9. "It is said also only to occur three times," etc.; read, "occur only three times."

44. This doubling only takes place in a syllable," etc.; read, "takes place only."

142. "Which can only be decided when those circumstances are known"; read, " can be decided only when," etc. 166. "I will only say that it produces," etc.; read, "I will say only," etc.

170. "It is said that this can only be filled in thus"; read, "can be filled in only thus."

368. "I can only deal with the complaint in a general way"; read, " deal with the complaint only," etc.

86. "

In so far as they are idiomatic," etc. What is the use of in?

171. "Try the experiment "-" tried the experiment"; read, make and made.

345. "It is most generally used of that very sect," etc. Why most?

362. "The joining together two clauses with a third," etc.; read, "of two clauses," etc.

Gown. See DRESS.

Graduated. Most writers nowadays say, "I was, he was, or they were graduated"; and ask, "When were you, or was he, graduated?" "He was graduated at Princeton." "He was graduated at Harvard in 1850."-Standard Dictionary.

it

Grammatical Errors. "The correctness of the expression grammatical errors has been disputed. 'How,' it has been asked, 'can an error be grammatical?' How, may be replied, can we with propriety say, grammatically incorrect? Yet we can do so.

"No one will question the propriety of saying grammatically correct. Yet the expression is the acknowledg

ment of things grammatically Incorrect. Likewise the phrase grammatical correctness implies the existence of grammatical Incorrectness. If, then, a sentence is grammatically incorrect, or, what is the same thing, has grammatical incorrectness, it includes a GRAMMATIcal error. Grammatically incorrect signifies INCORRECT WITH RELATION TO THE RULES OF GRAMMAR. Grammatical errors signifies ERRORS WITH RELATION TO THE RULEs of gram

MAR.

"They who ridicule the phrase grammatical errors, and substitute the phrase errors in grammar, make an egregious mistake. Can there, it may be asked with some show of reason, be an error in grammar? Why, grammar is a science founded in our nature, referable to our ideas of time, relation, method; imperfect, doubtless, as to the system by which it is represented; but surely we can speak of error in that which is error's criterion! All this is hypercritical, but hypercriticism must be met with its own weapons.

"Of the two expressions—a grammatical error and an error in grammar-the former is preferable. If one's judgment can accept neither, one must relinquish the belief in the possibility of tersely expressing the idea of an offense against grammatical rules. Indeed, it would be difficult to express the idea even by circumlocution. Should some one say, 'This sentence is, according to the rules of grammar, incorrect '—' What!' the hypercritic may exclaim, 'incorrect! and according to the rules of grammar!' 'This sentence, then,' the corrected person would reply, 'contains an error in grammar.' 'Nonsense!' the hypercritic may shout, grammar is a science; you may be wrong in its interpretation, but principles are immutable!'

"After this, it need scarcely be added that, grammat

ically, no one can make a mistake; that there can be no grammatical mistake; that there can be no bad grammar, and, consequently, no bad English. A very pleasant conclusion, which would save us a great amount of trouble if it did not lack the insignificant quality of being true."-Vulgarisms and Other Errors of Speech.

Gratuitous. There are those that object to the use of this word in the sense of unfounded, unwarranted, unreasonable, untrue. Its use in this sense, however, has the sanction of abundant authority. "Weak and gratuitous conjectures."-Porson. " A gratuitous assumption.”—Godwin. "The gratuitous theory.”—Southey. “A gratuitous invention."-De Quincey. "But it is needless to dwell on the improbability of a hypothesis which [that] has been shown to be altogether gratuitous.”—Dr. Newman.

Greek-Grecian. These two adjectives should not be used indiscriminately. The distinction between them is this: Greek means belonging to Greece; Grecian, relating to Greece. An imitation of what is Greek is Grecian. A Greek shield is one preserved as a piece of antiquity; a Grecian shield is one made after a Greek model. We speak of a Greek poet, of the Greek language, of Grecian architecture, and of Grecian history. A Greek temple is a temple of Greece; a Grecian temple is one built in imitation of a Greek temple.

Grow. This verb originally meant, to increase in size, but has normally come to be also used to express a change from one state or condition to another; as, to grow dark, to grow weak or strong, to grow faint, etc. But it is doubtful whether what is large can properly be said to grow small. In this sense, become would seem to be the better word, yet there is ample authority for grow small, grow less, and grow fewer.

Guess. "The only difference between the English and the American use of the word is, probably, that the former denotes a fair, candid guess, while the Yankee who guesses is apt to be quite sure of what he professes to doubt."— Schele de Vere. Denotes, to attempt to hit upon at random. It is a gross vulgarism to use the word guess not in its true and specific sense, but simply for think or suppose."-Webster.

Guess, as used by the American, is hardly so strong in signification as think or suppose. Our I guess usually means, at the most, I am inclined to think-a sense in which the Englishman is wont to use the locution I fancy. To characterize I guess as a gross vulgarism is rather severe. Gums. See RUBBE S.

Had have. Nothing could be more incorrect than the bringing together of these two auxiliary verbs in this manner, and yet we occasionally find it in writers of repute. Instead of "Had I known it," "Had you seen it," " Had we been there," we hear, "Had I have known it,' Had you have seen it," "Had we have been there." TENSE.

See

Had ought. This is a vulgarism of the worst description; yet we hear people, that would be highly indignant it any one should intimate that they were not ladies and gentlemen, say, "He had ought to go." A fitting reply would be, "Yes, I think he better had." Ought says all that had ought says.

Had rather. This expression and had better are much used, but in the opinion of many are indefensible. We hear them in such sentences as, "I had rather not do it," "You had better go home." "Now, what tense," it is asked, "is had do and had go?" If we transpose the words thus, "You had do better (to) go home," it becomes at once

apparent, it is asserted, that the proper word to use in connection with rather and better is not had, but should or would; thus, "I should rather not do it," "You would better go home." Examples of this use of had can be found in the writings of our best authors. For what Prof. Bain has to say on this subject see his Composition Grammar.

"Would rather may always be substituted for had rather. Might rather would not have the same meaning. Would and should do not go well with better. In one instance can is admissible: "I can better afford," because can is especially associated with afford. We may say might better, but it has neither the sanction, the idiomatic force, nor the precise meaning of had better."—Samuel Ramsey.

"I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."-Psalms.

Hain't. A very objectionable vulgarism.

"

Handy. Should not be used in the sense of near, nearby, close at hand; as, There is a grocery quite handy" (or handy by).

Hanged-Hung. The irregular form, hung, of the past participle of the verb to hang is most used; but when the word denotes suspension by the neck for the purpose of destroying life, the regular form, hanged, is always used by careful writers and speakers. We say, "I'll be hanged if I do," not "I'll be hung if I do"; and the judge says, "That you be hanged by the neck till you are dead," not "That you be hung by the neck till you are dead."

Hardly. Frequently misplaced, thus: "I hardly think I shall be able to go." Should be: "I think I shall hardly," etc.

Healthy-Wholesome. The first of these two words