education, and the extraordinary influence it has upon us throughout life, are scarcely to be credited. It is this almost inveterate indifference, acquired in early life, which causes us to rest satisfied with general rather than particular knowledge, originates so many indistinct conceptions, produces a positive and violent aversion from thinking, and thus exercises a most pernicious influence upon the intellectual character of the man.

If an infinite variety in the appearance of external things be admitted, it will follow that there must be, in like manner, a great variety in the meaning of those words which are their conventional signs. We must not, however, expect to find the same extent of variety in words as in things, because the system of generalization applied to language does not admit of the same extension. Thus, though the word table will represent, generally, a flat substance supported by legs, it will not stand for the many varieties of this piece of furniture which might be presented to the eye. In this respect, single words are imperfect; for, though some have undoubtedly a more specific meaning than others, they cannot express all the varieties of every species of things; all they can do is to supply us with general signs, which must be rendered specific by the addition of those qualifying terms which serve to modify their signification, and give them a more definite meaning.

But words, though they do not express individual

PREFACE.

DR. BLAIR, in his "Lectures upon the English Language," says:-"The great source of a loose style is the injudicious use of synonymous terms." If we examine the style of most of the periodical and light literature of the day, we shall soon be convinced of the truth of this assertion. For one fault in construction or idiom, we shall find at least twenty incorrect applications of words. The want of a critical knowledge of verbal distinctions is obviously the cause of these errors. But though the foundation of this knowledge should undoubtedly be laid at an early stage of the study of language, and before the habit of using words in a loose way has become inveterate, it appears to be generally considered unnecessary for the young student, and is either neglected for other pursuits, or else is wholly excluded from

The pernicious result of this neglect is found in the inaccuracy and looseness of style so generally prevalent. The present work has been written with a view to supply what the author believes to be a desideratum in Elementary Education; and though he is far from intending it should be regarded as complete, he hopes it will be found to contain principles sufficiently suggestive to enable those who use it to continue the study to any extent for themselves.

IN this Edition, the work has undergone a thorough revision by the author, the number of Synonymes in Section IV. has been considerably increased, and a General Index has been added.

Bayswater, 1858.

PRACTICAL EXERCISES

ON

ENGLISH SYNONYMES.

INTRODUCTION.

Ir is a common observation, that there are no two objects in nature exactly alike: that however close their apparent resemblance to each other may be, the one will be found, upon examination, to possess some shade, some almost imperceptible tinge of difference by which it may be distinguished from the other. But it is not to the superficial observer that these nice varieties are evident. He who contents himself with a general or casual view of things must remain in ignorance of all those nicely distinctive properties of substances, which render them, in certain respects, independent of each other. He can have no knowledge of their peculiar qualities, but must look upon them as belonging to the general mass of natural matter; and though the most indifferent spectator cannot fail to be struck with

B