The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-29
The Globe S S Ssms.J'uay
Correct English and Row to Use 81.
ARTICLE TX.
BY JOSEPHINE TURcK BAKER.

ViIltIS .COTTeCIi EHSl1Sn CONFORM TO
the canons of rhetorical art. For this
reason students are invariably advised
TO read the best works of the best writ
eTs Il, order that they may acquire pro-
ficiency in the art Of rhetoric. It is,
however, as Impossible to speak or to
write correctly by reading the works of
good writer's as it is to learn to paint
fine pictures by looking at the master
pieces of great painters. Before one
can attain to any art one must first UNI
derstand not only the rules and princi-
pies of the art, but also their proper
application. The reason why students
do not receive the full benefit from the
reading of standard authors is because
they have not mastered the rules OF
rhetoric. Students are apt to commit
rules to memory with but little cogni-
zance of their full significance asd in
consequence, with but little understands
ing OF their application. Many pupils
complete courses in grammar and rhet-
orie and give but little evidence, either
in speech or writing, that they have amy
practical knowledge of the correct usage
of the language. 1t is utterly useless
to learn rules unless one learns how to
apply them. BY reading models of cor
rect English enc can frequently learn
to discern a work which has literary
same way that one can discern a fine
painting from an inferior one, but one
cannot learn to write correctly any more
than one can learn to paint aftistically
unless one understands exactly how,
when and where to Apply rules.
The following study in grammatical
construction, with appended notes, is
given so that the attention of the reader
may be directed not only to the correct
forms bat to the rule which is in each
case the criterion of examination:
Study in Gramma ticaI Construction
(From Ciceros arraignment of Cat
iline.)
How far, o Catiline, wilt ID thou abuse
our patience? How long shalt O. thou
battle justice in thy mad career? To what
extreme wilt 60 thou carry thy audac-
itsT? Art thou nothing daunted by the
nightly watch posted to secure the Pala-
titnn? Nothing, by the city guards ?
Nothing, by the rally of all good eiti-
zens? Nothing, by the assembling of
the senate in this fortified place? Moth
ing, by the ayerted looks of all here
present?
Seest thou not that all thy plots are
exposed THAT thy wretched conspiracy
is laid bare to the knowledge of every
man here in the senate?-that we are
well aware of the proceedings of last
night, of the night before, the place of
meeting, the company conyoked, the
, measures concerted?
o, the timesi O, the morals of the
times! The senate understands all this.
The consul sees it. And yet the traitor
lives. Lives? Ay, truly, and confronts
US here in council-presumes to take
part in our deliberations-and, with his
calculating eye, marks out each man Of
US for slaughter! And we, the while,
think we have amply "a discharged our
duty to the state, if We do but succeed
in warding off this madman's sword and
fury!
Long since, o Catiline! ought the consul
to have ordered thee to execution and
brought upon thy own head the destruc-
ton thou hast been plotting against
others. There was in Rome that virtue
once that a wicked citizen was held more
execrable than the deadliest foe. For
thee, Catiline, we have still a law. Think
not because we are forbearing that we
are powerless.
We have a statute-though it rests
among our archives like sword in it's
scabbard-a statute which makes thy
life the forfeit of thy crimes. And,
should % l order thee to be instantly
seized and put to death, do not doubt
that all good men would say that the
punishment, instead of being too cruel,
was only too long deferred.
But, for sufficient reasons, I will 60 a
while postpone the blow Then will L
doom thee when no man is to be found
so lost to reason, 50 depraved, so like
myself, that he will not admit the SEN
tence was deserved. While there is one
man who ventures to defend thee, live
But thou shalt "a live so beset, SO
hemmed in, so watched by the vigiiant
guards have placed around thee, that
thou shalt % not stir a foot against the
republic without my knowledge. There
shall be eyes to detect thy slightest
movement and ears to catch thy wariest
whisper Thou shalt be seen and heard
when thou does not dream of a witness
near. The darkness of night shall (S) not
cover thy treason; the walls of privacy
shall not stiae its voice
Baff1ed on all sides, thy most secret
projects clear as MONDAY, what canst
thou now devise? Proceed, plot. con-
spire as thou wilt, there is nothing thou
scanst contrive, propose, attempt which
/ shall not promptly be made aware OF.
Thou shalt soon be convinced that am
even more active in providing for the
preservation of the state than thou in
plotting it's destruction.
The figures /, 2, 3, etc, refer to the fol-
lowing notes.
Explanatory Notes.
i. ssHow far o Catiline, wilt thou
abuse our patience?" The use of wilt is
correct, because it expresses willingness
ON the part of the person addressed
Thus: ssHow far, Catiline, is it thy
will or thou art willing to abuse our
patience?"
fer q
'Catiline, shalt thou abuse our patience?'
he would have used an incorrect form,
for "shalt thou abuse our patience?"
means cart thou going to abuse our
patience?" Thus, How far, 0 Catilife,
art thou going to abuse our patience?'
is question that Catiline would have
been unable to answer, for the reason
that he would have been unable to de
termine the limit of the speakers pa
thence.
2. How long shalt thou battle Justice
in thy mad career?' The use of shalt is
correct because it means art thou going
, to-" Thus, .sHow long art thou going 20
battle Justice in thy mad career" Ii
Cicero had asked Glow long wilt thou
battle Justice in thy mad career?' he
would have used an incorrect form Tor
Flow long art thou willing to bafTe
iustice?s As Catiiine would have been
willing to battle injustice Indefinitely the
question would have been futile.
{ g. ITO what extreme wilt thou carry
thy audacity?" The use of wilt is correct,
sbecause it expresses willingness on the
part of the person addressed: Ito what
extreme is it thy will or art thou willing
ito carry thy audaeity?" If Cicero had
asked s.To what extreme shalt thou carry
thy audacity?' he would have used an
incorect form because SHALT thou carry
thy audacity' means cart thou going to
carry thy audacity.'' Either shalt or
swift could have been used with equal
propriety.
T. 1And we, the while, think we have