The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-12-22
Letter from California.
TuRLoCK, Stenisiaus o.. Cal. ,
Dr-P = Ie-R

Dec. s. 1916.
DEAR FREESAS-A. d. II. wishes me to er-
press my opinion on matter of grammar aDd
while II is not feathers weight in the DECISION n
OF the point at issue II shall be given, aud here
II is:
Gram Ear Is not like mathematics. where rules
settle everything. IdioIn does much in settling
disputes on the true construction of language
snoutf say at once that in the sentence. How
calm could | rest" calm is an .dycrf used nv
poetic license for cdlIntg; but in these days of
bIockheGds. upstsrts and normal schools. il is
almost capital offense for one 10 express his
opinion on a point OF this kind. In the days of
good old Lindiey MURRAY. before grammar and
logic were so mixed up that sage cannot tell
which is which, we had ~ adjective in predicate,
ana consequently we were not in any danger
Gus predicarent; but now we must faii ~ Wit h
innovation and make that darker which was
dark enough before" In such examples, where
the verb is strictly neuter. the quuIifyipg W ord
may be considered adjective: hut If the
verb has particle of dcfiUtfl about il the nod
flying word applies to II. The rrass is green
lnot greenly); she rests how sweet (sweetIvl.
But here some upstart asserts that rests Is !,
neuter verS. say not without consulting any
authority. Re.ts ana sleeps a. much ac,-
:ive : work. and plays, when they express an
teuces. = How calm could rest" How sweer
could sleep both verbs are about as actVye
future time will allow them To be: j;Jst :.
much so ss How calm copld l sneeze." How
sweet could L snooze-" The trouble seems to
be with the verb and not with the modifying
word, and any goose. except normal school
graduate, cen tell when a verb Is active in
seuse- One cannot rest or sleep without com
rnitting an act and calm and stCsct tell hoLc those
acts are done.
| have another opinion, and that is that not
one I'm n thousand Processing a know ledge OF
will until they study several languages 6es1
and living and can make as many mistakes as
Ersuua Paul says; Il had not Known SIN
unless the laS had said Thou shalt not covct .
80 r'is,aa say | had pYt Y hno.n srammsr without
p. 5. Since writing the above I saw our
preacher. He says the sentence. just quoted
are anoma loGs ard cannot be parsed.
teacher s. can he hr
plying eliipSS. thus u ibeiH,) CA 'cotii
rest how - II being sweet could sie.n bor
oar old sheep herdcr never studied grammar
and Goes not know Il noun from verb. / ask
e1 him which was correct, How cnlm could 7
rest or How calmly could rest" He saws
II could rest a calm trcst how l. the correct =
] gave hin, another: ''She breathcs sof,.'' or
hreathes a soft breath, l gave 1t up when
found that sheep herder, vino never saw 4,
grammar. knew 50 much.
Open your hand ICide.
Tue wall IS three feet HIGH.
Do not laugh so l6.e<.
Parse the italics. a few years ago we had
three hundred children in the Johustow y n
schools stGtving grammar, out Of one thous-
snd in att@uda.."e, and four hundred s:Udyins
mental arithmetic. aud III bet pewter but
ton that not one of them can parse your ser
tences or tell me Iow muCh w2teT a tank " II
hold that IS lex l6X4 feet, giving ,.;e water in
barrels OF 40 gallons each. Our CGucdt iona
system is a great humbug. There i no a.. ve
English Grammar. The languages in wllIcb
the examinations determine the Once and posi-
tion of a word ere the only Ianguages Ibat
have grammar. the I.atiu for instsncs " hare
a verb IL spelled hundred different ways ow-
ing tp the Office il fills.
] nope the coming Institute will take the
matter up and settle the vexed question for
ever cah make grammar Of thirty Pages
10 u know ledge OF English construction; but l
do not think v III make it.
with the idious Of our langraee. %iiifn and
me went 70 town is just good grammar as
packet boat SANK = packet boat" Which il
the 50 Iert ana which the objecr L. Il.