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Bechtel, John Hendricks, 1841-

"Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking"

"
Shakespeare says, "It is a good divine that follows his own
instructions. I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done,
than be one of
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the twenty to follow mine own teaching." This is as true of expression
as of morals.
Either, Neither
"Palms and beautiful flowers lined the hall on either side," is a
common but faulty form of expression. Either refers to one of two
things. In the foregoing sentence the thought is that both sides of
the hall were lined, hence the word both should have been used. If,
however, each side of the hall is thought of separately, then each,
would be the proper word to employ.
"Either of the two books will please you." "Any of the three books
will prove satisfactory." "Any one of the five men would make a good
candidate." "Neither of the two men will serve." "None of the ten men
were present." "Not one of all the houses was left standing." These
sentences represent the best usage with regard to either, neither, and
also of any, none, any one, not one.
These kind
Adjectives implying number must agree with the nouns which they
qualify.


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