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of losing the delicacy of their taste and giving sanction to vulgarisms, or to what is worse. On this point, listen to the recent declarations of two leading men in the Senate of the United States (Mr. Webster and Mr. Cass), both of whom understand the use of the English language in its power: "In truth, I must say that, in my opinion, the vernacular tongue of the country has become greatly vitiated, depraved, and corrupted by the style of our Congressional debates." And the other, alluding to the debates in the British House of Commons, in courteous response, remarked, "There is such a thing as an English and a Parliamentary vocabulary, and I have never heard a worse, when circumstances called it out, on this side Billingsgate!"

This work I have endeavored to make such that every undergraduate may study it with advantage, and every graduate, and every intelligent man in professional life, may keep it by him as a book of reference and occasional perusal for the cultivation and preservation of a correct taste in his use of language.

The growth of language can not be repressed any more than can the genial activity of the human soul. Especially in our own country, in this "wilderness of free minds," new thoughts and corresponding new expressions spring up spontaneously to live their hour or to be permanent. As our countrymen are spreading westward across the continent, and are brought into contact with other races, and adopt new modes of thought, there is some danger that, in the use of their liberty, they may break loose from the laws of the English language, and become marked not only by one, but by a thousand Shibboleths. Now, in order to keep the language of a nation one, the leading men in the greater or smaller communities, the editors of periodicals, and authors generally, should exercise the same

guardian care over it which they do over the opinions which it is used to express; and, for this purpose, they should be familiar with works which treat of its analogies and idioms, that they may understand what are the laws of normal and of abnormal growth, and by their own example and influence encourage only that which is strictly legitimate.

Our language, as the depository of the wisdom and experience of past generations, we have received by inheritance, to be transmitted to the ages to come certainly enlarged, and, if possible, improved. "A man

should venerate his native language as the first of his benefactors; as the awakener and stirrer of his spiritual thoughts, the form, and mould, and rule of his spiritual being; as the great bond and medium of intercourse with his fellows; as the mirror in which he sees his own nature, and without which he can not commune even with himself; as the image which the wisdom of God has chosen to reveal itself to him." It was in some such spirit and under some such impressions that the present work was undertaken at the first, and carried on to its completion.

Philology has of late, especially in Germany, been successfully cultivated in what have been called its two great branches: the Philosophy of language, or the formation of words; and the Method of language, or the formation of sentences. English philology has made great advances from the indirect contributions received from such men as Rask and Bosworth, Grimm and Bopp, Becker and Kühner; as well as from the direct efforts of such as Webster, and Latham, and Guest, and Kemble, and Garnet. Some of the practical results of their investigations I have embodied in this work. Other materials were collected from the wide field of English literature while I was engaged in giv

ing instruction to classes in college. The older gram-
marians, such as Wallis, Greenwood, and Lowth, I have

consulted, as well as some of the modern, such as Mur-

ray, Crombie, and Arnold. I am also under obliga-

tion to Whately, Gray, and Mill, in logic; and to Har-

rison, and especially to Sir John Stoddart, in etymol-

ogy and syntax. To Dr. Latham, late professor of the

English language and literature in the London Uni-

versity, something more than a general acknowledg

ment is due. I have read his works with great advant-

age, and used them freely.

I have also to state that I am much indebted to Pro-

fessor J. W. Gibbs, of Yale College, who has been well

known as a successful laborer in comparative philolo-

gy, especially in its application to the English lan-

guage. The sections contributed by him are 38, 39, 50,

53, 74, 75, 76, 83, 84, 225, 308, 309, 317, 319, 324,
328, and from 333 to 365 inclusive.

My thanks are also due to those literary friends who

originally advised me to undertake this work, who have

encouraged me in its progress, or who have improved

it by their suggestions.

The work is divided into eight parts, in which the

English language is presented under eight different as-
pects. Each part is intended to be distinct in itself,
and yet all of them, in their mutual correlation, to con-
stitute one logical whole. A glance at the Table of
Contents will show that the work is intended to pre-
sent a full Grammar of the language. In the Syntac-
tical part the laws of construction are given in the rules
and notes, illustrated by examples. In the Exercises,
an example of correct or of false Syntax is furnished
for the application of each rule or note, that the learn-
er may repeat to the teacher the rule or note which it
suggests. It has been thought better, for the most

part, to present as examples forms of expression which
are correct, rather than those which are exceptionable.
By becoming familiar with incorrect forms of speech,
one is in danger of falling into the use of them, even
though he may wish to follow the rule which condemns
them. Language is largely a matter of imitation.
Hence we infer the importance of a familiarity with
good models.

The labor and the difficulty of preparing a work upon
the language like this, in which each part shall be ex-
hibited in its specific distinctness, and the whole in its
generic complexity, in such a manner as at once to sat-
isfy the ripe scholar and to attract the learner, can not
be readily appreciated. The exactness of certain sci-
ences should not throughout be demanded. Many facts
and principles pertaining to the language are indeed
settled, but in respect to others, only an approxima-
tion to exactness can be expected. Authorities are oft-
en divided; those upon whom we rely may have fallen
into error, and apparent facts often lead different schol-
ars to opposite conclusions.

The work, such as it is, is offered to the public, in
the hope that it may prove a valuable help to those
who desire a thorough acquaintance with the origin and
history, the structure and laws, the elements and forms
of the English language.

Amherst, August, 1850.

W. C. F.

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