So much by way of preface in de- 
fence of my Treatise, to which, by the 
reader's leave, I will add a few lines 
about what is termed scholarship.^ — 
Since 1 have announced my intention 
of publishing this small Work, it has 
been repeatedly buzzed in my ears 
that no one should turn author, or 
presume to publish what he writes, 
unless he be a grammarian from Ox« 
ford, or Cambridge, or, at least, from 
King's College, Aberdeen, if he means 
his work to take : — now if this be so, 
I see very little chance of success for 
myself, for I frankly confess, that I 
know no more of alma mater than I 
do of my grandmother, who died 
before I was born. And I am also 
pretty well aware, that if I did not 
make this confession, my harsh phra- 
seology as well as tautology, now and 
then, would inevitably betray me. 
