hou walkedst. In the third person singular, _in
the above styles_, the verb has sometimes _a different_ termination; as,
Present Tense, He, she, or _it walks_ or walketh. The _above form of
inflection_ may be applied _to all verbs_ used in the solemn _or_ poetic
_styles_; but for ordinary purposes, I have supposed it proper to employ
the form of the verb, adopted in common conversation, as least perplexing
to young minds."--_Bartlett's Common School Manual_, Part ii, p. 114. What
can be hoped from an author who is ignorant enough to think "_Thou
walketh_" is good English? or from one who tells us, that "_It walks_" is
of the solemn style? or from one who does not know that _you_ is never a
_nominative_ in the style of the Bible?

OBS. 8.--Nowhere on earth is fashion more completely mistress of all the
tastes and usages of society, than in France. Though the common French
Bible still retains the form of the second person singular, which in that
language is shorter and perhaps smoother than the plural; yet even that
sacred book, or at least the New Testament, and that by different persons,
has been translated into more fashionable French, and printed at Paris, and
also at New York, with the form of address everywhere plural; as, "Jesus
anticipated him, saying, 'What _do you think_, Simon? of whom do the kings
of the earth take taxes and tribute?'"--_Matt._, xvii, 24. "And, going to
prayers, they said, '0 Lord, _you who know_ the hearts of all men, show
which of these two _you have chosen_.'"--_Acts_, i, 24. This is one step
further in the progress of politeness, than has yet been taken in English.
The French grammarians, however, as far as I can perceive, have never yet
disturbed the ancient order of their conjugations and declensions, by
inserting the plural verb and pronoun in place of the singular; and, in the
familiarity of friendship, or of domestic life, the practice which is
denominated _tutoyant_, or _thoutheeing_, is far more prevalent in France
than in England. Also, in the prayers of the French, the second person
singular appears to be yet generally preserved, as it is in those of the
English and the Americans. The less frequent use of it in the familiar
conversation of the latter, is very probably owing to the general
impression, that it cannot be used with propriety, except in the solemn
style. Of this matter, those who have laid it aside themselves, cannot with
much modesty pretend to judge for those who have