er--Irving.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow--Irving.
Rip Van Winkle--Irving.
Lorna Doone--Blackmore.
Uncle William--Lee.
The Blue Flower--Van Dyke.

Non-fiction:
Sesame and Lilies--Ruskin.
Stones of Venice--Ruskin.
The American Commonwealth--Bryce.
A History of the English People--Green.
Views Afoot--Taylor.
The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table--Holmes.
Conspiracy of Pontiac--Parkman.
Autobiography--Franklin.
Lincoln--Douglas Debates.
Critical Periods of American History--Fiske.
Certain Delightful English Towns--Howells.
The Declaration of Independence.
Bunker Hill Oration--Webster.
On Conciliation with America--Burke.
The Sketch Book--Irving.

CHAPTER XII

WORDS.--SPELLING.--PRONUNCIATION

188. To write and to speak good English, one must have a good working
vocabulary. He must know words and be able to use them correctly;
he must employ only words that are in good use; he must be able
to choose words and phrases that accurately express his meaning;
and he must be able to spell and pronounce correctly the words
that he uses.

WORDS

189. GOOD USE. The first essential that a word should have, is
that it be in good use. A word is in good use when it is used
grammatically and in its true sense, and is also:

(1) _Reputable_; in use by good authors and writers in general.
The use of a word by one or two good writers is not sufficient
to make a word reputable; the use must be general.

(2) _National_; not foreign or local in its use.

(3) _Present_; used by the writers of one's own time.

190. OFFENSES AGAINST GOOD USE. The offenses against good use are
usually said to be of three classes: Solecisms, Barbarisms, and
Improprieties.

191. SOLECISMS are the violations of the principles of grammar.
Solecisms have been treated under the earlier chapters on grammar.

192. BARBARISMS. The second offense against good use, a barbarism,
is a word not in reputable, present or national use. The following
rules may be given on this subject:

1. AVOID OBSOLETE WORDS. Obsolete words are words that, once in
good use, have since passed out of general use. This rule might
also be made to include obsolescent words: words that are at present
time passing out of use. Examples of obsolete words:

methinks yesterwhiles twixt
yclept afeard shoon

2. AVOID NEWLY COINED EXPRESSIONS OR NEW USES OF OLD EXPRESSIONS.
There are a great