hitherto little more than a novice, but the intelligence and force she displays as Miriam brings her novitiate to an end."

Novitiate means the state or time of being a novice.

Number. It is not an uncommon thing for a pronoun in the plural number to be used in connection with an antecedent in the singular.

"Fifty dollars reward for the conviction of any person caught collecting or keeping fares given to them to deposit in the box" should be, to him. A person may be very near-sighted if they can not recognize an acquaintance ten feet off." Should be, if he.

The verb to be is often used in the singular when it should be in the plural; thus, "There is several reasons why it would be better": say are. 'How many is there?" say are. "There is four": say are. "Was there many?" say were. "No matter how many there was": say were. "When singular nouns connected by and are preceded by each, every, or no, the verb must be singular.” We say, for example, "Each boy and each girl studies." Every leaf, and every twig, and every drop of water teems with life." "No book and no paper was arranged."

"

Each being singular, a pronoun or verb to agree with it must also be singular; thus, "Let them depend each on his own exertions"; "Each city has its peculiar privileges"; 'Everybody has a right to look after his own interest."

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Errors are often made by not repeating the verb; thus, "Its significance is as varied as the passions": correctly, "as are the passions." The words are as incapable of analysis as the thing signified": correctly, as is the thing signified."

"When the nominative," says Bain, "is a relative pronoun, we must look to the antecedent in order to deter

mine the number of the verb."

"One of the most valuable

books that have [not has] appeared in any language."

"This is one of the best treatises on money and coins that has [have] ever been published."

"I confess I am one of those who am [are] unable to refuse my [their] assent to the conclusions of those philosophers," etc.

“One of those fanciful, exotic combinations that gives [give] the same expression of brilliancy and richness,” etc. "One of the first things that opens [open] your eyes to the state of domestic service," etc.

"The plan of Mr. Bright was certainly one of the boldest that has [have] ever been put forward."

"Whereon Don Guzman replied with one of those smiles of his that was [were] so like a sneer.”

Numerous. Often used when the proper word is many or large.

Numerous means, consisting of a great number; being many. Though “We have a numerous acquaintance" is permissible, it is not permissible to say, "We have numerous acquaintances," "A large acquaintance" or "many acquaintances" is what we should say. Numerous, it would seem, is most used to qualify nouns having a collective signification, such as family, class, army, assembly, and the like; but even then large is usually-perhaps always-the better word to use.

I can not think of a sentence in which numerous is the best adjective to use, when placed before its noun; when placed after its noun the task is easier, and for such a use of the word the following sentence offers an excellent example:

"The reports made to the commissioner by his special agents furnish proof that the land thieves have been more

powerful—if not, in fact, more numerous-than the honest settlers."

O-Oh. It is only the most careful writers that use these two interjections with proper discrimination. The distinction between them is said to be modern. Oh is simply an exclamation, and should always be followed by some mark of punctuation, usually by an exclamation point. "Oh! you are come at last." "Oh, help him, you sweet heavens!" "Oh, woe is me!" "Oh! I die, Horatio." O, in addition to being an exclamation, denotes a calling to or adjuration; thus, "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!" "O grave, where is thy victory?" "O heavenly powers, restore him!" 'O shame! where is thy

blush?"

Obedience. Sometimes misused for response.

"These articles, in the course of [during] their publication, have [omit] aroused [excited] a profound interest [in what?], and the present cheap edition is [published] in obedience [response] to a demand for the papers in a form,”

etc.

We obey a command and respond to a demand.

We say, "In the course of the evening there was an alarm of fire," and "during the evening [i. e., the whole evening] there was a smell of smoke in the hall."

Obliterate. Sometimes, as in the following sentence, misused for destroy:

"Yet writers of standing have often confounded [often confound] these two words, thereby obliterating [destroying] the separate functions of each [their separate functions]."-Dr. Hodgson.

English idiom permits us to say that happiness, peace, or a function has been destroyed, but it does not permit us to say that either of them has been obliterated. Obliterate,

like its synonym erase, is never properly used in any but a physical sense.

Observe. The dictionaries authorize the use of this word as a synonym of say and remark; as, for example, "What did you observe?" for "What did you say, or remark?" In this sense, however, it is better to leave observe to the exclusive use of those that delight in being fine.

Of all others. "The vice of covetousness, of all others, enters deepest into the soul." This sentence says that covetousness is one of the other vices. A thing can not be another thing, nor can it be one of a number of other things. The sentence should be, "Of all the vices, covetousness enters deepest into the soul"; or, "The vice of covetousness, of all the vices, enters," etc.; or, The vice of covetousness,

more than all other vices, enters," etc.

Of any. This phrase is often used when of all is meant; thus, "This is the largest of any I have seen": should be, "the largest of all," etc. If any is used, it should be with the comparative, "This is larger than any other," for example.

Off of. In such sentences as "Give me a yard off of this piece of calico," either the off or the of is superfluous. The sentence would be correct with either one, but not with both of them. "The apples fell off of the tree":

read, "fell off the tree."

Often. This adverb is properly compared by changing its termination-often, oftener, oftenest. Why some writers use more and most to compare it, it is not easy to see; this mode of comparing it is certainly not euphonious.

Older-Elder. "He is the older man of the two, and the oldest in the neighborhood." "" "He is the elder of the

two sons, and the eldest of the family."

"The elder son is

heir to the estate; he is older than his brother by ten years."

On. Sales are made by, not on, subscription.

"Both volumes will be sold exclusively on [by] subscription."

"On seems to be a favorite preposition with Americans; at least it is constantly found where other prepositions would seem to be more correct and appropriate. F. G. Halleck, in condemning the abuse of on, quoted the phrases: 'Going to Europe on a steamboat; writing a letter on Chambers Street, and delivering it on Fifth Avenue.' Persons are constantly heard to speak of friends whom they saw on the street, and having come on the cars, while in the South members are elected to sit on the Legislature.-Schele de Vere.

The locution on the street" has a signification in England that deters every one from using it in the sense of "in the street."

On to. We get on a chair, on an omnibus, on a stump, on a high horse," and on a spree; not on to. On to should not be used except in cases where both words are necessary to prevent ambiguity.

On-Upon.

The preference of many writers would seem to be for upon. We are told of something that happened upon Monday last, or of something that is going to happen upon Decoration Day, and yet, in writing prose, we could get on very well if there were no such word.

"Upon differs very little in use from on," says the Standard Dictionary. "Upon is sometimes used for reasons of euphony or rhythm, and is also sometimes preferable when motion or position is involved: on when merely rest or support is to be indicated. Upon is sometimes written in two words; as, "Let us go up on the roof."