the vulgar, yet without adopting ordinarily
the long-drawn syllables of poets and orators, or the solemn phraseology of
preachers and prophets. Whatever may be thought of the grammatical
propriety of such contractions as the foregoing, no one who has ever
observed how the English language is usually spoken, will doubt their
commonness, or their antiquity. And it may be observed, that, in the use of
these forms, the distinction of persons and numbers in the verb, is almost,
if not entirely, dropped. Thus _don't_ is used for _dost not_ or _does
not_, as properly as for _do not_; and, "_Thou can't_ do it, or _shan't_ do
it," is as good English as, "_He can't_ do it, or _shan't_ do it." _Will_,
according to Webster, was anciently written _woll_: hence _won't_ acquired
the _o_, which is long in Walker's orthoepy. _Haven't_, which cannot be
used for _has not_ or _hast not_, is still further contracted by the
vulgar, and spoken _ha'nt_, which serves for all three. These forms are
sometimes found in books; as, "WONT, a contraction of _woll not_, that is,
_will not_."--_Webster's Dict._ "HA'NT, a contraction of _have not_ or _has
not_."--_Id._ "WONT, (w=ont _or_ w~unt,) A contraction of _would not_:--
used for _will_ not."--_Worcester's Dict._ "HAN'T, (haent or h=ant,) A
vulgar contraction for _has not_, or _have not_."--_Id._ In the writing of
such contractions, the apostrophe is not always used; though some think it
necessary for distinction's sake: as, "Which is equivalent, because what
_can't_ be done _won't_ be done."--_Johnson's Gram. Com._, p. 312.

IRREGULAR VERBS.

An _irregular verb_ is a verb that does not form the preterit and the
perfect participle by assuming _d_ or _ed_; as, _see, saw, seeing, seen_.
Of this class of verbs there are about one hundred and ten, beside their
several derivatives and compounds.

OBSERVATIONS.

OBS. 1.--Regular verbs form their preterits and perfect participles, by
adding _d_ to final _e_, and _ed_ to all other terminations; the final
consonant of the verb being sometimes doubled, (as in _dropped_,) and final
_y_ sometimes changed into _i_, (as in _cried_,) agreeably to the rules for
spelling in such cases. The verb _hear, heard, hearing, heard_, adds _d_ to
_r_, and is therefore irregular. _Heard_ is pronounced _h~erd_ by all our
lexicographers, except _Webster_: who formerly wrote it _heerd_, and still
pronounces it so; alleging, in despite of universal usage against him, tha