THESE NO REFLECTION UPON THE AUTHOR OF TEE DIAGRAMS.

In attempting this, however, the writer would caution the reader against the supposition that those errors are not recognized and regretted as such, by the ingenious and able author of the system, himself. A simple inspection of many of the diagrams in question will show the practised analyst, that those errors are, in some part, the simple fault of the engraver, and would, doubtless, have been corrected at once, but for the labor and expense to be incurred in the production of new drawings, and the execution of new cuts. In other cases they are errors, simply as failures to come up to the clearer views and more exact methods, which a closer and more extended study of the analysis, and a full and thorough experience of the wants of the teacher and the pupil, could not but develop.

I-Errors in Figure.

1. IN THE USE OF RIGHT LINES.

First. In examples like the following, it will be observed that right lines are employed, either wholly or in part, in the construction of substantive figures; see the left extreme of the predicate in the first, the right extreme of the predicate in the second, and all the rectangular forms in the last four diagrams.

A

G

B

E

H

D

All these rectangular forms mar the simplicity of the system; are in violation of the general usage of its author himself; impair the utility of the diagrams as a means of graphic culture; and, if employed generally, would utterly destroy the distinctness of any complicated diagram as representative of the analysis of the sentence.

2. IN THE FIGURES FOR ADJUNCT ELEMENTS.

Secondly. In too many cases, the adjunct figure is drawn as if it were properly a complete ellipse, instead of a mere segment of the same. This error is seen in the following diagrams, in the case of the, parting, some, fond, The, and a.

This form is objectionable, inasmuch as it fails to distinguish modifiers from substantives; it does not symbolize at all the necessary incompleteness of the idea expressed by every adjunct when used without the term on which it depends; it is a departure from the better usage which obtains in other examples; see all the adjuncts in the following examples:

and it does not accord with the express teaching of the author; see Grammar, page 46, Y and Z.

3. IN SUBSEQUENT FIGURES.

Thirdly. Quite generally, the subsequent figure in prepositional and infinitive phrases, instead of taking the complete elliptical form, has its upper, and sometimes the lower line also, carried out straight to the left, and attached at a right angle to the relative figure ;* see beginning, bestow, fate, act, and action, be calm.

* On page 43 of the Grammar, the subsequent tell is drawn still worse; but the fault is the work of the engraver, and is too plain to need particular notice.

These forms are highly objectionable, because they do not conform to the general rule; they add to the complexity of the system; they do not distinguish the subsequents as full substantive or verbal terms; and they lead to bad practice in drawing.

THE ARGUMENT FROM DEPENDENCE ON RELATION, INVALID. It may be urged that this form is used to distinguish subsequents of relation from objects of action as following transitive verbs and participles. But, in the first place, that is unnecessary; for, that these subsequents are objects of relation, is explicitly determined by the antecedent figure; see like, like a spirit, &c., below.

In the second place, the objects of some transitive verbs and participles are just as truly mere objects of relation and yet take the general form, see John, below.

But if the distinction is necessary in the phrase, it is as necessary in the sentence. It is, however, as has been suggested, necessary in neither. The proper and sufficient form is exhibited above in the subsequents, Java, peace, safety, dream and give. No other should be allowed.

4 GENERAL SUBSTANTIVE FIGURES.

Fourthly. It will have been seen by those using the grammar, that most substantive figures used to enclose complex elements, as in the case of the phrase subject, Taking a madman's sword, &c., the phrase object, his doing mischief, and the phrase subsequent, robbing him, in the following diagram, are incomplete. While,

for the sake of convenience in engraving, or want of room in the drawing, this may be allowed, it should be con