In like manner some persons have felt disposed to say many an one instead of many a one because of the presence of the vowel o. But the sound is the consonant sound of w as in won, and the article should be a and not an.

There is a difference of opinion among writers concerning the use of a and an, before words beginning

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with h, when not silent, especially when the accent falls on the second syllable; as, a harpoon, a hegira, a herbarium, a herculean effort, a hiatus, a hidalgo, a hydraulic engine, a hyena, a historian.

The absence of the accent weakens the h sound, and makes it seem as if the article a was made to precede a vowel. The use of an is certainly more euphonious and is supported by Webster's Dictionary and other high authority.

The Honorable, The Reverend

Such titles as Honorable and Reverend require the article the; as, "The Honorable William R. Gladstone is often styled 'The Grand Old Man,'" "The Reverend Henry Ward Beecher was an eloquent orator," not Honorable William, E. Gladstone, or Reverend Henry Ward Beecher.

Article omitted

"A clergyman and philosopher entered the hall together." "A clergyman and philosopher" means one person who is both clergyman and philosopher. The article should be repeated. "A clergyman and a philosopher entered the hall together."

"A red and white flag" means one flag of two colors. "A red and a white flag" means two flags, a red flag and a white flag. "A great and a good man has departed." The verb has implies that only

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one man has departed, hence the sentence should be, "A great and good man has departed."

"They sang the first and second verse," should be, "They sang the first and the second verse." "The literal and figurative meaning of words" should be, "The literal and the figurative meaning of words."

"In framing of his sentences he was very exact," should be, "In the framing," etc., or, "In framing his sentences he was very exact." "The masculine and feminine gender," should be, "The masculine and the feminine gender."

"After singing a hymn, Miss Willard made a stirring address." If Miss Willard alone sang the hymn the sentence is correct. If the congregation sang the hymn the sentence should be, "After the singing of a hymn, Miss Willard made a stirring address."

"He is but a poor writer at best." Say, "at the best." "He received but a thousand votes at most." Say, "at the most."

"John came day before yesterday." Say, "the day before yesterday."

Article redundant

"Shakespeare was a greater writer than an actor," should be, "Shakespeare was a greater writer than actor."

"This is the kind of a tree of which he was speaking,"

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should be, "This is the kind of tree," etc. "What kind of a bird is this?" should be, "What kind of bird."

"The one styled the Provost is the head of the University," should be, "The one styled Provost."

"The nominative and the objective cases," should be "The nominative and objective cases."

"He made a mistake in the giving out the text." Say "in giving out the text," or, "in the giving out of the text." In the latter instance, the participle becomes a noun and may take the article before it.

Articles interchanged

"An elephant is the emblem of Siam," should be, "The elephant is the emblem," etc. "A digraph is the union of two letters to represent one sound." Should be, "A digraph is a union," etc.

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CHAPTER XIV

Redundancy

We are all creatures of habit. Our sayings, as well as our doings, are largely a series of habits. In some instances we are unconscious of our peculiarities and find it almost impossible to shake them off.

The following are verbatim expressions as they dropped from the lips of a young clergyman in the pulpit. They show a deeply-seated habit of repetition of thought. As he was a graduate of one of the first colleges in the land, we are the more surprised that the habit was not checked before he passed through his college and seminary courses. The expressions are here given as a caution to others to be on their guard: "Supremest and highest," "separate and sever us," "derision, sarcasm, and contempt," "disobedient and disloyal and sinful," "hold aloof from iniquity, from sin," "necessity of being reclaimed and brought back," "their beautiful and their elegant city," "so abandoned and given up to evil and iniquity," "soaked and stained with human gore and blood," "beautiful and resplendent," "hardened and solidified into stone and adamant," "this

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arctic splendor and brilliancy," "were being slaughtered and cut down," "in the rapidity and the swiftness of the train," "with all the mightiness and the splendor of his genius," "the force and the pressure it brings to bear," "has and possesses the power," "lights flashed and gleamed."

The above were all taken from a single discourse. Another peculiarity of the same speaker was his use of the preposition between. Instead of saying, "Between him and his father there was a perfect understanding of the matter," he would say, "Between him and between his father there was a perfect understanding of the matter."

Young writers will find it a valuable exercise to go through a letter, essay, or other composition which they have written, with the view of ascertaining how many words they can eliminate without diminishing the force of what has been written. An article or two from the daily paper, and an occasional page from some recent work of fiction will afford further opportunity for profitable practice in pruning.

Widow woman

"And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king."-- I Kings xi, 26.

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The expression is now regarded as an archaism, and not to be used in modern speech or writing. Omit woman.

Why

Many persons have a foolish habit of beginning their answer to a question with the word why. In some cases it doubtless has its origin in the desire to gain time while the mind is preparing the answer, but in most instances it is merely a habit.

Some persons prefix the word why to the statement of a fact or to the asking of a question. This is even worse than to employ it to introduce the answer. Restrict it to its legitimate use.

Look at here

This is one of the numerous expressions designed to call the attention of the person addressed to the speaker. It is both ungrammatical and vulgar. The omission of at will render it grammatical. "See here" is still better.

Look and see

"Look and see if the teacher is coming." The words "look and" are superfluous. "See whether the teacher is coming" is a better expression.

Recollect of