In the indeclinable parts of speech, all authors were mistaken, till Mr. Horne Tooke explained them: Our conjunctions are mostly verbs in the imperative mode: Our adverbs and prepositions are mostly verbs, nouns and adjectives, either separate or combined; and the proper definition of adverb and preposition, is, "a word, or union of words, without the ordinary rules of government." _Because_ is a compound of the verb _be_, in the imperative, and the noun _cause_; _otherwise_ is merely a corruption of _other ways_; _wherefore_ is a corruption of the Roman _qua-re_, with the addition of _for_; _wisely_ is nothing more than the two adjectives _wise like_. So that in many cases, the want of a space between two words, or of the usual rules of government, is the only circumstance that distinguishes them from ordinary nouns and verbs; that is, the only thing that makes them _adverbs_ or _prepositions_; such as, _because_, _always_, _beyond_, _before_, _behind_, _forward_, _backward_. In short, had the English never been acquainted with Greek and Latin, they would never have thought of one half the distinctions and rules which make up our English grammars. The object of grammar, in a living language, is usually misunderstood. Men often suppose they must learn their native language by grammar; whereas they learn the language first, and grammar afterwards. The principal business of a compiler of a grammar is, to separate _local_ or _partial_ practice from the _general custom_ of speaking; and reject what is _local_, whether it exists among the great or the small, the learned or ignorant, and recommend that which is universal, or general, or which conforms to the analogies of structure in a language. Whether the words _means_, _pains_, _news_, ought to have been used originally in the singular form; or _sheep_, _deer_, _hose_, in the plural; or in other words, whether the language is well made, or might in some instances be mended, are questions of little consequence now; it is our business to find what the English language _is_, and not, how it _might have been made_. The most difficult task now to be performed by the advocates of _pure English_, is to restrain the influence of men, learned in Greek and Latin, but ignorant of their own tongue; who have laboured to reject much good English, because they have not understood the original construction of the language. Should the following Dissertations produce this effect, in the smallest degree, they may render essential service to our native tongue.