I am happy, however, in the consideration that a valuable change is taking place in this respect.  Geography is no longer taught on the old systems, but maps are given to represent more vividly land and water, rivers, islands, and mountains.  The study of arithmetic, chemistry, and nearly all the sciences have been materially improved within a few years.  Grammar alone remains in quiet possession of its unquestioned authority.  Its nine “parts of speech,” its three genders, its three cases, its half dozen kinds of pronouns, and as many moods and tenses, have rarely been disquieted.  A host of book makers have fondled around them, but few have dared molest them, finding them so snugly ensconced under the sanctity of age, and the venerated opinions of learned and good men.  Of the numberless attempts to simplify grammar, what has been the success?  Wherein do modern “simplifiers” differ from Murray? and he was only a compiler!  They have all discovered his errors.  But who has corrected them?  They have all deviated somewhat from his manner.  But what is that but saying, that with all his grammatical knowledge, he could not explain his own meaning?

All the trouble originates in this; the rules of grammar have not been sought for where they are only to be found, in the laws that govern matter and thought.  Arbitrary rules have been adopted which will never apply in practice, except in special cases, and the attempt to bind language down to them is as absurd as to undertake to chain thought, or stop the waters of Niagara with a straw.  Language will go on, and keep pace with the mind, and grammar should explain it so as to be correctly understood.

I wish you to keep these principles distinctly in view all thro my remarks, that you may challenge every position I assume till proved to be correct—­till you distinctly understand it and definite impressions are made upon your minds.  In this way you will discover a beauty and perfection in language before unknown; its rules will be found few and simple, holding with most unyielding tenacity to the sublime principles upon which they depend; and you will have reason to admire the works and adore the character of the great Parent Intellect, whose presence and protection pervade all his works and regulate the laws of matter and mind.  You will feel yourselves involuntarily filled with sentiments of gratitude for the gift of mind, its affections, powers, and means of operation and communication, and resolved more than ever to employ these faculties in human improvement and the advancement of general happiness.

LECTURE III.

WRITTEN AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE.