The Grammar of English Grammars, page 358 by Gould Brown

<< Return to Title Details & Download

 < previous  next > 

359

verb which denotes future time; as, John will come, you shall go, they will learn, the sun will rise to-morrow, he will return next week."--_Frazee's Improved Gram._, p. 38; Old Edition, 35. To say nothing of the punctuation here used, it is certain that the initial words, _you, they, the_, and he, should have commenced with capitals.

OBS. 5.--On Rule 3d, concerning Names of Deity, it may be observed, that the words Lord and God take the nature of proper names, only when they are used in reference to the Eternal Divinity. The former, as a title of honour to men, is usually written with a capital; but, as a common appellative, with a small letter. The latter, when used with reference to any fabulous deity, or when made plural to speak of many, should seldom, if ever, begin with a capital; for we do not write with a capital any common name which we do not mean to honour: as, "Though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth--as there be gods many, and lords many."--_1 Cor._, viii, 5. But a diversity of design or conception in respect to this kind of distinction, has produced great diversity concerning capitals, not only in original writings, but also in reprints and quotations, not excepting even the sacred books. Example: "The Lord is a great God, and a great King above all Gods."--_Gurney's Essays_, p. 88. Perhaps the writer here exalts the inferior beings called gods, that he may honour the one true God the more; but the Bible, in four editions to which I have turned, gives the word gods no capital. See Psalms, xcv, 3. The word Heaven put for God, begins with a capital; but when taken literally, it commonly begins with a small letter. Several nouns occasionally connected with names of the Deity, are written with a very puzzling diversity: as, "The Lord of _Sabaoth_;"--"The Lord God of _hosts_;"--"The God of _armies_;"--"The Father of _goodness_;"--"The Giver of all _good_

 < previous  next >