another thing, of which it is characteristic, nothing else having it;
as knowledge of the use of fire is peculiar to Man.

_People_ for _Persons_. "Three people were killed." "Many people are
superstitious." People has retained its parity of meaning with the
Latin _populus_, whence it comes, and the word is not properly used
except to designate a population, or large fractions of it considered
in the mass. To speak of any stated or small number of persons as
people is incorrect.

_Per_. "Five dollars _per_ day." "Three _per_ hundred." Say, three
dollars a day; three in a hundred. If you must use the Latin
preposition use the Latin noun too: _per diem; per centum_.

_Perpetually_ for _Continually_. "The child is perpetually asking
questions." What is done perpetually is done continually and forever.

_Phenomenal_ for _Extraordinary_, or _Surprising_. Everything that
occurs is phenomenal, for all that we know about is phenomena,
appearances. Of realities, noumena, we are ignorant.

_Plead_ (pronounced "pled") for _Pleaded_. "He plead guilty."

_Plenty_ for _Plentiful_. "Fish and fowl were plenty."

_Poetess_. A foolish word, like "authoress."

_Poetry_ for _Verse_. Not all verse is poetry; not all poetry is
verse. Few persons can know, or hope to know, the one from the other,
but he who has the humility to doubt (if such a one there be) should