, 1873-06-22

Iep1duB HAtttf4 both,
OF both is t1attered but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him,

/ Lepfdus fatterB both,
| OF both fs fattered but he neither loves,
| Nor either careB for him.
From strange freak, the term either has bee,
very commonly employed to signify each of two
| or both. For example, " there stood pillar o.
either side OF the gateway" or, "they wer'
seated on either side OF the fireplace !; or to tax.
two examples from Lord Lytton's last novel
:" pleasant greensward borde1ed it On eithel
side -" the mouth aingular1y beautiful, with
3 dlmple on either side," the meaning in each
case being u both sides !" Or, to go peg lower
IN the literary scale, and quote from the comic
song OF the Bear-ekin Coat:"
Fine pockets large and wide,
Stood out from either Bide
This misuse Of either Is not new. The e-ror oc-
ours several times in the authorized version Of
the New Testament. Two instances may be Civ
en-. "They crucifed two other with him, on
either side one." St. John xix. 18. "On either
side Of the river Was there the tree OF life, Rev.
xii 2. It says little for the scholarship Of the
t1anslators that they should have perpetuated
thia abuse OF ouz vornacu1ar, and sanctioned IN
error so inveterate as to be now almost past cor
rection. Perhaps sound has had something to
do with the improper use Of either. Consisting
OF two Byllables it may be considered to be more
fluent and elegant than the little word each in
which way sound il probably preferred to sense.
Fashion, however, cannot be permitted to altel
the plain meaning Of the English language, and
We are glad that, according to the newspaper re-
port, the correct definition Of either was lately
Vludlcated ID q suit in chancerY- We give the
matter briefly, IS it is related. "a certain tes-
tator left property, the disposition of which was
affected by the death OF either OF two PERSONS
One learned counsel commended that the word
either meant both in support OF this view he
quoted Richardson, Webster, Chauoar, Dryden,
Southey, the history OF the crucifxion, and 3
Tassago from Revelation. The learned Judge
suggested thst there WAS an old song in the
"Begears' Opera, known to ALL which took tho
opposite yiew
How happy could be with either,
Wero tother dear charmer away.
In pronouncing udgment, the Judge dissented
entirely from the argument OF the learned coun-
sci. Either meant one OF two, aud did not
mean both Though occasionally, by poets
and some other writer's, the word waa employed
to signify both.' it did Lot in this case before
the court" Though such Was the decision, we
dropped In comparison with each, the word is
thought pretty, and it will doubtless continue to
be rnisappled, both in speaking and writing
though, perhaps, testators have received a sal
utary lesson on the subject
We might present other instances of the in
geterate misuse OF words, but content ourselves
with drawing attention to one Of daily occurrence.
We refer to the word none, which is simply
contraction OF "no one" or g not one," and ia
accordingly to be used in application to only one
hung. 1nstead, however, Of speaking Of it in
he singular, es Sc none is," or not one is," or
. not one was, :" it is almost constantly plural
zad :; writers saying, "none are," or ''nono |
Tere-" They might just well say s'no ono |
Tere." which they would hardly think of doing.
As the English language is 8 precious inheri- |
ance, it would surely be worth while to avoid |
uch petty misuse Of 8 very simple class of I
arms.-C Chambers journal.