The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-08-18
BY.
~ Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915, BY Frank Crane)

In one sense we can say that preposi-
lions are the most corrupted and ira
tional parts of speech; in another sense,
however, they are the most highly de-
veloped, the fullest of the peculiar genius
OF the language, and the most delicate In
their shades of meaning. When you have
mastered them you know a language to
the bottom, as the French say (posseder
a fond).
Take now the word by. Horne Tooke
was right think, in considering it as
originally the imperative form of the
Anglo-SaXon verb boon, TO be. John is
by James; that is, John is--let James be
there! Yet from this primitive concep-
ton of proximity its meanings have ram
flied until they have covered our field Of
ideas as the railroad lines cover a map
of Illinois.
BY denotes nearnesS; but so does at:
and the difference is one to be felt rather
than explained. For though | might ask
you to sit by me, | would hardly invite
you to sit at me. And why is il that
when we are told that n man stands at
the door we can SEE him framed in the
opening. while we feel he is to one side
a little If he is said TO be by the door?
And why do we think Of a student
as at work when he is at his desk, but
idling when he is by his desk? Some
idiomatic phrases have leaked through
and stained the propositions in these
cases. You sit at the table TO eat and by
Il to read, and when YOU are near it you
are not so near as when you were by it.
Another and wholly distinct meaning
Of by is that Of means, or agency, or in
strument; with has also the same sig
MITIGATION, and the two interace curious
Ily. | write with (nOt by pen, these
words are written by or with a pen, but
they are written by and not with ma
("Name of a thousand names" cries the
Frenchman) 4 man Is tormented by a
cold, and dies of a cold. An Engishman
and a Frenchman travel from Paris to
Brussels by the night train. while Ger
man and an Italian travel with the same
train.
Perhaps the notion Of nearncss is in by
when used in oaths, as We call on heaven
10 be present as a witness when we cry,
by heaven Nearness and means blend
possibly in the phrases six by my
watch" | see by the newspaper, etc.
But why do we sell eggs at so much the
dozen and sell them by the dozen, and
get board BY the week and at ten dollars
the week?
We get glimmer Of the idea Of means
in the phrases Older by ten years
smaller by half" and "the room is ten
by multiplied by twelve feet; but how
did we ever come 20 say by day and by
night, instead Of the more logical at day
and at night (Which mean something 0t-
ferent); and why was at passed by and
BY chosen in the forms, "he will arrive by
two o'clock" and Il will be ready by the
time you are here?
Note the contortions Of our small
friend BY in the following: "By the by.
Tompkins, | came by your house today,
travelling by trolley, and saw your little
boy by the fence throwing stones at the
passengers by way Of amusement. by
love one stone passed close by my headl
Hard by stood another boy by the tracks
waiting for the car to 90 on by. tie
had laid by his cap add was by all odds
the best behaved of the two. BY and by
we disappeared Taking it by and large
il was an unpleasant incident. Your boy
has mischievous bent; ! wonder how ne
came by it? There, do not answer; l
was only indulging in by-play. By-by!