Creator
Caroline Frances Cornwallis
Title
General Principles of Grammar.
Coverage
London
Publisher
William Pickering
Date
1847
Description
Cornwallis (1786–1858), daughter of an Oxford don, wrote her first book, on philosophy, at the age of 56. Having declined to marry a French economist, she instead taught herself Latin, Greek, Hebrew, German, Old English, and even ancient Egyptian. She studied philosophy, science, history, law, theology, politics, and mineralogy. Her depth of learning and common sense are evident throughout the grammar. She recommended: “Never let an unweighed expression pass, but rewrite even a letter of compliment, if it might have been put in better phrase.”