5. The male students do not intend to admit the co-eds to their athletic contests.

6. Every peer may make another lord of parliament his proxy, to vote for him in his absence.

7. From the time the train started till it rolled into Saratoga, there was one long series of political debates and confabs.

8. Who wants a photo of such a phiz as mine?

9. Piling blankets, kettles, clothing, dishes, in one promiscuous heap in the van, we were off.

10.

fight conspicuous in the van of war.

11. The mob of gentlemen who wrote with ease.

12. 'Tis a pity that the pants of young rhyming gents always bag

at the knees.

13. They allowed him to take electros of all their woodcuts.

14. He stepped forth in the black jersey, white knickers, and black stockings of the First Fifteen.

Misused Nouns. - As the number of nouns in the language is very large, the opportunities to confound one with another are so many that the task of enumerating all the cases of misused nouns must be left to makers of diction

aries or of books of synonyms. We may, however, note some of the pitfalls that lie in the way of unpractised writers.

Nouns that are similar in appearance or in sound are sometimes confounded with one another: —

I

His apparent acceptance of the situation was feigned.

II

His apparent acceptation of the situation was feigned.

:

"Acceptation" is now restricted to the sense of "the accepted, or received, meaning of a word or a passage e.g. "In its present acceptation, the word has no such meaning.' "Acceptance" is the act of accepting, or taking, what is offered, as "We beg your acceptance of a little gift"; it also means favorable reception, assent, as "She sang with marked acceptance," "This theory has met with almost universal acceptance.

In a sudden access of grief, she rushed from the room.

II

In a sudden accession of grief she rushed from the room.

"Accession means (1) the act of coming to an office or an honor; (2) the act of coming to join one's self to; (3) that which is added, an increase: e.g. "This was the king's first act after his accession to the throne," "England had gained greatly by the accession of the valiant Thurkhill" (E. A. Freeman), "Every year the fraternity received fresh accessions of princes and nobles "1 (Prescott). "Access means (1) admission to the presence or to the use of; (2) approach, way of entrance; (3) sudden emotion: e.g. "Have you access to the library?" "The only access is by a narrow neck of land," "She threw herself on the sofa in an access of anger."

I

In "The English Humourists," the author is awe-stricken by the genius of Swift, but is disgusted with his acts.

II

In "The English Humourists," the author is awe-stricken by the genius of Swift, but disgusted with his actions.

In this example, "acts" is preferable to actions; for "act” means a thing done, a deed, "action" a state or a process of doing. This distinction, which is observed by many, but not all, good authors, is exemplified by the expressions "an act of obedience," "the act of a coward,” an action at law," "the action of the heart."

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I

The leaves thicken with the advance of the season.

All this goes a long way to secure advancement under the party system.

II

The leaves thicken with the advancement of the season.

All this goes a long way to secure advance under the party system.

In the first example, "advance" is preferable to ad vancement; for the season is spoken of as moving, not as

1 Quoted in the Oxford English Dictionary.

being moved, forward. In the second example, "advancement" is preferable to advance; for some one is represented as being advanced by others.

I

The citizen has little time to think about political problems. Engrossing all his working hours, his vocation leaves him only stray moments for this duty.

II

The citizen has little time to think about political problems. Engrossing all his working hours, his avocation leaves him only stray moments for this duty.

In this example, "vocation" is preferable to avocation; for the writer is referring to the regular business, or calling, of the citizen. An "avocation" is something aside from one's regular calling, a by-work or an amusement. The plural "avocations" in the sense of "occupations" has some support; but it is avoided by most careful writers.

I

The observance of the centenarian birthday was general.

Though she gossiped with her neighbors, she did not like to be under their observation.

II

The observation of the centenarian birthday was general.

Though she gossiped with her neighbors, she liked not to be under their observance.

The centenarian birthday was celebrated; "she" disliked to be looked at. We speak of the "observation" of a planet or an eclipse, of weather "observations"; of the "observance" of a fast, a festival, a rule, civilities. The distinction between the two words is clearly brought out by Dr. Holmes: "There was not a nook or a corner in the whole house fit to lodge a very respectable ghost, for every part was as open to observation as a literary man's character and condition"; "To such observances of it [the Puritan Sabbath] I was born and bred."

I

When he proposed a second time to Elizabeth, his proposal was accepted.

II

When he proposed a second time to Elizabeth, his proposition was accepted.

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A "proposition" is a subject for discussion: e.g. “Before beginning his argument, Webster laid down several fundamental propositions.' A proposal" is "something proposed to be done, which the person addressed may accept or reject":1 e.g. "He made her a proposal of marriage.'

I

Though he had no relatives, he had many dear friends.

The professor was lecturing on the domestic relations of the lower animals.

II

Though he had no relations, he had many dear friends.

The professor was lecturing on the domestic relationships which exist among the lower animals.

Relations in the sense of "relatives" is not without authority; but precision is gained by the use of "relatives” to mean kinsfolk, of “relations" to mean connections between any persons or things. We all say, however, not "poor relatives," but "poor relations." "Relationship" properly means kinship: e.g. "A relationship existed between the two families."

I

The great stimulus to original thought is debt.

The influx of persons of lower standards crushed out pleasant companionships and the stimulus of joint aspirations toward moral excellence.

II

The great stimulant to original thought is debt.

The influx of persons of lower standards crushed out the pleasant companionships and stimulation of joint aspirations toward moral excellence.

"Stimulant" is used of that which induces a temporary increase of activity in the body or in any of its organs; "stimulus," which originally meant a goad, now denotes the means by which one is incited to feeling, thought, or action; "stimulation" is either the act of stimulating or the state of being stimulated. Alcohol and coffee are "stimulants"; patriotism may be a "stimulus" to a noble

1 The Century Dictionary.

act, greed to an ignoble one; medicines are used for the "stimulation" of the heart.

I

The cruets need filling, and I can't find the funnel.

II

The cruets need filling, and I can't find the tunnel.

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The conical vessel through which liquids or powders are poured is sometimes called a tunnel; but "funnel" is more properly used in this sense. "Tunnel," which originally meant a flue, is now used chiefly in the sense of "an underground passage for a road or a railway.”

Discriminate between nouns that are similar in appearance or in

sound.

EXERCISE XXV1

Illustrate by sentences, original or quoted, a correct use of each noun :

Acceptation, acceptance; accession, access; action, act; advance, advancement; avocation, vocation; observation, observance; proposition, proposal; relation, relative, relationship; stimulant, stimulation, stimulus; tunnel, funnel.

EXERCISE XXVI

Give the meaning of each sentence in the two forms suggested, with the noun in parenthesis and with that which precedes :

1. The acceptance (acceptation) of this word is doubtful.

2. The act (action) of Napoleon was premeditated.

3. The colonel's advance (advancement) was not long delayed.

4. Literature has been Dr. Holmes's avocation (vocation).

5. The professor advised me to be especially careful in my observation (observance) of the religious ceremonies of Passion Week.

6. This proposal (proposition) made both Republican and Democratic senators indignant.

1 NOTE FOR TEACHERS. It is hoped that this exercise and others of a similar kind will help the young writer (1) to enlarge his vocabulary and (2) to understand the exact meaning of every word that he meets in his reading or uses in his compositions. Each teacher will judge for himself what amount of the work called for may fairly be demanded.