The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-05
\ auestton or Two Answered. {

n.yv,t1E. VA, October 81, 1877.
Editors Dsspatck - Recognizing the ND.
crafty with which YOU have heretofore used
vnnr columns TO settle the many little dis
mites regarding correct English, &C., viii
Won please give reader the following In
formation: :,
1. When should comparison to > be
uscd. and "comparison with" allowed. 4
would like to have the difference, II any, III
regard to their use.
5. Also, is .<if he do come" better Eng
lish than il he does come" and why
Yours, &c, a. ~
THE ANSWERS.
We'd not wonder that our correspohoent
Is in doubt in regard TO the matters 10 "htc"
he calls our attention. 1t would ahoro US
mucb Measure 10 answer his questions at
length il VIC had room TO spare Tor that pur-
pose; but we have not and so he mast
allow us to give answers rather than res
sons.
l. Our own opinion is that the prepos-
ton "with" should always he used with
the verb compare" Que thing should
always be compared with another. We
warn our correspondent that both WEBSTER
and WORCESTER say chat Ito" should be
used when comparing one thing to another
as to quality, but "with" when comparing
things by way OF illustration. For Instance,
they compare anger TO a fire, but one man
with another, as CICERO with DEaoSTaENEs.
They do so because they are compelled 70
follow authority-that is. writers OF good
reputc. But it is easy to see that the word
compare" is itself improperly used in one
OF these connections, and hence it is that
"to" must follow it. The verb liken"
ought to be used instead Of "compare."
We liken mot compare, for there is no COM
parison] anger to a fire. or voice to thun-
der. Whenever compare" is properly
used, ."with" will naturally and properly
follow it.
9. eff he do Gomez is allowable only
because good writers have converted u
blunder into good English. The sub!unc-
tive mood in English seems to have come
from the subjunctiye mood in Latin.
There is no necessity for it, and no place
tor it in our language. The indicative
mood might properly always be used by
writers. as it always is in conversation,
land because it is always used in converse
tion)if many OF our best writers had not
thought it proper to initiate dead lam
cuage. But even il we allow subiunctiyc
mood, rs we must, the plural verb ought to
follow singular noun only when the word
"should" or the word s'shall i" is under
stood. and can be supplied il necessary.
ali he come" means g if he should come"
and is therefore correct. So " il he comes"
is correct, because many Of the best writer's
employ this form Of speech, and everybody
employs it in conversation. But that cor
rect use OF the plural verb has led to the
double plural, I" If be do come" where
the auxiliary verb which is understood cam
not be supplied; just as the correct use OF in
Vulnerable other words has induced ignorant
persons to use them incorrectly, as ''trans-
pire" for "happen," or "oficiate" for
"preach" or for performing a ceremony.
To say that preacher officiates " ought to
convey the meaning that the regular pastor
is absent and the one spoken Of fills his
place. But "officiate - is long word, and
so it has come to be used when it is merely
intended to be stated that the regular cler-
gyman preached, or married couple. Thus
new meanings grow up, and new words
and phrases have to he invented to express
the old idea. The double plural quoted by
our correspondent is result OF this sort Of
Misrepresentation. II it were eliminated
from the language, some worse form OF ex-
preston might take its place. We long ago
made up our mind aot to try to resist the
irresistible current Of blunders. "Even
the gods fight in vain against stupidity OF
dizziness of apprehension"