Chapter X: Prepositions

The syntax of Prepositions consists, not solely or mainly in their power of governing the objective case, (though this alone is the scope which most grammarians have given it,) but in their adaptation to the other terms between which they express certain relations, such as appear by the sense of the words uttered.

RULE XXIII.--PREPOSITIONS.

Prepositions show the relations of words, and of the things or thoughts expressed by them: as; "He came _from_ Rome _to_ Paris, _in_ the company _of_ many eminent men, and passed _with_ them _through_ many cities"--_Analectic Magazine_.

"Ah! who can tell the triumphs _of_ the mind,
_By_ truth illumin'd, and _by_ taste refin'd?"--_Rogers_.

EXCEPTION FIRST.

The preposition _to_, before an abstract infinitive, and at the head of a phrase which is made the subject of a verb, has no proper antecedent term of relation; as, "_To_ learn to die, is the great business of life."--_Dillwyn_. "Nevertheless, _to_ abide in the flesh, is more needful for you."--ST. PAUL: _Phil._, i, 24. "_To_ be reduced to poverty, is a great affliction."

"Too much _to_ know, is, to know nought but fame;
And every godfather can give a name."--_Shakspeare_.

EXCEPTION SECOND.

The preposition _for_, when it introduces its object before an infinitive, and the whole phrase is made the subject of a verb, has properly no antecedent term of relation; as, "_For_ us to learn to die, is the great business of life."--"Nevertheless, _for_ me to abide in the flesh, is more needful for you."--"_For_ an old man to be reduced to poverty is a very great affliction."

"_For_ man to tell how human life began,
Is hard; for who himself beginning knew?"--_Milton_.

OBSERVATIONS ON RULE XXIII.

OBS. 1.--In parsing any ordinary preposition, the learner should name the _two terms_ of the relation, and apply the foregoing rule, after the manner prescribed in Praxis 12th of this work. The principle is simple and etymological, being implied in the very definition of a preposition, yet not the less necessary to be given as a rule of syntax. Among tolerable writers, the prepositions exhibit more errors than any other equal number of words. This is probably owing to the careless manner in which they are usually slurred over in parsing. But the parsers, in general, have at least this excuse, that their text-books have taught them no better; they therefore call the preposition _a preposition_, and leave its use and meaning unexplained.

OBS. 2.--If the learner be at any loss to discover the true terms of relation, let him ask and answer _two questions_: first, with the interrogative _what_ before the preposition, to find the antecedent; and then, with the same pronoun after the preposition, to find the subsequent term. These questions answered according to the sense, will always give the true terms. For example: "They dashed that rapid torrent through."--_Scott_. Ques. _What_ through? Ans. "_Dashed through_." Ques. Through _what?_ Ans. "_Through that torrent_." For the meaning is--"They dashed through that rapid torrent." If one term is perfectly obvious, (as it almost always is,) find the other in this way; as, "Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge."--_Psal._, xix, 2. Ques. _What_ unto day? Ans. "_Uttereth unto day_." Ques. _What_ unto night? Ans. "_Showeth unto night_" For the meaning is--"Day uttereth speech unto day, and night showeth knowledge unto night." To parse rightly, is, to understand rightly; and what is well expressed, it is a shame to misunderstand or misinterpret. But sometimes the position of the two nouns is such, that it may require some reflection to find either; as,

"Or that choice plant, so grateful to the nose,
Which _in_ I know not what far country grows."--_Churchill_, p. 18.

OBS. 3.--When a preposition _begins_ or _ends_ a sentence or clause, the terms of relation, if both are given, are transposed; as, "To a studious _man_, action is a relief."--_Burgh_. That is, "Action is a relief _to_ a studious man." "_Science_ they [the ladies] do not _pretend_ TO."--_Id._ That is, "They do not pretend _to_ science." "Until I have done that _which_ I _have spoken_ to thee OF."--_Gen._, xxviii, 15. The word governed by the preposition is always the subsequent term of the relation, however it may be placed; and if this be a relative pronoun, the transposition is permanent. The preposition, however, may be put before any relative, except _that_ and _as_; and this is commonly thought to be its most appropriate place: as, "Until I have done that _of which_ I have spoken to thee," Of the placing of it last, Lowth says, "This is an idiom _which_ our language is strongly inclined _to_;" Murray and others, "This is an idiom _to which_ our language is strongly inclined:" while they all add, "it prevails in common conversation, and suits very well with the familiar style in writing; but the placing of the preposition before the relative, is more graceful, as well as more perspicuous, and agrees much better with the solemn and elevated style."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 95; _Murray's_, 8vo, p. 200; _Fisk's_, 141; _R. C. Smiths_, 167; _Ingersoll's_, 227; _Churchill's_. 150.

OBS. 4.--The terms of relation between which a preposition may be used, are very various. The _former_ or _antecedent_ term may be a noun, an adjective, a pronoun, a verb, a participle, or an adverb: and, in some instances, we find not only one preposition put before an other, but even a conjunction or an interjection used on this side; as, "_Because_ OF offences."--"_Alas_ FOR him!"--The _latter_ or _subsequent_ term, which is the word governed by the preposition, may be a noun, a pronoun, a pronominal adjective, an infinitive verb, or an imperfect or preperfect participle: and, in some instances, prepositions appear to govern adverbs, or even whole phrases. See the observations in the tenth chapter of Etymology.

OBS. 5.--Both terms of the relation are usually expressed; though either of them may, in some instances, be left out, the other being given: as, (1.) THE FORMER--"All shall know me, [_reckoning_] FROM the least to the greatest."--_Heb._, viii, 11. [_I say_] "IN a word, it would entirely defeat the purpose."--_Blair_. "When I speak of reputation, I mean not only [_reputation_] IN regard to knowledge, but [_reputation_] IN regard to the talent of communicating knowledge."--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 163; _Murray's Gram._, i, 360. (2.) THE LATTER--"Opinions and ceremonies [_which_] they would die FOR."--_Locke_. "IN [_those_] who obtain defence, or [_in those_] who defend."--_Pope_. "Others are more modest than [_what_] this comes TO."--_Collier's Antoninus_, p. 66.

OBS. 6.--The only proper exceptions to the foregoing rule, are those which are inserted above, unless the abstract infinitive used as a predicate is also to be excepted; as, "In both, to reason right, is _to_ submit."--_Pope_. But here most if not all grammarians would say, the verb "_is_" is the antecedent term, or what their syntax takes to govern the infinitive. The relation, however, is not such as when we say, "He _is to submit_;" that is, "He _must submit_, or _ought to submit_;" but, perhaps, to insist on a different mode of parsing the more separable infinitive or its preposition, would be a needless refinement. Yet some regard ought to be paid to the different relations which the infinitive may bear to this finite verb. For want of a due estimate of this difference, the following sentence is, I think, very faulty: "The great business of this life _is to prepare_, and _qualify us_, for the enjoyment of a better."--_Murray's Gram._, Vol. i, p. 373. If the author meant to tell what our great business in this life is, he should rather have said: "The great business of this life is, to prepare and qualify _ourselves_ for the enjoyment of a better."

OBS. 7.--In relation to the infinitive, Dr. Adam remarks, that, "_To_ in English is often taken _absolutely_; as, _To_ confess the truth; _To_ proceed; _To_ conclude."--_Latin and Eng. Gram._, p. 182. But the assertion is not entirely true; nor are his examples appropriate; for what he and many other grammarians call the _infinitive absolute_, evidently depends on something _understood_; and the preposition is, surely, in no instance independent of what follows it, and is therefore never entirely absolute. Prepositions are not to be supposed to have no antecedent term, merely because they stand at the head of a phrase or sentence which is made the subject of a verb; for the phrase or sentence itself often contains that term, as in the following example: "_In_ what way mind acts upon matter, is unknown." Here _in_ shows the relation between _acts_ and _way_; because the expression suggests, that mind _acts_ IN _some way_ upon matter.

OBS. 8.--The second exception above, wherever it is found applicable, cancels the first; because it introduces an antecedent term before the preposition _to_, as may be seen by the examples given. It is questionable too, whether both of them may not also be cancelled in an other way; that is, by transposition and the introduction of the pronoun _it_ for the nominative: as, "_It_ is a great _affliction_, TO _be reduced_ to poverty."--"_It_ is _hard_ FOR _man_ to tell how human life began."--"Nevertheless _it_ is more needful for you, THAT _I should abide_ in the flesh." We cannot so well say, "It is more needful _for you_, FOR _me to abide_ in the flesh;" but we may say, "It is, _on your account_, more needful FOR _me to abide_ in the flesh." If these, and other similar examples, are not to be accounted additional instances in which _to_ and _for_, and also the conjunction that, are without any proper antecedent terms, we must suppose these particles to show the relation between what precedes and what follows them.

OBS. 9.--The preposition (as its name implies) _precedes_ the word which it governs. Yet there are some exceptions. In the familiar style, a preposition governing a relative or an interrogative pronoun, is often separated from its object, and connected with the other term of relation; as, "_Whom_ did he speak _to_?" But it is more dignified, and in general more graceful, to place the preposition before the pronoun; as, "_To whom_ did he speak?" The relatives _that_ and _as_, if governed by a preposition, must always precede it. In some instances, the pronoun must be supplied in parsing; as, "To set off the banquet [_that_ or _which_] he gives notice _of_."--_Philological Museum_, i, 454. Sometimes the objective word is put first because it is emphatical; as, "_This_ the great understand, _this_ they pique themselves _upon_."--_Art of Thinking_, p. 66. Prepositions of more than one syllable, are sometimes put immediately after their objects, especially in poetry; as, "Known all the _world over_."--_Walker's Particles_ p. 291. "The thing is known all _Lesbos over_."--_Ibid._

"Wild Carron's lonely _woods among_."--_Langhorne_.

"Thy deep _ravines_ and _dells along_."--_Sir W. Scott_.

OBS. 10.--Two prepositions sometimes come together; as, "Lambeth is _over against_ Westminster abbey."--_Murray's Gram._, i, 118. "And _from before_ the lustre of her face, White break the clouds away."--_Thomson_. "And the meagre fiend Blows mildew _from between_ his shrivell'd lips."--_Cowper_. These, in most instances, though they are not usually written as compounds, appear naturally to coalesce in their syntax, as was observed in the tenth chapter of Etymology, and to express a sort of compound relation between the other terms with which they are connected. When such is their character, they ought to be taken together in parsing; for, if we parse them separately, we must either call the first an adverb, or suppose some very awkward ellipsis. Some instances however occur, in which an object may easily be supplied to the former word, and perhaps ought to be; as, "He is at liberty to sell it _at_ [a price] _above_ a fair remuneration."-- _Wayland's Moral Science_, p. 258. "And I wish they had been at the bottom of the ditch I pulled you out of, _instead of_ [being] _upon_ my back."--_Sandford and Merton_, p. 29. In such examples as the following, the first preposition, _of_, appears to me to govern the plural noun which ends the sentence; and the intermediate ones, _from_ and _to_, to have both terms of their relation _understood_: "Iambic verse consists _of from_ two _to_ six feet; that is, _of from_ four _to_ twelve syllables."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 119. "Trochaic verse consists _of from_ one to three feet."--_Ibid._ The meaning is--"Iambic verse consists _of feet_ varying in number from two to six; or (it consists) _of syllables_ varying from four to twelve."--"Trochaic verse consists _of feet_ varying from one _foot_ to three _feet_."

OBS. 11.--One antecedent term may have several prepositions depending on it, with one object after each, or more than one after any, or only one after both or all; as, "A declaration _for_ virtue and _against_ vice."--_Butler's Anal._, p. 157. "A positive law _against_ all fraud, falsehood, _and_ violence, and _for_, or _in_ favour _of_, all justice _and_ truth." "For _of_ him, and _through_ him, and _to_ him, are all things."--_Bible_. In fact, not only may the relation be simple in regard to all or any of the words, but it may also be complex in regard to all or any of them. Hence several different prepositions, whether they have different antecedent terms or only one and the same, may refer either jointly or severally to one object or to more. This follows, because not only may either antecedents or objects be connected by conjunctions, but prepositions also admit of this construction, with or without a connecting of their antecedents. Examples: "They are capable _of_, and placed _in_, different stations in the society of mankind."--_Butler's Anal._, p. 115. "Our perception _of_ vice _and_ ill desert arises _from_, and is the result _of_, a comparison _of_ actions _with_ the nature _and_ capacities _of_ the agent."--_Ib._, p. 279. "And the design _of_ this chapter is, _to_ inquire how far this is the case; how far, _over and above_ the moral nature which God has given us, _and_ our natural notion _of_ him, as righteous governor _of_ those his creatures _to_ whom he has given this nature; I say, how far, _besides_ this, the principles _and_ beginnings _of_ a moral government _over_ the world may be discerned, _notwithstanding and amidst_ all the confusion _and_ disorder _of_ it."--_Ib._, p. 85.

OBS. 12.--The preposition _into_, expresses a relation produced by motion or change; and _in_, the same relation, without reference to motion as having produced it: hence, "to walk _into_ the garden," and, "to walk _in_ the garden," are very different in meaning. "It is disagreeable to find a word split _into_ two by a pause."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, ii, 83. This appears to be right in sense, but because brevity is desirable in unemphatic particles, I suppose most persons would say, "split _in_ two." In the Bible we have the phrases, "rent _in_ twain,"--"cut _in_ pieces,"--"brake _in_ pieces the rocks,"--"brake all their bones _in pieces_,"--"brake them _to_ pieces,"--"broken _to_ pieces,"--"pulled _in_ pieces." In all these, except the first, _to_ may perhaps be considered preferable to _in_; and _into_ would be objectionable only because it is longer and less simple. "Half of them dare not shake the snow from off their cassocks, lest they shake themselves _to_ pieces."--SHAK.: _Kames_, ii, 246.

OBS. 13.--_Between_, or _betwixt_, is used in reference to two things or parties; _among_, or _amongst, amid_, or _amidst_, in reference to a greater number, or to something by which an other may be surrounded: as, "Thou pendulum _betwixt_ a smile and tear."--_Byron_. "The host _between the_ mountain and the shore."--_Id._ "To meditate _amongst_ decay, and stand a ruin _amidst_ ruins."--_Id._ In the following examples, the import of these prepositions is not very accurately regarded; "The Greeks wrote in capitals, and left no spaces between their words."--_Wilson's Essay_, p. 6. This construction may perhaps be allowed, because the spaces by which words are now divided, occur severally _between_ one word and an other; but the author might as well have said, "and left no spaces _to distinguish_ their words." "There was a hunting match agreed upon _betwixt_ a lion, an ass, and a fox."--_L'Estrange_. Here _by_ or _among_ would, I think, be better than _betwixt_, because the partners were more than two. "_Between_ two _or more_ authors, different readers will differ, exceedingly, as to the preference in point of merit."--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 162; _Jamieson's_, 40; _Murray's Gram._, i, 360. Say, "_Concerning_ two or more authors," because _between_ is not consistent with the word _more_. "Rising _one among another_ in the greatest confusion and disorder."--_Spect._, No. 476. Say, "Rising _promiscuously_," or, "Rising _all at once_;" for _among_ is not consistent with the distributive term _one an other_.

OBS. 14.--Of two prepositions coming together between the same terms of relation, and sometimes connected in the same construction, I have given several plain examples in this chapter, and in the tenth chapter of Etymology, a very great number, all from sources sufficiently respectable. But, in many of our English grammars, there is a stereotyped remark on this point, originally written by Priestley, which it is proper here to cite, as an other specimen of the Doctor's hastiness, and of the blind confidence of certain compilers and copyists: "Two different prepositions _must be improper_ in the same construction, and in the same sentence: [as,] _The combat_ between _thirty Britons_, against _twenty English_. Smollett's Voltaire, Vol. 2, p. 292."--_Priestley's Gram._, p. 156. Lindley Murray and others have the same remark, with the example altered thus: "The combat _between_ thirty _French against_ twenty English."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 200; _Smith's New Gram._, 167: _Fisk's_, 142; _Ingersoll's_, 228. W. Allen has it thus: "Two different prepositions in the _same construction_ are improper; as, a combat _between twenty_ French _against thirty_ English."--_Elements of E. Gram._, p. 179. He gives the odds to the latter party. Hiley, with no expense of thought, first takes from Murray, as he from Priestley, the useless remark, "Different relations, and different senses, must be expressed by different prepositions;" and then adds, "_One relation_ must not, _therefore_, be expressed by two different prepositions in the same clause; thus, 'The combat _between thirty_ French _against thirty_ English,' should be, 'The combat _between thirty_ French _and thirty_ English.'"--_Hiley's E. Gram._, p 97. It is manifest that the error of this example is not in the use of _two prepositions_, nor is there any truth or fitness in the note or notes made on it by all these critics; for had they said, "The combat _of_ thirty French _against_ twenty English," there would still be two prepositions, but where would be the impropriety, or where the sameness of construction, which they speak of? _Between_ is incompatible with _against_, only because it requires two parties or things for its own regimen; as, "The combat _between_ thirty _Frenchmen and_ twenty _Englishmen_." This is what Smollett should have written, to make sense with the word "_between_."

OBS. 15.--With like implicitness, Hiley excepted, these grammarians and others have adopted from Lowth an observation in which the learned doctor has censured quite too strongly the joint reference of different prepositions to the same objective noun: to wit, "Some writers separate the preposition from its noun, in order to connect different prepositions to the same noun; as, 'To suppose the zodiac and planets to be efficient _of_, and antecedent _to_, themselves.' Bentley, Serm. 6. This [construction], whether in the familiar or the solemn style, is _always inelegant_; and _should never be admitted_, but in forms of law, and the like; where fullness and exactness of expression must take _place_ of every other consideration."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 96; _Murray's_, i, 200; _Smith's_, 167; _Fisk's_, 141; _Ingersoll's_, 228; _Alger's_, 67; _Picket's_, 207. Churchill even goes further, both strengthening the censure, and disallowing the exception: thus, "This, whether in the solemn or in the familiar style, is _always_ inelegant, and should _never be admitted_. It is an _awkward shift_ for avoiding the repetition of a word, _which might be accomplished without it_ by any person who has the least command of language."--_New Gram._, p. 341. Yet, with all their command of language, not one of these gentlemen has told us how the foregoing sentence from Bentley may be _amended_; while many of their number not only venture to use different prepositions before the same noun, but even to add a phrase which puts that noun in the nominative case: as, "Thus, the time of the infinitive may be _before, after_, or _the same as_, the time of the governing verb, according as the _thing_ signified by the infinitive is supposed to be _before, after_, or _present with_, the _thing_ denoted by the governing verb."--_Murray's Gram._, i, 191; _Ingersoll's_, 260; _R. C. Smith's_, 159.

OBS. 16.--The structure of this example not only contradicts palpably, and twice over, the doctrine cited above, but one may say of the former part of it, as Lowth, Murray, and others do, (in no very accurate English,) of the text 1 Cor., ii, 9: "There seems to be an impropriety in this sentence, in which the same noun serves in a double capacity, performing at the same time the _offices both of the nominative and objective cases_."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 224. See also _Lowth's Gram._, p. 73; _Ingersoll's_, 277; _Fisk's_, 149; _Smith's_, 185. Two other examples, exactly like that which is so pointedly censured above, are placed by Murray under his thirteenth rule for the comma; and these likewise, with all faithfulness, are copied by Ingersoll, Smith, Alger, Kirkham, Comly, Russell, and I know not how many more. In short, not only does this rule of their punctuation include the construction in question; but the following exception to it, which is remarkable for its various faults, or thorough faultiness, is applicable to _no other_: "Sometimes, when the _word_ with which the _last_ preposition _agrees_, is _single_, it is better to _omit_ the comma before it: as, 'Many states were in alliance _with_, and under the protection _of_ Rome.'"--_Murray's Gram._, p. 272; _Smith's_, 190; _Ingersoll's_, 284; _Kirkham's_, 215; _Alger's_, 79; _Alden's_, 149; _Abel Flint's_, 103; _Russell's_, 115. But the blunders and contradictions on this point, end not here. Dr. Blair happened most unlearnedly to say, "What is called splitting of particles, or separating a preposition from the noun which it governs, is _always to be avoided_. As if I should say, 'Though virtue borrows no assistance from, yet it may often be accompanied by, the advantages of fortune.'"--_Lect. XII_, p. 112. This too, though the author himself did not _always_ respect the rule, has been thought worthy to be copied, or stolen, with all its faults! See _Jamieson's Rhetoric_, p. 93; and _Murray's Octavo Gram._, p. 319.

OBS. 17.--Dr. Lowth says, "The noun _aversion_, (that is, a turning away,) as likewise the adjective _averse_, seems to require the preposition _from_ after it; and not so properly to admit of _to_, or _for_, which are often used with it."--_Gram._, p. 98. But this doctrine has not been adopted by the later grammarians: "The words _averse_ and _aversion_ (says Dr. Campbell) are more properly construed with _to_ than with _from_. The examples in favour of the latter preposition, are beyond comparison outnumbered by those in favour of the former."--_Murray's Gram._, i, 201; _Fisk's_, 142; _Ingersoll's_, 229. This however must be understood only of mental aversion. The expression of Milton, "On the coast _averse from_ entrance," would not be improved, if _from_ were changed to _to_. So the noun _exception_, and the verb to _except_, are sometimes followed by _from_, which has regard to the Latin particle _ex_, with which the word commences; but the noun at least is much more frequently, and perhaps more properly, followed by _to_. Examples: "Objects of horror must be _excepted from_ the foregoing theory."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, ii, 268. "_From_ which there are but two _exceptions_, both of them rare."--_Ib._, ii. 89. "_To_ the rule that fixes the pause after the fifth portion, there is one _exception_, and no more."--_Ib._, ii, 84. "No _exception_ can be taken _to_ the justness of the figure."--_Ib._, ii, 37. "Originally there was no _exception_ from the rule."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 58. "_From_ this rule there is mostly an _exception_."--_Murray's Gram._, i, 269. "But _to_ this rule there are many _exceptions._"--_Ib._, i. 240. "They are not to be regarded as exceptions _from_ the rule,"--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 363.

OBS. 18.--After correcting the example. "He _knows_ nothing _on_ [of] it," Churchill remarks, "There seems to be a strange perverseness among the _London vulgar_ in perpetually substituting _on_ for _of_, and _of_ for _on_."--_New Gram._, p. 345. And among the expressions which Campbell censures under the name of _vulgarism_, are the following: "'Tis my humble request you will be particular in speaking _to_ the following points."--_Guardian_, No. 57. "The preposition ought to have been _on_. Precisely of the same stamp is the _on't_ for _of it_, so much used by one class of writers."--_Philosophy of Rhet._, p. 217. So far as I have observed, the use of _of_ for _on_ has never been frequent; and that of _on_ for _of_, or _on't_ for _of it_, though it may never have been a polite custom, is now a manifest _archaism_, or imitation of ancient usage. "And so my young Master, whatever comes _on't_, must have a Wife look'd out for him."--_Locke, on Ed._, p. 378. In Saxon, _on_ was put for more than half a dozen of our present prepositions. The difference between _of_ and _on_ or _upon_, appears in general to be obvious enough; and yet there are some phrases in which it is not easy to determine which of these words ought to be preferred: as, "Many things they cannot _lay hold on_ at once."--HOOKER: _Joh. Dict._ "Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and _took hold of_ it."--2 SAM.: _ib._ "Rather thou shouldst _lay hold upon_ him."--BEN JONSON: _ib._ "Let them find courage to _lay hold on_ the occasion."--MILTON: _ib._ "The hand is fitted to _lay hold of_ objects."--RAY: _ib._ "My soul _took hold on_ thee."--ADDISON: _ib._ "To _lay hold of_ this safe, this only method of cure."--ATTERBURY: _ib._ "And _give_ fortune no more _hold_ of him."--DRYDEN: _ib._ "And his laws _take_ the surest _hold of_ us."--TILLOTSON: _ib._ "It will then be impossible you can _have_ any _hold upon_ him."--SWIFT: _ib._ "The court of Rome gladly _laid hold on_ all the opportunities."--_Murray's Key_, ii, p. 198. "Then did the officer _lay hold of_ him and execute him."--_Ib._, ii, 219. "When one can _lay hold upon_ some noted fact."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 311. "But when we would _lay_ firm _hold of_ them."--_Ib._, p. 28. "An advantage which every one is glad to _lay hold of_."--_Ib._, p. 75. "To have _laid_ fast _hold of_ it in his mind."--_Ib._, p. 94. "I would advise them to lay aside their common-places, and to _think_ closely _of_ their subject."--_Ib._, p. 317. "Did they not _take hold of_ your fathers?"--_Zech._, i, 6. "Ten men shall _take hold of_ the skirt of one that is a Jew."--_Ib._, viii, 23. "It is wrong to say, either 'to _lay_ hold _of_ a thing,' or 'to _take_ hold _on_ it.'"--_Blair's Gram._, p. 101. In the following couplet, _on_ seems to have been preferred only for a rhyme:

"Yet, lo! in me what authors have to _brag on_!
Reduc'd at last to hiss in my own dragon."--_Pope_.

OBS. 19.--In the allowable uses of prepositions, there may perhaps be some room for choice; so that what to the mind of a critic may not appear the fittest word, may yet be judged not positively ungrammatical. In this light I incline to view the following examples: "Homer's plan is still more defective, _upon_ another account."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, ii, 299. Say--"_on an other_ account." "It was almost eight _of the_ clock before I could leave that variety of objects."--_Spectator_, No. 454. Present usage requires--"eight _o_'clock." "The Greek and Latin writers had a considerable advantage _above_ us."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 114. "The study of oratory has this advantage _above_ that of poetry."--_Ib._, p. 338. "A metaphor has frequently an advantage _above_ a formal comparison."-- _Jamieson's Rhet._, p. 150. This use of _above_ seems to be a sort of Scotticism: an Englishman, I think, would say--"advantage _over_ us," &c. "Hundreds have all these crowding upon them from morning _to_ night."-- _Abbott's Teacher_, p. 33. Better--"from morning _till_ night." But Horne Tooke observes, "We apply TO indifferently to _place_ or _time_; but TILL to _time_ only, and never to _place_. Thus we may say, 'From morn TO night th' eternal larum rang;' or, 'From morn TILL night.' &c."--_Diversions of Purley_, i, 284.

NOTES TO RULE XXIII.

NOTE I.--Prepositions must be chosen and employed agreeably to the usage and idiom of the language, so as rightly to express the relations intended. Example of error: "By which we arrive _to_ the last division."--_Richard W. Green's Gram._, p. vii. Say,--"arrive _at_." NOTE II.--Those prepositions which are particularly adapted in meaning to _two objects_, or to _more_, ought to be confined strictly to the government of such terms only as suit them. Example of error: "What is _Person_? It is the _medium of_ distinction _between_ the _speaker_, the _object_ addressed or spoken _to_, and the _object_ spoken _of_."--_O. B. Peirce's Gram._, p. 34. "_Between three_" is an incongruity; and the text here cited is bad in several other respects.

NOTE III.--An _ellipsis_ or _omission_ of the preposition is inelegant, except where long and general use has sanctioned it, and made the relation sufficiently intelligible. In the following sentence, _of_ is needed: "I will not flatter you, that all I see in you is _worthy love_."-- _Shakspeare_. The following requires _from_: "Ridicule _is banished France_, and is losing ground in England."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, i, 106.

NOTE IV.--The _insertion_ of a preposition is also inelegant, when the particle is needless, or when it only robs a transitive verb of its proper regimen; as, "The people of England may congratulate _to_ themselves."--DRYDEN: _Priestley's Gram._, p. 163. "His servants ye are, _to_ whom ye obey."--_Rom._, vi, 16.

NOTE V.--The preposition and its object should have that position in respect to other words, which will render the sentence the most perspicuous and agreeable. Examples of error: "Gratitude is a forcible and active principle in good and generous minds."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 169. Better: "In good and generous minds, gratitude is a forcible and active principle." "By a single stroke, he knows how to reach the heart."-- _Blair's Rhet._, p. 439. Better: "He knows how to reach the heart by a single stroke."

IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.

FALSE SYNTAX UNDER RULE XXIII.

EXAMPLES UNDER NOTE I.--CHOICE OF PREPOSITIONS.

"You have bestowed your favours to the most deserving persons."--_Swift, on E. Tongue_.

[FORMULE.--Not proper because the relation between _have bestowed_ and _persons_ is not correctly expressed by the preposition _to_. But, according to Note 1st under Rule 23d, "Prepositions must be chosen and employed agreeably to the usage and idiom of the language, so as rightly to express the relations intended." This relation would be better expressed by _upon_; thus, "You have bestowed your favours _upon_ the most deserving persons."]

"But to rise beyond that, and overtop the crowd, is given to few."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 351. "This also is a good sentence, and gives occasion to no material remark."--_Ib._, p. 201. "Though Cicero endeavours to give some reputation of the elder Cato, and those who were his cotemporaries."--_Ib._, p. 245. "The change that was produced on eloquence, is beautifully described in the Dialogue."--_Ib._, p. 249. "Without carefully attending to the variation which they make upon the idea."--_Ib._, p. 367. "All of a sudden, you are transported into a lofty palace."--_Hazlitt's Lect._, p. 70. "Alike independent on one another."--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 398. "You will not think of them as distinct processes going on independently on each other,"--_Channing's Self-Culture_, p. 15. "Though we say, to _depend on, dependent on_, and _independent on_, we say, _independently of_."--_Churchill's Gram._, p. 348. "Independently on the rest of the sentence."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 78; _Guy's_, 88; _Murray's_, i, 145 and 184; _Ingersoll's_, 150; _Frost's_, 46; _Fisk's_, 125; _Smith's New Gram._, 156; _Gould's Lat. Gram._, 209; _Nixon's Parser_, 65. "Because they stand independent on the rest of the sentence."--_Fisk's Gram._, p. 111. "When a substantive is joined with a participle in English independently in the rest of the sentence."--_Adam's Lat. and Eng. Gram., Boston Ed. of 1803_, p. 213; _Albany Ed. of 1820_, p. 166. "Conjunction, comes of the two Latin words _con_, together, and _jungo_, to join."--_Merchant's School Gram._, p. 19. "How different to this is the life of Fulvia!"--_Addison's Spect._, No. 15. "_Loved_ is a participle or adjective, derived of the word _love_."--_Dr. Ash's Gram._, p. 27. "But I would inquire at him, what an office is?"--_Barclay's Works_, iii, 463. "For the capacity is brought unto action."--_Ib._, iii, 420. "In this period, language and taste arrive to purity."--_Webster's Essays_, p. 94. "And should you not aspire at distinction in the republick of letters."--_Kirkham's Gram._, p. 13. "Delivering you up to the synagogues, and in prisons."--_Keith's Evidences_, p. 55. "One that is kept from falling in a ditch, is as truly saved, as he that is taken out of one."--_Barclay's Works_, i, 312. "The best on it is, they are but a sort of French Hugonots."--_Addison, Spect._, No. 62. "These last Ten Examples are indeed of a different Nature to the former."--_Johnson's Gram. Com._, p. 333. "For the initiation of students in the principles of the English language."--ANNUAL REVIEW: _Murray's Gram._, ii, 299. "Richelieu profited of every circumstance which the conjuncture afforded,"--_Bolingbroke, on Hist._, p. 177. "In the names of drugs and plants, the mistake in a word may endanger life."--_Murray's Key_, ii, 165. "In order to the carrying on its several parts into execution."--_Butler's Analogy_, p. 192. "His abhorrence to the superstitious figure."--HUME: _Priestley's Gram._, p. 164. "Thy prejudice to my cause."--DRYDEN: _ib._, p. 164. "Which is found among every species of liberty."--HUME: _ib._, p. 169. "In a hilly region to the north of Jericho."--_Milman's Jews_, Vol. i, p. 8. "Two or more singular nouns, coupled with AND, require a verb and pronoun in the plural."--_Lennie's Gram._, p. 83.

"Books should to one of these four ends conduce,
For wisdom, piety, delight, or use."--_Denham_, p. 239.

UNDER NOTE II.--TWO OBJECTS OR MORE.

"The Anglo-Saxons, however, soon quarrelled between themselves for precedence."--_Constable's Miscellany_, xx, p. 59. "The distinctions between the principal parts of speech are founded in nature."--_Webster's Essays_, p. 7. "I think I now understand the difference between the active, passive, and neuter verbs."--_Ingersoll's Gram._, p. 124. "Thus a figure including a space between three lines, is the real as well as nominal essence of a triangle."--_Locke's Essay_, p. 303. "We must distinguish between an imperfect phrase, a simple sentence, and a compound sentence."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 117; _Murray's_, i, 267; _Ingersoll's_, 280; _Guy's_, 97. "The Jews are strictly forbidden by their law, to exercise usury among one another."--_Sale's Koran_, p. 177. "All the writers have distinguished themselves among one another."--_Addison_. "This expression also better secures the systematic uniformity between the three cases."--_Nutting's Gram._, p. 98. "When a disjunctive occurs between two or more Infinitive Modes, or clauses, the verb must be singular."-- _Jaudon's Gram._, p. 95. "Several nouns or pronouns together in the same case, not united by _and_, require a comma between each."--_Blair's Gram._, p. 115. "The difference between the several vowels is produced by opening the mouth differently, and placing the tongue in a different manner for each."--_Churchill's Gram._, p. 2. "Thus feet composed of syllables, being pronounced with a sensible interval between each, make a more lively impression than can be made by a continued sound."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, Vol. ii, p. 32. "The superlative degree implies a comparison between three or more."--_Smith's Productive Gram._, p. 51. "They are used to mark a distinction between several objects."--_Levizac's Gram._, p. 85.

UNDER NOTE III.--OMISSION OF PREPOSITIONS.

"This would have been less worthy notice."--_Churchill's Gram._, p. 197. "But I passed it, as a thing unworthy my notice."--_Werter_. "Which, in compliment to me, perhaps, you may, one day, think worthy your attention."--_Bucke's Gram._, p. 81. "To think this small present worthy an introduction to the young ladies of your very elegant establishment."-- _Ib._, p. iv. "There are but a few miles portage."--_Jefferson's Notes on Virginia_, p. 17. "It is worthy notice, that our mountains are not solitary."--_Ib._, p. 26. "It is of about one hundred feet diameter."-- _Ib._, 33. "Entering a hill a quarter or half a mile."--_Ib._, p. 47. "And herself seems passing to that awful dissolution, whose issue is not given human foresight to scan."--_Ib._, p. 100. "It was of a spheroidical form, of about forty feet diameter at the base, and had been of about twelve feet altitude."--_Ib._, p. 143. "Before this it was covered with trees of twelve inches diameter, and round the base was an excavation of five feet depth and width."--_Ibid._ "Then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure."--_Deut._, xxiii, 24. "Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary."--_Ezekiel_, xliv, 1. "They will bless God that he has peopled one half the world with a race of freemen."--_Webster's Essays_, p. 94. "What use can these words be, till their meaning is known?"--_Town's Analysis_, p. 7. "The tents of the Arabs now are black, or a very dark colour."--_The Friend_, Vol. v, p. 265. "They may not be unworthy the attention of young men."--_Kirkham's Elocution_, p. 157. "The pronoun that is frequently applied to persons, as well as things."-- _Merchant's Gram._, p. 87. "And _who_ is in the same case that _man_ is."--_Sanborn's Gram._, p. 148. "He saw a flaming stone, apparently about four feet diameter."--_The Friend_, vii, 409. "Pliny informs us, that this stone was the size of a cart."--_Ibid._ "Seneca was about twenty years of age in the fifth year of Tiberius, when the Jews were expelled Rome."--_Seneca's Morals_, p. 11. "I was prevented[438] reading a letter which would have undeceived me."--_Hawkesworth, Adv._, No. 54. "If the problem can be solved, we may be pardoned the inaccuracy of its demonstration."--_Booth's Introd._, p. 25. "The army must of necessity be the school, not of honour, but effeminacy."--_Brown's Estimate_, i. 65. "Afraid of the virtue of a nation, in its opposing bad measures."--_Ib._, i, 73. "The uniting them in various ways, so as to form words, would be easy."--_Music of Nature_, p. 34. "I might be excused taking any more notice of it."--_Watson's Apology_, p. 65. "Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."--_Matt._, xxiv, 42. "Here, not even infants were spared the sword."--_M'Ilvaine's Lectures_, p. 313. "To prevent men turning aside to corrupt modes of worship."--_Calvin's Institutes_, B. I, Ch. 12, Sec. 1. "God expelled them the Garden of Eden."--_Burder's Hist._, Vol. i, p. 10. "Nor could he refrain expressing to the senate the agonies of his mind"--_Art of Thinking_, p. 123. "Who now so strenuously opposes the granting him any new powers."--_Duncan's Cicero_, p. 127. "That the laws of the censors have banished him the forum."--_Ib._, p. 140. "We read not that he was degraded his office any other way."--_Barclay's Works_, iii, 149. "To all whom these presents shall come, Greeting."--_Hutchinson's Mass._, i, 459. "On the 1st, August, 1834."--_British Act for the Abolition of Slavery_.

"Whether you had not some time in your life
Err'd in this point which now you censure him."--_Shak_.

UNDER NOTE IV.--OF NEEDLESS PREPOSITIONS.

"And the apostles and elders came together to consider of this matter."--_Barclay's Works_, i, 481. "And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter."--_Acts_, xv, 6. "Adjectives in our Language have neither Case, Gender, nor Number; the only Variation they have is by Comparison."--_Buchanan's Gram._, p. 27. "'It is to you, that I am indebted for this privilege;' that is, 'to you am I indebted;' or, 'It is to you to whom I am indebted.'"--_Sanborn's Gram._, p. 232. "_Books_ is a noun, of the third person, plural number, of neuter gender,"-- _Ingersoll's Gram._, p. 15. "_Brother's_ is a common substantive, of the masculine gender, the third person, the singular number, and in the possessive case."--_Murray's Gram._, i, 229. "_Virtue's_ is a common substantive, of the third person, the singular number, and in the possessive case."--_Ib._, i, 228. "When the authorities on one side greatly preponderate, it is in vain to oppose the prevailing usage."--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 173; _Murray's Gram._, i, 367. "A captain of a troop of banditti, had a mind to be plundering of Rome."--_Collier's Antoninus_, p. 51. "And, notwithstanding of its Verbal power, we have added the _to_ and other signs of exertion."--_Booth's Introd._, p. 28. "Some of these situations are termed CASES, and are expressed by additions to the Noun instead of by separate words."--_Ib._, p. 33. "Is it such a fast that I have chosen, that a man should afflict his soul for a day, and to bow down his head like a bulrush?"--_Bacon's Wisdom_, p. 65. "And this first emotion comes at last to be awakened by the accidental, instead of, by the necessary antecedent."--_Wayland's Moral Science_, p. 17. "At about the same time, the subjugation of the Moors was completed."--_Balbi's Geog._, p. 269. "God divided between the light and between the darkness."-- _Burder's Hist._, i, 1. "Notwithstanding of this, we are not against outward significations of honour."--_Barclay's Works_, i, 242. "Whether these words and practices of Job's friends, be for to be our rule."--_Ib._, i, 243. "Such verb cannot admit of an objective case after it."--_Lowth's Gram._, "For which God is now visibly punishing of these Nations."--_Right of Tythes_, "In this respect, Tasso yields to no poet, except to Homer."--_Blair's Rhet._, "Notwithstanding of the numerous panegyrics on the ancient English liberty."--HUME: _Priestley's Gram._, "Their efforts seemed to anticipate on the spirit, which became so general afterwards."--_Id., ib._, p. 167.

UNDER NOTE V.--THE PLACING OF THE WORDS.

"But how short are my expressions of its excellency!"--_Baxter_. "There is a remarkable union in his style, of harmony with ease."--_Blair's Rhet._, "It disposes in the most artificial manner, of the light and shade, for viewing every thing to the best advantage."--"Aristotle too holds an eminent rank among didactic writers for his brevity."--"In an introduction, correctness should be carefully studied in the expression."--"Precision is to be studied, above all things in laying down a method."--"Which shall make the impression on the mind of something that is one, whole and entire."--"At the same time, there are some defects which must be acknowledged in the Odyssey."--"Beauties, however, there are, in the concluding books, of the tragic kind."--"These forms of conversation by degrees multiplied and grew troublesome."--_Spectator_, No. 119. "When she has made her own choice, for form's sake, she sends a congé-d'-élire to her friends."--"Let us endeavour to establish to ourselves an interest in him who holds the reins of the whole creation in his hand."--"Let us endeavour to establish to ourselves an interest in him, who, in his hand, holds the reins of the whole creation."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, ii, 53. "The most frequent measure next to this in English poetry is that of eight syllables."--_Blair's Gram._, "To introduce as great a variety as possible of cadences."--_Jamieson's Rhet._, "He addressed several exhortations to them suitable to their circumstances."--_Murray's Key_, ii, "Habits must be acquired of temperance and self-denial."--"In reducing the rules prescribed to practice."--_Murray's Gram._, "But these parts must be so closely bound together as to make the impression upon the mind, of one object, not of many."--_Blair's Rhet._, "Errors are sometimes committed by the most distinguished writer, with respect to the use of _shall_ and _will_"--_Butler's Pract. Gram._,