and yet we can not entirely grasp and master it. It is in this manner that we apprehend the infinite."-Monsignor Capel.

Approach. Sometimes very improperly used in the sense of address, petition, memorialize, appeal to; thus, "The teachers have approached the Educational Department in some matters that concern their interest."

Approach is frequently used in a sense that implies bribery, when the approaching is supposed to be done covertly, by insinuation or cautious intimation.

Apt. Often misused for likely, and sometimes for liable. "What is he apt to be doing?" "Where shall I be apt to find him?" "If properly directed, it will be apt to reach me." In such sentences as these likely is the proper word to use. "If you go there you will be apt to Here either likely or liable is the proper word, according to the thought the speaker would convey.

get into trouble."

Arctics. See RUBBERS.

Aren't. A contraction of are not, frequently heard, yet never to be preferred to are you not or are they not. Unlike "we're," "you're," " I'm," "I'll," "they'll,” “he'll," etc., which are all contractions of the verb only, aren't can hardly be considered good colloquial usage.

Artist. Of late years this word has been appropriated by the members of so many crafts that it has wellnigh been despoiled of its meaning. Your cook, your barber, your tailor, your bootmaker, and so on to satiety, are all artists. Painters, sculptors, architects, actors, and singers, nowadays, generally prefer being thus called, rather than to be spoken of as artists.

As. In an affirmative proposition, as corresponds to as: "This is as good as that."

In a negative proposition, so corresponds to as: "This is not so good as that." Many writers are not careful to make this distinction.

As is sometimes very improperly used instead of that: "Not as [that] I know." "I don't know as [that] they have either as a matter of law or of necessity."

As, preceded by such or by same, has the force of a relative applying to persons or to things. "He offered

me the same conditions as he offered you." conditions that" would be equally proper. LIKE.

Ascribe. See IMPUTE.

Aside. Sometimes misused for apart.

"The same

See also

"Words have a potency of association aside from their significance as representative signs."-Dr. William Mathews.

"Aside," says Prof. J. S. Blackwell, "in the sense of separately, as a subject of thought, is an Americanism, and is unknown and altogether unexemplified in correct and classical English. The proper word is apart."

Asperse. This word and its synonyms are employed by few persons in their true sense. Each word denotes an effort made in a particular way to injure. To asperse, is to speak slightingly of any one, and to insinuate that he is less worthy than he is generally believed to be. To detract, is to ascribe acts to unworthy motives, or otherwise to seek to lessen seeming merit. There must always be some supposed good in the object detracted-charity or liberality, for example. To defame, is openly to advance some serious charge against a person; to censure maliciously and falsely in public. To slander, is to circulate an evil report, being heedless of its truth. To calumniate, is to fabricate and circulate anything to the injury of another. Ill report

originates with the calumniator; the slanderer is he that disseminates it.

As though for as if. "A most frequent and notable error is that of using as though' for 'as if' in complex sentences of a certain kind. An attempt to analyze such a sentence brings to light the elliptical clause that the construction always involves, and shows at once the defect. For example:

"The house looks as though it had never been painted.' 'The man moves as though he were tired.' 'He spoke as though he was offended.'

"In all these we quickly discover, on supplying the ellipsis between as and though, that this disjunctive conjunction either makes nonsense of the several statements or gives a different meaning from that intended.

"The house looks as it would look though it had never been painted.' 'The man moves as he would move though he were tired.' 'He spoke as he would speak though he was offended.'

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Substitute if for though, and the meaning in every case is at once clear. As if is always to be preferred to as though. The very nature of such statements declares their need of a copulative in the connecting word; the disjunctive is always an enemy to their meaning."-Anne Balderston. At. "They do things differently in [not at] the South." He is not at [not to] home.

At all. "It is not strange, for my uncle is King of Denmark." Had Shakespeare written, "It is not at all strange," it is clear that his diction would have been much less forcible. "I do not wish for any at all"; "I saw no one at all"; "If he had any desire at all to see me, he would come where I am."

The at all in sentences like these is superfluous. Yet

there are instances in which the phrase is certainly a very convenient one, and seems to be unobjectionable. It is much used, and by good writers.

At auction. This expression is an Americanism; in England it is unknown. Johnson says the verb auction means, "to sell by auction "-i. e., by offering to the highest bidder.

Several prominent auctioneers in New York habitually announce the sale of pictures, statuary, and books "by auction."

At private sale is also peculiar to American English. The good-will and furniture of the house were disposed of by [not at] private sale.-N. Y. Times.

The elephant Emperor has been sold by auction in England for $500.-N. Y. Sun.

But we may buy at an auction and at a private sale, and things may be sold at an auction and at a private sale.

At best. Instead of at best and at worst, we should say at the best and at the worst. If we consider the adjectives as being used substantively, we see at a glance that the article is necessary; or, if we consider them as being used adjectively and supply the ellipsis-the noun we suppose them to qualify-we still see that the article is necessary. We always say, "I did the best I could," "You saw him at his best," "Let them do their worst," "I will do my best," etc.

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At last. See AT LENGTH.

At least. This adverbial phrase is often misplaced. The Romans understood liberty at least as well as we.' This must be interpreted to mean, 'The Romans understood liberty as well as we understand liberty.' The intended meaning is, ' that whatever things the Romans failed

to understand, they understood liberty.' To express this meaning we might put it thus: The Romans understood at least liberty as well as we do'; 'liberty, at least, the Romans understood as well as we do.' 'A tear, at least, is due to the unhappy'; 'at least a tear is due to the unhappy'; 'a tear is due at least to the unhappy'; 'a tear is due to the unhappy at least'-all express different meanings. This can not, often at least, be done'; 'this can not be done often, at least.' (1. 'It often happens that this can not be done.' 2. 'It does not often happen that this can be done." So, 'man is always capable of laughing'; 'man is capable of laughing always.'"-Bain.

Audience. Often improperly used. An auditor is a person that listens; a spectator is one that looks. An auditorium is a place where people assemble to hear, to listen to something; a spectatorium is a place where people assemble to see, to look at something. Those that assemble in an auditorium are auditors, and constitute collect. ively an audience; those that assemble in a spectatorium are spectators. An audience, then, is an assemblage of hearers, not of spectators; yet we hear of the audience having been large at a prize fight, at a game of ball, at a boat race, and so on.

Authoress. With regard to the use of this and certain other words of like formation, Mr. Gould, in his "Good English," says: "Poet means simply a person who writes poetry, and author, in the sense under consideration, a person who writes poetry or prose-not a man who writes, but a person who writes. Nothing in either word indicates sex; and everybody knows that the functions of both poets and authors are common to both sexes. Hence, authoress and poetess are superfluous, And they are superfluous, also, in another respect—that they are very rarely used, indeed