2 74 remarks on grammar. Feh, it. 



to this kind of study, I fhall give a small specimen 

 of exercises in grammatical disquisitions, first in prac- 

 tical grammar, as being the easiest, as well as the 

 most generally useful exercise of the two, and next in 

 philosophical grammar, as being better adapted to 

 scientific minds. 



Exercises in regard to practical grammar. 



By practical grammar, I mean to denote, in con- 

 tradistinction to philosophical grammar, the art of 

 attaining, by habit and attention, a facility of using 

 any language correctly, either in speaking or in wri- 

 ting it. In this branch of study, one of the most ef- 

 sential requisites is, to obtain a knowledge of the 

 precise meaning of every word that occurs in that 

 language, according to the establiihed practice of the 

 jyiost correct writers. To obtain this knowledge, a 

 learner is obliged frequently to have recourse to dic- 

 tionaries ; so that it is an object of great importance 

 to have an accurate dictionary of the language. The 

 first object of inquiry, therefore, ought to be, whe- 

 ther such a dictionary is to be found ; and if it be 

 3iot, how that defect may be best supplied. 



Every person who has bestowed a particular at- 

 tention to the Engllfh language, knows very well, 

 that no such dictionary of that language exists ; for 

 the want of which the learner is obliged to grope his 

 way in the dark in the best manner he can, and by 

 consequence he will be in danger of going wrong 

 very often. 



Without stopping to criticise the writings of those 

 lexicographers who have attempted to give dictio- 

 naries of the Englilh language, it will answer a better 

 purpose to poiut cut some of the probable mean^ of 



