S t'i S Uii t , ' 
 
 LOCUTA, 
 
 <&m 
 
 -..DEDICATE^' TO THERESA TIDY. |H 
 
 'TFITH ETCHINGS. 
 
 % ;\ Price 4s. Boards. 
 

 DUKE UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 The Glenn Negley Collection 
 of Utopian Literature 
 
i 
 
I 
 
VOYAGE TO LOCUTA 
 
 A FRAGMENT. 
 
s. l»wawli, Viiaw, LitUii ^ mi Slrcct i Condor 
 

FRONTISPIECE. 
 
 Mercury introducing a Youth to the Island of Locuta, 
 
VOYAGE TO LOCUTA; 
 
 A FRAGMENT: 
 
 WITH ETCHINGS, 
 
 AND NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 DEDICATED TO THERESA TIDY, 
 Author of the " Eighteen Maxims of Neatness and Order." 
 
 BY LEMUEL GULLIVER, JUN. 
 
 " What do you read, my Lord?"— 
 
 " Words, words, words." Hamlet. 
 
 " J'ai Madame a vous dire 
 '" Que je ne connois point ces gens la. 
 
 BF.LISE. 
 
 " Quel martyre! 
 " Ce sont les noms des mots, et Ton doit regarder 
 " En quoi e'est qu'il les faut faire ensemble accorder." 
 
 Femmes Savante.-;. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR J. HATCHARD, 
 BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN', 
 
 no. 190, orrosirE albanv, piccadillt. 
 1818. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2010 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/voyagetolocutafrOOgrah 
 
L/(OK [ft 
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 Dear Theresa, 
 
 Connected as we are by the ties of 
 blood as well as of friendship, I cannot fail to 
 be interested in all your concerns, and have 
 heard with pleasure, that your late attempt to 
 promote the cause of order and arrangement in 
 the Eighteen Maxims which you have given 
 to your young friends, has met with so candid 
 a reception. It has also awakened in me a 
 desire to put in my oar, and, under your 
 auspices, to waft them to a place which I have 
 lately visited, and in which the good' effect of 
 order is so manifest, as to afford an interesting 
 subject of examination : but, as your atten- 
 tion has been devoted to the cause of order 
 and regularity in the daily occupations of 
 a 3 
 
VI DEDICATION. 
 
 the younger part of the community, the ex- 
 ample which I have to produce is confined to 
 the arrangement of their verbal intercourse. 
 
 To proceed, then, to the scene of action : 
 J must inform you, that, at a time when all 
 England is flocking to the Continent, and 
 wanderers of all descriptions are crossing each 
 other in a thousand different directions, like 
 a nest of ants, I too have been seized with a 
 desire of emigrating ; and nothing would con- 
 tent me, short of an expedition to the regions- 
 once explored by my revered ancestor, that 
 great navigator Lemuel Gulliver, where I might 
 retrace the progress described by his eloquent 
 pen, and perhaps discover fresh objects of exa- 
 mination. Having at length, by the accidental 
 influence of winch and currents, been driven- 
 upon a shore which did not present itself to his- 
 observation, T can only regret that he is aft 
 
DEDICATION. Vll 
 
 longer in existence, since none but himself could 
 have done justice to the interesting set of cha- 
 racters with which I became acquainted. Upon 
 examining my papers, I find only the meagre 
 and scanty Fragment which follows : bar 
 should this rude sketch of what I saw and 
 heard, induce some more enlightened traveller 
 to visit and describe the spot which attracted 
 my attention, I shall have less occasion for 
 apology in thus entreating you to patronize 
 the attempt of 
 
 Your affectionate Kinsman, 
 
 L. G. 
 
 a4 
 
FRAGMENT 
 
 OF 
 
 A JOURNAL, 
 
 1 he Island of Laputa having been 
 
 so well described by the renowned Lemuel Gul- 
 liver, I contented my self without examining that 
 curious region, and proceeded still farther, till 
 I discovered another island, surrounded in the 
 same manner by an immense flight of steps : 
 \ipon these were seated large groups of boys 
 and girls, who were employed in learning 
 and repeating their lessons.. Their instructors 
 being busily engaged in attending to them, I 
 waited some time before I found one at leisure 
 to give me any information concerning this 
 newly-discovered spot ; but; at last, one of 
 
10 VOYAGE TO LOCUTA ; 
 
 them informed me that the territory before us 
 was the Island of Locuta, and contained an 
 immense number of inhabitants, governed by 
 a code of laws much more simple than is al- 
 lowed by many of its historians. Interpreters, 
 indeed, are not wanting^ he added, who explain 
 them into such a state of intricacy, as is 
 enough to frighten young inquirers, and these 
 are sometimes satisfied with learning by rote 
 what they do not understand. Too many of 
 them remain, therefore, deplorably ignorant 
 of the nature and genius of this system of 
 government, and are constantly exposed to 
 the danger of offending against those regula- 
 tions which are necessary to preserve the in- 
 ternal order and harmony of the community. 
 
 My curiosity being naturally excited upon 
 this occasion, was at length gratified by the 
 kindness of my new companion, who under- 
 took to give me a slight sketch of the laws, 
 government, and policy of the republic, 
 whose territory was at present the subject of 
 my attention, and addressed me in the fol- 
 io whig manner. 
 
A FRAGMENT. II 
 
 Tile members of this community, said 
 be, are divided into nine or ten classes, 
 some of which are again subdivided, in order 
 to perform different duties, as occasion may- 
 require. Their trade extends to every part 
 of the known world; but there is some variety 
 in the rules they observe in their communica- 
 tion with different countries, and in their sup- 
 ply of the grand article of their commerce. 
 There was, indeed, a period when the order 
 and harmony of their government pervaded 
 the whole earth. All its inhabitants equally- 
 observed the same laws, and the same sound 
 was heard in all their borders. But, in one 
 sad day, confusion and anarchy entered, and 
 prevailed. Strange sounds echoed in the air ; 
 orators in the heat of argument were struck 
 mute by the astonished countenances of those 
 who no longer understood their language ; and 
 innumerable bands of despairing objects were 
 driven from the spot, in all possible directions,, 
 to seek their fortune,, and make establishments 
 of their own. In order to enable these bands of 
 fugitives and their descendants to communi- 
 eate with each other, as by degrees became ne~. 
 
J2 VOYAGE TO LOCUTA ; 
 
 cessary, a great portion of labour lias been en- 
 tailed upon the human race, and the original 
 code of laws has been diversified and accom- 
 modated to suit their wants and feelings. The 
 study and application of these arrangements 
 is also one of the first toils that falls to the lot 
 of man, and to this object is directed the at- 
 tention of the juvenile groups seated on the 
 steps which surround the island. 
 
 Some of the nations it communicates 
 with, acknowledge only eight classes of inha- 
 bitants, while others reckon nine ; the division 
 and subdivisions also of their power and in- 
 fluence, are differently explained by histo- 
 rians ; but as their intercourse with the em- 
 pire of Great Britain is carried on in a more 
 simple manner than that of the rest of the 
 world, I will, as much as possible, confine 
 myself to the regulations observed in their 
 dealings with, and the authority acknowledged 
 by, that nation. 
 
 The first of these classes is the most 
 ancient and independent in the community. 
 2 
 
to fact page 13 
 
 Substantial families of the first clafs preceded by 
 their footmen.. 
 
A FRAGMENT. 13 
 
 Its dominion extends over every thing in the 
 creation ; and nothing that we see or speak of 
 is out of the range of its influence. This is 
 the first and most common description of the 
 family ; but a second branch of it confines its 
 attention to persons and places ; a third (more 
 poetically inclined) deals with beings of the 
 imagination ; and a fourth collects a number 
 of individuals in one group, and under one 
 name : in this, however, the whole class aoree, 
 that it is the only one that can stand unsup- 
 ported by the others, and by this distinction 
 it is known from them. These individuals are 
 clothed in different uniforms, which are reeu- 
 lated by the circumstances in which they are 
 placed ; by their going alone, or in parties ; 
 by their sex ; or by the different relations in 
 which they stand to each other; whether 
 they are destined for actors themselves, are to 
 be the objects of each other's action, or are 
 obliged to assert their property in any thing 
 that is disputed. With some exceptions, the 
 natives of this class are attended by three 
 little running footmen, who give notice of their 
 approach, a distinction which is not allowed 
 
14 VOYAGE TO LOCUTA; 
 
 to any other citizen of the state, and by which 
 they one always recognised. Of these attend- 
 ants there are two kinds ; the first can belong 
 to only one master at a time ; the second is 
 equally useful to a number, and has the addi- 
 tional qualification of pointing them out to 
 bystanders, as being already known and ex- 
 pected. By the ancient state of Latium, in- 
 deed, this ceremony is not acknowledged to 
 be necessary ; and the very name of these at- 
 tendants is not included in their list ; but, as in 
 England and many other countries, they arc 
 ranged among the servants of Government 
 we must permit them to remain so. 
 
 The second class of members is so nearly 
 connected with the first, that they are often 
 called their brothers ; but they are distin- 
 guished from the former by one striking cir- 
 cumstance, that they can no more stand with- 
 out the support of their companions, than 
 the ivy can raise its head without laying hold 
 of the oak. Their employment consists in 
 proclaiming and describing the quality and 
 properties of these companions. It must* 
 
A FRAGMENT. 15 
 
 therefore, be allowed, that though they are 
 weak and helpless by themselves, they are of 
 infinite importance to the character and repu- 
 tation of the personages to whom they belong, 
 which entirely depend upon their report ; and 
 by their influence alone these characters are 
 exalted or depressed, flattered or despised, 
 esteemed or hated. Such is the mutual de- 
 pendence of the two orders in question, and 
 so necessary is it for the former to cultivate 
 the favour and good opinion of the latter ! 
 
 This office of pronouncing upon the me- 
 rit of different characters, is performed in 
 three different dresses, according to the degree 
 of rank in which they are to be placed ; and 
 this they define with great exactness ; for they 
 will tell you that the magistrate is wise, but his 
 colleague is wiser, and his predecessor was 
 the wisest of all ; the farmer is rich, but his 
 neighbour may be richer, and his landlord 
 the richest of the three ; the design was bad, 
 but the execution has been worse, and the re- 
 sult is the worst of all. A part of this class 
 is employed in computing and arranging the 
 
16 VOYAGE TO LOCUTA ; 
 
 number of its principals, and these have a 
 different uniform and title. 
 
 The third order in the state derives also 
 its consequence from the first, for which its 
 members act as deputies, and perform their 
 duty with as much effect, but with more agi- 
 lity, than their employers, who are too un- 
 wieldy to be admitted upon the stage more 
 than once or twice in a given period ; but then 
 it is indispensable that these representatives 
 be equipped in the livery of their princi- 
 pals, or they would be the cause of con- 
 fusion to the parties concerned, as well as of 
 involving the laws of the republic in perpetual 
 contradiction and mistake. Three persons 
 among them seem to have pre-eminence over 
 the rest, both in the frequency and usefulness 
 of their intercourse. Of these, thejfirst may 
 be accused of making himself of more conse- 
 quence than any one else, being the sole object 
 of his own attention ; and yet he has a better 
 excuse than most selfish beings, since, in re- 
 lating his own concerns, he is only fulfilling 
 the duties of his station; and even when he 
 
A FRAGMENT. IT 
 
 is obliged to enter upon those of others, he is 
 confined to that part of it in which he is con- 
 nected with them. 
 
 The business of the second brother is 
 to inform or direct those who are about him ; 
 and whether his discourse be welcome by 
 praise, or unwelcome by blame (accoi'ding to 
 the disposition of his hearers), they can never 
 charge him with egotism or detraction ; to the 
 latter of which the office of the third particu- 
 larly exposes him, as it is by his means that 
 persons and things, when absent, are brought 
 to view ; and these are represented just as this 
 whimsical narrator thinks proper to indulge 
 his fancy. On this account, he is sometimes 
 from ridicule, and too often from falsehood, 
 the occasion of more unhappiness to society 
 than all his coadjutors put together. There 
 are also four other descriptions of these depu- 
 ties, each of which has its own occupation, 
 and never intrenches upon that of the others, 
 without doing mischief. Among these we dis- 
 cover a claimant, who puts his seal upon what- 
 ever he considers as his own property. The 
 u 
 
1 8 VOYAGE TO LOCUTA ; 
 
 second description is always preceded by 
 his principal, to whom he constantly refers, 
 and who acts as his precursor. The office 
 of the third is to point out and describe the 
 situation of different objects ; and the fourth 
 group in this assemblage, is the offspring of a 
 marriage between the second and third classes 
 in the grand list. As these, therefore, par- 
 take of the character of each parent, and are 
 destined to perform in different capacities, 
 their business is too complicate to be described 
 in this short history of the family. 
 
 The fourth member of the senate has 
 more employment than all the rest, and assists 
 in all the actions of the first. Three brothers 
 may be considered as the original heads of 
 this numerous class : of these, the first is em- 
 ployed only in actions which relate to the indi- 
 vidual himself; without him, no one can walk, 
 dance, lie down, rise up, sleep, wake, or even 
 exist: but the attention of the second brother 
 is devoted to circumstances which do not cen- 
 tre in himself, for he has always an object in 
 view. It is by his assistance that a general 
 raises an army, disciplines his troops, and 
 
to Hue page 19. 
 
 The child plays __The Pi omenadcis walk the 
 
 Vagrant picks pockets k the poor Invalid is robbed. 
 
A FRAGMENT. 19 
 
 overcomes the enemy ; nay, without his ener- 
 gy, a man cannot trust his friend, thank his 
 benefactor, love his wife, or regulate his fa- 
 mily. In all public processions of the senate, 
 he is followed, not preceded, by the object of 
 his attention ; or the page who acts as the de- 
 puty of that object, and who must be dressed 
 in such a manner as to shew his master's su- 
 perintendence and authority : and though it 
 may appear unworthy the attention of Govern-* 
 ment, especially a democratic one, to insist 
 upon these sumptuary laws (as they may be 
 called), the strict observation of them is con- 
 sidered indispensable in every man of rank 
 or of good breeding. The third brother often 
 performs the duty of the second; for though, by 
 his patient demeanour, he seems to let others do 
 the business for him, it is by his interference 
 that the army is to be raised, the troops disci- 
 plined, the enemy overcome, the friend trust- 
 ed, the wife loved, &c. In distinction from 
 his brother, the object of his energy marches 
 before him, though its dependence upon him 
 is made known by the intervention of a little 
 officer, whose province will be described here- 
 
20 VOYAGE TO LOCUTA ; 
 
 after. There are also several particulars to be 
 observed in the laws of this class of members, 
 relating to the manner and time in which their 
 actions are to be performed ; whether they be 
 simply announced, whether shewn to be pos- 
 sible, or clogged with a doubt or conditicm; 
 whether they be performing at fits moment, 
 were performed yesterday, or will be performed 
 to-morroxv. It is also necessary to mention, 
 that the members of this class are always seen 
 in company with the first, or with one of the 
 three persons before pointed out as its deputies; 
 it is therefore of infinite importance that the 
 latter should make a wise and careful choice of 
 these companions of dubious merit, by whose 
 irresistible influence he is either led into the ca- 
 reer of true honour, or betrayed into ruin and 
 disgrace. But to accomplish all the duties re- 
 sulting from the different offices undertaken by 
 the class now in review, a set of uniforms is 
 ready to be put on, according to the fancy of 
 different nations; and in the commerce with 
 England, a number of little pages are in wait- 
 ing to offer their assistance : Shall you want 
 me ? Will you send for me ? Let me come. 
 May I try? Might I help you? I would, if 
 
"May I go and play. 
 No.you nmst come here. 
 
 Let me have one. 
 I would if I could . 
 
 I will have it 
 
A FRAGMENT. 21 
 
 I could. If I succeed not, I shall be much 
 disappointed. In addition to the above- 
 mentioned succours, they are allowed two full 
 regiments of auxiliaries, and a few detached 
 troops, to be employed when occasional force 
 may be required. Without these aids, even 
 this active class of members could not possibly 
 get through all their business, especially in 
 their dealings with the ambassadors of modern 
 countries. 
 
 The fifth tribe of citizens is the imme- 
 diate progeny of those whom we have just de- 
 scribed. Their physiognomy, as well as cha- 
 racter, resembles that of the preceding class : 
 like them, they act in the concerns of others, 
 receive impressions of the actions of others, or 
 concentrate their energies within themselves. 
 Yet, notwithstanding the consanguinity exist- 
 ing between them, their features, manners, and 
 dress, bear also a strong resemblance to the two 
 members whose names are placed at the head of 
 the list, and in whose equipage they sometimes 
 appear. The moment, however, they open their 
 lips, the distinction is easily discernible. If one 
 s3 
 
22 VOYAGE TO LOCUTA ; 
 
 of these individuals were to call your attention 
 to the interesting- topics of a lawsuit which had 
 been long pending, and was at length decided, 
 the expected departure of a beloved friend, or 
 the probable rising- of the stocks upon the 
 return of peace, he would at once manifest 
 his descent from the fourth class, as well as 
 his habits of connexion with the first and se- 
 cond. But, in describing the character and 
 offices of these gentlemen, we must not omit 
 to observe, that some degree of nicety and 
 delicacy is indispensable on their part, to dis- 
 charge with propriety the different functions 
 assigned to them. On this account, an inti- 
 mate acquaintance would be necessary, to en- 
 able their biographer to point out the various 
 peculiarities attending their pedigree, their 
 connexions, and their habits of life. 
 
 The sixth class in the community is as in- 
 timate a companion of the fourth, as the se- 
 cond is of the first, and proves as useful in 
 setting forth or discriminating the manner in 
 which its actions are performed, as the former 
 is in making known the character of the persons 
 who are concerned in them. The office of 
 
A FRAGMENT. 23 
 
 this division of citizens is to point out all the 
 circumstances relating to their schemes, and 
 to tell why they were undertaken, and how 
 they were performed, well or ill, early or late, 
 often or seldom, when or where. There ex- 
 ists also a very good understanding between 
 this class and the second, which frequently 
 combine together, in order to give greater 
 precision of description : sometimes they mi- 
 mic the accents of their superiors, and some- 
 times assume their very garb ; nay, a few of 
 the former may be called the children of the 
 latter, being a part of themselves. These 
 are distinguished from their parents by- a 
 fringe on their robe ; and (to give an instance 
 of their abilities) they will tell you that the 
 lady was extremely beautiful, performed 
 charmingly on the piano forte, and was much 
 more affable than could have been expected in 
 a personage so generally admired, and of 
 such universal attraction. Many striking in- 
 stances might be given of the usefulness of 
 this class of citizens, but these are enough to 
 prove how very properly they fulfil the task 
 assigned them. 
 
 £ i 
 
24 voyage to locuta; 
 
 The seventh division on the list performs 
 the office of connecting together the indivl* 
 duals of the first, and showing the relation^ 
 ship existing between them : as, the servant 
 to the master on whom he attends ; the magis-* 
 trate to the district in which he is placed ; the 
 house to the family which inhabits it ; the 
 horses to the carriage which they draw ; and 
 the lady who rides in it. Without the inters 
 vention of this little active set of performers, 
 she would never have arrived at her journey's 
 end, descendedyVom her carriage, curtsied to 
 the company, and placed herself upon a sofa, 
 where she talked of politics during half an 
 hour, and concerning many known charac- 
 ters, was admired by the guests for her talents, 
 and remained in their good graces, till she 
 was supplanted by a powerful rival. It is ne- 
 cessary to add, that in this rank of citi- 
 zens is included the very officer hinted at 
 in the history of the three brothers, and that 
 he partakes of the peculiarity of the more ac- 
 tive hero of that family, by obliging the de- 
 pendent, who follows in his train, to be clothed 
 jn the same uniform with that prescribed 
 
< 
 
 X '■■ 
 
 
 
 Little And & : For taking- a peaceable promenade. 
 Hi" i <<, NoK.makhijv a disturbance in the back ground . 
 
A FRAGMENT. £5 
 
 by the latter, which in this instance proves 
 their authority to be equal. This is a princi- 
 pal cause of the harmony and beauty of this sys- 
 tem of government, and, therefore, one of its 
 most important regulations, though one that is 
 the most frequently misunderstood and trans- 
 gressed. For want of this attention to pro- 
 priety, the character in question is frequently 
 confounded with other classes ; but when this 
 rule is strictly observed, it affords him a mark 
 of distinction from those in which he is some- 
 times placed by mistake, and by which his 
 power and dignity are deplorably degraded. 
 
 The office of the eighth order of inhabit- 
 ants is very much like that of the seventh, ex- 
 cept that, instead of its being directed to that 
 of linking together individuals only, it ex- 
 tends also to the arrangement of whole divi- 
 sions and subdivisions ; and though it has no 
 jurisdiction over the costume they wear, con- 
 tributes very much to the beauty of the seve- 
 ral groups, by placing every member in the 
 most advantageous situation, and either con- 
 necting or separating them as the case may re- 
 
26 VOYAGE to locuta; 
 
 quire. From this occupation of marshalling 
 the different characters according to their 
 rank and influence, this post may be com- 
 pared to that of a master of the ceremonies ; 
 and till this office has been exercised in soften- 
 ing abruptnesses, and filling up deficiencies, 
 the procession of the senate would advance in 
 a very ungraceful and hobbling manner, or, 
 in the language of painters, the keeping would 
 be very ill preserved. Some historians have 
 compared the occupation of this character to 
 that of a priest ; for none of the parties inte- 
 rested can be joined together without the as- 
 sistance of one of this order, on whom it de- 
 pends to make the bond of union more or less 
 strict, according to his fancy : on that account, 
 it is necessary to be aware of his uncertainty 
 and caprice ; for he will join you in one mo- 
 ment, to what he will separate you from in 
 the next, and is by turns full of concessions, 
 doubts, and conditions, the point of which, 
 without great attention, it is sometimes diffi- 
 cult to discover. Hear what he says: " If 
 you will observe my injunctions, the con- 
 nexion which you are forming will prosper ; but 
 
to In,- ■ 
 
 Huzza ! Ah! that I should 
 
 see him again . 
 Alack a day.' Oh Me 
 
A FRAGMENT. 27 
 
 if you once lose sight of them, confusion will 
 be the consequence ; nor can all my art set 
 you to rights again."" 
 
 From this short description of the commu- 
 nity, you may perceive that their principal 
 employment is that of oratory ; and if you 
 have leisure to wait till to-morrow, I will intro- 
 duce you into the scene of action in the grand 
 assembly of the senate. Then you will per- 
 ceive that the ninth class of members has its 
 effect ; that their profession is chiefly confined 
 to the representation of pleasure, pain, or 
 surprise ; and that they are called in where an 
 appeal to the feelings of the assembly is re- 
 quired. When this individual is brought into 
 action, the inflections of his voice have some- 
 times a striking effect. For, oh ! how could 
 the profession of an orator or tragedian be 
 supported without his influence ? but, alas ! 
 if he sport with the feelings of his audience, 
 by attempting to raise a passion which he has 
 not ability to support, he is at once condemned 
 and degraded into the character of a Grub 
 Street poet, or strolling player. 
 3 
 
28 VOYAGE to locuta; 
 
 Here my conductor ceased, and begged per- 
 mission to retire to the duties of his profession, 
 leaving me to reflect upon the account he had 
 given of the country and inhabitants to which I 
 had so unexpectedly been introduced, and with 
 whom, during his narrative, I had discovered 
 some traces of acquaintance, though at first 
 they had appeared to me perfect strangers. I 
 therefore took my passage home again, which 
 afforded me leisure to unravel the remainder 
 of what appeared mysterious in their history. 
 By degrees, I discovered these personages to 
 be nothing more than a set of old friends, 
 to whom I have been under obligations 
 ever since I could speak, and long before I 
 could write ; nay, I might add, that the very 
 Journal I am now offering is a specimen of 
 their unceasing employment in the cause of 
 human intercourse. I cannot open my lips, 
 or take up my pen, without being obliged to 
 their efforts. Millions of these friendly beings 
 are in constant waiting to run upon our er- 
 rands, communicate our ideas, describe our 
 feelings, make known our wishes, or dictate 
 
A FRAGMENT. 29 
 
 our commands. We are, therefore, bound 
 by the ties of honour and gratitude to study 
 the laws of their realm, in order to establish 
 such habits as shall become a second nature, 
 and prevent the crime, too common, of rebel- 
 lion against that system of harmony, which 
 has, in such an unexpected manner, been ren- 
 dered the subject of my contemplation. . . . 
 
 END OF THE FRAGMENT, 
 
 NOTES 
 
NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 The foregoing attempt to shadow forth the 
 laws of Grammar, can hardly be styled an al- 
 legory, the design being so far obvious, as 
 perpetually to betray itself to those who are 
 acquainted with the subject ; and it will be 
 well if they discover not errors, in addition to 
 those inconveniences which are inseparable 
 from the machinery which has been adopted. 
 If, however, it should prove an interesting 
 and profitable exercise to the pupils who may 
 jiave gone through the etymology and syntax 
 of the English grammar, by calling forth 
 their explanations of what they have already 
 learned, or providing a test to prove that they 
 have not merely learned by rote, the desired 
 end will have been answered ; and perhaps 
 an opportunity may have been offered to the 
 
32 NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION'. 
 
 instructor, of enlarging upon some ciieu in- 
 stances which may not before have been ren- 
 dered sufficiently intelligible. The arrange- 
 ment of words is so differently made in differ- 
 ent Grammars, as to discourage learners: but, 
 if they can once conceive a clear idea of the 
 various offices of the parts of speech, which 
 have, by some late writers, been called only 
 different modifications of the noun and verb ; 
 they may, by degrees, make a Grammar of 
 their own, or class the ideas they have ac- 
 quired on the subject, as every one arranges 
 his library, according to his own fancy. 
 
 To proceed, (hen, to the subject immediately 
 before us : — It may be objected, that the per- 
 sonification of the parts of speech transforms 
 them all into nouns ; but most is this incon- 
 venience felt, in attempting to describe the 
 character and office of the verb : for though 
 the action is here committed to the auspices of 
 the three brothers, we cannot lose the remem- 
 brance that the effort is made by the noun, 
 which is expressed or understood in the sen- 
 tence. This circumstance has suggested a 
 
NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 33 
 
 doubt whether the division of verbs into three 
 heads, of being, doing, and suffering, might 
 not more properly, in the English grammar, 
 be restricted to two (or, as it is sometimes ex- 
 pressed, into transitive and intransitive) ; for, 
 in no respect does the nature of the passive 
 verb in this language differ from the active, 
 but in the placing of the agent or object before 
 or after it. The maimer only of conjugating 
 the passive verb is changed by the help of 
 the neuter verb to be. Upon referring to 
 Ashe's Grammar, we find the same remark. 
 It would be an useful, and, perhaps, an 
 amusing exercise to a learner, to turn whole 
 sentences or paragraphs from the active 
 voice into the passive, and vice versa. When 
 the mind is once interested, or encouraged to 
 make its own illustrations, the subject of 
 grammar may be said " to smooth its wrinkled 
 front, and caper nimbly" in the chamber of 
 study. 
 
 The first class in the foregoing allegorical 
 sketch represents Nouns: these are divided 
 into common, proper, abstract, and collective ; 
 c 
 
34 NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 and are declined for number, gender, and 
 case. 
 
 These changes are hinted at in the uni- 
 forms to be occasionally put on. 
 
 In the Latin language, cases are made by 
 the change of termination in the declination 
 of nouns ; but in the English, by prepositions. 
 This admits of only three cases; the par- 
 ticle of being used, in order to decline the 
 genitive ; and the accusative, or objective, 
 being understood without any addition or in- 
 flexion, the pronoun only which stands for the 
 noun being changed in the termination. The 
 genitive case is also made by the addition of 
 an «?, with an apostrophe before it, as John's 
 horse, or, anciently, Johnis horse ; and the 
 apostrophe is placed to notice the omission 
 of the i, John his horse being an idea found- 
 ed in mistake *. 
 
 * The nominative case, with a participle, and without a 
 verb agreeing with it, is called the case absolute; as, 
 
 The hounds being out this morning, I rode to meet them. 
 
 My friend having promised to call, I waited at home to 
 receive her. 
 
NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 35 
 
 A noun is distinguished from all other 
 parts of speech by the article which stands 
 before it, and which is here designated by the 
 appellation of running footman. The inde- 
 finite article a or an (one abbreviated) is used 
 before the singular number, and is general in 
 its application ; and the definite article the is 
 used before either number, to mark specifi- 
 cally the object alluded to. Proper and ab- 
 stract nouns are in general unattended by ar- 
 ticles. In the Latin language they are not 
 used. In most English Grammars the article 
 is placed first in the list of parts of speech ; 
 but, as it has no meaning, except as an at- 
 tendant upon the noun, it is here ranged after 
 it, and should, in strict propriety, have been 
 denominated the second class of members. In 
 that case, the adjective must be called the 
 third, and the rest carried on till the list be ex- 
 tended to ten, instead of nine. This ambi- 
 guity has been occasioned by an unwilling- 
 ness to separate the noun and adjective, which 
 are here styled brothers. 
 
 The second class describes Adjectives. 
 
 c2 
 
56 NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 In Latin they are called 7?tw??-adjective&, 
 in contradistinction from noun-substantives. 
 
 They show the quality of the noun to 
 which they are joined, and in English are de- 
 clined only for comparison. Of this, examples 
 are given in the words printed in italics. 
 
 Adjectives of number, cardinal, and or- 
 diii;:l, are also hinted at. 
 
 The third class is devoted to the Pronoun, 
 a word standing for a noun, in order to pre- 
 vent the inconvenient repetition of the name 
 cr thing alluded to. Pronouns are declined 
 for number, gender, person, and case; and 
 in these they must agree with the noun for 
 which they stand. 
 
 Personal pronouns are described — the first 
 person as speaking only of himself', the second 
 to another, the third o/*another. Four other 
 sorts of pronouns are mentioned — possessive, 
 which sometimes answer the end of the geni- 
 tive ease, as showing property — relative, as re- 
 
NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 37 
 
 lating to the noun which precedes them, and is 
 called their antecedent, with which they are to 
 agree in number and person — demonstrative, 
 which point to the situation in which things 
 are placed, near or far off, as this, these, that, 
 those; and last in the list, pronoun adjectives. 
 These partake of the nature of both classes, 
 as sometimes showing a property or quality, 
 and may be said to include all pronouns which 
 do not fall into the ranks of those already 
 mentioned. All, each, every, either, some, one, 
 any (to which are sometimes added the pos- 
 sessive pronouns my, thy, thine, ours, Sec. &c), 
 are words which give the idea of property or 
 quality, and some of these may be joined to a 
 noun, or stand by themselves, as occasion re- 
 quires. In some grammars, two other divisions 
 are added under the name of distributive and 
 definitive, which seem to add to the intricacy 
 of the subject, without answering any desir- 
 able end- 
 In the fourth class we discover Verbs, 
 which show an action in three ways— being, 
 doing, and suffering : these characteristics are 
 c3 
 
S8 NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 exemplified in the history of the three bro- 
 thers — as, neuter, active, and passive verbs. 
 
 Verbs are conjugated for mood, tense, 
 number, and person. The two first show the 
 manner and time of performing the action. 
 Of these, instances are given. As an action 
 must always be performed by an agent, this 
 part of speech is accompanied by a noun, or 
 pronoun, either expressed, or understood, ex- 
 cept in the infinitive mood, which merely names 
 the action, and which is sometimes used as a 
 nominative case to a verb. 
 
 The active verb governs the accusative 
 case, which is the object of the action ; but 
 when the passive verb is used, the object is 
 placed first in the nominative case, and the 
 agent follows in the accusative, preceded by 
 the preposition by, which governs it. A neu- 
 ter verb may always be known by admitting a 
 preposition after it — as, the child fell dozen 
 the stairs. 
 
 English verbs change their termination for 
 number, person, mood, and tense : this change 
 
MOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 39 
 
 is visible in the present and past tense. The 
 future, both absolutely and conditionally, as 
 well as the imperative and subjunctive moods, 
 are helped out by the signs which are printed 
 in italics, and alluded to under the title of pages. 
 These signs change their terminations for per- 
 son. The auxiliary to have, is also employed 
 in forming some of the past tenses of all 
 verbs ; and the auxiliary to be, is used in con- 
 jugating the whole of the passive verb, which 
 is formed by the addition of the past participle 
 of the active verb to all its moods and tenses. 
 
 Sometimes the verb to do is used as an 
 auxiliary, in order to give greater force of ex- 
 pression ; as, I do love music : and sometimes 
 verbs are called impersonal, being used only 
 with the third person of the neuter gender; 
 as, it rains, it blows, it must, it ouglrf, &c. 
 
 A late writer expresses himself thus on the 
 subject, which we must be allowed to tran- 
 scribe, even after the common arrangement 
 here given to learners, whose ideas should by 
 degrees be more enlarged. 
 c 4 
 
40 NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 " If we consider the matter not metaphy- 
 sically, but grammatically, and regard those 
 only as moods which are diversified by inflexion 
 or termination, we find that our language has 
 only one mood and two tenses. This doctrine 
 in respect to the cases is generally admitted. 
 For though the Greeks and Romans expressed 
 the different relations by variety of inflexion, 
 which they termed cases, it does not follow 
 that we are to acknowledge the same number 
 of cases as they had, when these relations are 
 expressed in English, not by inflexions, but 
 
 by prepositions Our language 
 
 knows no such cases ; nor w r ould an English- 
 man, unacquainted with Greek or Latin, ever 
 dream of these cases, though perfectly master 
 
 of his own language I consider, 
 
 therefore, that we have no more cases, moods, 
 tenses, or voices, in our language, as far as 
 its grammar, not its capacity of expression, is 
 concerned, than we have variety of termina- 
 tion to denote these different accessary ideas 'V 1 
 
 * Alexander Crombie, LL. D. on the Et}mologJ and 
 Syntax of the English Language. 
 
NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 41 
 
 The fifth class represents the Participle, a 
 part of speech derived from the verb, agreeing 
 with its primitive in denoting being, action, 
 or suffering, but differing from it in this, that 
 the participle implies no affirmation. It often 
 performs the duty of a noun or adjective, of 
 which instances are given. In these cases 
 they are preceded by an article. 
 
 An intelligent inquirer on the subject has 
 suggested, that in some few phrases, a may 
 be placed before the present participle, when 
 preceded by the verbs to come, to go, to Jail, 
 to set, to run; as, she came a begging, he 
 urnt a hunting, she Jell a crying, &c. But 
 it must be carefully observed, that this a is 
 not the particle, but a corruption of the pre- 
 position on, and that it should never be used 
 after any verb but those mentioned; the 
 phrases, he was a hunting, she is a crying, 
 &c. are incorrect and inadmissible. As it is 
 difficult to avoid the use of this particle on 
 some occasions, it seems necessary to draw a 
 line of toleration. 
 
42 NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 The sixth class describes the Adverb, 
 which is as intimately connected with the verb, 
 in order to show the manner and circumstances 
 relating to the action, as the adjective is in 
 describing the quality of the noun to which it 
 is joined. Of this instances are given. Words 
 of this class are divided into a variety of heads, 
 to show the different circumstances of manner, 
 time, place, distance, &c. which are here at- 
 tempted to be taken notice of ; and it is neces- 
 sary to observe that some of them change for 
 comparison, in the same manner as the adjec- 
 tive. Sometimes they are used in declining 
 the adjective : sometimes they perform the 
 office of an adjective, by being joined to the 
 noun ; and some are derived from the adjec- 
 tive, by the addition of the syllable /?/, hinted 
 at in the fringe upon the robe, and examples 
 adduced. 
 
 An illustration of the complicated business 
 of the adverb may be given in an anecdote of 
 the late Mr. Airey, an intimate friend of the 
 celebrated Garrick, who, for some time before 
 
NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 43 
 
 he quitted the stage, would never act, unless 
 Mr. Airey promised to be present, and to sup 
 with him afterwards. This gentleman, who be- 
 longed to a club which the late Duke of Cum- 
 berland once honoured with his presence, ad- 
 dressed to his Royal Highness a speech com- 
 posed of adverbs, so artfully put together, 
 that it was taken for a piece of finished elo- 
 quence, and called forth the compliments of 
 the Duke. It is so difficult to conceive the 
 possibility of this playful deception, in sub- 
 stituting sound for sense, even on the most 
 superficial observer, that a specimen of it 
 would have been an amusing relic. 
 
 The seventh class belongs to the Preposi- 
 tion, a part of speech showing the relation 
 which one thing bears to another. The ex- 
 amples already given, describe in the shortest 
 way its character and office. It is here to be 
 repeated, that prepositions govern the accusa- 
 tive case, and are so called, because they ge- 
 nerally precede their regimen, or the word 
 they govern. Instances are given in the little 
 story of a lady making a visit. This word is 
 sometimes confounded with the adverb or con- 
 
44 NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 junction, but it may be always distinguished 
 from them by placing a noun or pronoun after 
 it. In some instances the same word will per- 
 form in the service of different classes, of 
 which the learner should be asked to give ex- 
 amples. 
 
 The eighth class refers to Conjunctions-, 
 which are used to connect words and sentences 
 together. They appear to be inferior to pre* 
 positions in dignity and authority, by having 
 no government over the words they join toge- 
 ther, and are divided into copulative and 
 disjunctive, with other heads of distinction^, 
 which are hinted at. 
 
 The business of this class is described to 
 be that of marshalling the order of words and 
 sentences to the best advantage ; and it might 
 be added, that this member, when required to 
 undertake the arrangement of too large a party 
 at a time, has been known to lend you such a 
 dance in and out, that yon do not know where 
 you are, and long for a period to rest yourself. 
 This is one of the earliest defects of style in 
 
 4 
 
NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 45 
 
 the familiar letters of young people, which 
 (with the addition of a reasonable number of 
 relative pronouns) will sometimes drag on 
 for two pages without any proper pause, while 
 you hunt in vain for the principal nominative 
 case, a gem lying buried under a heap of rub- 
 bish. 
 
 The train of citizens is closed by the ninth 
 class, being composed of Interjections, which 
 are expressions used to denote some emotion 
 or affection of the mind, and which need no 
 comment. 
 
 To those who assert that the study of the 
 L.atin grammar is the readiest method of ac- 
 quiring a knowledge of the English, and ren- 
 ders that of the latter superfluous, the foDow- 
 ing paragraphs seem to afford a satisfactory 
 reply. They are taken from the preface and 
 concluding pages of the excellent work alluded 
 to, " On the Etymology and Syntax of Eng- 
 lish Grammar." 
 
 " That an acquaintance with Greek and 
 Latin facilitates the acquisition of every other 
 
46 NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 language, and that by a knowledge of these 
 the classical scholar is therefore materially as- 
 sisted in attaining a critical acquaintance with 
 his native tongue, it would argue extreme 
 perversity to deny. But that an extensive 
 knowledge of Greek and Latin is often asso- 
 ciated with an imperfect and superficial ac- 
 quaintance with £he principles of the English 
 language, is a fact which experience demon- 
 strates, and which it would not be difficult 
 to explain.'" 
 
 " I cannot dismiss the subject, without 
 earnestly recommending to the classical stu- 
 dent to cultivate a critical acquaintance with 
 his native tongue. It is an egregious, but a 
 common error, to imagine that a perfect 
 knowledge of Greek and Latin precludes the 
 necessity of studying the principles of English 
 grammar. Nay, the peculiar idioms of any 
 language, how like soever in its general prin- 
 ciples to any other, must be learned by study, 
 and an attentive perusal of the best writers in 
 that language. Nor can any imputation be 
 more reproachful to the proficient in classic 
 literature, than with a critical knowledge of 
 
NOTES OF ILLUSTRATION. 47 
 
 Greek and Latin, which are now dead lan- 
 guages, to be superficially acquainted with his 
 native tongue, in which he must think, speak, 
 and write As a farther induce- 
 ment to the study of the English language, 
 I would assure the young reader, that a due 
 attention to accuracy of diction is highly con- 
 ducive to correctness of thought. For, as it 
 is generally true, that he whose conceptions 
 are clear, and who is master of his subject, 
 delivers his sentiments with ease and perspi- 
 cuity; so it is equally certain, that, as lan- 
 guage is not only the vehicle of thought, but 
 also an instrument of invention, if we desire 
 to attain a habit of conceiving clearly and 
 thinking correctly, we must learn to speak 
 and write with accuracy and precision." 
 
 THE END. 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page i6, line 7 — -for would, ware/ will, 
 ib. 9— /or would, read will. 
 
 41, 8 — for they are, read it is- 
 
 Printed by S. Gomel], Little Queen Street, Loudon. 
 
Written by the same Author. 
 
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