a degree of evidence or credibility, cannot regularly be conftrued with the hypothetical conjunction if. It is only to affirmations and negations, not to bare fuppofitions, that all the adverbs denoting certainty, probability, or poffibility, properly belong.

1

THE following paffage in the common verfion of the Bible is liable to the fame cenfure: "Mi"caiah faid, If thou certainly return in peace, "then hath not the Lord fpoken by met." The tranflators in this, as in fome other places, have been mifled by a well-meant attempt to exprefs the force of a hebraifm, which in many cafes cannot be expreffed in our language.

I SHALL Conclude this article with a quotation from an excellent author, of which, indeed, it would not be easy to fay in what part the folecifm may be discovered, the whole paffage being fo perfectly foleciftical. "As he that would

keep his houfe in repair, muft attend every "little breach or flaw, and fupply it immedi"ately, elfe time alone will bring all to ruin

+ 2 Chron. xviii. 27. Saci, in his French tranflation, hath expressed the sense of the original with more fimplicity and propriety: "Michée repartit, Si vous revenez en paix, le feigneur n'a point parlé par ma bouche."

Gg 3

" how

"how much more the common accidents of "ftorms and rain? He must live in perpetual

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danger of his houfe falling about his ears; and "will find it cheaper to throw it quite down,

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and build it again from the ground, perhaps

upon a new foundation, or at least in a new "form, which may neither be so fafe nor fo "convenient as the old." It is impoffible to analyse this fentence grammatically, or to fay whether it be one fentence or more. It feems, by the conjunction as, to begin with a comparifon, but we have not a fingle hint of the subject illuftrated. Befides, the introducing of the interrogation, How much more--? after else, which could be regularly followed only by an affirmation or negation; and the incoherency of the next claufe, He must live-render it indeed -all of a piece.

So much for the folecifm, of which examples might be multiplied almost without end. Let thofe produced fuffice for a fpecimen. It is acknowledged, that fuch negligences are not to be confidered as blemishes of any moment in a work of genius, fince thofe, and even worfe, may be. difcovered, on a careful examination, in the most

Project for the Advancement of Religion. Last sentence.

celebrated

celebrated writings. It is for this reafon acknowledged alfo, that it is neither candid nor judicious, to form an opinion of a book from a few such specks, felected perhaps from the diftant parts of a large performance, and brought into our view at once. Yet, on the other hand, it is certain, that an attention to these little things ought not to be altogether disregarded by any writer. Purity of expreffion hath but a small fhare of merit; it hath, however, fome fhare. But it ought efpecially to be remembered, that, on the account of purity, a confiderable part of the merit discovered in the other virtues of elocution, to which it contributes, ought undoubtedly to be charged. The words of the language conftitute the materials with which the orator muft work; the rules of the language teach him, by what management thofe materials are rendered useful. And what is purity but the right ufing of the words of the language by a careful obfervance of the rules. It is therefore juftly confidered as effential to all the other graces of expreffion. Hence, not only perfpicuity and vivacity, but even elegance and animation derive a luftre.

SECTION III.

The Impropriety.

I COME now to confider the third and laft clafs of faults against purity; to which I gave the name of impropriety. The barbarifm is an offence againft etymology, the folecifm against fyntax, the impropriety against lexicography. The bufiness of the lexicographer is to affign to every word of the language, the precife meaning or meanings which use hath affigned to it. To do this is as really a part of the grammarian's province, though commonly executed by a different hand, as etymology and fyntax. The end of every grammar is to convey the knowledge of that language of which it is the grammar. But the knowledge of all the rules, both of derivation, under which inflection is included, and of conftruction, nay, and of all the words in the language, is not the knowledge of the language. The words must be known, not barely as founds, but as figns. We muft know to what things refpectively they are appropriated. Thus, in our own tongue, we may err egregiously against propriety, and confequently against purity, though all the words we employ be Eng

lifh, and though they be conftrued in the English idiom. The reafon is evident; they may be mifappli they may be employed as figns of things to which use hath not affixed them. This fault may be committed either in fingle words or in phrafes.

PART I. Impropriety in fingle words.

I BEGIN with fingle words. As none but such as are grofsly ignorant of our tongue, can mifapply the words that have no affinity to those whofe place they are made to occupy, I fhall take notice only of fuch improprieties, as by some resemblance or proximity in found, or fenfe, or both, a writer is apt unwarily to be feduced into,

It is by proximity in found that feveral are mifled to use the word obfervation for obfervance, as when they speak of the religious obfervation of a feftival, for the religious obfervance of it. Both words fpring from the root obferve, but they spring from the fame word in different fignifications. When to obferve fignifies to remark, the verbal noun is obfervation; when it fignifies to obey or to keep, the verbal is obfervance,

BY