The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-25
CHARLESTON S. C., THURSDAY MORNING. APRIL g. 1852.
GOOD ENGLISH.

GOOD ENGLISH.
Quito revival has taken place within the last
few years in the study of English, sspure and un
dcfiled" Archbishop TRENCH was one Of the pion
GERS i'll this new mine. His several works or
sWords," ," proverbs" etc., mere sstudies" con
tributed largely to attract attention and interest
to this vast field, that had for years been allowed
to lie fallow. The many learned works on compar.
ativc philology, TINT are annually published IN
Germany, the labors of MAX MULLER in England
in the same direction, the laborious industry with
which French and German savants ply themselves
to perfect the lexicography of their tongues, al
these Lave had a tendency to produce q growing
want for wider research Of similar character IN
England and America. DEAN Afford, in his
Queens English" and Mr. MARSH, in his "Lec-
lures on the English Language" have given
great impetus to the subject, and now we cannot
take up review, magazine, literary journal, OF
even n country newspaper, without finding an Sec
cu7sus' on some nice point of grammar. Unfortu-
nately, however, it is'much easier to- write about
Good English than to w1ite good English, and
very common occurrence now to dissect the critics.
This is a task more easy than either gracious or
profitable. VoLTAIRE, it is said, once remarked
that he had never seen any one who could write
ten lines of French correctly. We presume it is
the Same in English. There is difference, how
ever, between mere grammatical accuracy and hy-
percritlcsln. Mr.. GEORGE WASHINGTON Moons
structures on Dean Afford and MIR. MARSH have
been mostly mere quibbling and disputes about
trifes
Professor ScHELE DE WE'RE Of the University of
Virginia has just published very interesting
volume much like TRENus books, above referred
to- 'sStudies in English, or Glimpses Of the Inner
Life Of our Language" We have not yet seen the
book, but find it commended in the highest terms by
critics Of every complexion The author is an excel
lent scholar, possessed perhaps Of more thorough
knowledge of foreign languages than any other
man in America. Knowing bim to be, moreover, q
man OF large general information, and of excellent
Judgment, we doubt not his book will be both valu-
able and interesting. -
Another work on kindred topic has just been
issued by W. J. MIDDLETON: "Good English; or
Popular Errors in Language, by EDWARD s;
GOULD" 1t is surprising to find upon an exam-
nation Of this little treatise. how many glaring
errors even some Of our best writer's are guilty OF in
the use of English words. Carelessness and too
ready acceptance of general usage as the standard
are the usual causes. MIR. GOULD calls attention
for instance to the use of the word jeopardize in
stoad OF leopard, and says that hazardtze, en-
dangeraze and per1ize would be quite as correct as
jeopardize sLepiency" tinstead of:'lenity') is
examined, found without the necessary papers of
Authorization, and turned out Of the dictionary.
tDonate" is another that fares no better, but as
the use of that word is almost entirely confined to
illiterate newspaper reporters and members Of
Congress, it calls for no further remark.
ssstopping," as "he is stopping =at the Mills
House," is condemned should be staying: "But @
that md sbut what are animadyerted against,
as ssI don't knov but what will" In our
midst" is attacked, and called, a fugitive contra
band FROM the German.
We are glad Mr. GOULD objects to the restric-
ton of the word "ride, to conveyance on horse
back He calls it miserable affectation of accu-
racy.5 49,.
NIr. RICHARD GRANT WHITE haa been writing a
series of papers on "Words and their Uses" !" for
tho GALAXY His last is on British English and
American English, The standard in both coun-
tries, he says is the same yet nice ear can soon
detect the habitat of the speaker. The difference
is not il pronunciation but: in pitch of voice and
Of infection. Tho pitch oftke Englishmans voice
is higher and sharper than that of the American,
and his infections more varied than the others,
because they more II equently rise. This paper
deals altogether in nice points OF difference be-
tween the pronunciation Of the best educated in
Eng land and America, leaving, out cockneys who
murder their hages and those also who pronounce
g like lt, in nothing" and with SAM WELLER
talk of 'swoal pies
Somewhat akin to this is an anecdote we have
heard tho late Hon. WILLIAM G. PRESTON tell
Some forty years ago, or perhaps even earlier in
tne century, he crossed the Atlantic in the same
vessel with the late Hon. EDWARD EVERETT: 1t
was before the days Of steam, and the two young
gentlemen had abundant opportunity to become
thoroughly acquainted withieaoh other, and life
long friendship dated from that voyage, After
they had been out few days, and a sufficient de-
groe OF intimacy had sprung up between them to
admit of such liberty, MIR. EVERETT called the
attention of MIR. PRESTON to a proyincialism the
latter made use Of in the course Of conversation.
Mr. PRESTON, all through life, remarkable for the
purity of his English and the delicacy Of his taste,
no less than for the brliancy Of his public oratory
and private conversation, forced to admit that
he had been guilty of solecism. general
discussion ensued on the subject; each of the two
friends, of course standing up for his own section.
Mr.. EVERETT contended that the purest English
only was spoken by the educated classes Of New
England Mr. PRESTON on the other hand, claim
ed this pre-eminenco for the sons Of Virginia. 1t
was not easy to settle the dispute and it was de-
termined that each of them should quietly note
down the ingual peccadillos Of the other, as they
occurred and then at the close Of the voyage they
were to compare notes. They did so, and whom in
sight Of the hills of the mother country, Mr. Pres
TON produced list Of 50 provincalisms against
Alr. EVERETT and the latter had 55 against MIR.
PRESTON If two Of the best scholars and most
elegant speakers the country has known we're not
free from provincialisms, how can such purity be
expected from the rank and file2
Stute Items.
MEETING OF TIE FREEDAEN.-A meeting was
held on Monday night of some of the freedmen ot
this place, at which set of resolutions pre-.
scnted, ldorsing the platform of what is called
IL. no.xk.