THIS volume, like a certain famous character in fiction, simply grew. The compiler-she does not claim so dignified a title as author-began when a school-girl to take notes on the use of words, grammatical forms, the peculiarities of language, and kindred topics. These notes were intended solely for her own benefit, with no thought of making a book of them. In trying to arrange and classify her compilations, grown voluminous as time passed by, the idea of forming them into a book first occurred. Standard works on grammar, philology and rhetoric were then consulted, new matter, deemed necessary for a book of this kind, was gleaned, and the old matter sifted and re-arranged. The compiler is aware of the existence of many books of a similar nature, and that there is no crying need for another; but a like restriction applies to grammars, to histories, to novels, to books of all kinds. It is modestly claimed that in no other single volume is included all the information found in this. The aim was to condense the leading features of several works into one book. If the aim has succeeded, the volume will be a convenience to the busy writer and to the general reader. NOTE. The subjects which properly belong to rhetoric, in order that they may be included in a volume of this size, are necessarily made very brief. They purport to be nothing more than a note-book for the student; an outline for the general reader. 296307 |