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ENGLISH GRAMMAR.

NGLISH GRAMMAR was defined by the older of modern authors to be "the art of using the English language correctly." Later writers, believing that the word Art does not cover the whole ground which Grammar proposes to occupy, or that it savors a little too much of the mechanical for a subject which is to some extent speculative, have either abandoned the old definition, or materially altered it. Some have substituted the word science in place of art; others, to be more definite, have called Grammar a science and an art. The reason for this change may be stated thus: Art, according to its modern acceptation, is used with reference to the practical application of established rules and formulas, and does not concern itself with the methods or sources from which they are obtained; while science is used for that process which investigates principles, discovers facts, classifies the knowledge derived from these facts and principles, and enunciates it in rules and formulas. Hence art and science are complementary terms, both of which are necessary to the complete statement of every branch of speculative knowledge which has a practical application. For example, there is a science and an art of teaching. The science is that part of mental philosophy which discovers the processes by which the human mind receives knowledge, and may use that knowledge to secure the highest discipline of its mental faculties; the art of teaching is such a presentation of knowledge that it may be readily grasped, and so directing discipline as to secure the highest intellectual development. Whateley, in his Elements of Logic (the definition of which has passed through a change similar to that of grammar,) states the question accurately. He says, "Logic may be considered as the science. and the art of reasoning. It investigates the principles on which argumentation is conducted, and furnishes such rules as may be derived from these principles, for guarding against erroneous deductions.. . . For it is to be remembered that, as a science, it is conversant about speculative knowledge only; and art is the application of knowledge to practice. Hence logic (as well as any other system of knowledge) becomes, when applied to practice, an art: while, confined to the theory of reasoning, it is strictly a science."*

The reader has, doubtless, observed, in regard to several of the practical sciences, the propriety of calling them sciences has never been questioned; in fact, we never think of calling them any thing else, while others are almost spoken of as arts. Thus we say the science of ethics, of theology, but the art of rhetoric and of grammar; and yet one is as practical as the other, and no more so. The reason, or history rather, of this vexed anomaly, which has perplexed many a reader, is given by Sir William Hamil

*Introduction, §1.

ton substantially as follows:* "The distinction dates back to the Aristotelic philosophy, and had its origin in certain distinctions in the Greek language, to which modern writers have not attended with proper care. The word ракTIKOÇ (praktikos)=practical, denoted that action which terminated in action; while Tonτikoç (poietikos)=productive, denoted that action which resulted in some permanent product. Dancing and music are practical, as leaving no work after their performance; painting and statuary are productive, as leaving some product over and above their energy. Aristotle defined art as a habit productive, and not as a habit practical; and hence the word art came to be applied exclusively to those sciences whose end did not result in mere action or energy, but in a permanent product. Of the former class are ethics and theology; of the latter, logic and grammar."

Modern writers have, therefore, called the practical sciences exclusively sciences, and the productive ones exclusively arts. But, notwithstanding the great antiquity of this distinction, in the sense in which the words. science and art are at present used, there seems to be no valid objection tơ calling grammar a science as well as an art, but on the other hand much in favor of it. It not only gathers up and arranges the facts about which it is conversant, but it propounds its theories, investigates principles, and lays down rules; in other words, it has a theoretical and speculative side as well as a practical one.

But grammar is the science and art of what? Some say of language; others, of using language correctly. So are lexicography and philology. Are these, then, parts of grammar? Not as we usually understand it. Philology, of late, is fast taking rank as a separate science; indeed, its most renowned professors claim for it a place among the physical sciences, as being governed by as certain and as ascertainable laws as mechanics or hydrostatics, while lexicography was long ago acknowledged as a separate department of knowledge. In fact, many of the latest grammars, while keeping up the old four-fold division of subjects, have abandoned the ground of crthcgraphy to the spelling-book and dictionary. But that of which grammar does treat is the sentence; the modifications and arrangement of words which compose the sentence. Here it holds undisputed ground, and it is quite enough for successful occupancy. It has nothing to do with the elements of words-the letters-that is the business of the lexicographer. It simply takes the words as it finds them, marks their inflections, and observes the laws of their collocation. It has but little to do with punctuation. That is strictly the province of rhetoric. All that it need concern itself with here, is to note the marks which indicate the relation of the word in the sentence, and the parts of the sentence to each other. Versification also belongs to rhetoric. It makes no difference

Lectures on Metaphysics, American ed., p. 81 et passim.

with the grammatical relation of words whether they are arranged in poetic measure or not. A noun is a noun whether it be a trochee or spondee, or any other foot of a measure. Neither its gender, person, number, nor case is modified, whether it be in rhyme, blank verse, or prose. The lumbering up of a text-book, especially of English Grammar, with all these subjects is worse than folly. It only perplexes the teacher, discourages the learner, and makes the book more cumbersome and expensive. The sooner each separate department of knowledge becomes restricted to its particular sphere, the sooner may we expect to see real substantial progress. Grammar, then (if we may hazard a definition), is the science of the sentence, and the art of its construction. This may be liable to some objections, but we cannot at present think of any thing better; and it has at least this advantage, it defines the thing and excludes the what is foreign to the subject. As a science, it investigates the changes which words undergo in different relations, classifies those words, and lays down rules for their proper collocation. As an art, it is the application of those rules to the arrangement of words and their construction to the sentence. This presents a definite object which the learner can understand. His grammar is not at once a spelling-book, a dictionary, a grammar, and a rhetoric combined-a miscellaneous gathering-but a single subject which he feels that he can learn and understand. It is comprised under the two divisions of etymology (or some more appropriate name) and syntax. These are so intimately connected, so interdependent, that they obviously constitute but one science. By adhering to this course, we also take advantage of the well-known law of the division of labor. The subject is not only more intelligibly presented to the learner, but affords a more restricted topic of discussion to the author, and so insures a more complete and satisfactory treatment. For just so long as orthography and prosody are considered as parts of grammar, authors feel compelled to give them some show of attention. It is gratifying, however, to see that writers are making progress in this direction; for, whereas, these two parts used to occupy about one-third part of the whole book, now the most popular authors dispose of them in a few lines, or at most in a few pages.

HON. RUFUS CHOATE in an address once said: "Happy is he who has laid up in youth, and held steadfast in all fortune, a genuine and passionate love of reading; the true balm of hurt minds, of surer and more healthful charm than poppy or mandragora, or all the drowsy syrups of the world. By that single taste, by that simple capacity, he may be borne in a moment into the still regions of delightful study, and be at Test."

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Miss Highfly. Here you are, at it again! What a set of book-worms you are! I did not come here to talk about books, however, but am in search of that brilliant luminary, Miss Amanda Malvina Spriggs. Ah, see, she comes !

[Enter MISS SPRIGGS, MISS ARRINGDALE, LUCY LAMMERMOOR, E. PERCY.]

Miss Spriggs. What's coming-any thing for me? I say, Miss Maude Muller, what are you going to wear to the swarry?

Maude Muller. My best suit of manners, Miss Spriggs.

E. Percy. Wouldn't you like to borrow the pattern?

Miss S. No; I don't want none of your patterns. My par is rich enough to buy my clothes ready-made. I could dress like Queen Victory if I wanted to.

Kate H. Wouldn't it be a striking likeness? There would be danger · of your being mistaken for her daughter.

Miss S. I don't want to be taken for nobody. I'm as good as anybody; so is pap. I come here because I heard only the 'stocracy comed. I didn't keer much about it; 'twas better fun at home.

Maude M. You must be lonely among so many strangers?

Miss S. Not a bit of it; I'm used to seeing a great many folks. I went into company all last winter-balls, swarries, circuses, and all sorts of things. I didn't keer about coming away, but pap thought I'd better take music, and tend to painting, a spell, 'cause you know it's the fashion. Miss H. I suppose, then, you have completed your studies?

Miss S. Yes; geography, grammar, and such like, I done up long ago. Pap says I know enough of 'em.

Miss P. But you have not studied mental philosophy, rhetoric, or astronomy?

Miss S. Nary one of 'em. I wouldn't be bothered with 'em. I'm a parlor boarder. Pap pays a great price for me, too.

[Enter MADAME.]

Madame. Young ladies, your time for recreation has expired; you will now prepare for the recitations of the day. The Greek and Hebrew classes will not recite, as Prof. Highscufflesneeski is suffering from temporary indisposition. You will hand in your Spanish, Italian, and French exercises for correction. The young ladies appointed to take charge of the laboratory will be prepared this afternoon to discuss electricity and to

illustrate the subject by the operation of the galvanic battery. Miss Lammermoor, Miss Sinclair, Miss Glorianna Gaston, Miss Arianna Arringdale, will approximate. Young ladies, I presume you are prepared with your demonstrations in conic sections. I am much gratified with the report of your diligence, handed me by Professor Parallelogram. I wish you to persevere unweariedly, as the next text-book will be Newton's Principia. Miss Glorianna Gaston, what is that secret bond which binds together those glorious orbs that circle round in illimitable space? Miss G. Attraction of gravitation, madame..

Mdme. Miss Arringdale, by whom was attraction of gravitation discovered?

Arianna Arringdale. By Newton, madame.

Mdme. What do you understand by quadratic equations?

Ada Sinclair. Those involving the unknown power of the second quantity.

Mdme. You have great genius for transposition, Miss Sinclair. You may retire, young ladies. The class in ethnology, natural history, and sciences (Miss Muller, Miss Highfly, Miss Percy, Miss England, Miss Morton.) You will be kind enough, Miss Highfly, to designate some of the natural sciences?

Kate H. Let's see. Them's ethmology, zoononomy, botony, goology, mineral-water-ology, longmeterology. Indeed, madame, I don't remember any more.

Mdme. The only wonder is, Miss Highfly, that you remember so many. You must have been spending your leisure hours in correcting the textbooks. Miss Muller, let me see if you vie with your friend. Can you tell me some of the general forms and arrangements of leaves?

Maude M. Ovate, obovate, cuneate, sagittate, cordate, peltate, pinnate, and palmate, madame.

Mdme. Very creditable.

Miss S. Wonder why she couldn't keep on into the twelve times eight? Don't she know the rest of the multiplication table?

Mdme. Miss England, what are the five grand divisions into which mankind is divided?

Miss E. Caucasian, Mongolian, Malay, American, and Americans of African descent.

Mdme. Miss Morton, what are the great leading orders of fishes? Miss M. Spine-rayed bouy, soft-rayed bony, and cartilaginous. Mdme. Perfectly correct, Miss Morton. Will you, Miss Percy, tell me what the third division of the second order is denominated?

Miss P. The apodal or footless division, madame.

Mdme. You will take up, in review, the second volume of Prof. Superficial's treatise on this subject. Miss Spriggs, I will ask you a few questions, in order to ascertain to what department I shall assign you.

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