tes, that they suppose _ellipses_ at
their own pleasure, and supply in every given instance just what words
their fancies may suggest. In this work, I adopt for myself, and also
recommend to others, the contrary course of avoiding on all occasions the
supposition of any _needless_ ellipses. Not only may the same preposition
govern more than one object, but there may also be more than one antecedent
word, bearing a joint relation to that which is governed by the
preposition. (1.) Examples of joint objects: "There is an inseparable
connection BETWEEN _piety and virtue_."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo, p. 171. "In
the conduct of Parmenio, a mixture OF _wisdom and folly_ was very
conspicuous."--_Ib._, p. 178. "True happiness is an enemy TO _pomp and
noise_"--_Ib._, p. 171. (2.) Examples of joint antecedents: "In unity
consist the _welfare and security_ OF every society."--_Ib._, p. 182. "It
is our duty to be _just and kind_ TO our fellow--creatures, and to be
_pious and faithful_ TO Him that made us."--_Ib._, p. 181. If the author
did not mean to speak of being _pious to God_ as well as _faithful to Him_,
he has written incorrectly: a comma after _pious_, would alter both the
sense and the construction. So the text, "For I am meek, and lowly in
heart," is commonly perverted in our Bibles, for want of a comma after
_meek_. The Saviour did not say, he was _meek in heart_: the Greek may be
_very literally_ rendered thus: "For gentle am I, and humble in heart."

OBS. 11.--Many writers seem to suppose, that no preposition can govern more
than one object. Thus L. Murray, and his followers: "The ellipsis of the
_preposition_, as well as of the verb, is seen in the following instances:
'He went into the abbeys, halls, and public buildings;' that is, 'He went
into the abbeys, he went into the halls, and he went into the public
buildings.'--'He also went through all the streets, and lanes of the city;'
that is, 'Through all the streets, and through all the lanes,'
&c."--_Murray's Gram._, 8vo, p. 219. See the same interpretations in
_Ingersoll's Gram._, p. 155; _Merchant's_, 100; _Picket's_, 211; _Alger's_,
73; _Fish's_, 147; _Guy's_, 91; _Adams's_, 82; _R. C. Smith's_, 183;
_Hamlin's_, 105; _Putnam's_, 139; _Weld's_, 292. Now it is plain, that in
neither of these examples is there any such ellipsis at all. Of the three
prepositions, the first governs three nouns; the second, two; and the
third, one only. But the last, (which is _of_,) has two a