in common conversation, as least perplexing to young minds.”—­Bartlett’s Common School Manual, Part ii, p. 114.  What can be hoped from an author who is ignorant enough to think “Thou walketh” is good English? or from one who tells us, that “It walks” is of the solemn style? or from one who does not know that you is never a nominative in the style of the Bible?

OBS. 8.—­Nowhere on earth is fashion more completely mistress of all the tastes and usages of society, than in France.  Though the common French Bible still retains the form of the second person singular, which in that language is shorter and perhaps smoother than the plural; yet even that sacred book, or at least the New Testament, and that by different persons, has been translated into more fashionable French, and printed at Paris, and also at New York, with the form of address everywhere plural; as, “Jesus anticipated him, saying, ’What do you think, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take taxes and tribute?’”—­Matt., xvii, 24.  “And, going to prayers, they said, ’0 Lord, you who know the hearts of all men, show which of these two you have chosen.’”—­Acts, i, 24.  This is one step further in the progress of politeness, than has yet been taken in English.  The French grammarians, however, as far as I can perceive, have never yet disturbed the ancient order of their conjugations and declensions, by inserting the plural verb and pronoun in place of the singular; and, in the familiarity of friendship, or of domestic life, the practice which is denominated tutoyant, or thoutheeing, is far more prevalent in France than in England.  Also, in the prayers of the French, the second person singular appears to be yet generally preserved, as it is in those of the English and the Americans.  The less frequent use of it in the familiar conversation of the latter, is very probably owing to the general impression, that it cannot be used with propriety, except in the solemn style.  Of this matter, those who have laid it aside themselves, cannot with much modesty pretend to judge for those who have not; or, if they may, there is still a question how far it is right to lay it aside.  The following lines are a sort of translation from Horace; and I submit it to the reader, whether it is comely for a Christian divine to be less reverent toward God, than a heathen poet; and whether the plural language here used, does not lack the reverence of the original, which is singular:—­

   “Preserve, Almighty Providence! 
    Just what you gave me, competence.”—­Swift.