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of grammar, even, are found where we should least expect them. "I do not know whether the imputation were just or not."-Emerson. "I proceeded to inquire if the 'extract' ... were a veritable quotation."-Emerson. Should be was in both cases. "How sweet the moonlight sleeps!" -Townsend, Art of Speech, vol. i, p. 114. Prof. Townsend cites this as a grammatically correct-though seemingly incorrect-use of the adjective. Poetic license makes such a use of the adjective permissible in verse, but it is not grammatical. It is no better grammar to say "the moonlight sleeps sweet," than it is to say "the baby sleeps sweet." "There is no question but these arts . . . will greatly aid him," etc.-Ibid., p. 130. Should be that. Nearly all who have been distinguished in literature or oratory have made. . . the generous confession that their attainments have been reached through patient and laborious industry. They have declared that speaking and writing, though once difficult for them, have become well-nigh recreations."-Ibid., p. 143. The have been should be were, and the have become should be became. "Many pronominal adverbs are correlatives of each other."-Harkness's New Latin Grammar, p. 147. Should be one another. "How much better for you as seller and the nation as buyer . . . than to sink . . . in cutting one another's throats." Should be each other's.

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"A minister noted for prolixity of style was once preaching before the inmates of a lunatic asylum. In one of his illustrations he painted a scene of a man condemned to he hung, but reprieved under the gallows." These two sentences are so faulty that the only way to mend them is to rewrite them. They are from a work that professes to teach the "art of speech." Mended: "A minister noted for his prolixity once preached before the inmates of a

lunatic asylum. By way of illustration, he painted a scene in which a man, who had been condemned to be hanged, was reprieved under the gallows."

“‘I never saw [have seen] you looking in better health,' remarked a Journal reporter."

“Further, I never [have] made a loan or pledged [nor have I pledged] any of these stocks. I never [have] bought stocks on a margin, or [nor have I] pledged bonds or stocks in payment. I have always bought for investment—not speculation."

was said to have been

"The late Mr. Fountaine . [was said to be, or, is said to have been] a deadly foe to foxes, and it is averred [said] that his keepers made them scarce," etc.-Vanity Fair.

"In consequence of the inquiry into the conspiracy at Warsaw, it has been arranged that the Czar will [shall] arrive at Fortress Modlin, outside of Warsaw."

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'The climate of Pau is perhaps the most [more] genial, and the best [better] suited to invalids [than that] of any other spot in France."

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'The giving [of] the bride away is also criticised."N. Y. Sun.

"All persons are forbid [forbidden] walking [to walk] or driving [to drive] through this tunnel."-Fourth Avenue

Railroad.

"If there ever were [has been] a case for a peaceful settlement of an international dispute, the VenezuelanGuiana case is certainly one."-N. Y. Sun.

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If he were [was] indeed intriguing, it is not surprising that he was treated as an intriguer rather than as a consul." -N. Y. Sun.

"Raikes once asked Montrond if it were [was] true that," etc.-Argonaut,

"It is such an exhibition of the French art of this century as was never seen [never before has been seen] even in France."-N. Y. Sun.

Family. In Great Britain, a man of family is a man well connected; in America, a man of family is a man having a wife and children.

Farther-Further. "I will go no farther." "I have nothing further to say." "He lives farther away than I do." "We will not discuss the matter further."

Female. Often used when woman is the word that good taste, as well as correctness, demands. Why should woman, any more than man, be confounded with the lower animals of the same sex? The following are examples of the incorrect use of the word :

"He did not bid him go and sell himself to the first female he could find possessed of wealth."

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'With the repugnance not unnatural to a female," etc. Fetch. See BRING.

Fewer. See LESS.

Final Completion. If there were such a thing as a plurality or a series of completions, there would, of course, be such a thing as the final completion; but as every completion is final, to talk about a final completion is as absurd as it would be to talk about a final finality.

Financial. Often, very often, used when the proper word is pecuniary, monetary, or money.

"Instead of the burden of financial [pecuniary] obligations being from him to Woolston, the fact is quite the reverse."-A New York Daily.

Financial is used properly of the public funds or revenues of a state, and of the governmental system of raising and disbursing the same. Pecuniary or monetary has reference to individual enterprises, and of the money relations

we may have with one another. For instance, we say the financial system of Great Britain; the affair or undertaking was a pecuniary success; the monetary or money relations between the two firms.

"The difference between the value of the services of a sober man and of a sot illustrates the financial [money or pecuniary] loss to the State from the liquor traffic."

"She said he had given them no financial [pecuniary] assistance for several weeks."

"To charge or burden with financial [pecuniary] obligations."

"Buffalo's meeting likely to result in a heavy financial [pecuniary] loss."—N. Y. Sun.

Find. Often very incorrectly used in the sense of supply or furnish; thus, "I thought the corporation found everything."

Fire. This verb is much and very vulgarly used of late years in conversation, and sometimes in the newspapers, for to throw; thus,

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She saw John Trainor, a boy, in the act of firing [throwing] another potato.”

"You all know of that philosopher who taught that everything was [is] unreal and a dream, and when a stone was fired [thrown] at him dodged the missile." Vulgar, very, though it is sanctioned by the learned and eloquent Monsignor Capel. See San Francisco Chronicle, June 26, 1885:

"FIRE. When hand firearms came into use, and very slowly superseded the bow, the musketeer carried a lighted match, and the word of command was, 'Give fire!'-that is, put fire to the powder. This was soon naturally abbreviated to 'fire.' Hence fire came to be used, pardonably as to arms, for shoot."

First. We say, properly, the first two, the first three, etc., as in the same series there can be but one first and one last; hence two first is incorrect.

The two first, however, is quite correct when each of the two meant is at the head of a series.

First is sometimes used superfluously: as, "You must first be a member before you can attend."

Firstly. George Washington Moon says in defense of firstly: "I do not object to the occasional use of first as an adverb; but in sentences where it would be followed by secondly, thirdly, etc., I think that the adverbial form is preferable." To this, one of Mr. Moon's critics replies: "However desirable it may be to employ the word firstly on certain occasions, the fact remains that the employment [employing, or, better, to employ] of it on any occasion is not the best usage." Webster inserts firstly, but remarks, Improperly used for first."

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Firstly, when followed by secondly, thirdly, etc., is certainly more euphonious.

First-rate. There are people that object to this phrase, and yet it is well enough when properly placed, as it is, for example, in such a sentence as this: "He's a 'first-class' fellow, and I like him first-rate. If I didn't, 'you bet' I'd just give him 'hail Columbia' for 'blowing' the thing all round town like the dizzy chump that he is."

Fix. Improperly used in the sense of arrange; as, "I must fix the furniture." "Who fixed the books on these shelves?" Vulgarly used thus: "I will fix him." "The jury was fixed." "You must fix up, if you go." "Your affairs are in a bad fix [condition"].

"" Fix may be safely called the American word of words, since there is probably no action whatever, performed by mind or body, which [that] is not represented at some

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