, that's the idea,"
with increased inflection at each repetition. And who is without a friend
who at some time or another has not sprung "meticulous" upon him? Another
example is afforded by the endemic use of "of sorts" which struck London
while the writer was in that city a few years ago. Whence it came no one
knew, but it was heard on every side. "She was a woman of sorts;" "he is a
Tory of sorts;" "he had a religion of sorts;" "he was a critic of sorts."
While it originally meant "of different or various kinds," as hats of
sorts; offices of sorts; cheeses of sorts, etc., it is now used
disparagingly, and implies something of a kind that is not satisfactory,
or of a character that is rather poor. This, as Shakespeare might have
said, is "Sodden business! There's a stewed phrase indeed!" [Footnote:
Troilus and Cressida, act iii, sc. 1.]

The abuse of phrases and the misuse of words rife among us can be checked
by diligent exercises in good English, such as this book provides. These
exercises, in conjunction with others to be found in different volumes by
the same author, will serve to correct careless diction and slovenly
speech, and lead to the art of speaking and writing correctly; for, after
all, accuracy in the use of words is more a matter of habit than of
theory, and once it is acquired it becomes just as easy to speak or to
write good English as bad English. It was Chesterfield's resolution not to
speak a word in conversation which was not the fittest he could recall.
All persons should avoid using words whose meanings they do not know, and
with the correct application of which they are unfamiliar. The best spoken
and the best written English is that which conforms to the language as
used by men and women of culture--a high standard, it is true, but one not
so high that it is unattainable by any earnest student of the English
tongue.
FRANK H. VIZETELLY.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

The study of words, phrases, and literary expressions is a highly
interesting pursuit. There is a reciprocal influence between thought and
language. What we think molds the words we use, and the words we use react
upon our thoughts. Hence a study of words is a study of ideas, and a
stimulant to deep and original thinking.

We should not, however, study "sparkling words and sonorous phrases" with
the object of introducing them consciously into our speech. To do so would
inevitably lead to stiltedness and superficiality. Words and ph