The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-05-05
For the WiliningtOnian.

For the WilmingtOnian.
Having got through the subject of section
., rcadinp' we come upon ground that is
F,m;l;ar to every school boy. In onr former
ossavs we have done but little more than to
o;yea faint outline of most essential part
of grammar. On the ground which we
shall occupy for the future, though every
;nch NAV he known to the enemy, and eve |
Nv false step taken advantage OF, yet we take
tbc field with such accessions OF strength
and advantageous positions, that we have no
apprehensions of defeat.
Mr.. Murray tells lis that "a substantive
or noun, is the name of ANY thing that ex-
lists, or of which we have any hotioh' as
London, man, virtue.
This definition, il it may be called one, is,
either peru deficient, or too comprehensive
Il ;s IN one of those cases in which there is
M nomedium: nine -tenths of the nouns may
he excluded from the above definitions; or,
little straining will make it embrace every
word in the English language.
What will Mr.. Murrays definition do
With the following and hundreds of other
sentences.
TO and from are PROPOSITIONS OF local
".Nothing was made in vain"
Are nrenositions included in tho above
definitions is notnlnS sups'ah'Ne' 4 e
are they substances!
NJ Murray tells us that "substantives
have cases. the nominative, the possessive,
and the objective Case in grammar sig
niGes variation to shew its situation, or rela-
zion to active verbs, substautives, and prep
ositous.
Nominative case, John.
Posscssive case, Johns
Objective case, John.
A Latin scholar may probably distinguish
the cases but the common student will look
in vain for them, excepting where the apos-
trophe is added.
Nh. Murray SAYS ga verb is word which
signifies to be, to do, OF to suffer"
This is probably the most indefinite defni.
ton in Mr.. Murray's grammar,--and
will venture to affirm that the most lnveter-
ate enemy to Mr. Browns system, III they
have any pretensions to candour) Will ac'
knowledge that this definition bears 10 com
parson to that of Mr.. Browns.
To what part OF speech does may, will
shall can, must, and a thousand Others
ihat might be included, belong!
Mr. Murray says ''to verbs belong num-
ber and person: as, run, we run, you run
they run.
ii it were as easy to learn all parts o
grammar, as it is to distinguish between th'
singular verb run, and the plural verb run
or, between the verb run OF the lst persol
plural, and the verb run Of the 2nd or Srt
person plural, few hours attention to tn
subject, would give us as correct knowleg
Of grammar as would be obtained IN as man,
months.
"Agreement anl government" amongs
.bo of at,I hnumbpY and
SON, of verbs are certainly amongst th
miracles of English literature; and the max
ing, or rather, the translatng of Latin rule
syntax to suit the English language,
like fitting together, old locks and pic
lock KEYS: they may answer the purpose
keeping in concealment the ignorance c
teachers and makers of grammar; but the
can never unlock and exhibit to the view c
the enquirer, the true structure OF our Ian
suage.
at is a curious example of the spirit c
the age. that Mr. Lindley Murray's gram
mar has proceeded to the thirtieth edition ]
defiance of all the facts and arguments lal
down in the Diversions of Purley. He de
fines noun to be the name of thing; an
MAINTAINS that it has six cases, or six yariou
examinations without any change OF varla
ton at all. He defines rer6 to be wor
slgnlfying TO h-, TO do, or to suffer-; and say
that English verbs have all the moods, fenst
and persons that the Latin have. This is a
extraordinary stretch of blindness and obst
macy. He translates the Latin gramma
INTO English as many had done before hin
and fancies he has written an English gran
mar. Divines applaud, and schooimastel
usher him into the polite world and Engls
scholars carry on the jest" whilst author
VINO have anatomised our native tongue; an
written grammars agreeably to its gent
and the philosophy of its structure, are trea
ea as imposters or suffered to pass unnotice
oy Interested or ignorant quacks "ls thc1
nothing above the reach of prejudice or pa
spirit! 1t seems in this, as in many 9TH
Instances, as it there was patent for absu
Ni'y IN the natural bias of the human min
Inc that folly should be stereotyted."
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