_an_
universal archetype by which the particular grammars of all different
tongues ought to be regulated." And adds, "If this was his meaning, I
cannot say whether he is in the right or in the wrong, in this accusation.
I acknowledge myself to be entirely ignorant of this ideal grammar." It
would be more fair to suppose that Dr. Swift meant by "_grammar_" the rules
and principles according to which the English language ought to be spoken
and written; and, (as I shall hereafter show,) it is no great hyperbole to
affirm, that every part of the code--nay, well-nigh every one of these
rules and principles--is, in many instances, violated, if not by what may
be called _the language itself_, at least by those speakers and writers who
are under the strongest obligations to know and observe its true use.

[80] The phrase "_of any_" is here erroneous. These words ought to have
been omitted; or the author should have said--"the least valuable of _all_
his productions."

[81] This word _latter_ should have been _last_; for _three_ works are here
spoken of.

[82] With this opinion concurred the learned James White, author of a
Grammatical Essay on the English Verb, an octavo volume of more than three
hundred pages, published in London in 1761. This author says, "Our Essays
towards forming an English Grammar, have not been very many: from the reign
of Queen Elizabeth, to that of Queen Ann, there are but Two that the author
of the Present knows of: one in English by the renown'd Ben Jonson, and one
in Latin by the learn'd Dr. Wallis. In the reign of Queen Ann indeed, there
seems to have arisen a noble Spirit of ingenious Emulation in this Literary
way: and to this we owe the treatises compos'd at that period for the use
of schools, by Brightland, Greenwood, and Maittaire. But, since that time,
nothing hath appear'd, that hath come to this Essayist's knowledge,
deserving _to be taken any notice of_ as tending to illustrate our Language
by ascertaining the Grammar of it; except Anselm Bayly's Introduction to
Languages, Johnson's Grammar prefix'd to the Abridgement of his Dictionary,
and the late Dr. Ward's Essays upon the English Language.--These are all
the Treatises he hath met with, relative to this subject; all which he hath
perus'd _very_ attentively, and made the best use of them in his power. But
notwithstanding all these aids, something still remains to be done, at
least it so appears to him, _preparatory to attempting with su