TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Footnote anchors are denoted by [number],and the footnotes have been placed at the end of the book.
Contractions such as ’tis are displayed as in the original text,so they sometimes have a space (’t is).
Several letters from Old English (Anglo-Saxon) and the Insular Scriptare used. These will display on this device as:
ð eth
þ thorn
ħ h with stroke
ꝼ insular f
ꞃ insular r
ꞅ insular s
ꞇ insular t
There are several words and phrases in Greek and Hebrew. These maydisplay imperfectly on some devices.
The cover image was created by the transcriberand is placed in the public domain.
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
EXPLAINED AND ILLUSTRATED.
BY THE REV. ALEX. CROMBIE,
LL.D. F.R.S. M.R.S.L. AND F.Z.S.
SEVENTH EDITION.
LONDON:
SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO.,
STATIONERS’ HALL COURT.
1853.
LONDON:
GEORGE WOODFALL AND SON,
ANGEL COURT, SKINNER STREET.
The success with which the principles of any art or scienceare investigated, is generally proportioned to the number ofthose, whose labours are directed to its cultivation and improvement.Inquiry is necessarily the parent of knowledge;error itself, proceeding from discussion, leads ultimately tothe establishment of truth.
Were we to estimate our progress in the knowledge ofEnglish grammar from the number of works already publishedon the subject, we should perhaps be prompted to infer,that in afield so circumscribed, and at the same time so oftenand so ably explored, no object worthy of notice could haveescaped attention. And yet in this, as in every other art orscience, strict examination will convince us, that, thoughmuch may have been accomplished, still much remains, tostimulate the industry, and exercise the ingenuity, of futureinquirers. The author indeed is fully persuaded, that it isimpossible to examine the English language with any degreeof critical accuracy, and not perceive, that its syntacticalprinciples especially are yet but imperfectly illustrated, andthat there are many of its idioms, which have entirely eludedthe attention of our grammarians. That these defects are allsupplied by the present work, the author is far from havingthe vanity to believe. That he has examined a few peculiarities,and elucidated some principles, which have escapedthe observation of other grammarians, he trusts the intelligentreader will remark.
The Treatise, the second edition of which now solicits thenotice of the public, is intended chiefly for the improvement[iv]of those, who have m