593634 C COPYRIGHT, 1891, BY C. J. MILLS. COPYRIGHT, 1899, BY FIRST EDITION, MAY, 1891. REPRINTED, SEPTEMBER, 1891, AUGUST, 1893, JUNE, 1894, SEPTEMBER, 1899. PREFACE TO AMERICAN EDITION. It seems to be generally conceded that English grammar is worse taught and less understood than any other subject in the school course. This is, doubtless, largely due to the kind of text-books used, which, for the most part, require methods that violate the laws of pedagogy as well as of language. There are, however, two or three English grammars that are admirable commentaries on the facts of the language, but, written from the point of view of the scholar rather than of the learner, they fail to awaken any interest in the subject, and hence are not serviceable for the class-room. My attention was first called to Longmans' School Grammar by a favorable notice of it in the Nation. In hope of finding an answer to the inquiry of numerous teachers for "the best School grammar," I sent to the Publishers for a copy. An examination of the work, so far from resulting in the usual disappointment, left the impression that a successful text-book in a field strewn with failures had at last been produced. For the practical test of the class-room, I placed it in the hands of an accomplished grammarian, who had tried several of the best grammars published, and he declares the results to be most satisfactory. The Author's simplicity of method, the clear statement of |