Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-12-28
PoR THE WHIG.
Christmas Esre

CHRISTMAS Eye.
20 The Bditors:-With squad of my comrades,
Msssrs. Editors, have been examining, IN yester-
days Wing, the grammatical enquiry prepounded
With such pressing earnestness by your Louisa
respondent. How you could SO slIgbtngly toss away
as beneath your notice question gravely put, aud
in it's nature grave-aye. and one which, judg
ing by the putters manner, to have raised no
sDa commotion respectable count of this sgr eat
and unterrfed commonwealth" is for you TO answer
your coscences, your country and the said puter
We, of Mr.. IS Seminary, deemed it worthy of our
most serious consideration-the rather but the
the other day overheard The eloquent Mr. - the
profound Mr.. --, the distinguished Mr. -
Judges -, and, and ---, &c. &c &c;
in solemn and earnest debate upon this very question.
and from the animation with which they discussed it.
we sure they considered it no Joke at all Sun
posing you also to be by this time inspired with lust
respect for it, proceed the discussion: maintain
ing all that gravity which BELTS SUBJECT SO mo-
puentous
Yhe phrase, of which the propriety has been SO
much canvassed, is this--"aDithout hardky anu mas
tieation.'
Phere were of US ALI except Tim Pddlefad-
de- thought the expression bad using negatives
to carry negative idea; which grammar saws is
wrong But Tim Ia positive talking fellow that new
er gives up any notion his head) said he a
be hanged if the word hardly, the phrase hardly
GDy, was negative. He could not deny that ,oithout
was a negative word.) Hardly any" said Tim FId-
dlefaddle, means though not much Now ne
gative word is that signifies fetal deprivation
absolute nothingness II is thoroughgeing denier
in vain scoded at him. he would not surrender his
position So we carried The question to our precspt-
or; who you know Tor ought TO know is a match for
either Harris, Horne Tooke, or Lindley Murray.
He at once declared the passage to be nor English
ssIt contains" said he, two Degatives-,ottom i'm
plying entire negation; and hardly any, implying
partial, or qualified negation solute nothngness
it's true, but an approximation 1t IT'S not essen
tal to negative that signify absolute notingness:
tits enough if it do SO in partial manner. IT'S ne
gatIve if its aim and tendency be- make title of It's
subject. To try whether hardly any is negative or
otherwise, substitute for another phrase ndisputa-
bly, syDonirnous with it, for instance, "atuaost no.
(which is clearly negaye See how this last phrase
reads in the disputed SENTENCE oittom ALMOST NO
masticaton' What an outrage upon our vernacu-
lar tongue'
Our worthy master enlarged great great deal fur
ner upon this outrage: but rs have heard that
tIons Of grammar usually tire all but those who WELD
the birch q ferula and as recollect lin Horace some
"nereJ 70 nave seen ceDsure cast one who makes
FUSS ABOUT tries (rxatur de lana caprina) orbear
70 report all that was said As to the question itself
however let it be henceforward forever at rest The
expression 'oittou hdrdfy any is ungrammatucal
. JACK SYNTAX.
+. 5. Pho Court of Appeals and half I.eoisla-
ture, am told, have decidedin the same yav.