to on; as, “He would have a learned University make Barbarisms a purpose.”—­Bentley, Diss. on Phalaris, p. 223.  That is,—­“on purpose.”  How absurdly then do some grammarians interpret the foregoing text!—­“I go on a fishing.”—­Alden’s Gram., p. 117.  “I go on a fishing voyage or business.”—­Murray’s Gram., p. 221; Merchant’s, 101.  “It may not be improper,” says Churchill in another place, “to observe here, that the preposition on, is too frequently pronounced as if it were the vowel a, in ordinary conversation; and this corruption is [has] become so prevalent, that I have even met with ‘laid it a oneside’ in a periodical publication.  It should have been ‘on one side,’ if the expression were meant to be particular; ‘aside,’ if general.”—­New Gram., p. 345.  By these writers, a is also supposed to be sometimes a corruption of of:  as, “Much in the same manner, Thomas of Becket, by very frequent and familiar use, became Thomas a Becket; and one of the clock, or perhaps on the clock, is written one o’clock, but pronounced one a clock.  The phrases with a before a participle are out of use in the solemn style; but still prevail in familiar discourse.  They are established by long usage, and good authority; and there seems to be no reason, why they should be utterly rejected.”—­Lowth’s Gram., p. 66.  “Much in the same manner, John of Nokes, and John of Styles, become John a Nokes, and John a Styles:  and one of the clock, or rather on the clock, is written one o’clock, but pronounced one a clock.  The phrases with a before participles, are out of use in the solemn style; but still prevail in familiar discourse.”—­Churchill’s New Gram., p. 269.

OBS. 12.—­The following are examples of the less usual prepositions, a, and others that begin with a:  “And he set—­three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.”—­2 Chron., ii, 18.  “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?”—­1 Cor., ix, 7.  “And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting.”—­Num., xi, 4.

   “And sweet Billy Dimond, a patting his hair up.”
        —­Feast of the Poets, p. 17.

    “The god fell a laughing to see his mistake.”
        —­Ib., p. 18.

    “You’d have thought ’twas the bishops or judges a coming.”
        —­Ib., p. 22.

“A place on the lower deck, abaft the mainmast.”—­Gregory’s Dict. “A moment gazed adown the dale.”—­Scott, L. L., p. 10. “Adown Strath-Gartney’s valley broad.”—­Ib., p. 84.  “For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect,” &c.—­Isaiah, xviii, 5.  “Where the great luminary aloof