UNDER CRITICAL NOTE VI.—­OF ABSURDITIES.

(1.) “And sometimes two unaccented syllables follow each other.”—­Blair’s Rhet., p. 384.

[FORMULE.—­Not proper, because the phrase, “follow each other,” is here an absurdity; it being impossible for two things to “follow each other,” except they alternate, or whirl round.  But, according to Critical Note 6th, “Absurdities, of every kind, are contrary to grammar; because they are contrary to reason, or good sense, which is the foundation of grammar.”  Therefore, a different expression should here be chosen; thus:  “And sometimes two unaccented syllables come together.”  Or:  “And sometimes one unaccented syllable follows an other.”]

(2.) “What nouns frequently succeed each other?”—­Sanborn’s Gram., p. 65. (3.) “Words are derived from one another in various ways.”—­Ib., p. 288; Merchant’s Gram., 78; Weld’s, 2d Edition, 222. (4.) “Prepositions are derived from the two Latin words prae and pono, which signify before and place.”—­Mack’s Gram., p. 86. (5.) “He was sadly laughed at for such conduct.”—­Bullion’s E. Gram., p. 79. (6.) “Every adjective pronoun belongs to some noun or pronoun expressed or understood.”—­Ingersoll’s Gram., p. 212. (7.) “If he [Addison] fails in anything, it is in want of strength and precision, which renders his manner not altogether a proper model.”—­Blair’s Rhet., p. 187. (8.) “Indeed, if Horace be deficient in any thing, it is in this, of not being sufficiently attentive to juncture and connexion of parts.”—­Ib., p. 401. (9.) “The pupil is now supposed to be acquainted with the nine sorts of speech, and their most usual modifications.”—­Taylor’s District School, p. 204. (10.) “I could see, hear, taste, and smell the rose.”—­Sanborn’s Gram., p. 156. (11.) “The triphthong iou is sometimes pronounced distinctly in two syllables; as in bilious, various, abstemious.”—­L.  Murray’s Gram., p. 13; Walker’s Dict., Prin. 292, p. 37. (12.) “The diphthong aa generally sounds like a short in proper names; as in Balaam, Canaan, Isaac; but not in Baal, Gaal.”—­Murray’s Gram., p. 10. (13.) “Participles are sometimes governed by the article; for the present participle, with the definite article the before it, becomes a substantive.”—­Ib., p. 192. (14.) “Words ending with y, preceded by a consonant, form the plurals of nouns, the persons of verbs, verbal nouns, past participles, comparatives and superlatives, by changing y into i.”—­Walker’s Rhyming Dict., p. viii; Murray’s Gram., 23; Merchant’s Murray, 13; Fisk’s, 44; Kirkham’s, 23; Greenleaf’s, 20; Wright’s Gram., 28; et al. (15.) “But y preceded by a vowel, in such instances as the above, is not changed; as