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Literary
September 21, 1829
Lynchburg Virginian
Lynchburg, Virginia
What is this article about?
A brief essay arguing for precise usage of 'on' and 'upon' in English, noting 'upon' implies elevation and providing examples like 'upon a tower' versus 'on a marsh', and critiquing custom when it contradicts logic.
Clipping
OCR Quality
85%
Good
Full Text
ON AND UPON.
We have two words which we use indifferently—on and upon. It appears to me that those
who study elegance, by which I always mean
precision and correctness, may show it here. I
would say upon a tower; on the same principle,
I would say on a marsh. There would, indeed
be no harm in saying on a tower: but there would be an impropriety in saying upon a marsh;
for up, whether we are attentive or inattentive,
whether we have been a thousand times wrong,
or never, means somewhat high, something
to which we ascend. I should speak correctly
if I said, "D. Johnson flew upon me;" incorrectly, if I said "he fell upon me." Custom is a
rule for every thing but contradiction.
[Athenæum.
We have two words which we use indifferently—on and upon. It appears to me that those
who study elegance, by which I always mean
precision and correctness, may show it here. I
would say upon a tower; on the same principle,
I would say on a marsh. There would, indeed
be no harm in saying on a tower: but there would be an impropriety in saying upon a marsh;
for up, whether we are attentive or inattentive,
whether we have been a thousand times wrong,
or never, means somewhat high, something
to which we ascend. I should speak correctly
if I said, "D. Johnson flew upon me;" incorrectly, if I said "he fell upon me." Custom is a
rule for every thing but contradiction.
[Athenæum.
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
On Upon
Language Precision
Elegance
Grammar
Correctness
What entities or persons were involved?
[Athenæum.
Literary Details
Title
On And Upon.
Author
[Athenæum.
Subject
Distinction Between 'On' And 'Upon'
Key Lines
Custom Is A Rule For Every Thing But Contradiction.