39. I have predicated my argument on the belief that what I see I know.

40. Settle for your ticket before the boat starts.

41. The regiment was greatly decimated, nearly half the soldiers having been killed.

42. We remained at Philadelphia a few days.

43. One of the strange things was that he was so vain of his ancestors.

44. I thought the exercises were splendid.

45. He was very cross when they accused him with neglect. 46. Wait on me; I will be along with you in a few minutes. 47. I purpose to build an addition to the house.

48. Will you kindly fetch me some books when you go to the city?

3. PRECISION.

Precision (from the Latin præcidere, to cut off) is that property of diction which requires the precise or exact use of words to express the idea intended. Such words must be used as cut off all that is not meant to be expressed. A precise writer chooses only those words which express the exact shade of meaning he desires to convey. Thus, three shades of meaning may be expressed by the three words, industrious, laborious, and diligent. The industrious man works busily; the laborious mechanic works with close application; the diligent man works industriously from choice.

Note. The English language contains a great number of words whose meaning is nearly the same, as high and tall, enough and sufficient, etc. These are called Synonyms. There are few words in our language which mean precisely the same. Slight shades of difference in meaning distinguish each from the others.

The Study of Synonyms.-The writer who desires to be precise will find it greatly to his advantage not

only to study synonyms thoroughly, but also to write sentences containing synonymous terins, being careful to express his ideas with the greatest possible precision. Many of these synonyms will at first sight appear to have the same meaning, but a closer inspection will show that there are shades of difference, and elegance in composition will be greatly facilitated by using each word with only its precise meaning.

Note.-Much may be learned from standard dictionaries on the use of synonyms. There are also some excellent books published on this special subject. Among these are Crabbe's Dictionary of Synonyms, Roget's Thesaurus of English Words, and Smith's Synonyms Discriminated.

Synonyms Discriminated.-The following examples will illustrate briefly the importance of discriminating synonyms:

1. Enough, sufficient. Enough refers to what we think we want; sufficient refers to our actual needs. Enough implies more than sufficient. When one has money to supply all his needs, he has sufficient, but few ever seem to have enough, because they do not have all they want.

2. Kill, murder, assassinate. To kill means to deprive of life, and may be without blame. Thus, we may kill another by accident or we may kill an animal for food. To murder is to kill with malicious forethought and intention. It implies guilt. We kill, but do not murder animals. To assassinate is to murder by stealth. It adds treachery and stealth to the crime of murder.

3. Only, alone. Only indicates that there is no other of the same kind; alone indicates being accompanied by no other. An only child is one that has no brothers or sisters; a child alone is one left by itself. "Only gold was received for customs" means that nothing else would be received. "Gold alone was received for customs" means that gold unaccompanied by anything else was paid.

Suggestions. The following suggestions on the use

of words will assist the writer in making his composition precise:

1. Use Words in their Proper Sense.-This necessitates, to some extent, the careful study of synonyms. When the student is not certain as to the exact word he wishes to use, he should refer to a standard dictionary or a work on synonyms.

2. Avoid the Use of General for Special Terms.-Thus, crime is a general term including many varieties, but theft and murder are specific terms. It is always best to use the special term where possible. For this reason commendation is a better word than praise where sincere praise is meant.

3. Distinguish between the Different Degrees of Intensity expressed by Words.—Thus abstinence is a stronger word than temperance, wave is stronger than ripple, wind is stronger than breeze, etc. Each should be used to express the idea conveyed by that word.

4. Distinguish between Words having respectively an Active and a Passive Meaning.-Thus, force is active; strength, passive: ability is active; capacity, passive.

5. Distinguish between Negative and Privative Words. Thus, between disbelief, which is negative, denying the existence of belief, and unbelief, which is privative, expressing simply the absence of belief.

6. Reject all Unnecessary Words.-Thus, in the sentence, "I am certain and confident that the accusation is correct and

true," both confident" and true may be omitted.

7. Distinguish between Auxiliaries.-Thus, between shall and will, should and would, may and can.

Note 1.- Will in the first person expresses a promise; as, “I will give you the pencil."

Will in the first person also expresses a resolution; as, "I will go." Shall in the first person foretells, or expresses what will take place; as, "I shall return next week."

Will in the second and the third person foretells; as, "You will be pleased;" "He will be here to-morrow."

Shall in the second and the third person expresses a command, a promise, or a threat; as,—

a. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (command).

b. "You shall have the book" (promise).

When shall is the proper form for the first person, will is correct for the second and the third. When will is the proper form for the first person, shall is correct for the second and the third.

In questions

Shall in the first person asks permission or the wish of another; as, "Shall I help you?"

Shall in the third person asks the wish of another; as, "Shall he come in?" that is, Do you wish that he shall come in?

Will in the second and the third person anticipates a wish or an intention; as, "Will you help me?" that is, Is it your wish or intention to help me?

Note 2.— Would is subject to the same rules as will, and should to the same rules as shall.

Note 3.-May denotes permission and possibility; can denotes ability. Thus, in asking permission one should say, May I have this? May I go? not, Can I have this? Can I go?

EXERCISE.

Distinguish between the following synonyms, and incorporate each in a sentence:

1. Bank, shore; acid, sour; divine, sacred; abandon, desert, forsake; ability, capacity; abdicate, resign; abolish, repeal; revoke, annul, nullify.

2. Artist, artisan; lie, lay; sit, set; bring, fetch; applause, commendation, praise; ancestors, forefathers; few, little; tall, high; large, great; fewer, less; many, much; in, into; clear, distinct.

3. Exceed, excel; learn, teach; apprehend, comprehend; hasten, hurry; news, tidings; sick, ill; love, like; relations, relatives; keep, preserve; live, dwell; instruction, education.

4. Hope, expect; right, privilege; stout, strong; knowledge, wisdom; boyish, puerile; pretty, handsome, beautiful; alarm, fright, terror; old, ancient, antique; bough, branch, twig; argue, debate, dispute.

5. Bleach, blanch, whiten; safe, secure; hard, difficult; at

tend, hearken, listen; raise, rise; pile, heap; genuine, authentic; peaceful, peaceable; bashful, diffident; modest, shy; beast, brute; ask, beg, request.

6. Warm, hot; stay, remain; sin, crime; leave, quit, relinquish; duty, obligation; choose, elect, prefer; acknowledge, avow, confess; convince, persuade; lack, want, need; human, humane; temperance, abstinence.

7. Burden, load; cautious, circumspect, wary; soon, quickly, speedily; answer, reply; custom, habit; blaze, flame; loving, amiable; right, just; calamity, misfortune; awkward, clumsy, uncouth; flock, herd.

8. Trustworthy, reliable; tame, gentle; surprised, astonished; emigrant, immigrant; pause, stop, rest; conquer, overcome, subdue, subjugate; tolerate, permit.

EXERCISE.

Criticise the following, and correct where necessary :

1. Extreme use of wine is a bad (habit or custom).

2. As soon as you have eaten (enough or sufficient) we (will or shall) leave.

3. The house has been empty for a month; the late occupants moved to the city.

4. There are less boys than girls in the school.

5. The equipment of the vessel is full.

6. The voice of the chanticleer was as distinct as a bell.

7. It was the universal opinion that he merited praise for

his splendid performance.

8. Is the lesson a hard one?

9. Bring me some water from the brook.

10. The father's conduct was brutish in the punishment of his son.

11. Our neighbors are a very nice sort of people.

12. It is my privilege to demand attention when I speak.

13. I am sure that I (apprehend or comprehend) your meaning.

14. The veracity of the statement is in doubt.