"History and philosophy cannot otherwise affect the mind but for its enlargement and benefit." Use than.

"Flowers are often nothing else but cultivated weeds." Use than.

"He no sooner entered the bridge but he met an infuriated bull coming toward him." Use than.

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"He offered no other objection except the one already mentioned." Use than.

"He read five other books on 'Crime and Its Causes' in addition to those you named." Use than.

With equal propriety we may say, "He offered no objection except the one already mentioned," or "He read five books on 'Crime and Its Causes' in addition to those you named." It is the use of the word other, or otherwise, or else, that makes necessary the correlative term than.

Besides

After else and other the preposition besides is sometimes employed.

"Other boys besides these are mischievous."

"Other arts besides music are elevating and inspiring."

"We must have recourse to something else besides punishment."

It will be observed that the use of besides in this section differs from the use of than in the preceding discussion. "Other... than" is exclusive of those mentioned; whereas, "other... besides" includes those mentioned.

Other

"Iron is more useful than all the metals." The faultiness of this sentence becomes apparent when

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we remember that iron itself is a metal and is included in the word metals, which forms one side of the comparison. In short, "Iron is more useful than iron together with all the other metals." This statement is absurd. The sentence should, therefore, read, "Iron is more useful than all the other metals."

"The Washington monument is higher than any monument in America."

Since it is in America, and as it cannot be higher than itself, the sentence is made correct by adding the word other; as, "The Washington monument is higher than any other monument in America."

"This book, which I have just finished, is superior to any work on the subject that I have yet seen." Say "to any other work."

"Of all other creatures, man is the most highly endowed." Say "of all creatures," etc.

"No general was ever so beloved by his soldiers." Say "No other general," etc.

"Nothing delights him so much as a storm at sea." "Nothing else delights him," etc.

One's, His

Whether we should say "One ought to know one's own mind," or "One ought to know his own mind," is a question that the critics have earnestly discussed, but have never settled, except as each settles it for

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himself. The masculine pronoun is often used with an antecedent whose gender is not known. There can, therefore, be no objection to the use of his on the question of gender. As a matter of euphony, his is preferable to one's. Both have the sanction of good usage.

None

Although literally signifying no one, the word none may be used with a plural verb, having the force of a collective noun.

"None but the brave deserves the fair."-- Dryden.

"None knew thee but to love thee, None named thee but to praise."-- Halleck.

"I look for ghosts; but none will force Their way to me."-- Wordsworth.

"Of all the girls that e'er were seen, There's none so fine as Nelly."-- Swift.

All, Whole

The word all is often incorrectly used for the whole.

"The river rose and spread over all the valley." This should be "over the whole valley."

"The day being stormy, the members of Class A were all the children at school to-day." Correct by saying "were the only children at school to-day."

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Perpetually, Continually

Perpetually is not synonymous with continually. Perpetually means never-ceasing. That which is done continually may be subject to interruptions.

Persuade, Advise

"Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Paul had advised many persons to become Christians, some of whom, like Agrippa, were almost persuaded.

Wharf, Dock

These words are sometimes confounded. The wharf is the pier, or landing, upon which the vessel unloads her cargo. The dock is the artificial waterway, or basin, formed by the wharves. "The vessel came into the dock and was made fast to the wharf."

Contemptible, Contemptuous

Contemptible is sometimes incorrectly used for contemptuous. A story is told of Richard Parson, an English scholar and critic. A gentleman being in dispute with him, angrily exclaimed, "My opinion of you is most contemptible, sir," upon which Parson quickly retorted, "I never knew an opinion of yours that was not contemptible."

Healthy, Wholesome

These terms are not synonymous. Toadstools may be healthy, but they would not be regarded as wholesome.

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