The truth of this remark
is illustrated by those who have, for many ages, employed the
English language as their medium for the transmission of thought.
Among its refinements may be ranked those procedures by which verbs
and nouns have been so modified and contracted as to form what we
call adverbs, distributives, conjunctions, and prepositions; for I
presume it will be readily conceded, that conciseness, as well as
copiousness and perspicuity in language, is the offspring of
refinement. That an immense amount of time and breath is saved by
the use of adverbs, the following development will clearly
demonstrate. He who is successful in contracting one mode of
expression that is daily used by thirty millions, doubtless does
much for their benefit.
Most adverbs express in one word what would otherwise require two or
more words; as, "He did it _here_," for, He did it _in this place;
there_, for, _in that place; where_, for, _in what place; now_, for,
_at this time. Why_ means _for what reason; how--in what mind, mood,
mode_, or _manner; exceedingly--to a great degree; very--in an
eminent degree; often_ and _seldom_ signify _many times, few times_.
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