The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-11-04
POOR RICHARD.
FOR THE GAZETTE.
FOR THE GAZETTE.
an Sir Oracle;
And when ope ny mouth. let no dog bark.
nryIT OF COW

--N an cir OraCie,
And when ope NY mouth. let no dog bark"
PHlLOLOGY!
A brief communication of mine was inserted
in the Gazette, a few weeks ago, in which took
occasion to cypress my opinion of the merits Of
Greenleafs Grammar Simpli6ed." / appre-
bend the remarks were sufficiently ineligible
and persp1uous, in point Of style and grammat-
ical construction, TO be understood by readers
of comron sense but il seems this plain ac-
count, Ihad thus published, has given offence 10
some Student" who has favored the public
with cFitique thereon, Of most formidable di-
mensons, in the last Argus. | think YOU would
do well to publish the whole of the students"
production, for the instruction OF your readers,
Il you have room to spare for such elaborate
productions Of the philolOgists Of the present
day" propose, however, merely 10 select a
few passages, characterised by peculiar propri-
ETY. and force of dietion. and to accompany them,
by your permission, with a few brief remarks.
Systems Of English Grammar are almost
daily appearing"
That Is, almost three hundred and sixtv-hve
systems of English Grammar appear yearly :
Well may the " student complain of TIRE fecun-
dity Of philologists. By this we can perceive
the appositeness OF his motto" Of making many
books there is no end" For myself, however,
I should think il difficult to number more than
twenty or thirty systems of English Grammar.
that have appeared for number Of years past.
"0thers, and by far greater part, appear to
have emanated from a dsordered intellect"
II must BE q most singularly constructed in
tellect," that in a disordered" state can pro-
duce by far the greater part of almost three
hundred and sixty-dve Grammars per annuml
Verify, Walter Scott, in his happiest seasons Of
exuberant intellect, can do nothing like this.
Those that are SO fortunate as 10 receive
the kind protection of the bookseller a few
moaths, are generally returned to the author OF
their srisieHcs, soon as the extFavagant enco-
miums Of partial friends are exhausted; and very
few survive the revolution Of year"
All who can tell how many a book, sublime,
Has felt the influence Of malignant star"
The "auihor of grammars existence" is rath.
er a non-descript aud in what manner the gram
mar can return to the place 81 its birth, and how
the revolution Of year can shorten the tife OF a
grammar, leave for wiser heads than mine to
determine
These reflections were occasioned BY read
ing communication in the Gazette Of the 18th,
over the signature Of p. intimstng that an extra
ordinary work on English Grammar would soon
make its appearance.
Unfortunately for the Student, 50 far as he re-
CARDS facts, there is no such intimation in the
Communication OF r.
No doubt the communication was the result
Of long and close application, as there was an
addition made 20 his family in the mean time, a
Is signihed by his beginning with ! and ending
with We
There is no incongruity IN the change Of per.
son in this place nor j. there any object in no
ticing the paragraph OF the Student, except d
shew the elegance Of his style, and the correct
ness Of his taste in the use and repetition OF Gs.
'Our author naniissls singular preferences d
tkaf 10 which.