It will presently be seen that the author of "English Grammar in Familiar Lectures," boasts of a degree of success and popularity, which, in this age of the world, has no parallel.

It is not intended on my part, to dispute any of his assertions on these points; but rather to take it for granted, that in reputation and revenue he is altogether as preeminent as he pretends to be.
The character of his alleged _improvements_, however, I shall inspect with the eyes of one who means to know the certainty for himself; and, in this item of literary history, the reader shall see, in some sort, _what profit_ there is in grammar.

Is the common language of two of the largest and most enlightened nations on earth so little understood, and its true grammar so little known or appreciated, that one of the most unscholarly and incompetent of all pretenders to grammar can have found means to outrival all the grammarians who have preceded him?
Have plagiarism and quackery become the only means of success in philology?
Are there now instances to which an intelligent critic may point, and say, "This man, or that, though he can scarcely write a page of good English, has patched up a grammar, by the help of Murray's text only, and thereby made himself rich ?" Is there such a charm in the name of _Murray_, and the word _improvement_, that by these two implements alone, the obscurest of men, or the absurdest of teachers, may work his passage to fame; and then, perchance, by contrast of circumstances, grow conceited and arrogant, from the fortune of the undertaking?
Let us see what we can find in Kirkham's Grammar, which will go to answer these questions.
25.

Take first from one page of his "hundred and fifth edition," a few brief quotations, as a sample of his thoughts and style: "They, however, who introduce _usages which depart from the analogy and philosophy_ of a language, _are conspicuous_ among the number of those who _form that language_, and have power to control it." "PRINCIPLE .-- A principle in grammar is a _peculiar construction_ of the language, sanctioned by good usage." "DEFINITION .-- A definition in grammar is a _principle_ of language expressed in a _definite form_." "RULE .-- A rule describes _the peculiar construction_ or circumstantial relation of words, _which_ custom has established for our observance."-- _Kirkham's Grammar_, page 18.
Now, as "a rule describes a peculiar construction," and "a principle is a peculiar construction," and "a definition is a principle;" how, according to this grammarian, do a principle, a definition, and a rule, differ each from the others?
From the rote here imposed, it is certainly not easier for the learner to conceive of all these things _distinctly_, than it is to understand how a departure from philosophy may make a man deservedly "_conspicuous_." It were easy to multiply examples like these, showing the work to be deficient in clearness, the first requisite of style.
26.

The following passages may serve as a specimen of the gentleman's taste, and grammatical accuracy; in one of which, he supposes the neuter verb _is_ to express an _action_, and every _honest man_ to be _long since dead!_ So it stands in all his editions.