"Did you receive my last letter?"

"I hope not. I enjoy your letters very much, and I trust you may live to write many more."

Cunning

This word is much used by young ladies in speaking of what is small, or dainty, or pleasing, as "A cunning little bonnet," "A cunning little watch," etc. While the word properly embodies the idea of skill or dexterity on the part of the workman, and while the appreciation of such skill, in speaking of the artist or artisan, might be expressed by cunning, it is better not to use the word in referring to the product of the workmanship.

Curious

Curious means inquisitive, rare. In the sense of strange or remarkable, its use should be guarded.

Cute

This word is often used colloquially in the sense of clever, sharp, shrewd, ingenious, cunning. It is doubtless an abbreviation of acute.

It is not found in good literary usage.

Favor, Resemble

The use of the word favor in the sense of resemble is a provincialism that should be avoided. "The

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son favors the father" is correct if the meaning be that the son shows favor or kindness to the father; but if reference to their similarity of appearance is intended, the verb resemble should be employed.

Balance, Remainder

This word, like numerous others, has been borrowed from the commercial world, and has had such a wide use that its faultiness is not noticed even by many who regard themselves as careful speakers and writers. "I cut down part of the timber this year, and expect to cut the balance next spring." "My cousin will remain with us the balance of this week." "James ate half of the melon to-day, and will eat the balance to-morrow." In these and all similar cases the word remainder should be used. Balance is a term that applies to accounts, and signifies the amount necessary to be added to one side of the account in order to make it equal the other.

Behave

"Now, my children, you must behave while I am gone." The mother intended to ask her children to behave well, but as behave is a neutral word, and may be followed by well or ill, her form of expression permits the children to supply whichever adverb suits them the better. Behave requires a qualifying word to make the meaning clear.

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Bound

"He was determined to study medicine," not "He was bound," etc. Bound implies that he was under a bond or obligation to another, rather than impelled by the action of his own mind.

Better, Best

While some good writers violate the rule, yet the best authorities restrict the use of the comparative degree to two objects.

"Mary is the better scholar of the two."

"Although both are young, Susan is the younger."

"Of two evils, choose the lesser," not the least.

Former, First

Former and latter being adjectives of the comparative degree, should be used in speaking of two objects. When more than two objects are named, use first and last.

"My sons, John and Luther, are both at college. The first expects to study law, and the last to study medicine." Use former and latter.

"New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago are the most populous cities in the United States. The former has long been at the front; the latter has only recently entered the race." Use first and last instead of former and latter.

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These, Those

When objects near and remote are referred to, this and its plural these are applied to the objects near at hand, that and its plural those to objects at a distance.

When reference is made to contrasted antecedent terms, this and these are applied to the latter; that and those to the former, as

"Farewell my friends! farewell my foes!

My peace with these, my love with those!"

-- Burns.

Fictitious Writer

Do not say a fictitious writer when you mean a writer of fiction.

Firstly

First is an adverb as well as an adjective. We should, therefore, say first, secondly, thirdly, and not firstly, secondly, etc.

First-rate

An article may be rated in quality as first, or second, or third. If it rates first, it may be called a first-rate article. The word is properly used as an adjective, but should not be employed as an adverb, as in the sentence, "He sings first-rate."

Fix, Mend, Repair

Fix means to make fast, but its incorrect use in the sense of mend, repair, arrange, is so common that the

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word when properly used sounds strange, if not strained. "To fix up the room," "to fix up the accounts," "to fix up matters with my creditors," "to fix the rascals who betrayed me," are examples illustrating the looseness with which the word is used.

Round, Square

When a thing is round or square it cannot be rounder or squarer. These adjectives do not admit of comparative and superlative forms. But we may say more nearly round or less nearly square.

States, Says