12.  There remains one more:  “A work of this nature would derive no advantage from it, equal to the inconvenience of crowding the pages with a repetition of names and references.”  With regard to a small work, in which the matter is to be very closely condensed, this argument has considerable force.  But Murray has in general allowed himself very ample room, especially in his two octavoes.  In these, and for the most part also in his duodecimoes, all needful references might easily have been added without increasing the size of his volumes, or injuring their appearance.  In nine cases out of ten, the names would only have been occupied what is now blank space.  It is to be remembered, that these books do not differ much, except in quantity of paper.  His octavo Grammar is but little more than a reprint, in a larger type, of the duodecimo Grammar, together with his Exercises and Key.  The demand for this expensive publication has been comparatively small; and it is chiefly to the others, that the author owes his popularity as a grammarian.  As to the advantage which Murray or his work might have derived from an adherence on his part to the usual custom of compilers, that may be variously estimated.  The remarks of the best grammarians or the sentiments of the best authors, are hardly to be thought the more worthy of acceptance, for being concentrated in such a manner as to merge their authenticity in the fame of the copyist.  Let me not be understood to suggest that this good man sought popularity at the expense of others; for I do not believe that either fame or interest was his motive.  But the right of authors to the credit of their writings, is a delicate point; and, surely, his example would have been worthier of imitation, had he left no ground for the foregoing objections, and carefully barred the way to any such interference.

13.  But let the first sentence of this apology be now considered.  It is here suggested, that because this work is a compilation, even such an acknowledgement as the author makes, is “scarcely necessary.”  This is too much to say.  Yet one may readily admit, that a compilation, “from the nature and design of it, must consist chiefly”—­nay, wholly—­“of materials selected from the writings of others.”  But what able grammarian would ever willingly throw himself upon the horns of such a dilemma!  The nature and design of a book, whatever they may be, are matters for which the author alone is answerable; but the nature and design of grammar, are no less repugnant to the strain of this apology, than to the vast number of errors and defects which were overlooked by Murray in his work of compilation.  It is the express purpose of this practical science, to enable a man to write well himself.  He that cannot do this, exhibits no excess of modesty when he claims to have “done all that could reasonably be expected in a work of this nature.”—­L.  Murray’s Gram., Introd., p. 9.  He that