Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows
Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.

Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows
Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.

To a teacher of languages there comes a time when the world is but a place of many words and read more

To a teacher of languages there comes a time when the world is but a place of many words and man appears a mere talking animal not much more wonderful than a parrot.

I can remember the lush spring excitement of language in childhood. Sitting in church, rolling it around my mouth like read more

I can remember the lush spring excitement of language in childhood. Sitting in church, rolling it around my mouth like marbles--tabernacle and pharisee and parable, tresspass and Babylon and covenant.

Fie, fie upon her!
There's language in her eye, her cheek, her lip;
Nay, her foot speaks. read more

Fie, fie upon her!
There's language in her eye, her cheek, her lip;
Nay, her foot speaks. Her wanton spirits look out
At every joint and motive of her body.

The English have no respect for their language, and will not teach their children to speak it.

The English have no respect for their language, and will not teach their children to speak it.

The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean

The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean

To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to
my horse--German.

To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to
my horse--German.

I am the King of Rome, and above grammar.
[Lat., Ego sum rex Romanus, et supra grammaticam.]

I am the King of Rome, and above grammar.
[Lat., Ego sum rex Romanus, et supra grammaticam.]

Thanks to words, we have been able to rise above the brutes; and thanks to words, we have often sunk read more

Thanks to words, we have been able to rise above the brutes; and thanks to words, we have often sunk to the level of the demons.