The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-02-04
RALEIGH. n. {. WEDNESDAY. FEBUA ARY 4, 1885
Concerning Word 8.


Virginia that she has caught Us In the
wrong use OF an before universal, union
&C., and before honor. historically, &c
Some few years ago We wrote at length
upon this five had copy of the Star
containing it We would send it to the lady
in que stion. We then showed that either
"a or an was admissible. because there
was authority for both among the best
English writer's. We take leave TO say
that it is the business of grammarians to
'n'~~pTet abe ,aL-Uage as 1t Is written by
the standard authors. The grammarians
have no power to make laws of their own
motion. We have always tried 70 follow
the usage of the best writers, when we
were informed, and we have always pre-
ferred the standard authors of England TO
those of America.
In our former article we gave many
authorities for the use OF an, and as far
as we remember, we gave them mainly
from the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, embracing some Of the greatest
names in letters. We have not the ar.
ticle convenient or we would reproduce
from our files the authorities then quoted
as there seems 20 be mlsapprehension
of the subject
During our reading within the last two
or three years we have occasionally noted
the use OF an among eminent English
authors in the nineteenth century, and
one in the eighteenth. We begin with
the latter
Gibboa, the greatest modern historian,
in his mastery work on the Roman EN-
pire, ! vol p. 53 writes ''dn useful, !"
and the next page, writes ''an historical
&c"
Carlyle, essays, . vol page 255, writes:
'For little while an University Profes
But the only instance of an universally
popular book, &c See Life of Dickens
by Forster, vol. ;, page ll2. Charles
Lamb, Chapter on Ears, Elias Es-
says, writes: AN undeveloped faculty
Of music, & I" Nacaulay, Essays vol.
), page 35, writes ''aa usurper." Lechy,
in his great History of the Eighteenth
Century, vol. |, p. 60, and elsewhere,
writes ''an Union. Canaan Farrar,,
Early Days of Christianity, pages 50
l62, writes: ''Aa universal, ''da uni
que" Rer Dr. Giekie, Life Of Christ, =
page AL, wriess- an universal, &c. >
These quotations could be greatly extend
ed if we had the time. 1t seems that
great nineteenth century English authors
| follow the examples of g.eat seventeenth
and eighteenth century authors in the
use of an Macaulay, like Gibbon, page
l22, Vol Essays, writes AN historian,
and page 100, IAN historical
| We could show that, on the other
hand, many eminent authors and some
of TIE greatest English writer's, gs to
style. prefer q. SO we sometimes write
a as we somcunes write ut.
We note that both Canon Earrar anc
DR.. q 'ckie correctly say named after,
instead OF .ae American innovation
named for We do not remuu.ts. ).
have noticed any English author efreput'
who said named after. The late Rev
DR.. Hooper once wrote us note Q
thank because we protested against The
American abuse President Shepherd
of the University of Charleston, 5. c., i
the most critical scholar and author II
English that North Carolina had pro
duced He is the author Of an excellen
English Grammar, and he has published
a capital work bearing the title -
Historical Reader Whilst all writer
are liable to mistakes, as the learned DR.
I1OupSO1 mas SHoWu, IL 10 oa'0 ui1 "
follow usage in England among the bes
authors w Wilmington Star.
Every few days some young friend
fresh from his Grammar, tGramma
with a q, mind you'll takes US to tas
for using or an, or and, or An'ty, 0
! 4unty; and talks as if everybody VIII
does not construc language according
his view is Antiquated. Cicero he cal
kicL,ero; and well-thank you for tn
+ word, old friend Sick It's awfully sus
gestive.