7.  The preposition to is used before nouns of place, where they follow verbs or participles of motion; as, “I went to Washington.”  But at is employed after the verb to be; as, “I have been at Washington;” “He has been to New York, to home,” &c. are improper.  The preposition in is set before countries, cities, and large towns; “He lives in France, in London, in Philadelphia, in Rochester.”  But before single houses, and cities and villages which are in distant countries, at is commonly used; as, “He lives at Park-place;” “She resides at Vincennes.”  People in the northern states may say, “They live in New Orleans, or, at New Orleans.”

8.  Passive agents to verbs in the infinitive mood, should not be employed as active agents.  The following are solecisms:  “This house to let;” “Horses and carriages to let;” “Congress has much business to perform this session;” because the agents, house, horses and carriages, and business, which are really passive, are, according to these constructions, rendered as active.  The expressions should be, “This house to be let;” “Horses and carriages to be let;” “much business to be performed.”

9.  AMBIGUITY.—­“Nothing is more to be desired than wisdom.”  Not literally correct, for wisdom is certainly more to be desired than nothing; but, as a figurative expression, it is well established and unexceptionable.

“A crow is a large black bird:”—­a large, black—­bird.

“I saw a horse—­fly through the window:”—­I saw a horsefly.

“I saw a ship gliding under full sail through a spy glass.”  I saw, through a spy glass, a ship gliding under full sail.

“One may see how the world goes with half an eye.”  One may see with half an eye, how the world goes.

“A great stone, that I happened to find, after a long search, by the sea shore, served me for an anchor.”  This arrangement of the members and circumstances of this sentence, confines the speaker’s search to the sea shore; whereas, he meant, “A large stone, which, after a long search, I happened to find by the sea shore, served me for an anchor.”

“I shall only notice those called personal pronouns.”  I shall notice only those called personal pronouns.

10.  TAUTOLOGY.—­Avoid words which add no thing to the sense; such as, “Now extant, free gratis, slow mope, cold snow, a hot sun, a flowing stream, a dull blockhead, wise sages.”  “I am just going to go there;” I am about to go.

11.  ABSURDITIES AND IMPROPRIETIES.—­“I can learn him many things.”

It ought to be, “I can teach him.”  To learn, is to acquire or receive information; to teach, means to communicate it.