An other very common error,—the using of a wrong tense of the verb "to be",-occurs on page 367; there he says;

66

"As the communication of these internal feelings, was of much more consequence in our social "intercourse, than the mere conveyance of ideas, "the Author of our being did not, as in that conveyance, leave the invention of the language "of emotion, to man; but impressed it Himself 66 upon our nature".

66

Had Lindley Murray been speaking, not of a universal truth, but of a circumstance that was peculiar to the past, his sentence would have been correct; but he himself says, on page 283; "In referring to declarations of this nature, 'the present tense must be used, if the position "is immutably the same at all times, or supposed

66

66

666

to be so: as, "The bishop declared, that virtue

is always advantageous': not, was always "'advantageous"". According to Lindley Murray's own showing, then, he ought to have said;— "As the communication of these internal feelings "is of much more consequence in our social "intercourse", etc.

Some persons, intending to be strictly accurate in their expressions, always say;-" if it be",

though it were"; never, "if it is", "though it "was". They imagine that "if", "though", and certain other conjunctions which imply contingency, ought always to be followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood. But it is only when there is a concurrence of contingency and futurity, that the verb should be in the subjunctive mood. When there is either contingency without futurity, or futurity without contingency, the verb must be in the indicative mood. The only exception to this rule occurs in the use of the imperfect tense of the verb "to be," when our language is intended to denote contingency merely. The verb must then be in the subjunctive mood. See Lindley Murray's observations on Rule XIX of his Grammar.' But, notice how widely his practice diverges from his precepts :

Page 51.-" A consonant is not of itself a distinct "articulate voice; and its influence in varying the "tones of language is not clearly perceived, unless "it be [is] accompanied by an opening of the mouth, that is, by a vowel."

Page 64.-"If this be [is] admitted, it follows, that "the noun and the verb are the only parts of

66

speech, which are essentially necessary."

Page 193.-" When a discourse is not well connected, "the sentiments, however just, are easily for

66

gotten; or, if a few be [are] remembered, yet "their general scope and tendency, having never "been clearly apprehended, is [are] not remem"bered at all."

The reader will perceive, by the italicised words in the foregoing quotations, that in each instance the time of the action is present, not future. Therefore, the verb which follows the conjunction ought to be in the indicative mood.

The last of the passages quoted contains two errors; for, Lindley Murray errs not only in employing the subjunctive mood, but also in putting in the singular number, a verb, to which the nominative is in the plural. Thus he violates his second rule of syntax, which says;-" Two "or more nouns, etc. in the singular number, "joined together by a copulative conjunction, expressed or understood, must have verbs, "nouns, and pronouns, agreeing with them in "the plural number ".-Page 225.

66

Again, "It is evidently contrary to the first "principles of grammar, to consider two distinct "ideas as one, however nice may be their shades "of difference: and if there be no difference,

66

one of them must be superfluous, and ought to "be rejected."-Page 226.

Dr. Blair, also, whom Lindley Murray quotes, observes that, "two or more substantives, joined "by a copulative, must always require the verb "or [the] pronoun to which they refer, to be "placed in the plural number." Lindley Murray adds, on page 227 ;—" and this is the general sen"timent of English grammarians.” Yet, he himself says, in the quotation which I have given;—" their scope and tendency is [they is!] "not remembered at all."

These errors occur in the best edition of 'Lindley Murray's Grammar'; an edition published under the supervision of the author; and after his work had been one-and-twenty years before the public!

CRITICISM II.

LINDLEY MURRAY.

FROM the consideration of Lindley Murray's errors in the use of verbs, let us now turn to that of his errors in the use of adverbs. He says, on page 290; "Adverbs, though they have no government "of case, tense, etc. require an appropriate situa"tion in the sentence". Undoubtedly they do; and that situation, as we learn from page 445, is, as near as possible to the words which are most closely related to them. But has Lindley Murray uniformly placed his adverbs in appropriate situations ? Certainly not. I read as

Page 236.-"A term which only implies the idea of 66 persons".

This should have been;-"A term which im"plies the idea of persons only".

Page 365.-"When the voice is only suspended for a 66 moment".