New-York tribune., 1841-10-06
TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES

TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES:
Having completed the studies which have occi,-
pied great portion of my life. and published 'hc
results, take the liberty to invite your aiteslion
to certain facts which my researches have brought
to Eight.
During nay education I was accustomed, Ike
other Young men, to confdc in the correctness of
the books ] used, and was instructed in the com
mon errors of elementary books. The effect was
that after me to examine for myself the truth
or error lciples, had TO combat. not only the
mistakes others, but my own early opinions AID
habits ofthnking Many oithe errors ! had caIa-
ed ip youth found their way into my first pnb!ica-
tons and 20 correct them las cost mo 60 l;tiic
trouble. This however has been done, to degree
tolcrablv satisfactory; although make no pretea-
>ions TO exemption from mistakes My researches
have resulted in full conviction that there is no
profound end accurate scholarship in the philoloey
Of the English language, either in British Uuiyer-
site. or in Aaas-irGn Colleges The elementary
books British aad American, now generally used,
are defective or ircOrrect; and the best writings
in the language are sometimes disfsurcd by pa pa
bic errors NV observations convince me thar the
multitude Of books for teaching the language writ
len bv incompetent men. Is srca evil to Truth and
to !llerature Tho evil has generally been began
in Ensland, but has been doubled and irch.cd In
This country, and Is increasing every year
But my particular object ia this address iS ."
call yeur attention TO the language OF the common
version of the Scriptures. The body of ,h:-
language wa. introduced by Tyndalc, least thrsH
hundred and twcn,y years ago At that time The
grammar of the language WAS not well settled,
and words and phrases now esteemed improper 10
be used in company were not then too offensive 10
be familiarlv uttered. The general character OF
the style is excellent, and well adapted 10 rNpress
the sense OF the original. Bur in the long period
of three centuries, some words nave become ohSo-
lete; the signifca,ion OF others IN ordinary use.
has been changed and these do not now carry 10 i
common reader, the true sense of the otislna. I;
the grammatical errors IN the version are more
numerous tnsn in any other book now sene:aay
read Q few passages are erroneous'y translated,
and the corrections OF them are found only IN com
meniaries which NEST people never see many
words and phrases cannot nov be uttered IN com
panv; and some words are used winch perNett
the sense. For example. The word diSaHH7- Is
used in six passages and the word ualoosc IN
three. These words are nonsense. In rhs scrip
t,ires. they must be understood to mean aHaHs ard
loose sense directly contrary 10 their meaning,
or the passages Wi! be rendered fl'S- or HnlReGn-
ing. How can a Christian community oc Justified
in suffering the scriptures, for more than Three
hundred wears. TO be disfsGred By such obvious
improprieies OF language
with the advice Of several emire2t clergymcn
have undertaken 10 amend the language OF ihis
version, ana the phrascoogy is 50 far altered, wi,h
ont impairng the sense. that ii is believed th'
whole Bible may be read in families AID the pulpit
This cdi,iou has received the appreciation e
many clergymen and pious laymen, who use 1t II
their families, and recommend it 10 others
y. WEBSTER.
i coufue my remarks to English Pathology, end sE
clude from them all differences Of spelling aHhorl@s n
respectable usage, wsich do obscure eiym"iosy
pOryer the OF words; aad exclude also all is''
.rs OF taste and fashita 'oatnire my remarks 10 point
which il vol &c established rules ant primer aieS.
my books IS among my mistakes. aud deeply 7esrc''d
hoy are rejected from the asi edi.icn ,th others OF
like character.
FROM THE HAGrE.-The Express publishes