The record-union., 1894-02-24
A GRAMMATICAL MATTER.

The criticism has several times been
made in the press that in the State School
Textbooks the SIS" after an apostrophe
is added to proper names ending in ''s,"
as Burns's works, instead of Burns
works. This has been charged as error,
and as evidence Of either ignorance or
laundering somewhere. We have been
at pains to examine the authorities in the
State Library and other standard author
tiles on this point. since some of the criti-
cisms have been made very bitter, and
the means of assault upon the textbooks.
We find that the burden of authority to-
day is that the use in the State textbooks
is correct use; that is, in accord with the
highest modern authority.
Earlier in the century the use now OBJ
jected to by the critics who find fault
with the State textbooks in this matter
was the rule. The change to the apostro-
phe without an added ''s' came little
later. and now comes the better authori-
once obtained. For instance, "Harris's
Hermes" in the '4Os and sos was consid-
cred the most complete philosophical
treatise on grammar, says DR.. Brandt,
and it used the apostrophe as it is used in
the California textbooks to-day. We
have before US now scientific and art
dictionary, issued by Harper Brothers
in 1852, in which throughout the apostro-
phe with "s'' after it is used where a
proper name ends in SIS" or the sound of
''s'' and the form of the possessive is de-
sired thus, "Rees's Cyclopedia." The
rule would seem to be, despite the fact
that in most newspaper offices it does not
obtain, that when proper name ends in
"s'' or the sound of SIS" there should be
added an apostrophe and an $50 to form
the possessive, as James's works, Pierce's
grammar.
For instance, Wilson's Punctuation p.
204, standard authority which can be
examined III any reference library, while
noting that the apostrophe only is under
some circumstances-as in poetry-used
to indicate the possessive of proper names
ending with "s," and singular common
nouns so ending, discourages that use,
and denominates it bad practice.
This book quotes as examples, "James's
book" "Thomas's cloak" ''the lass's
bonnet.n as preferable to James book,
Thomas cloak, etc.
We find also that Goold Browns Gram
mar of Grammars, p. 263-a work con-
ceded on all sides to be high authority
is very emphatic upon this subject. That
book alludes 70 the author of a grammar,
Pierce, as crossing the doctrine of ali re-
puted grammarians in this respect. There
is Quoted ChurchilPs Grammar and Days
Punctuation, which instance "Harris's,
Hermes," "Dickens's Works." Phillips's
poems; and other like forms as the cor
rect ones.
Of course the custom in the recent past
has been opposed to this method; but
that may be said of great many other
uses of the English language. The
changes going on are not more radical or
numerous, however, than they have been
in earlier times. Our language uses
have been under the influence Of change
for centuries. Every person can recall
notifications and departures within his
own time in punctuation, spelling, pro-
nunciation and grammatical construc-
ton. And it is worthy of note that, in
the majority of cases, these changes and
departures from old custom have not
been arbitrary, but the outgrowth OF
reason.
In this matter of the use Of the apos-
trophe and the ''s'' in the cases cited. it
will be seen on reflection that the rule
laid down by the authorities quoted is
really the logic of pronunciation and
construction; that it follows reason in ex-
pressing by form what we give to sound
in speaking.
We have said so much to point out that
II Is not always justiiable to conclude
that what we see in modern books differ
ing. in use Of language, from the methods
20 which we have been accustomed and