Part 3 (1/2)
needed to be retouched, the book is presented to the world under the following pretensions:
”The author of this production has endeavoured to condense _all the most important subject-matter of the whole science_, and present it in so small a compass that the learner can become familiarly acquainted with it in a _short tiinality in theoretical matter Most of the principles laid down, have been selected froists_ If his work is entitled to any degree of _merit_, it is not on account of a judicious selection of principles and rules, but for the easy_these_ to the mind of the learner”--_Kirkham's Grammar_, 1825, p 10
23 It will be found on exaarded as _”all the ra raphy, etyue--beyond which his scholarshi+p appears not to have extended Whatsoever relates to derivation, to the sounds of the letters, to prosody, (as punctuation, utterance, figures, versification, and poetic diction,) found no place in his ”coras a well; for he is a bad writer
Co his career of authorshi+p under circuement from commendations bestowed in pity, he proceeded, like a man of business, to profiteither the feelings or the habits of a scholar, soon learned by experience that, ”It is much better to _write_ than [to]
_starve_”--_Kirkham's Gram, Stereotyped_, p 89 It is cruel in any man, to look narrowly into the faults of an author who peddles a school-book for bread The starveling wretch whose defence and plea are poverty and sickness, demands, and must have, in the name of hue of the public Far be it from me, to notice any such character, except with kindness and charity Nor need I be told, that tenderness is due to the ”young;” or that noble results sos are understood and duly appreciated The gentle once, even as he says; and I, his equal in years, was then, in authorshi+p, as young--though, it were to be hoped, not quite so immature But, as circumstances alter cases, so time and chance alter circumstances Under no circuht excusable in hiras to any individual, can be no other than that which his own labours have purchased: here, his _own merit_ alone must be his pedestal If this critical sketch be unimpeachably _just_, its publication requires no further warrant The correction has been forborne, till the subject of it has becoh at least to have published his utter contee him worthy of notice here, but rarand results are what I purpose now to consider
24 The co in knowledge and improvement, would see the rammarian of the nineteenth century, cannot but be a scholar of such eneral literary history of his age, at least in the particular history of the science which he teaches It will presently be seen that the author of ”English Graree of success and popularity, which, in this age of the world, has no parallel It is not intended on my part, to dispute any of his assertions on these points; but rather to take it for granted, that in reputation and revenue he is altogether as preeed _improvements_, however, I shall inspect with the eyes of one who means to know the certainty for himself; and, in this item of literary history, the reader shall see, in souage of two of the largest and htened nations on earth so little understood, and its true grammar so little known or appreciated, that one of the raraiarisy? Are there now instances to which an intelligent critic h he can scarcely write a page of good English, has patched up a grammar, by the help of Murray's text only, and thereby made himself rich?” Is there such a charm in the name of _Murray_, and the word _improvement_, that by these two implements alone, the obscurest of e to farow conceited and arrogant, fro? Let us see e can find in Kirkhao to answer these questions
25 Take first froe of his ”hundred and fifth edition,” a few brief quotations, as a sahts and style:
”They, however, who introduce _usages which depart froe, _are conspicuous_ ae_, and have power to control it” ”PRINCIPLE--A principle in grae, sanctioned by good usage” ”DEFINITION--A definition in grae expressed in a _definite form_” ”RULE--A rule describes _the peculiar construction_ or circumstantial relation of words, _which_ custom has established for our observance”--_Kirkhae 18
Now, as ”a rule describes a peculiar construction,” and ”a principle is a peculiar construction,” and ”a definition is a principle;” how, according to this grammarian, do a principle, a definition, and a rule, differ each from the others? From the rote here imposed, it is certainly not easier for the learner to conceive of all these things _distinctly_, than it is to understand how a departure from philosophy may make a man deservedly ”_conspicuous_” It were easy tothe work to be deficient in clearness, the first requisite of style
26 The following passages rammatical accuracy; in one of which, he supposes the neuter verb _is_ to express an _action_, and every _honestsince dead!_ So it stands in all his editions Did his praisers think so too?
”It is correct to say, _Theeats, he dog eats_ Why not? Because the , the property, or thing possessed; and the genius of our language requires, that e add _to the possessor_, the _thing_ which _he_ is represented as possessing, _the possessor_ shall take a particular form to show ITS case, or relation to the property”--_Ib_, p
52
THE PRESENT TENSE--”This tense is so since dead_; as, 'Seneca _reasons_ and _moralizes_ well; An HONEST MAN IS the noblest work of God'”--_Ib_, p
138
PARTICIPLES--”The term _Participle_ conifies to _partake_”--”Participles are for, ed_, or _en_ _Ing_ signifies the sa_ When _postfixed_ to the _noun-state_ of the verb, the _compound word_ thus formed expresses a continued state of the _verbal denote_ continued”--_Ib_, p 78 ”All participles _are co and office”--_Ib_, p 79
VERBS--”Verbs express, not only _the state_ or __, but, likewise, all the different _actions_ and _s, whether animate or inanimate”--_Ib_, p 62 ”It can be easily shown, that fro Nay, more _They_ may even be reduced to _one_ _Verbs do not, in reality, express actions_; but they are intrinsically _the mere_ NAMES _of actions_”--_Ib_, p 37
PHILOSOPHICAL GRAMMAR--”I have thought proper to intersperse through the pages of this work, under the head of '_Philosophical Notes_,' an entire systerammatical principles, as deduced from what _appears[11] to me_ to be the _ations”-- _Ib_, p 36 ”Johnson, and Blair, and Lowth, _would have been laughed at_, had they essayed to thrust _any thing like our_ rammar _down the throats of their cotemporaries_”--_Ib_, p 143
Is it not a pity, that ”more than one hundred thousand children and youth”
should be daily poring over language and logic like this?
27 For the sake of those who happily renorant of this successful empiricism, it is desirable that the record and exposition of it besurvive its author But the present subjects of it are sufficiently nu is a sa what he both justly and exultingly supposes, that Johnson, or Blair, or Lowth, could not have effected He scoffs at his own grave instructions, as if they had been the production of some _other_ i instances, he speaks of _what he himself teaches_?--of what he seriously pronounces _”most rational and consistent?”_--of what is part and parcel of that philosophy of his, which he declares, ”will _in general be found to accord_ with the _practical theory_ embraced in the body of his work?”--See _Kirkha_, on reasoning principles, according to the original laws of nature and of thought,' and _the pill will be sed_, by pedants and their dupes, with the greatest ease iinable”--_Kirkham's Gram_, p 144 ”For the _satisfaction_ of those teachers who prefer it, and _for their adoption, too_, a modernized philosophical theory of the moods and tenses is here presented If it is not quite so convenient and useful as the old one, they need not hesitate to adopt it It has the advantage of being _new_; and, e_, and will make the _commonalty stare_ Let it be distinctly understood that you teach '[_Kirkharammar_, founded on reason and common sense,' and you will pass for a very learned ood housewives wonder at the rapid e”--_Ib_, p 141
28 The _pretty promises_ hich these ”Familiar Lectures” abound, are also worthy to be noticed here, as being a the peculiar attractions of the perforto my instructions_, you will be sure to acquire a practical knowledge of Grammar in _a short time_”--_Kirkham's Gram_, p
49 ”If you have sufficient _resolution to do this_, you will, in a short time, _perfectly understand_ the nature and office of the different parts of speech, their various properties and relations, and the rules of syntax that apply to them; _and, in a feeeks_, be able to speak and write accurately”--_Ib_, p 62 ”You will please to turn back and read over again _the whole five lectures_ You must exercise _a little_ patience”--_Ib_, p 82 ”By studying these lectures with attention, you will acquire _e in three months, than is commonly obtained in _two years_”--_Ib_, p 82 ”I will conduct you _so sation of verbs, that, instead of finding yourself involved in obscurities and deep intricacies, you will scarcely find _an obstruction to iress_”--_Ib_, p 133
”The supposed Herculean task of learning to conjugate verbs, will be transformed into _a few hours of pleasant pastiation of the verb through this mood, you will find it _very easy_”--_Ib_, p 147 ”By pursuing the following direction, you can, _in a very short tih this mode of procedure _may, at first, appear to be laborious_, yet, as it is necessary, I trust you will not hesitate to adopt it _My confidence in your perseverance_, induces me to recommend _any course_ which I knoill tend to facilitate your progress”--_Ib_, p 148
29 The grand boast of this author is, that he _has succeeded_ in ”pleasing hiained the latter point,” to so great an extent, and with such security of tenure, that henceforth no man can safely question _the merit_ of his perforround of his pride, is also the glittering aegis of his sure defence! To this he points with exultation and self-applause, as if the prosperity of the wicked, or the popularity of an imposture, had never yet been heard of in this clever world![12] Upon what e, when I shall have finished this slight review of his work Probably no other grammar was ever so industriously spread Such was the author's perseverance in his measures to increase the demand for his book, that even the attainment of such accuracy as he was capable of, was less a subject of concern For in an article designed ”to ward off some of the arrows of criticism,”--an advertisement which, from the eleventh to the ”one hundred and fifth edition,” has been pro ”to the _publick another and a better_ edition,”--he plainly offers this urgent engagey for its defects:”
”The author is apprehensive that his work is _not yet as_ accurate and as es of lingering under a broken constitution, and of being able to devote to this subject _only a small portion of his time_, snatched from the _active pursuits of a business life_, (active as far as iy for his defects, he hopes that the candid will set down _the apology to his credit_--Not that he would beg a truce with the gentlemen _criticks_ and reviewers Any compromise with thee_, which he would by noto avow”--_Kirkham's Gram_, (Adv of 1829,) p 7
30 Now, to this painful struggle, this active contention between business and the vapours, let all _credit_ be given, and all _sympathy_ be added; but, as an aid to the studies of healthy children, what better is the book, for any forbearance or favour that y? It is well known, that, till _phrenology_ became the common talk, the author's principal business was, to corammar_, and to turn this publication to profit This honourable industry, aided, as hiests, by ”not much _less_ than one thousand written recoht for hiree of success and faists of Murray and the friends of English gra their heads As to a ”_compromise_”