Description

Of making many English grammars there is noend; nor should there be till theoretical scholarship and actualpractice are more happily wedded. In this field much valuable workhas already been accomplished; but it has been done largely byworkers accustomed to take the scholar's point of view, and theirwritings are addressed rather to trained minds than to immaturelearners. To find an advanced grammar unencumbered with hard words,abstruse thoughts, and difficult principles, is not altogether aneasy matter. These things enhance the difficulty which an ordinaryyouth experiences in grasping and assimilating the facts ofgrammar, and create a distaste for the study. It is therefore theleading object of this book to be both as scholarly and aspractical as possible. In it there is an attempt to presentgrammatical facts as simply, and to lead the student to assimilatethem as thoroughly, as possible, and at the same time to do awaywith confusing difficulties as far as may be.