_ Is there a rigid rule with regard to the use of the preterite
tense? When do you say "hung" and when do you say "hanged"? _A._ Two
examples from a universally recognised authority will illustrate the
flexibility of our language in the general use of tenses: (1) "'I know a
gen'l'man, sir,' said Mr. Weller, 'as did that, and _begun_ at two
yards; but he never tried it on ag'in; for he _blowed_ the bird right
clean away at the first fire, and nobody ever _seed_ a feather on him
arterwards.'" (2) "So I take the privilidge of the day, Mary, my
dear--as the gen'lem'n in difficulties did, ven he valked out of a
Sunday--to tell you that the first and only time I _see_ you your
likeness was _took_ on my hart in much quicker time and brighter colours
than ever a likeness was took by the profeel macheens (wich p'r'aps you
may have _heerd_ on Mary my dear) altho it does finish a portrait and
put the frame and glass on complete with a hook at the end to hang it up
by and all in two minutes and a quarter." (Charles Dickens.)
_Q._ What is "elegance" in style? I know it does not mean long words and
many of them; but just what does it mean? _A.
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