OFFICIAL COMPOSITION.

Evening Star, Issue 4009, 31 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

OFFICIAL COMPOSITION.

To the Editor,

Sir, — “It is not .-o muen a merit to know English as it is a shame not to know' it ; and I look upon this knowledge as assential for an Englishman, and not merely for a fine speaker.” —Adapted from ( io io. English composition in the schools of Otago. I am afraid, does not receive the attention it deserves. “ To use the right word in the right place” is an accomplishment unfortunately rare. In the interest of this important branch of education allow me, sir, to- call attention to the evidence of carelessness on the pari of two of the leading rectors and ol the Inspector of Schools, I do so »6t from any captious mo-

tive, but merely from an honest desire to point out errors with the view of amendment, I shall endeavor to bo iu the spirit of fair criticism.

At the recent examination of one of the district schools the newly-appointed rector of a grammer school submitted a report, in « Inch I read :—“ln .rithmetic I gave them two sums only, but they were correctly worked out.” I take exception to the position of the adjunct “ only,” and to the use of “but.” The sentence, to be correct, so far a? composition is concerned, should read, “ In arithmetic I gave them only two sums, and they were correctly worked out.” Respecting “ only” Professor Bain shows that its position is subject to rule. He says, “ In composition the safe rule is to place the subject to be restricted after the ‘only’” For example, I can lend you two horses only, should be, I can lend you only two horses.

Professor Bain’also writes, “ As regards composition generally the'greatest refinements and the most common inaccuracies at rend the four simple conjunclions-y-And, Or, But, If. The chief error with ‘ but ’ is to use it where ‘ and’ is enough ; an error springing from the tendency to use strong words without sufficient reason,”

By the Rector of the High School the adjunct “ only ” iswroMglvplacedin thefollowing sentence, which is by no means remarkable for perspicuity. I quo’e from the annual report:—“ Our opinions of these systems must be formed from the observation of their effects in those who have begun and continued longest under their influence, and not from those who have been for a short time only.” These examples may by some be regarded aw tr-flea; but it must be remembered that “trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.”

In the report of the Inspector of Schools, dated March 31, 1875, I find the following : “ In arithmetic there are many suitable books Those recommended combine suitability for all but the most advanced stages with cheapness.” This, out of several exceptional sentences in the report is about the worst. Professor Bain points out that “ the most important thing in the whole compass of grammar is the consideration of the order of words The sentence amended would read, ‘ Those recommended combine cheapness with suitability for all but the moat advanced classes ’ ” English compi sition is admittedly a difficult study, yet there is no reason why the young in Utago should not be taught the accuracies and the refinements of the English language.—l am, &c., Excelsior. Dunedin, December 30.