sible for me, for you, for him, or for her-but it might be invidious to specify persons. It is not possible for John or Thomas to act otherwise, he considering the weakness of his nature. Hence the proposition is left without application-and it follows naturally that the persons who are to consider the cause, the weakness of our nature, should be left indefinite, or unascertained. Hence considering is left without a direct application to any person.

Whatever foundation there may be for this explanation, the idiom is common and well authorized.

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Generally speaking, the heir at law is not bound by the intention of the testator."-Paley, Phil. 23.

"Supposing that electricity is actually a substance, and taking it for granted that it is different from caloric, does it not in all probability contain caloric, as well as all other bodies?"

Thompson, Chim. art. Caloric. Here is no noun expressed or implied, to which supposing and taking can be referred; we would be most naturally understood

"Supposing the first stratum of particles to remain in their place, after their union with caloric, we can conceive an affinity," &c.-Ibm. Here supposing may be referred to we, but is this the real construction? "For supposing parliament had a right to meet spontaneously, without being called together, it would be impossible to conceive that all the members would agree," &c.-Blacks. Com. b. 1. 2.

"The articles of this charge, considering by whom it was brought, were not of so high a nature as might have been expected."

Henry. Brit. b. 4. ch. 1.

"It is most reasonable to conclude that, excepting the assistance he may be supposed to have derived from his countrymen, his plan of civilization was the product of his own abilities."-Enfield. H. Ph. 1. ch. 9.

"None of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing."-Neh. 4. 23.

"And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way."-Gen. 24. 56.

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds."-Col. 3. 9.

"Comparing two men, in reference to a common parent, it is easy frame the ideas of brothers."-Locke, 2. 25.

to

"Granting this to be true, it would help us in the species of things no farther than the tribes of animals and vegetables."-Locke, 3. 6. 23. Bating for abating, in a like construction, is found in old authors, but now obsolete. Admitting, allowing, and some others are frequent in a like construction.

The substitute, which, in most of these phrases, might be most conveniently supplied, is we, as the writer may be considered as addressing himself to his readers, and including them with himself.

It will be readily observed how nearly this idiom is allied to the independent clause; for, by a trifling change, these sentences may be resolved into that case. "Two men being compared in reference to a common parent, it is easy [for us, you or him] to frame the ideas of brothers."-"Hinder me not, since (seeing) the Lord hath prospered my way."

RULE XXXIX.

Adverbs or modifiers are usually placed near the words whose signification they are intended to affect.

First. They are placed before adjectives; as, truly wise; sincerely upright; unaffectedly polite.

Secondly. They usually follow a verb when single; as, he spoke eloquently; and if a verb is transitive with an object following, the modifier follows the object; as, "John received the present gratefully."

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To this rule, the exceptions are very numerous, and not to be classed under general heads. "So it frequently happens ;" men often deceive themselves."-Indeed, in many cases, the position of the modifier makes no difference in the sense, and may be regulated entirely by the preference of sound, in the general structure of the period, provided it is not such as to mislead the reader, in the application of the word.

Thirdly. When one auxiliary and a participle are used, the modifier is usually placed between them, or it follows the participle; as, "he was graciously received," or "he was received graciously." The first is the most elegant.

Fourthly. When two auxiliaries are used, the adverb is usually placed after the second; as, "We have been kindly treated"-But it may follow the participle, "We have been treated kindly ;" and in some cases it may precede the auxiliaries; as, "And certainly you must have known."-Junius,

Letter 8.

Fifthly. When adverbs are emphatical, they may introduce a sentence, and be separated from the word to which they belong; as, "How completely this most amiable of human virtues had taken possession of his soul!”—Port. Lect. 8. This position of the modifier is most frequent in interrogative and exclamatory phrases.

The adverb always is usually placed before a verb.

Never commonly precedes a single verb, except be, which it follows; as, "We are never absent from church on Sunday." It is sometimes placed before an auxiliary; as, "He never has been at court;" but it is more correctly and elegantly placed after the first auxiliary; as, "He has never

"ask me

been at court"- -"He has never been intoxicated." This word has a peculiar use in the phrase, never so much dowry."-Gen. 34. "The voice of charm

ers, charming never so wisely.”—Psalm 58. The sense is, "Ask me so much dowry as never was asked before"—an abbreviation singularly expressive of the idea of asking to any amount or extent. Authors not understanding it, have substituted ever for never, which impairs the force, if it does not destroy the sense, of the phrase. The use of both is now common, but never is preferable—“Some agreements indeed, though never so expressly made, are deemed of so important a nature, that they ought not to rest in verbal promise only."-Black. Com. B. 3. ch. 9.

The use of here and there, in the introduction of sentences before verbs, forms an authorized idiom of the language; though the words may be considered as redundant. The practice may have originated in the use of the hand in pointing, in the early stage of society.

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Here, there, and where, originally denoting place, are now used in reference to words, subjects and various ideas of which place is not predicable. "It is not so with respect to volitions and actions; here the coalescence is intimate."-Hermes, ch. 8. "We feel pain, in the sensations, where we expected pleasure."-Locke, 2. 7. 4.

Hence, whence, and thence, denoting the place from which a departure is stated, are used either with or without the preposition from. In strictness, the idea of from is included in the words, and it ought not to be used. These words also are used not only in reference to place, but to any argument, subject, or idea, in a discourse.

Hither, thither, and whither, denoting to a place, are nearly obsolete in popular practice; and obsolescent in writing; being superseded by here, there, where. This change is evidently the effect of the all-controlling disposition of men to abridge speech by dismissing useless syllables, or by substituting short words of easy pronunciation for those which are more difficult. Against this disposition and its effects, the critic remonstrates in vain; and we may rest assured that common convenience and utility are better guides in whatever respects the use of words, than the opinion of men in their closets. No word or syllable in a language, which is essential, or very useful, is ever lost.

While is a noun denoting time, and not a modifier. In this phrase, "I will go while you stay," the word is used in its primitive manner, without government, like many other names of portions of time—a month, a week.

We are accustomed to use, as modifiers, a little and a great deal. "The many letters I receive, do not a little encourage me."-Spect. No. 124. Many names are used in like manner, as modifiers of the sense of verbs. "You don't care six-pence whether he was wet or dry."-Johnson.

RULE XL.

In polite and classical language, two negatives destroy the negation and express an affirmative; as, "Nor did he not perceive them,"—that is, he did not perceive them. This phraseology is not common nor agreeable to the genius of our tongue.

The following is a common and well authorized use of negatives: "His manners are not inelegant," that is, are elegant. This manner of expression, however, when not accompanied with particular emphasis, denotes a moderate degree of the quality.

NOTE. In popular language, two negatives are used for a negation, according to the practice of the ancient Greeks and the modern French. This idiom was primitive, and was retained in the Saxon; as, "Oc se kinning Peada ne rixade nane while."-Sax. Chron. p. 33. And the king Peada did not reign none while—that is, not a long time. The learned, with a view to philosophical correctness, have rejected the use of two negatives for one negation. The consequence is, we have two modes of speaking directly opposite to each other, but expressing the same thing. "He did not owe nothing," in vulgar language, and "he owed nothing," in the style of the learned, mean precisely the same thing.

RULE XLI.

Prepositions are followed by the names of objects and the objective case; as, from New York to Philadelphia; across the Delaware; over land; by water; through the air; with us; for me; to them; in you; among the people; toward

us.

The preposition to is supposed to be omitted after verbs of giving, yielding, affording, and the like; as, "give them bread," instead of" give bread to them." "Afford him pro

tection ;"

;""furnish her with books." But this idiom seems to be primitive, and not elliptical.

From is sometimes suppressed, as in this phrase: "He was banished the kingdom."

Home, after a verb denoting motion to, is always used without to; as, "We are going home."

"To

After the attribute near, to is often omitted; as, bring them nearer the truth."-Massillon. Also, after adjoining; as, "a garden adjoining a river."

The preposition is sometimes separated from the word which it governs; as, "With a longing for that state which he is charmed with," instead of "with which he is charmed." In many cases, the relative pronoun may be suppressed; as, "I did not see the person he came with," that is, with whom he came-and in other cases, what is employed for the word governed; as, "I know not what person he gave the present to."

This separation of the preposition from the word governed by it, and the suppression of the substitute, are most common and most allowable in colloquial and epistolary language. In the grave and elevated style, they are seldom elegant; and never to be admitted to the prejudice of perspicuity; as in the following passage-"Of a space or number, which, in a constant and endless enlarging progression, it can in thought never attain to."-Locke, 2. 17. 8.

A separation of the preposition to such a distance from the word with which it is connected in construction, is perplexing and inelegant.

NOTE. In the use of who as an interrogative, there is an apparent deviation from regular construction-it being used without distinction of case; as, "Who do you speak to ?" "Who is she married to?"

"Who

is this reserved for?" "Who was it made by?" This idiom is not merely colloquial; it is found in the writings of our best authors. It is the Latin cui and quo.

RULE XLII.

Prepositions govern sentences and clauses, or members of sentences; as, "The marine acid-dissolves all metals, without excepting gold, silver or mercury."-Encyc. Art. Mineralogy.

"Without seeking any more justifiable reasons of hostility."-Hume, 1. 5.

"Besides making an expedition into Kent."

Hume, 1. 36.

"From what has been said."-Blair's Serm.

"To the general history of these periods will be added," &c.-Enfield, Prelim.

"About the beginning of the eleventh century."—Ibm.