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For the practice in question no stronger case has been made than could be made for several practices which are admitted on all hands to be sins against good use, such, for example, as that of making a plural pronoun represent a singular noun, a fault of which Miss Austen is frequently guilty.

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On the other hand, unpractised writers are precisely those who are most ready to misplace their adverbs. "Many reports of Bureaus of Statistics of Labor,' of Committees on Internal Improvements,' and of 'Commissioners of Canals' have lately come under my eye," writes a student of political economy, "and I have watched the English a little, wishing to see what the ordinary legislator or state official knows about composition. The first things to force themselves upon my notice were two glaring defects. Committees would advise a legislature 'to gradually construct' and 'to properly reform.' Officials would fall into a perfect slough of pronouns; 'they' would refer back to 'each,' and 'it' again to 'they.'

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The one thing to be said in favor of caging an adverb between "to" and the infinitive is that a writer can thus, with least trouble to himself, show that the adverb and the verb belong together. This consideration, which does not affect writers who know their business, would, even if good use were divided, be more than counterbalanced by the harshness of the construction, and by the danger that soon we may have expressions like Herrick's "to incense burn; or like these from Bishop Pecock's "Repressor" (1456). "Whanne ever he takith upon him for to in neighbourli or brotherli maner correpte his cristen neighbour or brother;" "The more able, as bi that, he schal be forto perfitli, sureli, and sufficientli undirstonde Holi Scripture;" "Oon maner is bi tiranrie, which is forto, in alle deedis of overte, awaite and performe her owne profit oonli." 1

1 Quoted by FITZEDWARD HALL: The American Journal of Philology, vol. iii. (1882).

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Occasionally, as in the last example, it is impossible to amend the sentence without recasting it. "Wholly failed" is not the meaning; "failed wholly to restore" and "to restore peace wholly to my mind" are ambiguous; "failed to restore wholly peace" is both ambiguous and uneuphonious; "wholly" at the end of the sentence is unbearable.

Beware of putting an ADVERB between To and THE INFINITIVE.'

1 Since the last edition of this book was published, Dr. Fitzedward Hall has contributed to The Nation (New York) of April 13, 1893, a paper on what he calls "the cleft infinitive." The citations in this paper, which come from various sources, confirm Dr. Hall's assertion that the practice of putting the adverb between to and the infinitive has existed from an early date, and is supported by a body of writers respectable both in numbers and in position. It is clear that usage is, to a certain extent, divided; but it is also clear that the writers who are of the highest authority, and who decide what is the best use, either do not employ this locution at all, or employ it very sparingly. It may, moreover, be noted that Dr. Hall is careful to say that he himself habitually avoids the "cleft infinitive." On the whole, the safest conclusion still seems to be that arrived at in the text, namely, that a careful writer will do well to avoid the construction which places the adverb between to and the infinitive. It is true that the construction in question is a common one; but it is also true that those who are most addicted to the practice are not those who count most as authorities on questions of good usage.

Chapter VII.

OF PREPOSITIONS

Vulgarisms. Some blunders in the use of prepositions are, or should be, confined to the illiterate.

I.

You should see them come to

get their wages.

II.

You should see them come for to get their wages.

For to, which is now distinctly vulgar, was formerly in good use.1

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"Consider of," "recollect of," and "remember of" are gross instances of the common fault of adding an unnecessary preposition to the verb.

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Misused Prepositions. A writer should choose the prepo sition that exactly expresses his meaning.

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Critics may differ in opinion one from another or one with another; but they cannot differ one among another.

I.

At five o'clock they were to dance round the tree.

II.

At 5 o'clock they were to dance around the tree.

Some persons maintain that around should never be used as a preposition; but this is going too far. Usually, however, "round" is preferable to around: it is shorter and more idiomatic.

I.

One evening Marjorie's papa went deliberately to work to see if he could not melt her with a very pathetic story.

II.

One evening Marjorie's papa went deliberately at work to see if he could not melt her with a very pathetic story.

I.

He was not successful, as a rule, with narrative.

It was only by his advice that

she finished.

II.

He was not a success, as a rule, at narrative.

It was only at his advice that she finished.

We may say "at " his suggestion, but not at his advice.

I.

There was the old man in the forest behind the barn.

Behind his humor there is always something worth saying.

II.

There was the old man in the forest back of the barn.

Back of his humor there is always something worth saying.

An English critical journal calls back of "a new preposition of American origin." In this country it is common in conversation and even in print; but it is not in good

use.

I.

I have no decided preference among several dances.

II.

I have no decided preference between several dances.

"Among" is the proper word. when the reference is to more than two persons or things, or groups of persons or things; "between," when the reference is to two only. One may speak, for example, of the relations among (not, between) twenty or thirty schoolboys; and of the relations between (not among) all the boys in a school and the teachers.

I.

She made a resolution with every mouthful never to say one word to that magpie again.

II.

She made a resolution between every mouthful never to say one word to that magpie again.

"between" every two mouth

A resolution may be made fuls, but not between every one. Blunders of this class, obvious as they are, may be found in the writings of authors of repute.

1 See page 52.

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