however, are now sanctioned by good usage, and may be indiscriminately
employed, without offence against propriety.

121. "It is dangerous to walk _of a_ slippery morning:" say, _on a_
slippery morning. But the expression, "_walking on a slippery morning_,"
and all others like it, of which a strictly literal interpretation will
not give the designed signification, are to be avoided. They often excite
a smile when seriousness is intended.

122. "He who makes himself famous by his eloquence, makes illustrious his
origin, let it be _never so mean_:" say, _ever so mean_. The practice of
using _never_ in such phrases was anciently in vogue, but is now becoming
obsolete. (See Introduction.)

123. "His reputation is acknowledged _through_ Europe:" say, _throughout_
Europe.

124. "The bank of the river is frequently _overflown_:" say, _overflowed_.
_Flown_ is the perfect participle of _fly, flying_; _flowed_, of _flow,
flowing_.

125. "I doubt _if this_ will ever reach you:" say, _whether this_, &c.

126. "It is not improbable _but I may_ be able to procure you a copy:"
say, _that I may_, &c.

127. "He was _exceeding kind_ to me:" say, _exceedingly kind_.

128. "I doubt not _but I shall_ be able:" say, _that I shall_.

129. "I lost _near_ twenty pounds:" say, _nearly_, or _almost_.

130. "There were not _over_ twenty persons present:" say, _more than_.
Such a use of this word is not frequent among writers of reputation. It
may, however, be less improperly employed, where the sense invests it with
more of a semblance to its literal signification: as, "This pair of
chickens will weigh _over_ seven pounds." Even in this case, it is better
to say _more than_.

131. "_Bills are requested to be paid quarterly_:" _the bills are not
requested_, but _the persons who owe them_. Say instead, _It is requested
that bills be paid quarterly_.

132. "There can be no doubt _but that_ he will succeed:" omit _but_.

133. "It was _no use asking_ him any more questions:" say, _of no use to
ask him_, or _there was no use in asking_, &c.

134. "The Americans said they _had no right_ to pay taxes." [From a Fourth
of July Oration.] They certainly _had a right_ to pay them, if they
wished. What the speaker meant was, _they were under no obligation to
pay_, or, _they were not bound to pay_.

135. "He intends to _stop_ at home for a few days:" it is more elegant to
say _stay_. If the time, however, should be very brief, _stop_ would
be