put in the
objective case without a preposition."--_Nutting's Gram._, p. 100. "Nouns
which denote time, quantity, measure, distance, value, or direction are
often put in the objective case without a preposition."--_Weld's Gram._, p.
153; "Abridged Ed.," 118. "Numes signifying duration, extension, quantity,
quality, and valuation, are in the objective case without a governing
word."--_Frazee's Gram._, p. 154. _Bullions_, too, has a similar rule. To
estimate these rules aright, one should observe how often the nouns in
question are found _with_ a governing word. Weld, of late, contradicts
himself by _admitting the ellipsis_; and then, inconsistently with his
admission, most absurdly _denies the frequent use_ of the preposition with
nouns of _time, quantity_, &c. "Before words of this description, the
_ellipsis of a preposition is obvious_. But it is _seldom proper to use_
the preposition before such words."--_Weld's "Abridged Edition,"_ p. 118.

[366] Professor Fowler absurdly says, "_Nigh, near, next, like_, when
followed by the objective case, _may be regarded either_ as Prepositions or
as Adjectives, _to_ being understood."--_Fowler's E. Gram._, 8vo, 1850,
Sec.458, Note 7. Now, "_to_ being understood," it is plain that no one of
these words can be accounted a preposition, but by supposing the
preposition to be complex, and to be partly suppressed. This can be nothing
better than an idle whim; and, since the classification of words as parts
of speech, is always positive and exclusive, to refer any particular word
indecisively to "_either_" of two classes, is certainly no better
_teaching_, than to say, "I do not know of which sort it is; call it what
you please!" With decision prompt enough, but with too little regard to
analogy or consistency, Latham and Child say, "The adjective _like governs
a case_, and it is the only adjective that does so."--_Elementary Gram._,
p. 155. In teaching thus, they seem to ignore these facts: that _near_,
_nigh_, or _opposite_, might just as well be said to be an adjective
governing a case; and that the use of _to_ or _unto_ after _like_ has been
common enough to prove the ellipsis. The Bible has many examples; as, "Who
is _like to_ thee in Israel?"--_1 Samuel_, xxvi, 15. "Hew thee two tables
of stone _like unto_ the first."--_Exodus_, xxxiv, 1; and _Deut._, x, 1.
But their great inconsistency here is, that they call the case after like
"_a dative_"--a case unknown to their etymology! See