The Russellville Democrat., 1881-09-01

etA1E M iH tut pubht n1uoof5s WILLY she 'ILLITERATI,' under the guidance of sort of pathological triumvirate, consisting of 6 ponderons pedagogne and two advanced students" with equal pertinacity urge that christian names are adjectives. and boldly as sers if they are not adjectives, that such part of speech does not exist in grammar. The educated and in tsliigent readers of the DEMOCRAT. doubtless are at 8 loss to understand how such a simple question in gram mar could convnlse and divide com munity, and cause 30 much acrimou- ious debate, in this age of free schools, light and knowledge. It does seem passing strange, when grayely considered, yet Ii is never theless true. Ifcnristian names be adjcctivss, then adjectiyes must have gender, for John is masculine and Jane feminine. In the Latin language an adjectice must agree with the substantive it limits or qualities, in gender, number and case, but the English idiom will not admit of such properties. In few instances only, is number recognized as the property of an adjective ia our language-gender and case nev- CT.
 It was Denham who said:
 ''Tbe tree of knowledge, blasted by disputes,
 Produces sapiess leaves, instead of fruits-p
 But such a result is not likely to be produced by the present contro' rersy, for it clearly indicates to the cultured mind that the particular kind of tree, mentioned by the poet, is not indigenous hereabouts, but an exotic which has failed to germinate in the cEREBRuM of this locality. Therefore, no direful results can req sonably be apprehended, but much good may be anticipated from the discussion. It will call the atten. tention of the general public to some of the glaring defects of our present common school system, and, at the same time, be instrumental in sug- gesting proper methods of improve ment.
 1 It will show conclusively that it is not the province of every pedagogue, who assumes to wield the ferule in a district school, ito give law to Ian guage, but to teach agreeably to the best usage" and in accordance with standard authority, For, ss Seneca says: "Grammarians are the gardi- ans, not the authors of language. An eminent author says: That the true principles of practical gram mer, dedueed from custom and sanct- toned by time, will never be gener- ally superseded by anything which individual caprice may substitute" :" A pedagogue directing his "advan- ced students" to parse christian names as adjectives, although fully sustained in so doing by two boards of school directors, is not sufficient to change universal usage, or to give his instruction the force of authority. If he were to teach his pupils that a mule was properly horse, would be just as logical. yet the nature of that interesting cross of the equine with with the asinine species would not in the least be changed by the mis- homer, even if he should be indorsed by his advanced students" and two boards Of directors. Calling horse mule would not "hybridizc" nor fecundate the latter. So, calling & noun an adjective does not in the least change the office that the word performs in sentence; but to the educated such misnomer would be viewed only as the hgment of an i'm besile and uncultured mind.
 OCCASIONAL. Caglesyille, Aug. 27, 1881.