SCHOOLS AND CANDIDATES FOR THE ARMY AND BY JOHN STUART COLQUHOUN, ESQ., BARRISTER AT LAW. London: GRIFFITH & FARRAN, CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD. PREFACE. THIS work had its origin in some notes and extracts made several years ago from the writings of Horne Tooke, Hallam, and Dr. Latham, on the origin and history of the English language. These were subsequently increased by the addition of notes and observations derived from the works of Marsh, Max Müller, Craik, Trench, Alford, Angus, Adams, Morell, and several other writers on Philology and Grammar; to all of whom the author is under great obligations. Having found these notes, etc., to be of great service to some of his former pupils, the author resolved to recast and rewrite them, with very considerable additions, in a more methodical manner, and the following pages are the result. The general arrangement of the work and the plan adopted throughout of giving the derivation and definition of every grammatical term when first used, will, it is hoped, be found of service. In laying down the rules of Syntax, the author has attempted to avoid too much diffuseness on the one hand, and too much dogmatism on the other; while he has endeavoured in the choice of examples to give as far as possible only such as contain some complete statement or expression, and do not render a reference to the context necessary for the elucidation of their meaning. Such sentences are more easily remembered. In the part relating to Prosody, full definitions and exemplifications of the different figures of speech, as well as comprehensive rules for punctuation, will be found in addition to the rules of Prosody, properly so-called. The last portion contains a history of the English language, from the earliest times to the present day, and a pretty exhaustive list of the different English writers, both in prose and verse, with the dates of their births and deaths, and the titles of their chief works. In the Appendix each letter of the alphabet is traced through the various changes which it has undergone in its transition from Latin through Italian or French to English. LONDON, June 1st, 1871. J. S. C. |