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Par. i99.] IRRE G ULARTIES.

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This may be illustrated by a diagram: —

Attracting force:I. Desire of Brevity.
II. Influence of some other construction.
III. Desire to avoid harshness of sound or of construction, &c., &c.
First, therefore, ascertain the regularity from
which the irregularity in question has deviated.
Secondly, ascertain the cause of deviation, whether
it be (i) desire of brevity; (ii) confusion of two
constructions; (iii) desire to avoid harshness of
sound or of construction.
(1) "He loved her as his own daughter," i.e., "as
(he would llave loved her, if she had been) his
own daughter." (Brevity.)
(2) " All ofus remonstrated," i.e., confusion of the
two constructions: "All 1 we remonstrated,"
and "some, many, ten, &c., of us remonstrated."
(3) " It is you that say so."
1 Compare " All we, like sheep, have gone astray."

I99