Whatsoever relates to derivation, to the sounds of the letters, to prosody, (as punctuation, utterance, figures, versification, and poetic diction,) found no place in his "comprehensive system of grammar;" nor do his later editions treat any of these things amply or well.

In short, he treats nothing well; for he is a bad writer.
Commencing his career of authorship under circumstances the most forbidding, yet receiving encouragement from commendations bestowed in pity, he proceeded, like a man of business, to profit mainly by the chance; and, without ever acquiring either the feelings or the habits of a scholar, soon learned by experience that, "It is much better to _write_ than [to] _starve_."-- _Kirkham's Gram., Stereotyped_, p.89.It is cruel in any man, to look narrowly into the faults of an author who peddles a school-book for bread.

The starveling wretch whose defence and plea are poverty and sickness, demands, and must have, in the name of humanity, an immunity from criticism, if not the patronage of the public.

Far be it from me, to notice any such character, except with kindness and charity.

Nor need I be told, that tenderness is due to the "young;" or that noble results sometimes follow unhopeful beginnings.