heir text-books have taught them no better; they
therefore call the preposition _a preposition_, and leave its use and
meaning unexplained.

OBS. 2.--If the learner be at any loss to discover the true terms of
relation, let him ask and answer _two questions_: first, with the
interrogative _what_ before the preposition, to find the antecedent; and
then, with the same pronoun after the preposition, to find the subsequent
term. These questions answered according to the sense, will always give the
true terms. For example: "They dashed that rapid torrent
through."--_Scott_. Ques. _What_ through? Ans. "_Dashed through_." Ques.
Through _what?_ Ans. "_Through that torrent_." For the meaning is--"They
dashed through that rapid torrent." If one term is perfectly obvious, (as
it almost always is,) find the other in this way; as, "Day unto day
uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge."--_Psal._, xix, 2.
Ques. _What_ unto day? Ans. "_Uttereth unto day_." Ques. _What_ unto night?
Ans. "_Showeth unto night_" For the meaning is--"Day uttereth speech unto
day, and night showeth knowledge unto night." To parse rightly, is, to
understand rightly; and what is well expressed, it is a shame to
misunderstand or misinterpret. But sometimes the position of the two nouns
is such, that it may require some reflection to find either; as,

"Or that choice plant, so grateful to the nose,
Which _in_ I know not what far country grows."--_Churchill_, p. 18.

OBS. 3.--When a preposition _begins_ or _ends_ a sentence or clause, the
terms of relation, if both are given, are transposed; as, "To a studious
_man_, action is a relief."--_Burgh_. That is, "Action is a relief _to_ a
studious man." "_Science_ they [the ladies] do not _pretend_ TO."--_Id._
That is, "They do not pretend _to_ science." "Until I have done that
_which_ I _have spoken_ to thee OF."--_Gen._, xxviii, 15. The word governed
by the preposition is always the subsequent term of the relation, however
it may be placed; and if this be a relative pronoun, the transposition is
permanent. The preposition, however, may be put before any relative, except
_that_ and _as_; and this is commonly thought to be its most appropriate
place: as, "Until I have done that _of which_ I have spoken to thee," Of
the placing of it last, Lowth says, "This is an idiom _which_ our language
is strongly inclined _to_;" Murray and others, "This is an idiom _to which_
our language is strongly incline