same rule, such an expression as, "He
did _not_ say _nothing_," is in fact only a vulgar solecism, take it as you
will; whether for, "He did _not_ say _anything_," or for, "He _did_ say
_something_." The latter indeed is what the contradiction amounts to; but
double negatives must be shunned, whenever they _seem_ like blunders. The
following examples have, for this reason, been thought objectionable;
though Allen says, "Two negatives destroy each other, or _elegantly_ form
an affirmation."--_Gram._, p. 174.

------------"_Nor_ knew I _not_
To be both will and deed created free."
--_Milton, P. L._, B. v., l. 548.

"_Nor_ doth the moon _no_ nourishment exhale
From her moist continent to higher orbs."
--_Ib._, B. v, l. 421.

OBS. 15.--Under the head of _double negatives_, there appears in our
grammars a dispute of some importance, concerning the adoption of _or_ or
_nor_, when any other negative than _neither_ or _nor_ occurs in the
preceding clause or phrase: as, "We will _not_ serve thy gods, _nor_
worship the golden image."--_Dan._, iii., 18. "Ye have _no_ portion, _nor_
right, _nor_ memorial in Jerusalem."--_Neh._, ii, 20. "There is _no_
painsworthy difficulty _nor_ dispute about them."--_Horne Tooke, Div._,
Vol. i, p. 43. "So as _not_ to cloud that principal object, _nor_ to bury
it."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 115; _Murray's Gram._, p. 322. "He did _not_
mention Leonora, _nor_ her father's death."--_Murray's Key_, p. 264. "Thou
canst _not_ tell whence it cometh, _nor_ whither it goeth."--_Ib._, p. 215.
The form of this text, in John iii, 8th. is--"But canst not tell whence it
cometh, _and_ whither it goeth;" which Murray inserted in his exercises as
bad English. I do not see that the copulative _and_ is here ungrammatical;
but if we prefer a disjunctive, ought it not to be _or_ rather than _nor_?
It appears to be the opinion of some, that in ail these examples, and in
similar instances innumerable, _nor_ only is proper. Others suppose, that
_or_ only is justifiable; and others again, that either _or_ or _nor_ is
perfectly correct. Thus grammar, or what should be grammar, differs in the
hands of different men! The principle to be settled here, must determine
the correctness or incorrectness of a vast number of very common
expressions. I imagine that none of these opinions is warrantable, if taken
in all that extent to which each of them has been, or may be, carried.

OBS. 16.--It was obse