science, by dispersing those clouds that so often bewilder it, and
removing those obstacles that generally retard its progress. In this way
it endeavors to render interesting and delightful a study which has
hitherto been considered tedious, dry, and irksome. Its leading object
is to adopt a correct and an easy method, in which pleasure is blended
with the labors of the learner, and which is calculated to excite in him
a spirit of inquiry, that shall call forth into vigorous and useful
exercise, every latent energy of his mind; and thus enable him soon to
become thoroughly acquainted with the nature of the principles, and with
their practical utility and application.

Content to be useful, instead of being brilliant, the writer of these
pages has endeavored to shun the path of those whose aim appears to have
been to dazzle, rather than to instruct. As he has aimed not so much at
originality as utility, he has adopted the thoughts of his predecessors
whose labors have become public stock, whenever he could not, in his
opinion, furnish better and brighter of his own. Aware that there is, in
the public mind, a strong predilection for the doctrines contained in
Mr. Murray's grammar, he has thought proper, not merely from motives of
policy, but from choice, to select his _principles_ chiefly from that
work; and, moreover, to adopt, as far as consistent with his own views,
the language of that eminent philologist. In no instance has he varied
from him, unless he conceived that, in so doing, some practical
advantage would be gained. He hopes, therefore, to escape the censure so
frequently and so justly awarded to those unfortunate innovators who
have not scrupled to alter, mutilate, and torture the text of that able
writer, merely to gratify an itching propensity to figure in the world
as authors, and gain an ephemeral popularity by arrogating to themselves
the credit due to another.