The-Grammar-of-English-Grammars-737

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differ	considerably	from	it,	we	may	naturally	expect	grammatical	schemes	that
are	not	very	perspicuous,	or	perfectly	consistent,	and	which	will	tend	more	to
perplex	than	inform	the	learner."—Murray's	Gram.,	p.	68;	Hall's,	15.	"There	are,
indeed,	very	few	who	know	how	to	be	idle	and	innocent,	or	have	a	relish	of	any
pleasures	that	are	not	criminal;	every	diversion	they	take,	is	at	the	expense	of
some	one	virtue	or	another,	and	their	very	first	step	out	of	business	is	into	vice	or
folly."—ADDISON:	Blair's	Rhet.,	p.	201.[444]
			"Hail,	holy	love!	thou	word	that	sums	all	bliss!
				Gives	and	receives	all	bliss:	fullest	when	most
				Thou	givest;	spring-head	of	all	felicity!"
								—Pollok,	C.	of	T.,	B.	v,	1,	193.
CHAPTER	XIII.—GENERAL	RULE.
The	following	comprehensive	canon	for	the	correction	of	all	sorts	of	nondescript
errors	in	syntax,	and	the	several	critical	or	general	notes	under	it,	seem	necessary
for	the	completion	of	my	design;	which	is,	to	furnish	a	thorough	exposition	of
the	various	faults	against	which	the	student	of	English	grammar	has	occasion	to
be	put	upon	his	guard.
GENERAL	RULE	OF	SYNTAX.
In	the	formation	of	sentences,	the	consistency	and	adaptation	of	all	the	words
should	be	carefully	observed;	and	a	regular,	clear,	and	correspondent
construction	should	be	preserved	throughout.
CRITICAL	NOTES	TO	THE	GENERAL	RULE.
CRITICAL	NOTE	I.—OF	THE	PARTS	OF	SPEECH.
Words	that	may	constitute	different	parts	of	speech,	must	not	be	left	doubtful	as
to	their	classification,	or	to	what	part	of	speech	they	belong.
CRITICAL	NOTE	II.—OF	DOUBTFUL	REFERENCE.
The	reference	of	words	to	other	words,	or	their	syntactical	relation	according	to
the	sense,	should	never	be	left	doubtful,	by	any	one	who	means	to	be
understood.
CRITICAL	NOTE	III.—OF	DEFINITIONS.
A	definition,	in	order	to	be	perfect,	must	include	the	whole	thing,	or	class	of
things,	which	it	pretends	to	define,	and	exclude	every	thing	which	comes	not