- tions— it should be introduced with the rela- tive pronoun that, and not with which, nor with who or whom.
The use of that solely to introduce re- strictive clauses, and who and wJiich solely to introduce co-ordinating clauses, avoids ambiguities that must occasionally come- of using the relative pronouns indiscriminate- ly. This clearly appears from the following examples:
" I met the watchman who showed me the way." Does this mean, " I met the watchman and he showed me the way"? or does it mean that, of several watchmen I met, the one that on some previous occa- sion showed me the way? It should mean the former, and it would mean that and
230
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
nothing else, if we discriminated in using who and that.
" And fools who came to scoff remained to pray." Does the familiar line from Gold- smith mean, And the fools that came, though they came to scoff, remained to pray? or does it mean that some of the fools that came, came to scoff, and these remained to pray? Probably the former is the meaning; but as the line stands, this, no matter how general the opinion, can be only conjectured, as every one must admit that the meaning intended may be the lat- ter. If the latter is the meaning, it is clear that the proper relative to use is that. Had, however, Goldsmith never used who, except to introduce co-ordination, we should know positively just what he intended to convey.
" It is requested that all members of Council who are also members of the Lands Committee will assemble in the Council room." Does this mean that all the mem- bers of the Council are also members of the Lands Committee, and that they shall as- semble? or does it mean that such members of Council as are also members of the Lands Committee shall assemble?
WHY USE THAT?
231
" The volume is recommended to all geologists to -whom the Secondary rocks of England are a subject of interest." Is the volume recommended to all geologists, or to such only as take an interest in Secondary rocks?
" He had commuted the sentence of the Circassian officers who had conspired against Arabi Bey and his fellow-ministers — a proceeding which [that] naturally in- censed the so-called Egyptian party." Did all the Circassian officers conspire, or only a part of them?
" On the ground floor of the hotel there are three parlors which are never used." Does this mean three of the parlors on the ground floor are not used? or does it mean the three parlors on the ground floor are not used? The latter is probably the mean- ing intended, but as there is no comma after parlors, the former, using the relatives in- discriminately as we do, is the meaning ex- pressed.
" Emin Bey, the chief, who leaped the wall on horseback and landed safely on the debris below, was afterward taken into favor." Here the language and the punc-
232
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
tuation convey the impression that Emin Bey was the sole chief, when in fact he was only one of the many chiefs that were pres- ent on the occasion referred to. The thought intended is expressed thus: " Emin Bey, the chief that leaped the wall, . . . was afterward taken into favor."
" His conduct surprised his English friends who had not known him long." Does this mean all his English friends, or only those of them that had not known him long? If the former is the meaning, then who is the proper relative to use with a comma; if the latter, then that should be used, without a comma.
" Agents of the Turkish Government are trying to close the Protestant schools in Asia Minor, which are conducted by mis- sionaries from the United States." Are the Turks trying to close all the Protestant schools in Asia Minor, or only a part of them? All, according to this statement; but that is probably not what is intended, as there are doubtless Protestant schools in Asia Minor that are not conducted by mis- sionaries from the United States.
" The police captains who yesterday vis-
WHY USE THAT?
233
ited the central office to draw their pay, all expressed their sympathy," etc. Did all the police captains visit the central office, or only a part of them?
' The youngest boy who has learned to dance is James." As long as we use who for the purposes of both restriction and co- ordination, this means either, " The young- est boy is James, and he has learned to dance," or, " Of the boys, the youngest that has learned to dance is James." If the latter is the meaning, then that should have been used ; if the former, then who is correctly used, but the co-ordinate clause should have been isolated with com- mas.
Who and which are the proper co-ordinat- ing relatives — i. e., the relatives to use when the antecedent is completely expressed without the help of the clause introduced with the relative. Thus: " The society now numbers nearly twenty members, who (= and they) have given up all family ties and devoted themselves entirely to religious work." " The choir consists of about sixty men and boys, who are surpliced." " But some of their friends, who (= persons that)
234
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
are wealthy and influential members of the church, did not like to have them give up their work in Boston, which had been at- tended with great results, and urged them to return, which they have consented to do, and they will soon begin work anew at the old church, which is the property of the Society of St. John the Evangelist."
Here are some examples of the correct use of zvho, which, that, and whom: " The heirs, who are very numerous, will be pres- ent " — i. e., all the heirs. " The heirs, ivho have been notified, will be present " — i. e., all the heirs. " The heirs that have been notified will be present" — i.e., only those notified. " The heirs, whom I have seen, will be present " — i. e., all the heirs. ' The heirs that I have seen will be present " i. e., only those seen. " I study grammar, which I like very much." " Give me the grammar that lies on the desk." " He struck the man wlio " — i. e., a certain man — " had done him no harm." " He struck the man that " — i. e., a man of several men — " insulted him." " He struck the wrong man — the one that had done him no harm." " Our house, wliicJi is built of brick, is very
WHY USE THAT? 235
warm." " The house that is built of brick is the warmest." " The cat " — i. e., the species — " which you so dislike is a useful animal." " The cat " — i. e., the individual — " that you so dislike is a very pretty one." " He jumped into the water, which greatly frightened his mother." " He attends to his own affairs, which is the way to make them prosper." " He that attends to his own affairs is likely to see them prosper." " The man tliat I saw is tall." " This man, whom I know well, is a good ploughman." " He that lets the sun go down on his wrath," etc.
In the following examples the errors in the use of the relatives are corrected in brackets: " The rich despise those who [that] flatter too much, and hate those who [that] do not flatter at all." " An am- bitious man whom [that] you can serve will often aid you to rise," etc. " He that feeds many serveth few; he serveth all ivJio [that] dares be true." " The curious inquirer who [that] sets himself," etc. " This book has been made for those who [that] aim to have," etc. " The people who [that] are expecting, under the new code . . . The
236
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
people will not consent, under a Govern- ment which [that] depends upon their will, to adopt the Sabbatarian notions wJiicJi [that] the old Puritans . . . Yet there are some narrow minds in New York who [that] still think . . . They have no sym- pathy with those zvho [that] would force . . . Then there are the Jews, who do not feel . . . and zuho claim the right to work or play on Sunday . . . The population would be sunk in gloom, which would of course," etc.
It is necessary, for the proper under- standing of which, to advert to its peculiar function of referring to a whole clause as the antecedent: " William ran along the top of the wall, which alarmed his mother very much." The antecedent is obviously not the noun " wall," but the fact expressed by the entire clause — " William ran," etc. " He by no means wants sense, which only serves to aggravate his former folly"; name- ly, (not " sense," but) the circumstance " that he does not want sense." " He is neither overexalted by prosperity nor too much depressed by misfortune, which you must allow marks a great mind." " We
WHY USE THAT?
237
have done many things ivhich we ought not to have done " might mean " we ought not to have done many tilings " — that is, " we ought to have done few things." That would give the exact sense intended: " We have done many things that we ought not to have done." That is much more fre- quently used instead of who as a restrictive relative than will be at first supposed. As evidence of this I offer a sentence that I find in a London cablegram to a New York newspaper: " It was he that moved the ad- journment until Tuesday." This, in my judgment, is better and more idiomatic English than it would have been had the writer used who instead of that.
Occasionally, but by no means often, we meet with a that that should be which. Here are two such whiches:
Across the Straits of Fuca there is the pretty English town of Victoria that [which] has as solid mansions, etc.
The Strait or Gulf of Georgia, that [which] separates Vancouver Island from the mainland, although, etc.
There is not, as some of the unthinking seem to believe, any valid objection to using
238 SOME ILL-USED WORDS
two thats in immediate succession, as in the utterance they are widely different. Thus used, they are not at all disturbing, not at all tautophonic. Two successive thats are tautophonic to the eye only. The demon- strative that always has its full name sound, while the other that, be it a conjunction or a relative, is barely touched; thus, " I say th't THAT book is old." " Where is THAT th't I gave you? " Indeed, three successive thats are not at all disturbing — e. g., " They, therefore, that treat of these subjects more boldly, venture to say th't THAT th't is base is the only evil."
Who is that that dares to address the court? — Dickens.
We must next allude to the cases where the relative is governed by a preposition. We can use a preposition before who (in the objective case whom) and which, but when the relative is that the preposition must be thrown to the end of the clause. Owing to an imperfect appre- ciation of the genius of our language, offence was taken at this usage by some of our leading ivriters at the beginning of last century, and to this circumstance we must refer the disuse of that as the relative of restriction. — Bain's Gram- mar.
WHY USE THAT ?
239
That can not be preceded by a preposition, and hence throws the preposition to the end. " This is the rule that I adhere to." This is per- fectly good English, though sometimes unneces- sarily avoided. — Abbott's How to Write Clearly.
In every other language the preposition is almost constantly prefixed to the noun which [that] it governs; in English it is sometimes placed not only after the noun, but at a consid- erable distance from it, as in the following ex- ample : " The infirmary was, indeed, never so full as on this day, which I was at some loss to ac- count for." Here no fewer than seven words intervene between the relative which and the preposition for belonging to it. One would imagine, to consider the matter abstractly, that this could not fail in a language like ours, which admits so few inflections, to create obscurity. Yet this is seldom, if ever, the consequence. In- deed, the singularity of the idiom hath made some critics condemn it absolutely. That there is noth- ing analogous in any known tongue, ancient or modern, hath appeared to them a sufficient reason. / own it never appeared so to me. — Dr. Camp- bell's Rhetoric.
The constant placing of the preposition before the relative tends to make a writer's style turgid, ponderous — sometimes, in fact,
almost unidiomatic. It makes one's dic- 10
240
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
tion differ too widely from the diction of every-day life, which is the diction much the best suited to many kinds of composition.
The following examples, taken from Massinger's Grand Duke o*f Florence, will show what was the usage of the Elizabethan writers:
For I must use the freedom / was born with.
In that dumb rhetoric which you make use of.
... if I had been heir Of all the globes and sceptres mankind bows to.
. . . the name of friend Which you are pleased to grace me with.
. . . wilfully ignorant, in my opinion, Of what it did invite him to.
I look to her as on a princess / dare not be ambitious of.
... a duty That I was born with.
WHY USE THAT? 241
So in Shakespeare, to take an example cut of many:
To have no screen between the part he played And him he played it for.
Why, there is not a single sentence in this play that I do not know the meaning of. — Ad- dison.
Originality is a thing we constantly clamor for and constantly quarrel with. — Carlyle.
It will be observed that the relative, when it is the object, is often omitted.
" It was not one with which he could find fault"; better, "One he could find fault with."
" It will be a joy to which I have looked forward with hope " ; better, " A joy that I have looked forward to with hope."
' You are the first one to wliom I have unburdened my mind "; better, " First one I have unburdened my mind to."
' The man to whom I refer " ; better, ' The man I refer to."
" Don't whip with a switch that has the leaves on if you want to tingle." — Beecher. How much of its idiomatic terseness this
242
SOME ILL-USED WORDS
sentence would lose if changed to, " Don't whip with a switch on which there are leaves," or on which the leaves remain, or from which the leaves have not been re- moved !
The more thought one gives to the mat- ter the more one will be inclined, I think, to discriminate in the use of the relative pro- nouns, and the less one will be opposed to that construction that puts the governing preposition at the end. — From the Verbalist.
(2)
THE END
BOOKS BY ALFRED AYRES.
Some Ill-used Words. A Manual for the Use of those who Desire to Write and Speak correctly. iSmo. Cloth, fci.oo. The book is leveled specially at some half dozen errors that are made
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A NEW AND UNIQUE VOLUME.
The Book of the Short Story.
Edited by ALEXANDER JESSUP, Editor of Little French Masterpieces, etc., and HENRY SEIDEL CANBY, Instructor in Yale University. I2mo. Cloth, $1.10.
For the Teacher of English. For the Student of Literature. For the Story Writer. For the Story Reader.
The purpose of this volume is to give, both by expo- sition and example, a view of the Short Story from the earliest times to the close of the igth century. In addi- tion to the eighteen representative tales that the volume contains, there is a general introduction, and notes, before each story. There are also lists of the principal Short Story collections of the world's literature. It is believed that this is the first adequate attempt to present a com- prehensive and expert review of the Short Story within the scope of a single volume. While the book is designed primarily for educational purposes, it will be found to possess a lively interest for the general reader.
Some of the writers whose short stories appear are : SIR WALTER SCOTT. HONOR£ DE BALZAC. WASHINGTON IRVING. NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE. DANIEL DEFOE. ROBERT Louis STEVENSON.
CERVANTES. EDGAR ALLAN POE.
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FELIX GRAS'S ROMANCES.
The White Terror.
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The Reds of the Midi.
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Deep Moat Grange. ,
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The Standard Bearer.
An Historical Romance. Ninth thousand.
"Those of his friends who read Mr. Crockett all the more eagerly because the wholesome country air Mows through his books, because the hc.it her flames in his landscapes, and because he is never tired of drawing women as pure as they are lovable, may turn to 'The Standard Bearer ' with unimpaired trustfulness. We have enjoyed this tale heartily, and we feel sure that in this respect we shall have thousands of companions "
— The Literary World, London.
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BY SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.
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The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard.
A Romance of the Life of a Typical Napoleonic Soldier.
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Rodney Stone.
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Round the Red Lamp.
Being Facts and Fancies of Medical Life.
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The Stark-Munro Letters.
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—Richard le Gallienne in the London Star.
A Duet, with an Occasional Chorus.
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" Bright, brave, simple, natural, delicate. It is the most artistic and most original thing that its author has done. We can heartily recommend 'A Duet ' to all classes of readers. It is a good book to put into the hands of the young of either sex. It will interest the general reader, and should delijjht the critic, for it is a work of art. This story taken with the best of his previous work givef Dr. Doyle a very high place in modern letters."
— Chicago Times-Herald.
Uncle Bernac.
A Romance of the Empire.
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" From the opening pages the clear and energetic telling of the story never falters and our attention never flags." — London Observer.
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THE LIBRARY OF USEFUL STORIES.
Illustrated. J6mo. Cloth, 35 cents net per volume; postage, 4 cents per volume additional.
The Story of Extinct Civilizations of the West. By
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The Story of the Cotton Plant. By F.WILKINSON, F.G S. The Story of the Mind. By Prof. J. MARK BALDWIN. The Story of Photography. By ALFRED T. STORY. The Story of Life in the Seas. By SYDNEY J. HICKSON. The Story of Germ Life. By Prof. H. W. CONN. The Story of the Earth's Atmosphere. By DOUGLAS
ARCHIBALD. The Story of Extinct Civilizations of the East. By
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BOOKS BY CY WARMAN. Snow on the Headlight.
A Story of the Great Burlington Strike. I2mo. Cloth, $1.25.
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" It has the great virtue of being a plain story plainly told by ona who knows. Whatever other impression it may convey to the reader, it conveys most strongly the impression of truth. And this plain truth, told in a plain way, is a terrible thing. One can feel all the way through that half the tale— and perhaps the worst half —is left untold, yet such as stands in print is sufficient, and to the reader who cares for something more than the superficial ad- venturous incident of the book it will not be without its instructive influence." — Denver Republican
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The Story of the Railroad.
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" Intensely interesting— a history that reads like a romance, and compared with whose marvelous story indeed most modern romances will seem spiritless and tame." — Charleston News and Courier.
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