Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-02-20
The American GRAMMAR.

YNHlS work, together with one entitled GAN APPEAL
L FROM THE PRESENT POPULAR SYSTEMS OF ENGLISH
GRAMMAR, To COMMON SENSE, may be had at the Book
Stores in this place, also at those in the city of Balti-
more.
The foNoacing are the names Of some Of the gentlemen rho
recommended this work before it possessed the improrea
state in iohch ii is here presented.
De Witt Clinton; Eliphalet Mott, President of the u
MON College; professor Yates, Union College; Rev.
John Finlay, A. NJ. Baltimore; F. G Schaefcr, Pastor
of Christ Church, New York; DR.. Cunning, Ne" York,
Rev. ID. H. Barnes, classical teacher, New York, and
President of the American Teachers Society; j. Hoxie,
Principal of Philom Academy; DR.. Samuel Ackerly;
Rev. Daniel Parker, principal Of Broad-street Academy;
Rev. Solomon Brown, principal of the Classical and
! Belles-Lettres Academy, WallstTect, New York, and
Secretary of the American Teachers Society; Rev.
Samuel Blatchford, Lansingburg; Rev. DIR. John Ches-
ter, Albany; DIR. James, Albany; W. A. Tweed Dale,
Principal of the Lancasterian School Albany; Caroline
NJ. Thayer; Preceptrcss of Philom Academy; Rev.
Charles G. Somers, New York; /. S. Lownsbury, prin.
cipal of Village Academy; Charles SPaulding, princi'
pal of Union Academy, New Brunswick.
From His ErceAency he WI Clinton.
81 have read with attention a book of Mr.. James
Brown, on the subject of English Grammar. The
work cvinces acuteness o miid, and originality of thot.
The defects of the receiped systems, are clearly and for
chilly exposed; and the one which he proposes as a sub
stitute, although not presented as afinishcd work, cvin-
ces a long and familiar acquaintance with the subject,
and, in practice, is so readily comprehended even by
Young children, that | cannot but consider il well wor-
thy of public patronage. have examined children both
singly and in classes with no knowledge whatever fany
other system, and with but a short course in this, whose
progress was truly astonishing. The author of this
work is a man of great personal modesty, and possesses
natire talent for pathological investigation: l hope he
may receive that encouragement which his work SO
Justly merits. that the efforts ofhis long application may
be at length amply rewarded.
DE WITT CLINTON"
The toAoDing is from the letter ofme Rer. VI. Finddy,
Baltimore.
"No one can read the criticisms of Mr.. Brown with.
out feeling at once ashamed of his own subsection to
authority, and gratified with the authors ingenuity and
correctness" "Brown is a philosopher: he has found
ed his system of Grammar upon the basis of the mind
he has succeeded in r%edeeming the Grammar of our Ian
guage from every thing arbitrary" "The learner is
treated as a thinking beings" instead OF, as Lindey
Murray says, or as The rule says, there will be a fitness
in the thing ITSELF which will commend itself to the
Judgment and taste ofthe learner. "The day is at hand
when a complete revolution is to be accomplished when
the bonds of irrational custom and prejudice must be
broken off, and the minds of the rising generations in
the first stages of scientific attainments taught to assert
their native dignity and independence" But VIA, can
patience and genius do in the unobtrisive walks of SCI
ence without the aid Of the influential in society! Let
the system have "a fair trial and investigation: iffound to
be the system of truth, why not adoptt!
From the letter of the Rer Charles G. &mers, City Of
Meu- York.
Permit me to congratulate you, Sir, as the author Of
an original system of English Grammar; one by which
the learner Will enjoy many advantages over every o.
ther. Among these, ! consider it not the least, that
your pupils necessarily habituated to thought and re.
Election. ''To the philologist, it must be a pleasing re-
Election, that the present age is adorned With men
whose strength of Judgment, whose largeness of com
prehension, and whose independence of mind prompt
them to abandon the servne tracks in search OF undis-
covered helps to knowledge"
ssTo many, it will be a sufficient objection, that You
have ventured to differ from the learned l.. Murray"
And it is but reasonable to suppose that you will meet
with prosecutions from various sources; thus was Cali
leo imprisoned; and he suffered a long and painful in.
generation for benefiting the world by inventing the
Telescope" feb 10