Of this rule, laid down without regard to usage and thoughtlessly repeated,
Prof. Austin Phelps says, "A preposition as such is by no means a feeble
word;" and he quotes a burst of feeling from Rufus Choate which ends thus:
"Never, so long as there is left of Plymouth Rock a piece large enough to
make a gunflint _of_!" "This," Professor Phelps says, "is purest idiomatic
English." He adds, "The old Scotch interrogative, 'What _for_?' is as pure
English in written as in colloquial speech."
Sentences containing two prepositions before a noun are exceedingly common
in English--"The language itself is inseparable _from_, or essentially a
part _of_, the _thoughts_." Such sentences have been condemned, but the
worst that can be urged against them is, that they lack smoothness. But
smoothness is not always desirable.
Sentences containing a transitive verb and a preposition before a noun are
very common--"Powerless to _affect_, or to be affected _by_, the _times_."]
CAUTION.--Do not use prepositions needlessly.
DIRECTION.--_Correct these errors_:--
1. I went there at about noon.
2. In what latitude is Boston in?
3. He came in for to have a talk.
4. I started a week ago from last Saturday.
5. He was born August 15, in 1834.
6.
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