Commence, Begin.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1800, 19 January 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

Commence, Begin.

The Fame persons who habitually discard the word many, when they hevo a change of glorying in numerous, have concurred in giving the cold shoulder to begin. Ido nob know a more flagrant dandyism of speech than commence to. " Directly I commence to speak everyone commences to look at me," said a mincing Miss at a suburban "At home." There are minoing misses of the male sex in authorship who are always commencing to. Pernale authors are seldom caught at this feminine weakness of phrase. The vcib commence, if not followed by some other verb in the infinitive mood, may he tolerated for a change. Though it is not to be found anywhere in the Bible (imagine "In the commencement! ") it occurs a few times in Shakespeare; as many as thirteen times in all, reckoning the inflections commenced, commencing, commencement. Set this account against the number of times Shakespeare uses the word, begin. I am not going to count, but I find a double ww of ihem in Mrs. Cowden Clarkes Concoiclance, nearly as long as the line of Sm)th, John, in the Postottice London Directory, or of area railings along Wimpole-strect.—Good Words.