"The cashier said that he would [should] not have hesitated to have paid [pay] the money." He says the battle is hard, but he thinks he will [shall] win."-Headline, N. Y. Sun. 'We know that our Defender is a good fair-weather boat, and would [should] like to know how she would [will] behave when the white caps are out."-N. Y. Sun. "If any of the great powers .. we would [should] have been at war," etc.-St. James Gazette. "The Bannocks and Shoshones have just given notice that they will [shall] demand from the Government fulfillment of the treaty of 1868, and will [shall] insist on protection in the exercise of their rights." "Follow the dictates of your own patriotic impulse and business instincts, and we will [shall] be all right.”—N. Y. Sun. "Will [shall] we come to this dress suit?"-N. Y. Sun. "Mr. Bonner told his family that he did not know exactly how long he would [should] be away, but said that he would [should] be back in time to spend the Christmas holidays, if possible."-N. Y. Sun. "Gen. Schofield said that he will [should] go out of town on a visit over Sunday, and will [should] return on Tuesday.”—N. Y. Evening Sun. "Otherwise, they declare, they would [should] have beaten the Vigilant more."-N. Y. Sun. In the first person, the bare fact of futurity is always expressed by shall. "I shall go to Philadelphia to-morrow." "He says he shall go to Philadelphia to-morrow." "He said he should go to Philadelphia to-morrow." We use will in the first person when we promise, or express determination, and only then. "I will not die alone"-i. e., I am determined that others shall die with me. "I shall not die alone"-i. e., events will cause others to die with me. 66 He says "He said he "I will go to Philadelphia in spite of you." he will go to Philadelphia in spite of you." would go to Philadelphia in spite of you." Determination. "We would [should] hate to hear of the slaughter of any of our countrymen in Cuba."-N. Y. Sun. The use of will in the sentence, 'We will publish the correct reading in our next number,' is perfectly correct. It expresses present intention of a future act." -N. Y. Evening Sun. Not so. In the first person, simple intention is expressed with shall. See SHALL and WILL. Without. This word is often improperly used instead of unless; as, "You will never live to my age without you keep yourself in breath and exercise." "I shall not go without my father consents": properly, unless my father consents, or, without my father's consent. "It has brought me here, Sara, and I can not leave you without you promise that you will not become the wife of a man who drinks": should be, without your promise," or, "unless you promise." "You know my uncle declared he would not suffer me to return without [unless] my mamma desired it." Woman. "John Brown, having been sent the other day at Balmoral by the Queen in quest of the lady in waiting, who happened to be the Duchess of Athole, suddenly stumbled against her. Hoot, mam,' cried J. B., 'ye're just the woman I was looking for.' The enraged Duchess dashed incontinently into the royal presence and exclaimed to her Majesty: 'Madame, J. B. has insulted me; he has had the impertinence to call me a woman.' To which the Queen replied, 'And pray, what are you?'"-N. Y. Sun. See LADY; also GENTLEMAN. Worst. We should say at the worst, not at worst. Worst kind. A vulgarism that we sometimes hear used in the sense of very much. "I want to go the worst kind [very much]." Wove. The past participle of the verb to weave is "Where was this cloth woven?"—not wove. woven. You are mistaken. See MISTAKEN. You was. Good usage does, and it is to be hoped always will, consider you was a gross vulgarism, certain grammarians to the contrary notwithstanding. You is the form of the pronoun in the second person plural, and must, if we would speak correctly, be used with the corresponding form of the verb. The argument that we use you in the singular number is so nonsensical that it does not merit a moment's consideration. It is a custom we have-and have in common with other peoples-to speak to one another in the second person plural, and that is all there is of it. The Germans speak to one another in the third person plural. The exact equivalent in German of our How are you? is, How are they? Yours, &c. The ignorant and obtuse not infrequently profess themselves at the bottom of their letters "Yours, &c." And so forth! forth what? Few other vulgarisms are equally offensive, and none could be more offensive. In printing correspondence, the newspapers often content themselves with this shorthand way of intimating that the writer's name was abbreviated by some one of the familiar forms of ending letters; this an occasional dunderhead seems to think is sufficient authority for writing himself, Yours, &c. Amateur-Novice. There is much confusion in the use of these two words, although they are entirely distinct from each other in meaning. An amateur is one versed in, or a lover and practicer of, any particular pursuit, art, or science, but not engaged in it professionally. A novice is one who is new or inexperienced in any art or business—a beginner, a tyro. A professional actor, then, who is new and unskilled in his art, is a novice, and not an amateur. An amateur may be an artist of great experience and extraordinary skill. Answer-Reply. These two words should not be used indiscriminately. An answer is given to a question ; a reply, to an assertion. When we are addressed, we answer; when we are accused, we reply. We answer letters, and reply to any arguments, statements, or accusations they may contain. Crabb is in error in saying that replies “are used in personal discourse only." Replies, as well as answers, are written. We very properly write, "I have now, I believe, answered all your questions and replied to all your arguments." A rejoinder is made to a reply. "Who goes there?" he cried, and receiving no answer, he fired. The advocate replied to the charges made against his client." Effectuate. This word, together with ratiocinate and eventuate, is said to be a great favorite with the rural members of the Arkansas Legislature. Language. A note in Worcester's Dictionary says: 'Language is a very general term, and is not strictly confined to utterance by words, as it is also expressed by the countenance, by the eyes, and by signs. Tongue refers especially to an original language; as, 'the Hebrew tongue.' The modern languages are derived from the original tongues." |