Page images
PDF
EPUB

PART III.

41. In the meantime, I will have to take the case as it stands. 42. Will I find you at home this evening?

43. If I stayed there I would offend the archbishop.

44. A few inches more or less in a lady's height makes a great difference.

45. I cannot help thinking that the proprietor of the hotel has not told all he knew.

46. If he was to find out that it was me who wrote it, he would be very angry.

47. 'Twas Love's mistake who fancied what it feared.

48. The tidings of his return give joy.

49. No office in the church, no preferment in the state, but go to the king's friends.

50. If we act thus, we will be miserable ourselves and will make others miserable.

51. I will now accept your kind invitation.

52. Every grape-vine and fig-tree are stripped of their foliage. 53. A person can rest as well in a parlor car as they could in their own parlor.

54. He works as if his life depended on him attaining the position.

55. Addison thought that a person was bound to be cheerful. 56. There is in this country but few young persons who may not attend school.

57. Every boy and girl should avail themselves of any opportunity to get an education.

58. Your challenge should soon be answered if your antagonist was here.

59. If Ivanhoe ever return from Palestine, I shall be his surety that he meet you.

60. The carefully kept memoranda shows that physics are rapidly becoming a popular study.

PART IV.

61. Every train and boat were crowded on civic holiday. 62. Either you or I are the one who they have selected. 63. The ashes was taken out of the grate.

64. The measles are very prevalent at this season.

65. Each of these courses have their own special difficulties. 66. If a man was to come back who had lived a hundred years ago, should he not think the world was going crazy.

67. Every subordinate clause may be modified as if it was a principal clause.

68. For in cheerfulness the spirits does a little go and come. 69. The captain, with many of the crew, were lost in the

storm.

70. He reached the end of his journey half an hour earlier than he expected.

71. If ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

72. He said the Mississippi ran through the United States.

73. If he was now living, he would have sufficient judgment to wish to be shown as he was.

74. The sunshine and rain is making the flowers open.

75. It is evident that large pile of icebergs are sailing around in the Atlantic.

76. The generality of his hearers refuses to accept his views. 77. A considerable number were inclined to withdraw its support.

78. Did you ever hear what that man's name was?

79. To instruct and preserve society are one of the designs of the Christian religion.

80. He supported those whom he thought supported him.

PART V.

81. They said he had went away and broke his pledge; at any rate he drunk several glasses and begun to stagger in his gait.

82. I shall have great pleasure in accepting your invitation. 83. When he died, his son and namesake and successor were an infant.

84. Oxygen and nitrogen united, forms the air we breathe. 85. One half of men do not know how the other half lives. 86. "Don't cry about it," said Midas, that was ashamed to confess that he himself had wrought the change that afflicted her. 87. He was sure that the objects that he had been watching was only cattle.

88. He would have done a great deal better, if he took a different course.

89. Her knights, her dames, her court were there.

90. There are many that can testify that that man was not there.

91. Each of the members of the committee made their report. 92. The moral and religious element of the community were aroused.

93. I have examined both the methods and believe the first to be the best.

94. The report of the mayor and clerk were presented.

95. News were sent that the gallows were erected.

96. The traveller did not feel well, yet he ate a hearty meal. 97. My friend and companion have often warned me of the danger.

98. Praise from a friend or censure from a foe are lost on hearers who know our merits.

99. The last month or two has been spent among the islands. 100. Hoping that I will hear from you as soon as convenient, I will subscribe myself, Yours truly.

LESSON XVI.

PROPRIETY.

Propriety consists in using words in the sense they bear in the usage of the best writers and speakers.

Importance of Propriety. If a writer or speaker does not use a word as it is understood by the reader or listener, he cannot convey the meaning he intends, or, if he does, it will be because his reader or listener has, from the context, seen the intended meaning and mentally substituted the correct word. Hence it is of the utmost importance that words should be used in their general, well-understood, and established sense. To be able to do this requires time and patient toil, and he who is unwilling to accept the task on these terms may never hope to succeed either in writing correctly or in understanding his own language.

Impropriety.—The application of a word in a sense not authorized by good usage, is called Impropriety.

Examples. A few examples are given to illustrate more fully what is to be avoided and what is to be attained.

Predicate (Latin predicare, to publish or state) means simply to affirm in regard to something that already is, but it is frequently found in the sense of "foretell" or "predict"; as, "It is impossible to predicate what he will or will not do."

Expect is very widely used in the sense of suppose, think, guess; as, "I expect you had much trouble on that occasion." Expect refers only to that which is to come, and which, therefore, is looked for (ex, out, and spectare, to look). We cannot expect backwards.

Adopt is often used for "decide upon," and for " to take"; as, "The measures adopted, as the result of his inquiry, will be productive of good."

Caption is derived from Latin capere, to take, not from caput,

the head. Hence it means seizure, or the act of taking, not

heading.

Appreciate (from ap, to, and pretium, price), means to estimate Hence we cannot say, "I appreciate your kindness

justly. highly."

Demean is not from mean, low, but from the French démener, to conduct one's self.

Restive. This word, which means inclined to rest, obstinate, unwilling to go, is frequently employed in a sense directly the reverse of this; that is, for uneasy, restless.

Avocation is often used for vocation, or calling. A man's avocations are those pursuits or amusements which engage his attention when he is called away from his regular business or profession, as music, fishing, or boating.

Rendition is sometimes used for rendering; as, " Mr. Booth's rendition of Hamlet." Rendition means surrender, giving up; as, when we speak of the rendition of a beleagured town to the besieger.

Condign is from con, and dignus, worthy, and signifies deserved or merited. Many who use it seem to think it means severe; as, "The villain received condign punishment."

Quite means entirely, completely, a fact that is lost sight of when it is placed before a noun; as, "They collected quite a sum."

Witness (A.S. witnesse, knowledge) is to bear testimony of what one knows by personal observation. We should not say, "I never witnessed such a lovely day."

Pell-mell implies a number in confusion; so it is absurd to say of one person, "He rushed out pell-mell."

Get means to obtain by a voluntary effort. We should not say, "I have got a cold," or "I have got a house to sell."

Alternative.

An alternative is one choice out of two (Latin,

alter, one of two).

Female should not be used for woman or lady.

Allow is to give by measure or in due proportion. A father allows his son a reasonable amount of spending money. Such

« PreviousContinue »