This dissertation will be closed with one observation, which the reader may have made upon the foregoing criticisms: That in many instances the Americans still adhere to the analogies of the language, where the English have infringed them. So far therefore as the regularity of construction is concerned, we ought to retain our own practice and be our own standards. The English practice is an authority; but considering the force of custom and the caprice of fashion, their practice must be as liable to changes and to errors, as the practice of a well educated yeomanry, who are governed by habits and not easily led astray by novelty. In the instances where we have adhered to analogy, no consideration can warrant us in resigning our practice to the authority of a foreign court, which, thro mere affectation, may have embraced many obvious errors. In doubtful cases, to pay a suitable deference to the opinions of others, is wise and prudent; but to renounce an obvious principle of propriety because others have renounced it, is to carry our complaisance for the faults of the great, much farther than we can justify, and in a _nation_, it is an act of servility that wants a name. [Illustration] [Illustration] FOOTNOTES: [38] Dr. Sheridan has coined a word for these combinations; he calls them _digraphs_, that is, _double written_. [39] Vocal and aspirate. [40] On the stage, it is sometimes pronounced with _i_ long, either for the sake of rhime, or in order to be heard. Mr. Sheridan marks it both ways; yet in common discourse he pronounces it with _i_ short, as do the nation in general. [41] The most significant words, and consequently the most important, are nouns and verbs; then follow adjectives, pronouns, auxiliary verbs and participles.--Particles are the least important. [42] I consider these terminations as single syllables. [43] Such is the tendency of people to uniformity, that the _commonalty_, for the most part, form the word regularly, and pronounce it _commonality_. Analogy requires that both these words should end in _ity_; but custom has established them as exceptions. [44] From this remark we must except some derivatives from the Greek; as geography, philology, antithesis, hypothesis, &c. which have but one accent. Etymology requires these words to be accented on the first and third syllables; but the genius of the language, or the analogy of termination has prevailed over etymological reasons. Etymology however resumes her rights in the derivatives, _geographical_, _philological_, &c. where each radical syllable is distinguished by an accent.