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 A KEY

TO

BRACE'S PRINCIPLES

OF

ENGLISH GRAMMAR .

CONTAINING

THE CORRECTED EXERCISES,

AND

A FULI. ACCOUNT OF THE METHOD OF TEACHING

THE GRAMMAR .

ARRANGED ON THE PLAN OF LENNIE'S KEY.

3Y JOAB BRACE , JR.

PHILADELPHIA :
HENRY PERKINS, 134 CHESTNUT STREET.
BOSTON : IVES AND DENNET ,
114 Washington Street.
1840
 ‫هورم‬ ‫برف‬

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 A KEY

TO

BRACE'S PRINCIPLES

OF

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

CONTAINING

THE CORRECTED EXERCISES,

AND

A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE METHOD OF TEACHING

THE GRAMMAR.

ARRANGED ON THE PLAN OF LENNIE'S KEY.

BY JOAB BRACE, JR ,

PHILADELPHIA :
HENRY PERKINS, 134 CHESTNUT STREET.
BOSTON : IVES AND DENNET,
114 Washington Street.
1840.
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 INTRODUCTION.

In offering a Key to the Principles of Grammar, it

appeared necessary, not only to exhibit the Exercises
of Syntax in their corrected state, which is all that is
generally done in books of this nature, but to mention
a few of the various methods of treating the several
Exercises in the Grammar, both in Etymology and
Syntax.
In doing this, however, the author does not mean to
arrogate to himself a superiority of method, nor does he
expect that others are implicitly to copy it ; for he knows
that there are some teachers whose ingenuity cannot
be limited , and whose diligence cannot be expressed .
There are some who, equally as ambitious of praise as
the pupils they teach , have their minds ever on the
stretch ; and who , by a happy facility in asking ques
tions , explaining difficulties, varying the method of in
struction , and exciting attention by endless variety and
apparent novelty, bid defiance to the fetters of form ,
and seem determined to strike out a path for themselves,
or rather to follow where fortune leads the way. To
such, hints from others may be of little other use than
to show them how far they have surpassed their co
temporaries, a circumstance which will stimulate them
3
4 INTRODUCTION.

to press forward with increasing ardor, like a racer in to stuc

his course , who becomes the more ardent the farther Were t
the sub
he outruns his competitors .
But persons of this description are not so numerous ment o
perhaps as those of an opposite cast. For it is a fact, aptly re
that while many , anxious to discharge their duty to the objects
best advantage, carefully peruse every new publication fication
or even
for the use of schools , and adopt those that are best
calculated to promote the progress of their pupils , there progres
more a
are many who, like Gallio, “ Care for none of these
things :" but apologize for their indolence, either by ordinar
manual
coolly declaring, “ That they are very well satisfied
with the books already in use," however ill-adapted to object
The purpose , or by representing " The difficulty of in- may re
troducing a new book into a school” as insurmountable . ing lea.
It is unnecessary to observe , that such teachers as these fully gi
merely require their pupils to repeat what is in their Appl!
same ci
books , and even that but imperfectly. Beyond the
the use
book they never attempt to go , either by making any
additional remarks of their own , or by explaining and and mi
enlarging what the author has perhaps too concisely To gra
expressed ; consequently , the time they spend in teach- childre :
pleasur
ing grammar , in this lifeless and uninteresting manner ,
wonder
is almost wholly lost.
and the
Nothing is perhaps more common than to begin a
Such r
class of children in grammar, without giving them the
least idea of the purposes to be served by the acquire lasting
ment of this important science . This practice is highly Wei
improper ; for children are rational creatures as well as compre
men, and should be made as much acquainted with the jects, h
nature and design of the science which they are about may be
 INTRODUCTION. 5

to study , as the extent of their capacities will admit.

Were they favored with a concise, yet general view of
the subject and its importance ; and were the arrange
ment of words into the different sorts or parts of speech ,
aptly represented to their minds by the classification of
objects with which they are familiar, such as the class
ification of plants and trees according to their nature ,
or even that of children in a school according to their
progress ; they would enter upon the study of it with
more alacrity and pursue it with more vigor. What
ordinary mechanic , for instance, will begin a piece of
manual labor with pleasure, without inquiring what
object his employer has in view , and what advantages
may result to him , or to others , from the work ? Hav
ing learned these particulars , he is satisfied, and cheer
fully goes on with his work .
Apply this to the case before us . Children have the
same curiosity that men have ; the same desire to know
the use and nature of every thing they see and hear,
and much more of a science they are about to learn.
To gratify this curiosity is highly reasonable. Even
children beginning to learn the alphabet, will feel a
pleasure in listening to a few pertinent remarks on the
wonders which the letters produce by making words,
and these again books , which' tell us wonderful stories
Such remarks , if plain and well delivered , will leave a
lasting impression on their lively imaginations .
We do not say, nor even insinuate, that children will
comprehend every thing that is said to them on these sub
jects, however great the address and abilities ofthemaster
may be ; far less do we assert that they will remember
1*
6 INTRODUCTION.

every thing ; and yet we hesitate not to say, that that and there
which is spoken to them will have a very good effect. and sine
How often has a sermon made a lasting impression on
part by
our minds , though perhaps in a short time after it was de these an
livered we were incapable of repeating a single sentence those w
that was uttered ; we forgot the words , but we remem the subje
bered the sentiment ! for what
And may we not infer from this , that a similar im children
pression made on the minds of a class of pupils will to make
have a similar effect and prove a lasting stimulus to tends to
action ? Even supposing their alacrity to abate , as it
no doubt will, it is easy to renew the impression from to impr
which their former ardor sprang. They may , with charact

success , be sometimes reminded of the grand object should

they had in view when they commenced this important accomp
study . How much they have already done , may at quences
times be noticed with a good effect, and what they have Havi
still to do may be represented either as easy , or very meet ev
important ; it may be soon done ; or, the doing of it to make
will render them first rate scholars , &c. In short, to Eve
keep them in good spirits, which is of itself an object pearan
of no inconsiderable moment, something may be said quality
with advantage , both respecting the past and the future. & c.; e
The teacher, however, ought to show the utmost readi- may be
ness to render every thing as easy and intelligible to into the
the scholar as possible . This will convince him that necessa
his master is in earnest, and deeply impressed himself betwee
with a sense of the vast importance of a study which
ing der
he so diligently recommends to his pupils. distinct
The author is aware , that these observations are as stood , I
applicable to reading or writing, &c . as to grammar, 3 pre
v
I INTRODUCTION. 7

and therefore he makes them with the more freedom ,

and sincerely hopes that they will be taken in good
part by those who have hitherto been inattentive to
these and other remarks, which will readily occur to
those who give themselves the trouble of reflecting on
the subject. Let none say that these things are trivial ;
for whatever tends to make education less irksome to
children is of considerable value ; and whatever tends
to make them think or reason on a subject, whatever
tends to excite in their minds a love of learning, which ,
by becoming general among all ranks in society , tends
to improve the moral faculty, and raise the national
character, must be of the highest importance . And
should not every teacher endeavor to contribute to the
accomplishment of an object so great in its conse
quences , and so honorable to himself ?
Having given directions in the Key itself, how to
meet every thing as it occurs , it is only necessary here
to make a few general remarks .
Every word in the Grammar that has the least ap
pearance of difficulty should be explained ; such as
quality, connect, possessive, conditional, indefinite,
&c .; even the definition of a noun, an adjective, &c .
may be explained, i. e . the meaning may be wrought
into the pupil's mind by varying the explanation . It is
necessary to make him as much master of the distinction
between the different parts of speech as possible, for pars
ing depends almost entirely on his ability to make this
distinction ; and the Rules of Syntax cannot be under
stood, nor the Exercises under them corrected , without
a previous and accurate knowledge of the Parts of
 INTRO
00

.
Speech ; consequently , it will be proper to ask him I enlarging
frequently , and in different forms of interrogation , what severity, COI
is a noun, an adjective, &c . thus for example , What almost ever
part of speech are those words which express the writer on G
names of things ? Nouns. « The mem
What sort of words are those which are varied by eachers ca
number, gender, and case ? Nouns and pronouns .
attempt to
What sort of words are those which express the and reflect
names of whatever we hear , see, touch , taste , or smell ? some have
Nouns . - Several other forms may be used . culties of
What sort of words are those which qualify or de author's
scribe nouns ? Adjectives . while the

What sort of words suffer an increase or diminution tillthey

of meaning ? Adjectives. To th
What sort of words supply the place of nouns ? manners
Pronouns. any argy
What sort of words are those which express action, and refle
being , or a particular state of being ? Verbs. require
Similar questions may be put respecting Adverbs, and tho
Prepositions, & c . child is
This may suffice as a specimen of that sort of ques- his reas
tions which may be put to the pupil , as he advances to the
in grammar ; the degree of explanation, and the numa will at
ber of questions, must be regulated by the child's cultiva
capacity. neglect
There are perhaps some teachers who will not thank of the
the author for leaving so much for them to do , for, Fin
notwithstanding the great improvements that have al degree
ready been made , and are daily making in the method is des
of teaching , there are still some teachers , who, rather have
than give themselves the trouble of explaining a rule, gent
 INTRODUCTION. 9

or enlarging on a definition , will , with unrelenting

severity , compel their pupils to commit to memory
almost every thing they have to learn. Nay , a late
writer on Grammar, in his preface, plainly asserts, that
“ The memory is the only faculty of children, of which
teachers can properly avail themselves, and it is a vain
attempt to address their immature powers of reason
and reflection.” From this quotation , it is evident that
some have very low notions indeed of the mental fa
culties of children , and that were we to adopt this
author's opinion , we should improve their memories ,
while they are children , but neglect their judgments
till they become men !
To those who are in the least acquainted with the
manners of children , it will be unnecessary to adduce
any arguments to prove, that their “ powers of reason
and reflection " are far from being inconsiderable, and
require only to be brought into action to be known ;
and though it must be granted that the memory of a
child is susceptible of more rapid improvement than
his reason, yet the latter, when improved , is so superior
to the former, that the additional trouble it requires
will at last be amply rewarded . In short, though the
- cultivation of the memory ought by no means to be
neglected , yet it ought not to be cultivated at the expense
of the nobler part, the judgment.
Finally : if this little volume should be in the least
degree serviceable , even to a few of those for whom it
|| is designed ; if it should excite to diligence any who
have hitherto been negligent; or convince even the dili
gent that more might be done than they do ; if it should
10 INTRODUCTION .

tend to make some teachers more careful to explain

difficulties, and animate their pupils by varying the
methods of exciting emulation ; if it should in any
degree prove the means of exciting a more general
attention to English Grammar than has yet been paid
to it, the author will congratulate himself on what he PI
has done, and think the labor he has bestowed amply
rewarded .

PHILADELPHIA , JULY 10, 1840 .

The

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 Κ Ε Υ

TO THE

PRINCIPLES OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR .

ETYMOLOGY .

The Method of exercising the Pupil on the different Parts of

Etymology exemplified .
1. A LITTLE explanation will show the pupil how and why words
are classified, or divided into these different sorts : thus take the
two sentences, The white horse runs swiftly ; and The little bird
sings sweetly. Two of the words, horse and bird, are the names
of things; such words are called nouns, because, noun means
name : White and little are not the names of things; ar
words joined or added to these names to describe them, to tell
what kind of horse and bird it is that we are talking about : such
words are called adjectives, because adjective means added or
joined to. Runs and sings belong to a differentkind of words,
they are not names, and they are not words that describe names
they are the words that tell us what the horse and the bird are
doing. They are the most important words in the sentence, be
cause without them there would be no meaning in the sentence ;
thus, The white horse swiftly ; The little bird sweetly.
The words that tell us what the things which we talk about are
doing, or in what condition they are, are the most importunt
words ; such words are called verbs, because verb means (import
ant ) word. Swiftly and sweetly, are words joined to the verbs,
to tell us how the horse runs, and how the bird sings ; they are
joined to the verbs to describe them, just as adjectives are joined
to the nouns to describe them. Such words are called adverbs,
because adverb means, joined to a verb. In this wáy the teacher
may , if he chooses, go through with all the parts of speech.
2. The Article is properly an adjective, and it has been permit
ted to retain its place as a distinct part of speech only in compli
ance with the practice of almost all grammarians,
11
12 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.-KEY.

3. After the teacher has wrought the idea of a noun into the
pupil's mind, it would be advisable before he proceeds to learn the
rules for the formation of the plural, to exercise his judgment by
requesting him to shut his book and point out the nwun in each
of such sentences as the following.
Which is the noun in this sentence ?
Where is Thomas ? -- Thomas. Why ? because it is the name of a per
son -Show me your book.- Book .Why ? because it is the name of a
thing. Lend me a cent. – Cent. Why ? because it is the name of a
thing. -Will you go to London.-London. Why ? because it is the
name of a place.-- I have lost my hat. - Hat. Why ? because it is the
name of a thing. -Where is the dog ?-Dog . Why ? because it is the
name of an animal. - Read this newspaper. - Newspaper. Why ? because
it& isc . the-Stir
namethe
of afire
thing.--.-Bring
Fire. Whyme the tongs.-
? because Tongs. Why
, &c.-Light the?candle
because,
.-
Candle. Why ? because, &c.-Drive the horses . - Horses. Why ? be
cause it is the name of a sort of animals.-- I saw a pretty rabbit. - Rab
bit . Why ? because, &c.
Or in sentences a little more difficult than those above, sucha as,
Which is the noun in this sentence ?
I never saw the president.- President. Why ? &c.—Where is the stable ?
--Did you ever see a ship ? Bring my boots. Do not spill the ink.
-Keep far from the bees lest they should stirg you .-Deal uprightly
with all men. - I cannot write with a bad pen.--He likes to ride in a
couch , She tore her new frock . Sugar is exceedingly sweet. - Ho
ney is very sweet. - Where did you lose my knife ?-lam very fond of
gooseberries.
4. The nouns in all the above examples refer to objects of sense,
because these are more easily distinguished , but should the pupil
find no difficulty in pointing out that sort of nouns, he may be
tried with a few sentences containing nouns which are the names
of things that are not perceivable by any of the five senses, such as,
Which is the noun in this sentence ?
We ought to love virtue.- Carelessness should never be tolerated.
Those who seek wisdom will certainly find her .--Beware of idleness.
The salvation of the soul is important. - Never sport with distress.
Assist modest merit. -Flee from vice.--Shun bad company.--Strive
to acquire humility. Where is happiness to be found ? -Restrain every
evil propensity.
These are not all the exercises of this kind which should be
given to the pupil. They are only specimens, and the teacher
will find it for his interest to make and give very many more .
NUMBER.
5. It will be very easy to enable the pupil to distinguish between
the singular and the plural, by telling him that whenever the
word means just one single thing, it is said to be the singular
number, and when it means more than one it is said to be in the
 NUMBER 13

pluralnumber. To fix the distinction in his mind, he may then

be questioned without book, thus,
What does the singular denote ? One - What does the plural denote ?
More than one. Is the word chairs singular or plural ? Plural.- Why ?
Because it denotes more than one.--Is the word knife singular or plural ?
Singular.-Why ? because it means only one knife. What number is
book ? Is it singular or plural ? Singulur. - Why ? Because it means
only one. when
it is plural What number
it does not isend
children Plural.-itHow
in s ? Because do you
denotes moreknow
than that
one
child.
In this manner, the pupil may be asked whether each of the
following words is singular or plural, and why ?
Pen , carpet, houses, horses, quills, fire, water, seas, rushes, inch, music,
painting, Robert, Ann, gloves, hair, wigs, bottles, glass, rivers, boy, days,
&c.
6. After the pupil perfectly understands what is meant by num
ber, and has committed the rules for the formation of the plural
accurately to memory, the next point is to convince him that the
plural is generally formed from the singular by adding s, accord
ing to rule 1st, and that the 2d, 3d, and 4th rules are only excep
tions from the first rule.
The following questions may be asked him, with the view of
fixing the exceptions in his mind .
How many exceptions are there from the general rule, i. e. how
many terminations or endings are there that take something more
than s in the plural ? If the pupil cannot tell, bid him look in his
book ; and in the second rule he will find five, viz. those that end
in s, sh, ch, x, or o, that take es in the plural. And in the 3d rule
he will find one, viz. y, which is changed into ies, in the plural ;
and in the 4th rule two, viz. f, and fe, which are changed into ves
in the plural.
You see, then , that there are eight exceptions from the general
rule, or eight endings that take more than s.
How many take es in the plural ? Five, viz. those that end in s, sh, ch,
I, or o.
How many take ies ?* One .
How many take ves ? Two, viz. those that end in f or fe.
Explain the difference between adding and changing.
7. To add is to join something to what was before it. Thus, if
I lay down six cents, and then put two cents to them, the two
cents which I add to the six cents will make eight cents.
* The singular of nouns in y formerly ended in ie, as, “Ladie ; ” and
then s was added for the plural; this accounts for our plural being in ies.
En, the Saxon plural termination is still retained in a few words ; as,
ozen, children , brethren, (or brotheren .) Hrusen , as the plural of houses, is
still used in low conversation .
KEY. 2
14 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY . - KEY .

8. To change is to take away one thing and put another into

its place. Thus, I change a shilling when I give it and get twelve
cents in its stead .
Now how many singulars have something added in the plural ?
Five. Mention them ? Those that end in s, sh, ch , x , and o.
How many have something changed ? Three. Mention them ?
y into ies, with f, and fe, into ves.
Is y always changed into ies ? No ; y with a vowel before it
is not changed into ies. When is it changed into ies ? Only
when there is a consonant* before it.
When you see a noun ending with y, then , what are you first to
consider about it ? Whether the y, has a vowel or a consonant
before it. If it has a consonant before it what do you do ? Change
y into ies, because nouns in y change y into ies . But if it has a
vowel before it what do you do ? I add s only ; as, day, days.*
9. Let allthe preceding rules and remarks be recapitulated to
the pupil before hesits down, that they may take a sufficient hold
of his memory. Thus ,
The plural is generally formed , you say, by what ? By adding
3, &c. How many exceptions are there from this role ? Eight.
How many have es added to the singular ? What are
they ? Those that end in s, sh, & c. How many have something
changed ? Three. Mention them. Y into ies, and f and fe, into
ves . When is y not changed into ies ? When there is a vowel
before it.
When you wish to ascertain how the plural of any noun is to
be formed , what must you particularly consider? Whether it
comes under the general rule, or under some of the exceptive
rules ; that is, if it does not end in s, sh, ch, x , or 0 ; or in y, or f,
or fe, then the plural is formed by adding s only. What do you
mean by adding ? What do you mean by changing ?
10. The teacher, in giving the Exercises on the plural in the
Grammar, should only attempt to teach the pupil how to form the
plural without calling his attention to the nature of the words ;
for if he is requested to tell what part of speech and what number
too, his attention will be divided. It will be much better to fix
his mind on number only till he is quite master of the subject.
* 1. In proper names , y with a consonant before it takes s only ; as,
The eight Henrys.
2. y in the termination quy is changed into ies, as, in soliloquy, solilo
quies, because the u in this case has the sound, and of course the nature,
of W. these are the only exceptions from Rule 3d.
 NUMBER 15

For this purpose he may be ordered to shut his book, while the
teacher asks him the plural of all the words in the exercises, with
the rules for each. Thus :
What is the plural of for ? Why fores, Because, &c
of book ? Why books ?
of leaf ? Why leaves ?
11. Remind the pupil that a is used before a consonant, and an
hefore a vowel or silent h ; and then request him to correct the fol
lowing sentences :
What should a end be ? An end . Why ? Because an is used before a
vowel or silent h.
What should an heart be ? A heart. Why ? Because u is used before a
consonant.
What should a army be ? An army. Why ? Because, &c.
What should an horn be ? A horn . Because a is used before a consonant.
What should vallies be ? Valleys. Why ? Because the singular ends
in ey, and Y with a vowel before it is not changed into ies.
12. The teacher, after going over all the exercises in the Grammar
in this manner, should make more himself ; and ask, for instance,
What should a ass be ?-A elephant- An watch —- A easy mind
An handkerchief - A elegant house - An hard heart - A ill-looking
man-A illiterate fellow - An hard saying—A ell of cloth - A open
field , &c.
13. A few exercises of a different sort may be given the pupil
Thus :
What should we say instead of two mouses-two childs - three
womans -four mans -six gooses -three foots- a broken teeth
ten sheafsfive calfs - two wifes-- four fish three dish-two
loafs - four oxes—six knifes — all my tooths - two leafs, &c.
14. The pupil should after this be exercised in the observations;
thus,
What sort of an article is a called ? The indefinite. Why
called the indefinite ? Because it does not point out particular
person or thing. When I say, I went into a garden yesterday, what
do I mean ? You mean that you went into some garden , but do
not say whose garden it was.
15. What sort of an article is the called ? The definite. Why
called the definite ? Because it refers to a particular person or
thing. When I say that I went into the garden yesterday, what
do I mean ? You mean that you went into our own garden.
After the pupil has been so long exercised on the Articles that
he understands their nature, this formal mode may be laid aside,
and the following adopted :
The, an Article, the definite -A, an Article, the indefinite.
16. If it is asked why not rather say, the, the definite articlema,
the indefinite article .? The answer is, that in the former way
16 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.-KEY.

the pupil gives a direct answer to each of the questions in order.

What is the ? What sort ? and thus preserves uniformity ,by par
sing the article like the noun. Thus :
King, a noun, singular- The, an article, the definite.
17. What is the plural of monarch ? Monarchs. Why is the
plural not in es ? Because ch sounding k, forms the plural by ad
ding s only. Spell the plural of tyro. T ,y,r,0,8. Why not oes ?
Because tyro, grotto, &c. form the plural by adding s only. Re
peat the general rule for the formation of the plural of nouns in o ;
Nouns in o form the plural adding es ; as, Hero, heroes.
What is the plural of man ? -— of child ?—of woman ?-of foot ?
-of ox ?-of tooth ?-of goose, &c. ? -of brother ?-of die for
gaming ?-of die for coining ?
18. The difference between a common and a proper noun should
be carefully explained to the pupil, and he may occasionally be
asked whether such a noun is a common or a proper noun ; but,
it is unnecessary , uniformly to use the expression a common noun ,
a proper noun.
19. Besides parsing the exercises on the Articles and the nouns
in the Grammar, the pupil should be directed to point out the
nouns and articles in a part of the general exercises in his Gram
mar, (Gram. p. 59—66.) This will not only be an additional
exercise on these parts of speech, but it will oblige him to exert
his powers of discrimination .
Suppose, for example, we take the following sentence, Immediate
iy the cock crew . Let the pupil, after reading the sentence be asked,
Which is the first noun or article in the sentence ? If he says
immediately is a noun, singular number, this is false : but instead
of telling him directly that he is wrong, it will give his reasoning
faculty more scope, to catechise him into a sense of his error ; thus,
What is a noun ? A noun is the name of any thing. Is imme
diately the name of any thing ? Could you say, bring me the
immediately, or I love an immediately ? Is immediately , the
name of any thing in the house, in the garden , or in the field ,
that you can hear, or see, or feel, or taste, or smell ? No. Then
(says the teacher) it cannot be a noun, it is some other sort of
word, with which you are not yet acquainted, and which must
therefore be passed over at present .
The, an article, the definite. Is there any other sort of word
you know in this sentence ? Yes, cock , a noun , singular. How
do you know that cock is a noun ? Because it is the name of
some thing, viz. of a fowl.
 GENDER . - CASE . 17

This mode of interrogating the pupil into the knowledge of the

subject occupies not a little time, particularly at the first, but there
is perhaps no other plan so much calculated to improve his mind
and arrest his attention .
GENDER.
20. It is very easy to make a child comprehend the difference be
tween masculine, feminine, and neuter in English ; for all those
objects to which we apply the word he are masculine, and all those
towhich we apply the word she are feminine. Every other object
is neuter. After he has learned the definitions in the grammar,
and also the different ways of distinguishing gender, he may be
questioned thus,
What is the feminine of father ? -of earl -of uncle- of actor, &c.
- What is the masculine of cow ?—of daughter -of queen -of
bride-of niece-of wife - of goose - of lady--of madam - of
girlof widow.
21. He may occasionally be asked the masculine when the word
happens to be masculine,& c. as what is the feminine of wife 2
What is the masculine of boy ? —What gender is book ? Neuter.
Why neuter ? Because it denotes a thing without life . What is ,
the meaning of the word neuter? It means neitherthe one nor
the other, that is, neither masculine nor feminine. When neuter
is applied to a verb, it likewise means neither the one nor the
other, that is neither active nor passive.
CASE.*
22. It is extremely difficult to convey a clear idea to children of
what is meant by case. It is therefore fortunate that it is quite
unnecessary, at this stage of their progress, to make any distinction
between the Nominative and Objective in nouns. In pronouns
the cases are easily distinguished , and should be specified in
parsing.
As the Nominative and Objective are alike in nouns, the pupil
need not be required to make any distinction between them till he
begins to apply the rules of Syntax. Thus he may be permitted to
say, Father, a noun, nominative case, fc.
23. The Possessive case is distinguished by the addition of the

* Case, which originally meant the different variations on the termina

tion of nouns to express certain relations which one noun bears to an
other, or to a verb , or preposition, is derived from the Latin casus, a fall ;
because the Latin Grammarians who gave their nouns six cases, repre
sented the five last as falling, or declining from the nominative. Hence
telling the cases is called declining a noun . They called the nominative
the direct case, the others the oblique cases.
2*
18 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY,-KEY.

apostrophe and s, to the Nominative case of the noun ; as, Nomi

native, Boy, Possessive, Boy's. When the noun in the Nomina
tive Plural ends in s, the apostrophe only is added ; as, Nominative
Plural, Eagles ; Possessive Plural, Eagles'.
When the noun in the Nominative Plural does not end in s,
the Possessive is formed like the Possessive Singular, by adding
the apostrophe, and 8 ; as Nominative Plural, Women ; Possessive,
Women's.
24. If the scholar finds it difficult to form a correct idea of the
difference between the Possessive Singular, and the Possessive
Plural ; direct him to write both and mark the difference ; and
then to lay aside the slate and spell the Possessive Singular, and
then the Possessive Plural. It may be necessary to look on again
and remark the difference . Observe, to a young child , that what
you call an apostrophe is not a comma, though like one. Tell him
the comma is placed at the bottom of the line, but the apostrophe
at the top, and be sure to give him time to look at their respective
positions, and satisfy himself that they are in different positions,
and should therefore get different names . It is of far more conse
quence than many will believe to give the child time to think and
examine for himself. If he is not allowed time to comprehend
the object intended to be taught him, he reaps no advantage from
its being submitted to his judgment. If you wish to know whether
he understands the subject or not, ask him questions upon it. If
he answers them readily, notwithstanding you alter the form of them,
you may conclude he knows it ; if not, show him the thing on the
book ; and request him to look at it and think on it, and then ques
tion him again with shut book.
Spell the possessive singular of Lady - L ,a ,dy,'s - Spell the possessive
plural, L,a,d,i,e,s' , apostrophe - What is the difference between them ?
Where is the apostrophe put in the possessive singular ?—Before the s
Where is it put in the possessive plural ?-- After the s.
This may suffice as a specimen.
25. With regard to the possessive case it has been observed, that
possession or property, may, in many cases, be as well expressed by
of as by the apostrophe and s, and in some cases much better.
It may be proper to exercise the pupil a little here on these two
different forms of expressing the relation of property or possession .
26. Explain to the pupil that when the noun is in the possessive*
* Till within a century the possessive case in the singular number,
masculine gender, was almost universally written byannexing the adjec
tive his to the nominative case of the noun ; thus, John his book. This
form of expression was gradually contracted till now the s is all that is
left of the his, and the apostrophe marks the elision of hi.
 ADJECTIVES. 19

the thing after it belongs to it. Thus, “ John's hat ” means that
the hat belongs to John ; now if we take away the apostrophe and
s from John, and put of before John , the same* meaning will be
expressed; for the thing before of will belong to the thing after it :
as, “ The hat of John.”
After the above or a similar explanation , ask the pupil such
questions as these :
Instead of saying Ann's bonnet, what could we say ? The bonnet of
Ann -- England's capital ? The capital of England Spain's king?
The king of Spain — The bishop's gown ? The gown of the bishop
This man's wife ? The wife of this man - France's king ? The king
of France -Peru's gold mines ? The gold mines of Peru -Eliza's
glove ? The glove of Eliza .
You may then reverse this order, and take the answers to the
above questions, and let the pupil convert them into the form the
questions are in at present : thus, instead of saying “ the bonnet
of Ann , " what could we say ? Ann's bonnet, &c.
27. Because possession can be expressed by of as well as by
the apostrophe and s, some call the noun with its of the possessive
case of that noun. They would say, John's or of John is the
possessive case of the noun John. This is very improper : to argue
that the crown of the king is in the possessive because it can be
substituted forthe king's crown, is just as illogical as to argue that
a cotton shirt is a linen one, because it may be worn in its place :
or that the adjective good in the phrase “ a good man,” is an ab
stract noun, because it can be converted into a man of goodness ; "
or that ice and water are the very same thing, because they are
mutually convertible into each other. Every noun affected by of
is in the objective case .
ADJECTIVES .
28. An adjective describes a noun ; and generally answers to
the questions what sort, or what number.t After the pupil has
got the definition of an adjective accurately by heart, and as clear
an idea of its nature as possible, orally conveyed to him, his

* The same meaning is not alwaysconveyed by the of that is conveyed

hy the apostrophe and s, for the Lord's day means Sabbath, but the day of
the Lordmeans the day of judgment.
Sometimes the one is ineligible merely because it is harsh to the ear.
+ The adjective does not always denote quality, it often denotes number
only ; as, T'hree men . Hence some call such words adjectives of number.
The distinction is unnecessary.
Sometimes the numeral adjective is converted into a plural noun ; as, I
will not destroy the city for ten's sake.--- Four tens make forty.
 20 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY._KEY.

judgment should be exercised with questions, as on the noun .

Thus, Which is the adjective in the phrase,
A sharp knife ? -Sharp-How do you know that sharp is an adjective ?
Because it expresses the quality of the knife, or tells what sort of a knife
it is—A beautiful flower -A swift horse - A large room -- A trouble
some companion - An aged woman -An old ass - A sturdy beggar
-A genteel apartment--A hot day - Sultry weather A spacious
lake - An uncommon occurrence-A disastrous accident A melan
choly man ,
29. A few sentences a little more difficult than the above.
I saw our worthy neighbor yesterday- We did not see the affecting
accident - James is a very diligent boy—They should attend to their
best interest - This is a dificult sentence.
30. A few sentences still more difficult than the above, because
the adjective is placed at a distance from the noun which it quali
fies or describes.
Lucretia was remarkably chaste . (If the pupil cannot find out that
chaste is the adjective, turn the sentence into another shape ; thus, For
what was Lucretia remarkable ? Ans. For being chaste. Then chaste
must be the adjective. ) --A mother's attachment to her children is er
ceedingly strong-There never was a man so wise as Solomon -Moses
was remarkably meek —— The Apostles were men of the greatest sincerity
and candor --A beast so fierce I never saw -- He played an air so plain
tive that it melted every heart — His prospects were once very flattering
- I never heard sounds so sweet--I never saw a scene so affecting.
31. It would be unnecessary to give any more examples of that
sort of questions which should be put to the pupil on the adjec
tive. The teacher should give him some hundreds more than he
finds here. Every object may supply him with a subject for
questions. The seats, tables, windows, walls, streets, woods,
rivers, hills , &c. by putting an adjective before them, may all sup
ply him with excellent examples. He should strive to acquire a
great facility in asking questions extempore on this, and every
other part of speech. If he finds it difficult, he should practise it
by himself ; and even write down, and commit to memory, the
questions he intends to put to his pupils. Much may be done by
a constant attention to self-improvement. No teacher can succeed
well in communicating to his pupils the knowledge of a subject or
science which he himself does not thoroughly understand. His
first object, therefore, is to acquire clear and accurate ideas of the
subject, and then consider attentively which is the best method of
communicating these ideas clearly to his pupils. And no plan is
perhaps better calculated to keep up their attention, than that of
putting many questions to them on the subject under immediate
consideration ; giving them a reasonable time to prepare proper
answers .
 ADJECTIVES. 21

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.
32. It was said in the Grammar, that the comparative is formed
by adding er, and the superlative by adding est, because it seems
unnecessary to render the rule clumsy by saying r or er ; st or
est, especially as it is a general rule, that e final is struck off when
a syllable is added beginning with a vowel.
It will be proper to enlarge a little on the nature of comparison
to the pupil, and convince him that the positive merely expresses
the quality of a noun without increase, as, sweet, but the compara
tive increases the quality a step higher, as, sweeter, and the super
lative increases the quality to the highest, as, sweetest.
33. The effect of comparison will perhaps he most advantage
ously shown to the pupil, by taking three material objects that
possess the same quality in different degrees. Take, for instance,
three boys of different sizes ; say the first is tall ; show that the
second compared with him, however, is taller ; and that the third,
compared with the other two, is the tallest of the three ; and so
on with any other three sensible objects that differ in size or
form , & c.
After the pupil understands the way of comparing Adjectives,
by adding er and est, request him to compare the following, or any
other of one syllable :
Soft, hard , white, dark, swift, slow, tight, high, short, long, wild, sour,
great, firm, thick, strong, lean, rough, black, clear, rich, neat, kind,
stout.
34. After this, explain fully to the pupil how words of more
than one syllable come to be compared by placing more and most
before them, and not by adding er and est to them, which would .
render them very unpleasant to the ear . Then request him to
Compare mild ; Mild, milder, mildest. Why not more mild, most mild ?
Because it is a word of one syllable .-- Compare famous ; Famous, more
famous, most famous . Why is famous compared by more and most, and
not by er and est ? Because it is a word of more than one syllable.
Compare, Detestable, harmonious, infamous, impious, languid, virtuous,
impertinent, imprudent, candid , unkind, ungrateful, ingenious, ingenuous,
benevolent, malevolent, superstitious, beautiful, disagreeable, unhand
some , &c .
35. After he has been thoroughly exercised in comparing Ad
jectives both by er and est, and more and most, and told that al
though words of one syllable are generally compared by er and
est, yet they may be compared by more and most as well as words
of more than one syllable; then give him a few exercises com
paring dissyllables in y, by changing y into i before er and est
Thus compare
22 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.-KEY.

Sprightly ; Sprightly, sprightlier, sprightliest. Give the rule ; Dissylla

bles in y change y into i before er and est.-- Hardy, tardy, worthy, lazy,
sleepy, massy, mighty, naughty, flimsy, clumsy, handy, easy, stormy,
oily , hoary, stately, shabby, tidy .
Next tell him that some dissyllables in e final are frequently
compared by 'er and est, particularly those that are accented on the
last syllable; as, simple, simpler, simplest; and in the same way
ample, nimble, severe, sincere, polite, &c.
36. Lastly, show the pupil, that as the quality may be increased
by er and est, &c., so itmay be diminished by prefixing less and
least to the positive. Thus diminish the quality of
Happy ;-less happy, least happy. Benevolent, hardy, wretched, sick ,
active, studious, remarkable, enraged, enchanted, destitute, sharp,
amazed, enraptured.---All the adjectives in the preceding paragraphs
may be used as exercises on this.
37. Remark that the quality is often reduced below the positive
by adding ish ; as, Green, greenish, that is, not quite green, but
green in a small degree , -approaching to green .
38. The Adjectives irregularly compared must be got by heart,
and the pupil must be taught to compare them thus ; Good, better,
best. - Bad , worse, worst . - Ill, worse, worst.-- Evil, worse, worst.
Cross question him thus, What is the positive of most ?-of
least ?-of eldest ? ---of best ? and so on.
39. The method of simplifying the parsing of the Noun , may
be applied with equal propriety to the adjective. For instance, in.
stead of saying soft, an adjective in thepositive degree, the com
parative is softer, and the superlative is softest, say only ,-soft, an
adjective ;-and only occasionally request the pupil to compare it
fully : and then ask him , Why by er and est ? or, Why by more
and most ?
40. The adjectives mentioned on page 17 (Grammar) are usually
called Adjective Pronouns, and divided into four classes ; thus,
1. The Possessive Adjective Pronouns ; My, thy, his, her, our,
your, their, its, own.
2. The Distributive djective Pronouns ; Each, every, either,
neither.
3. The Demonstrative Adjective Pronouns ; This and that, with
their plurals, these and those.
4. The Indefinite Adjective Pronouns; None, any, all, such,
whole, some, both, one, other, another.
With perhaps the exception of none, they are all Adjectives.
 PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 23

PERSONAL PRONOUNS.
41. The teacher is left to explain the nature of a pronoun more
fully to the pupil and particularly to convince him that it is used
principally to prevent the too frequent repetition of the noun itself.
This may be done by giving him a number of examples vivo
voce; such as, " When Cæsar had conquered Gaul, Cæsar turned
Cæsar's arms against Cæsar's country .” Let him , after he has
heard this sentence two or three times repeated, try to throw out
the nouns, and substitute pronouns for them himself; thus, When
Cæsar had conquered Gaul, he turned his arms against his
country .
Should the pupil find it difficult to resolve this sentence, which
he probably will, he may be requested to point out the pronouns
in the following or similar sentences first.
Maria loves me—She is not a naughty girl- They are both good men
-We love good men - Eliza is pretty ; but she is not proud I will
give thee good advice -This glove is hers --- That house is theirs-
That book is mine - You should never be negligent James is fatigued,
therefore he is desirous of rest—Is that pen yours ? Money is very
useful ; but we must not love it too much -Nothing should please us
more than the prosperity of the good.
42. Throw the nouns out of the following sentences and put
pronouns in their stead.
John * lost John'st (his) knife Jane made Jane's (her) own gown
James loves James' (his) father - Robert lost Robert's ( his) hat - Lu
cy gave Lucy's (her) book to Lucy's (her) aunt.
The teacher, if he chooses, may reverse this order, hy giving the
sentences with the pronoun only, and requesting the pupil to throw
out the pronoun , and put in the noun for which it stands ; thus,
John lost his knife ; that is, John lost John's knife, & c.
43. Before the pupil begins to decline the personal pronouns,
the contractions nom , poss. obj. should be explained to him :
m . or f. means masculine or feminine, and n . neuter.
After the pupil can readily decline the personal pronouns for
wards : thus, 'T'he first personal pro. nom. sing. 1, poss, mine, ohj.
me, nom . pl. we, poss, ours, obj. us, and so on with the rest ; let
him reverse the order, and say , obj . plu . us, poss. ours, nom . we,
obj. sing. me, poss. mine, nom. I, &c. He may, if master of them

* In the beginning of a discourse the noun itself must be used , before

the pronoun can be introduced with propriety.
+ The words enclosed (thus) contain the correction, and must be omitted
un giving the pupil the sentence to correct.
24 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.KEY .

in this way , go over them by giving only the nom, of all the per
sons ; thus, The first personal pron. nom . sing. I, the second,
thou, the third masc. he, fem . she, neut. it, &c.
Let him go over the rest of the cases in the same manner, till he
is completely master of declining them in every direction , and then
he may parse the exercises in the middle of the page ; thus, 1 the
first personal pron. masc.* or fem . the nom. Thou the second
personal pron. masc. or fem . the nom. (decline thou. Nom . sing.
thou, poss. thine, obj. thee, nom. plu. you , poss. yours,obj. you ;
then backwards, obj. plu. you , poss. yours, & c.) – We the first
pers. pron. plu. masc, or fem . the nom . What is the nom. sing.
of we ? 1.
44. Some say there are five personal pronouns : but this is a
mistake occasioned perhaps by the third person's having adifferent
word in the singular for each gender. There are only three per
sonal pronouns; the first is the person who speaks, the second is
the person spoken to, and the third, or any noun, is the person
spoken of. The third is supposed to be absent.
Myself, Thyself, Himself, & c.
45. These compound or emphatic pronouns, generally agree in
case with the nouns or pronouns to which they are joined ; but as
the pupil, from their appearance, is apt to suppose that himself,
themselves, &c. must be in the objective, a repetition of the rule,
“ That they are in the same case with the noun or pronoun to
which they are joined,” with a few questions on the following or
similar examples, will be of service to him.
How do you know what case myself is in ?
1st, By the pronoun before it. If it is I, then myself is in the nomina
tive ; but if it is me, then myself is in the objective, agreeing in case with
the pronoun to which it is joined.
2d, If there is no personal pronoun before it, I must consider whether it
is the nominative to a verb, or whether it is the object of a verb or prepo
sition. Thus,
In what case ismyself in the sentence, “ Myself shall mount
the rostrum ?” The nominative, because it is the nominative to
the verbshall mount. I gave it to himself? Objective, because
governed by to.—He himself was there ? Nominative, because in
the same case with he.-We saw the owners themselves ? Objec
tive, because in the same case with owners.-- She herself met me ?
Nominative, because in the same case with she.

* It will be proper to omit the gender in the first and second person.
Ask the gender occasionally only.
 RELATIVE PRONOUNS. 25

RELATIVE PRONOUNS.
46. The relative differs from the personal pronoun in this, that
the personal pronoun always stands for a noun only, but the rela
tive relates either to a noun or pronoun, and sometimes to a
clause.
Ask the pupil which is the relative in each of the following or
similar sentences ; but pronounce them very distinctly, and give
him time to think ; because the sentences are long, and that is not
so easily distinguished as who and which . - See Note, No. 51 .
Which is the relative in the following sentence ?
The man who was imprisoned for debt made his escape -Bring me the
gun which was lately repaired—The boy who lost his books was punish
ed - Solomon was thewisest man that ever lived - Those that reprove
others , should not do the same thing themselves --You who have health
should improve it-The man that neglects to do good is a fool - He who
expects to be wise without learning is a fool-She that loves her hus
band is virtuous.
47. There are so many things to attend to respecting the rela
tive, that it is no easy matter to make children comprehend and re
member them all. It is, however, absolutely necessary to know
them well ; and, therefore, attention to the following questions is
requisite.
The answers, however, should be given to the pupil in the
shape of remarks before the questions are put.
How do you know when the relative is singular and when it is
plural ?
By its antecedent. If its antecedent is singular then the relative is
singular. If its antecedent is plural, then the relative is plural.
What is its antecedent in the sentence, “ The boy who is good
shall be esteemed ?"
Boy. What number is boy ? Singular.-What number is who here ?
Singular. Why ? Because its antecedent boy is singular.
What is the relative in the sentence, “ Those who seek wisdom
will certainly find her ?”
Who. What number is who ? Plural. Why ? Because its antecedent
those (persons) is plural and the relative is always of thesamenumber and
person as its antecedent. Which person is who here ? The third. Why ?
Because its antecedent those is the third, and the relative is always of the
same number and person as its antecedent,
Which is the relative in the sentence, “ He that is surety for a
stranger shall smart for it ?"
That. Which person is that ? The third. Why ? Because its antece.
dent he is the third. What number ? Singular, because its antecedent is
singular, and the relative is always of the same number and person as the
antecedent .
KEY. 3
26 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.KEY .

Which is the relative in the sentence, “ We who profess to be

Christians often belie our profession ?"
Who. Which person is who here ? The first. Why ? Because we its
antecedent is the first, and the relative is always of the same person as its
antecedent. What number is who here ? Plural , because we is plural.
Which person is the relative in the sentence , “ You who learn
much will be wise ?"
The second. Why ? Because you is the second person , and the relative
is always of the same number and person as its antecedent.
48. REMARK.— When the relative refers to two singular nouns
connected by and, it is plural.
What number is the relative in the sentence,
“ The sun and the moon which illuminate our earth are the no
blest luminaries of the sky ?” .
Plural, Why ? Because the two singular nouns sun and moon are
equal to a plural, and when the antecedent is plural the relative is
plural.
Which person ?-Third, because its antecedent (sun and moon being
spoken of) is the third, and the relative is always of the same person , as
well as of the same number, with its antecedent.
49. The following are some of the most important questions on
the relative. For more, see No. 118. 119.
1. How many simple relatives are there ?—Three . - Who, fic.
2. When you see a relative what are you to look for ?--Its antecedent.
3. Do you look before the relative or after it for its antecedent ?-Be
fore it.
4. What sort of a word will its antecedent probably be ?-A noun or
pronoun.
5. Why seek the antecedent at all ? -- To find the number and person of the
relative.
6. How do you know when the relative is singular ?
7. How do you know when it is plural ?
8. What number is it here ?--Why ?
9. What person is it here ?-Why ?
10. What could you use instead of who here ? - That,
11. What could you use instead of which here ?-That.
12. When the relative refers to two singular nouns, what number must it
be ? Plural —-Why ? -- See No. 48.
50. As it is not quite so easy to make sentences extempore on
the relative as on the preceding parts of speech, the following are
inserted to be given orally to the pupil as an exercise on number
and person .
He who is studious in youth will be wise in old age.
We often see men who are regardless of virtue.
I have found the knife which I lost yesterday.
The veil which conceals future events is a veil of mercy.
 COMPOUND RELATIVES. 27
The evil which men do lives after them.
The child that is fond of reading will improve rapidly.
She had no respect for virtues which she never practised.
He that knows himself despised will always be envious.
Those whose fortunes are great should be generous .
He who is slothful cannot be good.
He that is not good cannot be happy.
We should bear with patience those misfortunes at least which we
bring upon ourselves.
He that makes the best use of time has none to spare.
Those are the best instructors that set a good example before their fol
lowers.
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise .
51. Some examples may now be given of the wrong application
of the relatives; thus,
Is it right to say, the inen which love peace are most agreeable ? No.
It should be,the men who ; because which is applied only to inferior ani
mals, and things without life - Is who the only relative you apply to per
sons ? * No. For that is applied to persons as well as who_The knife
whom (which) I lost was found Why should whom be which ? Because
which and not who, is applied to things without life .
Tell me the error in this phrase — The boy which loves study
will be wise - A horse who trots — A man which speaks - A girl
which sings — A dog who watches — My father which brought me
up - A church whof maintains purity of doctrine.
A considerable number of exercises should be given, both on the
right and wrong application of the relative ; but the above may
suffice as a specimen .
THE COMPOUND RELATIVES.
52. What is a compound relative, and equal to the thing which,
or to that which. Every child knows that a penny piece is equal
to two halfpence ; and that two halfpence are, of course, equal to
a penny. Apply this idea to what, and request the pupil to throw
what out of the following sentences, and put in the simple words
for which it stands.
I have seen what (the thing which, or that which ) I never saw before
Do you know what befel the smugglers ?--They told him what he ought
to do - Show me what you want-Believe what he says --- Accept
what we offer - He has done what he ought not.
* Who is not only applied to persons, as mentioned in the Grammar, but
also to inferior animals, when they are represented as acting or speaking
like rational beings ; thus, " A stag who came to drink at a river, seeing
his own image in the clear water, said thus to himself,” &c.
† A collective noun, such as church , state, court, though it is composed of
human beings, takes which and not who ; because it is considered ab
stractly as a thing or naine.
23 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY . - KEY .
They forgave him what he had done,
You should do what I bid you.
Remember what I tell you,
We do what we please.
I have forgotten what I said.
They knew not what to say.
You need not mention what I'll give.
The teacher may take the same or similar sentences and reverse
the questions by asking the pupil what single word would do in
stead of the thing which in the following sentences,
I have seen the thing which I never saw before - Do you know that
which befel the smugglers -- Accept thut which I offer you -Believe the
thing which he says.
Who never unites, like an adjective, with a noun ; but which
and what readily unite with nouns ; as, Which things — By what
means.
53. Remind the pupil, that the compound relatives whoever,
whosoever,* and whoso, stand for he who or the person who, and
then request him to throw these compounds out of the following
sentences, and put he that — he whomor the person who,—in their
stead.
Whoever neglects pence will never acquire pounds.
Whosoever is angry without a cause is a fool.
Whoever neglects religion will repent of his folly .
Whoso keepeth the fig -tree shall eat the fruit thereof.
Whosoever sinneth is the servant of sin .
Whomsoever the king favors I will favor. - Him whom.
54. Remind the pupil that whatever, whatsoever, whichever, and
whichsvever, when compound relatives, are equal tof that which ,
(and sometimes to those which ; ) and then request him to throw
the compounds out of the following sentences, and put the sim
ple thatwhich in their stead .
* So is an adverb, and means in like manner ; Ever is an adverb too, and
means at any time, at all times, or always. - Whosoever, or whoerer then
means, Who, in uny case that may be at any time ; and so of whichsoever,
&c.
† That in the phrase that which, is an adjective, having thing under
stood : thus, “ I saw that ( thing ) which you gave him . "
One of the latest writers on English Grammar says , whoever , which
ever, and whatever, " are adverbs of unlimited signification ; as , ' Whoever
assists the poor will be rewarded, &c . ' ” ! There never was a greater
mistake than this. Had he asked himself what is the subject of “ assists"
and of “ will be rewarded '' in the example he has given , he would have
seen the absurdity of his assertion, and the necessity of admitting rohoever
to be a compound relative containing two nominatives, viz. he that, the
latter being the subject of assists, and the former of will be rewarded, as a
 VERBS. 29
1
Instead of whatever, &c. what could I say in the sentence
I hear whatever he says with pleasure ?
Do whatsoever I command you .
Do whichever you please .
Whichsoever he takes, whether beer or wine, does him good.
It is unnecessary to give many exercises on these compounds,
after giving so many on what. They may be called adjectives
when they are joined to a noun ; as in, whatsoever things are
true, & c .*
That.
55. As that appears in three different characters, it may be pro
per to refer the pupil to the Notes in his Grammar under Adjec
tives to notice the distinction between that when it is an adjective,
a relative pronoun, and a conjunction ; and then exercise him
thus :- What is that in the sentence,
That man is tall ? An adjective.
Bring me that letter ? An adjective.
Were it not for that I would give it you ? An adjective, because it is
placed before the noun cause, or some such word understood.
He that loves virtue will practise it ? A relative, because it could be
turned into who.
He that will not work should not eat ? A relative, because it can be
turned into who.
Be studious that you may be wise ? A conjunction, because it marks the
end of being studious.
Takebook
before you understood
this book and
. give me that ? An adjective, because it is placed
Live honestly that you may be respected ? A conjunction, because it
marks a consequence or final end.
She was so lovely that she was universally admired ? A conjunction be
cause it marks a consequence, &c.
She has read thut book repeatedly ? An adjective.
Be obedient that you may be loved ? A conjunction.
That should not be used as a relative immediately after the ad
jective that : Thus, “ For that that is determined shall be done."
Dan. xi. 36.- " That that dieth let it die .” Zech. xi. 9 .-- It
should be that which . /
VERBS.
56. Before the pupil begins to inflect the verb, he should be
taught its grand general divisions in their order.
transposition of the sentence will show : thus, " He will be rewarded that
assists the poor.”
* Whoever , whichever, and whatever, are now generally and properly
preferred to the solemn and half-antiquated wkosoever, whichsoerer, and
whatsoever ; but whomsoever is preferable to whomever . - No, 174-5-6 .
3*
30 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.-KEY.

First, That there are three kinds of verbs ; Active, Passive, and
Neuter.
Second, That the verb has four Modes; Indicative, Potential,
Imperative, and Infinitive .
Third, That the Indicative Mode has six Tenses ; Present,
Past, Perfect, Pluperfect, Future, and Future Perfect: That the
Potential has four; Present, Past, Perfect, and Pluperfect : That
the Imperative has one, the Present : and that the Infinitive has
two, Present and Perfect.
Fourth, That the Participle is a form of the Verb which is
sometimes joined to a noạn like an adjective.
57. After the pupil has learned the definition of a verb, particu
larly of an active verb, hecause it is more easily understood at the
first than a passive or neuter, he should , to enable him to distin
guish it from other words, be exercised on it a long time, by asking
him which is the verb in the following and similar sentences ?
James often drinks wine - John writes letters-- Bring me some beer
--Hold your plate -- Catch that horse -- I love Maria --- We amused
the children ---- Read yourlesson --- Cork the bottle - John caught a dove
----Remember the poor --- Give bread to the hungry -We often gather
fruit in the garden--Jane forgot her book --- William shot a hare
Robert gathers shells on the sea -shore--Mary nurses my little sister
Ann knits stockings --- Margaret makes shirts - Jessie helps her mother
-Thomas builds houses - Fanny sells ribbons -- Susan draws land
scapes.
Afterwards let the definition of a Neuter verb be learned , and the
pupil be exercised upon it in the same way as on the Active verb.
Which is the verb in the following sentences ?
David abode in the hold-The tree fell across the road - I saw a pi
geon fly --- The sun rose at six o'clock--The horse ran out of the yard
-Jawes went over the hill - Lucy sleeps in the cradle -- The Philis
tines fled before Samson. When the sun wared warm , the manna melted
-The Royal George sunk with all her men on board -- The sun shines
on my head - Go not into any other field - Abide here fast by my
maidens --- Peaches are excellent fruit .
58. Before the pupil begins to inflect the verb, let him learn to
mention in their order, the Modes, the Tenses of each Mode, and
the Personal Pronouns which are the nominatives.
After the pupil is quite master of the inflection of the verb, and
can readily distinguish it in its simple tenses as above, he should
be exercised on the compound tenses, or on the simple and com
pound promiscuously. Thus, Which is the verb in the following
sentences ?
All men should love mercy -You may sou barley -We can carry a
basketful of apples ---- We should remember the poor --- James has a beau
tiful pony.--He should have left his books at home - She should hate
 VERBS. 31
evil He must have lost all sense of honor -Carpenters can build ships
You should drink but little brandy -Jane has a beautiful pigeon
I could have eaten a dozen of them You have told him - They should
have built the house . I may huve done it-You have lost all your books
--I shall see my dear friend to -morrow -We saw a flock of sheep .
Several of the sentences on the 31st page of the Grammar may
be used first for this purpose, then as an exercise on the tenses of
the verb. If the pupil cannot tell what tense such a verb is in ,
turn him back to the inflection and show it to him-let him see it
on the book ; and reason from that circumstance the necessity of
getting the verb so accurately that it will be impossible for him to
forget any of it again .
THE NUMBER OF THE VERB .
59. Remark to the pupil again and again , first, That though a
verb has two numbers like a noun, its plural never ends in s.
Second, That the verb is always of the same number with the
pronoun before it ; that is, when the pronoun is singular, the verb
is singular ; when the pronoun is plural, the verb is plural.
Third, That the pronoun before the verb is called its nomina
tive. See Grammar, page 68, Rule I.
60. Turn the pupil now to the present indicative of the verb to
love, and request him to look on, and tell you, What number 1 is ?
Singular. - How do you know that I is singular ? Because it
means only one. If I is singular, in what number then must the
verb love be in the phrase, “ I love ?" Singular .-— Why ? Bea
cause I its nominative is singular.
What number is love in 6- We love ?" Plural.- Why ? Be
cause we its nominative is plural, and the verb must be in the same
number with the pronoun before it.
What number is love in “ You love ?" Singular.- Why ?
Because you its nominative is singular, and the verb must be in the
same number with the pronoun before it.
What number is loves in " He loves ?" Singular. - Why ?
Because he its nominative is singular, and the verb must always
be in the same number with the pronoun before it.
' This appears to be the simplest method that can be devised for
enabling the pupil to distinguish the singular from the plural of a
vero. The method of distinguishing the persons of the verb is
equally simple. Thus,
THE PERSONS OF THE VERB .
61. Remark to the pupil, that the verb has three persons. We
should not say three persons in each number, three in the singular
32 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY. - KEY .

and three in the plural, lest the child should think it has six alta
gether; 'but merely, “ A verb has three persons,” first, second, and
third .
When the first personal pronoun is the nominative, the verb is in
the first person . - When the second personal pronoun is the nom
inative, the verb is in the second person, and so on.
Which person is love in the phrase “ I love ? ” The first.
Why ? Because I, its nominative, is the first.
Which person is love in “You love ?” The second . — Why ?
Because you, its nominative, is the second.
62. This may serve as a specimen, but the plan must be pur
sued farther; for it will require several lessons to fix a thorough
knowledge of the number and person of the verb in the pupil's
mind. A few phrases such as the following, given withoutbook,
may tend to fix the idea more effectually. What number is the
verb in
We drink wine ?-- They fell -You read-I laugh-He loves his
bookShe cries - They will readIt rains--She' sews-We
walk -you talk - They write-- I may go.
What person is the verb in
I love ? - Thou hast loved -We had loved - You will love - He
may love - She eats bread - They obey their parents -- You cannot
spell - I can read well-Thou wilt go- We might read.
63. The next point is to convince the pupil that the nominative
to the third person of the verb is often a noun and not a pronoun ;
as “ James loves me.” James here just stands for he ; he loves
me, therefore loves is the third person singular. Boys love their
master.” Boys here stands for they ,therefore love is the third per
son plural « Cattle eat grass .” Cattle stands for they, therefore
cat is the third person plural.
64. The pupil may now be asked both the number and the per .
son of the verb, in order to qualify him for understanding what is
wanted, when he is required to give the third person singular, or
the first person plural , &c. of such and such a tense.
Get the tenses in their order first; and be sure to mention them
all in the following manner ; How many tenses are there in the
Indicative mode ? Repeat their names ? Present, past, perfect,
&c. Give the first person singular of each of them ; thus ,
Present, I love. Pluperfect, I had loved.
Pust, I loved. Future, I shall or will love,
Perfect, I have loved . Future Perfect, I shall or will have loved.
Repeat the second person singular of all the tenses in the Indi
cative mode ; thus,
 VERBS. 33
Present, You love. Pluperfect, You had loved .
Past, You loved. Future, You shall or will love.
Perfect, You have loved. Future Perfect, You shall or will have loved.
Repeat the third person singular of all the tenses, then the first
person plural, then the second, and then the third person plural,
in the same way ; taking care to mention the name of every tense
as in the two examples above.—Go over the tenses in the Poten
tial mode in the same way.
65. If the pupil is quite master of the modes and tenses in their
order, he will find little difficulty in answering promiscuous ques
tions such as the following :
What is the third person singular, Future Indicative ?
second person singular, Past Potential ?
third person singular, Present Indicative ?
third person plural , Perfect Potential ?
present Infinitive ?
perfect Infinitive ?
perfect Participle ?
present Participle ?
sign of the Infinitive ?
sign of the Present Participle ?
Repeat the Imperative ?
Which person of the verb ends in s ?
Which part of the verb ends in g ?
Is there? any resemblance between the present Potential and the perfect
Potential
What has the perfect more than the present ?
What other two tenses have some resemblance ?
In what do they differ ?
What part of the verb has its nominative commonly understood ? The
Imperative.
What part of the verb has no nominative ? Infinitive.
Is there any other part of the verb which has no nominative ? Yes ;
the Participle .
How many parts of the verb have have in them ? How many have had ?
Whenever the pupil parses a verb, he should conjugate it; i. e.
he should mention the Present and Past Tenses, and the Indefi
nite Passive Participle ; thus,
Present, Love. Past, Loved . Participle, Loved
Do. Did. Done.
Occasionally he should be made to give the synopsis of the
verb : i. e. he should mention the first person, singular number, of
each tense ; thus,
Indicative, Present, I am.
Past, I was .
Perfect, I have been.
Pluperfect, I had been .
Future, I shall or will be.
Future Perfect, I shall or will have been.
34 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY .-KEY.
Potential, Present, I may, &c. be.
Past, I might, & c . be .
Perfect, I may , &c. have been .
Pluperfect, I might, &c. have been.
Imperative, Be thou.
Infinitive, Present, To be .
Perfect, To have been.
Participle, Present, Being.
Perfect, Having been.
Been, !
66. Many more questions of the same sort may be asked , and
should be asked : for the practice necessary to make the pupil per
fectly familiar with the verb is immense ; but unless he is so, he
will make little progress, and, if he is so, he will make much.
After the pupil is master of the verb to love, he will be very
agreeably surprised to find that he can now inflect any other regu
lar verb with equal ease ; such as, defend, invite, amuse, 8c.
67. Remark, that the verb to have, when a principal verb, often
misleads the pupil, who, being accustomed to call it an auxiliary,
the sign of the perfect indicative, & c. tries to join it to some other
word which he mistakes for a passive participle. First tell him
again and again, that have is sometimes a principal verb, and has
as many modes and tenses as the verb to love, and then proceed to
make him conjugate it through all its parts ; and as often , at the
least, as it occurs as a principal verb, go over all its modes and
tenses.
68. It was said in the Grammar, that there is no reason for con
jugating have, or any of the auxiliary verbs, because they are just
as easily infected as the verb to love, and, since there is no varia
tion, one example is enough . A child will form a more correct
notion of all the parts of a verb from this plan than from any
other ; for he has only two verbs to learn, the verb to love and the
verb to be ; for the passive verb is merely the verb to be, with the
Passive Participle after it : according to the one paradigm, he in
flects every active or neuter verb, and according to the other every
passive.
69. The pupil may now be taught to conjugate the verb through
all its parts with a noun, an infinitive, an adverb, or part of a sen
tence subjoined. This will be at once an instructive and an amus
ing exercise. First with a noun ; thus,
I love music . We love music.
You love music. You love music .
He loves music . They love music.
And so on through all the modes and tenses ; and then add an
 VERBS. 35

adverb, and say, “ I love music well ;" “ you love music well,”
&c. then join another adverb to well, and say ,
I love music very well . We love music very well.
You love music very well. You love music very well.
He loves music very well . They love music very well.
Then show, that even another adverb might be added, thus, “ I
love music very well indeed,” “ You love music very well indeed ,”
&c.
Then join an infinitive to the verb ; thus,
I love to read. We love to read.
You love to read. You love to read.
He loves to read. They love to read.
Then join a noun to the infinitive, and say, “ I love to read — 66
book ;” “ You love to read a book , " &c. An adverb might be in
troduced here, either after love or after book, according to the
sense ; thus, “ I love well to read a book ; " but an easier way for
the pupil , though the sense is different, will be to put the adverb
last, and say, “ I love to read a book well," * &c.
70. After the pupil has learned the auxiliary verb do in the
grammar, introduce the negative not between do and love ; thus,
Present.
I do not love. We do not love.
You do not love. You do not love.
He doest not love . They do not love.
Past.
I did not love. We did not love,
You did not love. You did not love.
He did not love. They did not love.
This form of the verb admits only of the present and past indi
cative. It is called the emphatic form , because it expresses the
resolution or determination of the actor with more energy and
positiveness than the common form , and is much used in asking
questions.
71. When a question is asked, the nominative is put after the
verb. Put the nominative after the auxiliary verb in the sentence,
“ I do not love,” and a question will be produced immediately ;
* For the placing of the adverb in a sentence, see Syntax, Rule 18th.
+ The third person singular of this verb is sometimes written doth, and
at other times doeth ; both are hy some pronounced alike. This is impro
per. Doeth should certainly be pronounced do- eth , especially in the Scrip
tures. How grating to the ear would doth be in the following sentence
instead of do - eth , “ And I say to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."
Luke vii. 8.
36 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY .-KEY .

thus, Do I not love ?-Do you not love ? -Does he not love ?-Do
we not love ? & c. The object which is loved may be put after the
verb in the interrogatory form as well as in the assertive ; thus, Do
I not love wisdom ?-Do you not love wisdom ? &c. Questions
may be asked, though not so emphatically, without the assistance
of do and did, by putting the nominative after the verb ; thus,
Love Imusic ?—Love you music ? —Loves he music ? &c.
72. The various ways of using the verb which have just been
pointed out, not to mention any more, will evince how interesting
the subject may be made ; and how greatly the pupil may be as
sisted in the art of composing sentences, even before he leaves the
conjugation of the verb.
ACTIVE AND NEUTER VERBS.
73. That it is absolutely necessary to know the distinction be
tween an active and a neuter verb, will be perceived by looking at
Obs. 2, & 3, under the seventh rule of Syntax ; but as the pupil
will find it difficult to distinguish the one from the other, especially
where the neuter verb, such as the verb to walk ,* expresses action,
it would be advisable to postpone the attempt for a long time, and
then having explained the difference thoroughly with the tongue,
exercise his ingenuity by asking a considerable number of such
questions as the following :
Which is the verb in this sentence ?
“ Thomas struck the dog." Struck. Is it active or neuter ? Active.
Why ? Because Thomas did something to the dog,or because it requires
the object dog after it to complete the sense. Who isthe subject or actor
here ? Thomas. What is the object ? Dog - “ William made a boat."
Made. Is made active or neuter ? Active. Why ? Because the action of
making passed from the actor to the object, or because it requires the object
boat after it to complete the sense. Name the actor. William . Name the
object. Boat.- " James sat on a chair ." Sat. Active or neuter ? Neu
ter , Why ? Because the action is confined to the actor or person sitting,
namely, James, or because it does not require an object after it to con
plete the sense, we cannot say James sut the chair. “ John walks in the
garden.” Walks. Is it active or neuter ? Neuter. Why ? Because the
action is confined entirely to the actor John ; and though walks expresses
action, yet the action does not pass from theactorto an object,or because
it does not require an object after it to complete the sense... We can say,
John walks, and it makes sense, but we cannot say John walks the garden :
walks cannot take an object after it, and it is therefore neuter. - “ 1
* Remark. That active verbs are by some called transitive verbs, be
cause the action passes from the agent or nominative, and terminates on
some obj.ct; and neuter verbs they call intransitive, because the action
which theseexpress is confined to the actor himself.
When the neuter verb, such as walk or run, expresses action, they would
call it an active intransitive verb ; and the active verb they would call an
active transitive verb.
 VERBS. 37

sleep.” Sleep. Active or neuter ? Neuter. Why ? Because it ex

presses merely a stute of being._ “ I was unwell." Was. Active or
neuter ? Neuter. Because it cannot take an object after it.
The teacher may interrogate his pupils in a similar manner on
the few following sentences.*
I never saw his majesty the king-James led the poor old blind man
by the hand-We SLEPT soundly all last night- All men eagerly
pursue happiness - Many seek riches -- James and John WALK very
fast - Every one SHOULD LIVE according to the dictatesof reason and
religion - Myuncle lost his silver snuff -box - Feed the horses-- My
cousin SNORES in his sleep-My aunt MUSES much on the past
Jane LOOKS like a queen- Plough the meadowSome read the
Scriptures in a very careless manner - I seldom DREAM when I AM in
health - Eliza DANCES gracefully - John WHISTLES prettily
Hares RUN swiftly.
The teacher should exercise his pupils on such questions as
these very often . Even after they are farther advanced than this,
he should return again and again to every part of speech ; and
sometimes give them an exercise on this particular part of speech ,
and sometimes on that ; taking care always to make the exercise,
not a task , but a recreation .
74. To acquire an accurate and ready knowledge of the nature
and inflection of the verb, will cost more time and trouble than the
acquirement of all the other parts of speech put together. It is
difficult to convince a child, who has hitherto been accustomed to
regard every single word as a distinct part of speech, that may
have loved, for instance, is considered as one word or verb. It is
long too before he can readily distinguish the neuter from the active
verb ; and although he should be quite master of the definitions of
these two sorts of verbs, yet many a patient lecture on the differ
ence between them, and, before he can be made to comprehend the
difference, many an exemplification of it, must be given viva voce ;
for nothing will convey instruction successfully to children but the
tongue. However full and complete a definition or rule may be,
the child will not probably understand it till he hears the living
voice upon it.
THE IMPERATIVE MODE.
75. But one person has been assigned to the Imperative Mode,
and for these reasons ;
1st, No man can command or exhort himself.
2d, No man can command any except the person to whom he
speaks.

* When the verb in the following sentences is active, it is printed in

Italics, and when neuter, in CAPITALS,
KEY . 4
 38 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY .-KEY.

He cannot command a third person , who is perhaps not present.

In every conversation there can be only three persons. The one
that speaks is the first ; the one that hears, whather in the singular
or plural number, is the second ; and a person can command only
the one he speaks to ; and if he turns from one and speaks to
" another, this other becomes the second, because he is spoken to.
The person or thing spoken of is called the third, or subject of
discourse, and cannot be commanded or permitted, for he is not
addressed at all.
76. Were I to say, “ Let him read Virgil at home,” him in this
place is not the nominative to let, it is not a nominative at all, but
the objective after let ; and the person to whom I speak, viz. thou
or you * understood, is the nominative to let, and consequently let
is the second person ; for its nominative thou or you is the second,
and a verb must agree with its nominative in person as well as in
number.
77. If it is asked, How are such phrases as let me love, let him
love, let them love, to be parsed on this plan? They are to be
parsed exactly as Permit me to love, fc. would be parsed ; thus, for
example :
Let, a verb active, the second person singular, Imperative mode, agreeing
with thou, its nominative understood Me,the first personal pronoun
singular, the object of let according to Rule 7th - Love, a verb active,
the present infinitive, governed by let, according to Rule 8th, One verb in
the infinitive mode, depends upon another verb. To, the sign of the infi
nitive is not used after let fc.-See Syntax, Rule 8th.
The other form , Do thou love, is parsed thus :
Do, a verb active, second person singular, Imperative, agreeing with
its nominative thou --- Love, a verb active, present infinitive, because to
is understood, but never expressed after do or did . - See Syntux, Rule 8th.
78. There is another form of the imperative, which, though
rarely used, because it is tedious, deserves to be noticed here, be
cause the parsing of it appears to be difficult. It is this,
“ Do thou let me have it. "
Do as well as let never admits a to before the succeeding verb ;
but if we substitute the verb work or agree, the to will easily be
admitted before the succeeding verb ; thus,
“Work thou , or agree thou to let me have it ."
It is evident, then, that do is the second person singular, impe
rative, and that let is the infinitive, and that have is in the infini
tive too, having to understood after let ; thus,
“ Do thou (to) let me (to) have it."
* Ifwecommand one person, the nominative to let will be thou or you ;
If more than one, ye or you.
 VERBS. 39

But from the natural desire to communicate our ideas with as

much rapidity as possible , we commonly abridge this form , and
very properly say, Let me have it.
79. Mr. Baldwin , in his Outlines of English Grammar, (edition
1817, page 66,) has the following paragraph on the imperative
mode : “ The imperative mode,” says he, “exists only in the pre
sent tense, and principally in the second person , singular and plu.
ral. Instances of it may, however, be found in the third person ;
such as the following. • Be it,' • so be it,' be it enacted,' God
bless you,' ' God save the king,' long live the king,' 'may he be
happy ; and in the first person plural, as, ' Proceed we to the se
cond head,' come we to the next article of charge.'
This is a very beggarly account of these phrases indeed . The
imperative has no third person and no first ; for it is impossible to
command or entreat the thirdo person , and equally so to command
the first. You can command only the person you speak to,
which is always the second.
80. Be in the following phrases, is not in the imperative, as Mr.
B.'says, but in the infinitive,governed by let, understood in the
imperative. “ Be it,” « so be it, ” “ be it enacted ;" that is, were
the ellipsis supplied, Let thou it to be ; So let thou it to be ; Let
thou it to be enacted . But suppose we suppress to and thou ,
which is commonly done, to make the sound more agreeable to the
ear, and say, Let it be ; So let it be ; Let it be enacted, still be
will be in the infinitive. The position of the it forms no argument
against this theory ; for in order to accelerate the communication
of our ideas, we invert the natural order of the pronouns in other
66circumstances as well as in this, and say, for instance, instead of
Bring a candle to me,” — “* Bring me a candle ; ” and in like man .
ner we can say either, Let it be so, or So be it, fc. “ Be it indeed
that I have erred ,” says Job ; that is, “ Suppose it to be granted
that I have erred ; ” or “ Let it be that I have erred . "
81. The other sentences, viz. “ God bless you ,” “ God save the
king,” “ Long live the king," are neither more nor less than ellipti
cal expressions for May God bless you, May God save the king,
May the king live long ; because when we express a wish , we put
thenominative after the verb in the potential,as we put it after
it in the indicative when we ask a question . The interjection o
is sometimes , expressed before the verb, as, O may the king live
long ; but, in general, it is understood. When we ask a question,
we put the nominative after the verb ; thus, Is James well ?
Here we call James the nominative to is, and say, James is, “ A
verb agrees with its nominative in number and person .” When
40 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.-KEY.

we express a wish, the nominative, though put after the verb, is

the nominative of the verb in the same manner as it is when we
ask a question.
82. The two sentences, “ Proceed we to the second head,”
“ Come we to the next article of charge,” which Mr. B. has ad
duced as examples of the imperative, having the first person plural,
are evidently improper expressions for We proceed, dc. We come,
& c., but even in the antiquated form in which he has given them ,
they are clearly in the present indicative. Neuter verbs often have
their nominative placed after them, especially when the sentence
begins with an adverb of place; as, “Here stands the oak, the mo
narch of the wood .”
THE VERB TO BE, AND THE PASSIVE VERB.
83. After the pupil is master of the verb to be, he may be re .
quired to parse the exercises on it in the Grammar ; thus,
Am --a verb neuter, the first person singular, present indicative.
Is - a verb neuter, the third person singular, present indicative.
Arema verb neuter, the second person singular, present indicative.
Was - a verb neuter, the second person singular, past indicative.
Area verb neuter, plural, present indicative . - Which person plu
ral is are ? It is impossible to know , because it has not a pronoun before
it. When we is before are, it is the first person , and when you is before
it, the second ; and when they is before it, it is the third.
84. The verb to be, followed by a passive participle, except in
the case of a few neuter verbs, forms a passive verb.
If the pupil can conjugate the verb to be through all its modes
and tenses with the utmost readiness, the passive verb can cost him
no trouble ; for it is nothing more than a repetition of the verb to
be, with the passive participle loved, or any other passive participle
put after it. It is, therefore, almost unnecessary to trouble the pu
pil with learning it. He may, without looking at it at all, be re
quested to go over the verb to be with the passive participle of love
after it ; thus, I am loved , Thou art loved , He is loved ; and so on
through all its modes and tenses. Previous to this, however, it
may be proper to see that he has committed to memory the manner
of forming the passive. He will find this in a Note under the
conjugation of the passive verb in the Grammar, page 35.
85. If the pupil can parse the Exercises on the verb to be, he
can find no difficulty in parsing those on the Passive, because the
persons and tenses are in every respect the same, for the passive
participle loved suffers no change whatever. Therefore look back
to the method of parsing the verb to be, No. 83, and instead of
 VERBS. 41

saying a verb neuter, say a verb passive ; for this is all the differ.
ence between the two.
86. Some think it easier for the pupil to parse the two parts
of the passive verb separately. They take first the verb to be, and
call it a verb neuter, as is done No. 83, and then the participle that
is joined to it, and call it a passive participle.
This method is perhaps a little easier at the first than that of
taking them together ; because adverbs and clauses frequently come
between the two parts of the passive verb. But, upon the whole,
it is better to take the two parts together, and call them a passive
verb ; because, if the verbs are often separated by words and
clauses, this circumstance obliges the pupil to look before him a
little, and observe the connection that one word has with another.
Young people in general fail in this particular, although it is of the
utmost importance. Besides, it is not certain that adverbs and
clauses really come more frequently between the two parts of the
passive verb than between the two parts of the compound tenses
of the active or neuter. To this we may add, that if this method
of separating is adopted with the passive verb, it may with fully as
much propriety be adopted with the compound tenses of the
active.
87. Teach the pupil to observe, when he comes to the verb to
be, whether it has a passive participle after it or not. If it has, it
is a passive verb,* however many words come between its parts.
Teach him in like manner to observe, when he comes to any
auxiliary verb, what goes along with it ; for every auxiliary has a
verb attached to it, either expressed or understood.
88. REMARK . — The passive participle veryoften standsalone,
having some part of the verb to be, understood. Nothing but the
drift of the sentence can suggest what part should be supplied. An
adverb too must often be supplied along with the verb to be, and a
relative along with it still more frequently.
89. It has been remarked, that after the pupil is master of the
verb he should be told , that, though each of the tenses in the po
tential mode has several auxiliaries, yet in ordinary language only
one of these is used at a time. Then show him this by going
over the different tenses first with one auxiliary and then with
another, till they are all taken ; thus, 1
I may love, you may love, he may love, & c. and then another of the
auxiliaries, and say, I can love, you can love, he can love, &c., and then
another, and say, I must love, you must love, he must love, & c.The

* A few neuter verbs, such as He is come, he is arrived, are excepted.

4*
42 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.-KEY.

past and all the other tenses may be abridged in the same way, by saying,
I might love, you inight love, he might love, &c.
90. The verb should frequently be conjugated in the progressive
form , with loving put after the verb to be ; and care should be
taken to convince the pupil, that there is a great difference between
I am loving, and I am loved . One pupil in a class may be employ
ed to give the active of a verb, and another to give the same per
son and tenses, &c. in the passive.
IRREGULAR VERBS ,
91. The Irregular Verbs, improperly so called, are the genuine
relics of the primitive or early language, modified somewhat, espea
cially in their vowels, but yet in all essential points the same as
they were a thousand years ago, whether in the Anglo-Saxon, or
the Old Saxon .
92. That form of the verb which in other grammars has been
called the Past or Perfect (Active) Participle, is in this made the
Indefinite Passive Participle. The correctness of this change
will depend in some measure on the decision of the question
" Has the English Verb a proper Passive Voice ?" This was
once denied ; but our ablest philologists are becoming more and
more decided in the opinion that the English , like the Latin and
the Greek , has a proper Passive Voice. In Meso -Gothic and
Icelandic, the verb Love, for example, is conjugated through the
Passive Voice, and loved is the participle of that voice,
There is also reason to believe that the letter a in such words
as a -shamed , &c., is a genuine relic of an old prefix of the Partici
ple in the Passive Voice ; and if so, it clearly proves the existence
of such a voice.
93. There seems to be a propriety in retaining the Perfect Par
ticiple , and for this reason ; we are obliged to make out the com
pound tenses by means of auxiliaries, andwhy not the compound
participle ? If wereject compound participles, we must also, to
be consistent, reject compound tenses. And if we reject compound
tenses, when the tense is made up of distinct words, must we not
also reject such as are made up of words that have been clearly
compounded , as is the case with all the Latin tenses.
94. The verbal terminations -n , -en , and -ne. The -n is a
contraction of the participial ending of Anglo -Saxon verbs of the
strong conjugations, as they have been called by Grimm , (Dutch
Grammar,) or the close conjugations, as they are denominated by
Rask, ( Anglo-Saxon Grammar.) The -en is the same without
contraction, and the -ne the same, the letters being transposed for
 VERBS. 43

the sake of distinguishing one word from another ofsimilar sound

and spelling — as, börn and börne. Passive Participles of this
ending always have the 7 long, as borne, tõrn, shorn, wõrn,
sworn ; exceptbörn, which (to distinguish it from börne) follows
the general analogy of words (which are not participles) with this
ending ; as all but participles have the o sounded as au long, as
börn , corn , horn, mórn , scórn, &c.
95. This verbal ending probably comes from the same source as
the - n in the Latin Present Participle Active, running also through
the gerund, and the -n in the Future Participle Passive. Proba
bly it is related to the infinitive termination -an in the Anglo
Saxon and Meso-Gothic ; -en in German , and -elv in Greek .*
96. In the Grammar, the compounds of the irregular verbs have
been added to the simple form , by subjoining the syllables be, mis,
or dis, fc. of which they are compounded.
The pupil should be taught the difference between a regular
and an irregular verb ; for though he gets a definition of them in
his Grammar, he will require verbal instruction upon the subject.
-See No. 74;
After he is catechised into the distinction between them, he may
be required to conjugate, that is, to give the present, past, and inde
finitepassive participle of twelve or twenty verbs at a lesson.
That he may be induced to pay particular attention to those that
are conjugated regularly as well as irregularly, let him be asked
first, what verbs in the lesson are regular, as well as irregular ;
and then the questions may be put in the ordinary form , viz.
What is the past tense of take, &c. What is its passive partici
ple? Mention the verbsin this lesson that have their past tense
and passive participle alike.
After a few such questions as these, let the teacher, to shorten
the process, merely pronounce the present, and let the pupil give
the past and passive participle; thus, Bid, for instance, past, ( says
the pupil) bad or både ; passive participle, bidden or bid .
97. REMARK . — That in the Bible, and some other books, the
Past Tense of Break, speak, sware, sing, spin, is Brake, spake,
sware, sang , span . This remark applies to several other verbs.

* The author is permitted to make these statements, (No. 91 , 92, 93, 94,
95 ,) on the authority of Rev. A. B. Chapin of New Haven , Connecticut, a
gentleman well known for deep research in the English language. For
further remarks on the letter u as a prefixof the Passive Participle,the
author would refer to a paper read by Mr. Chapin, before the Connecticut
Academy of Arts and Sciences, in January, 1838.
44 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.KEY.

The verbs build and dwell are sometimes in the Bible conjugated
after the regular form .
One of our latest writers on Grammar has inserted the verb to
die in his list of irregular verbs, and made the passive participle
dead ; now dead is an adjective, and not a passive participle. The
verb to die is a regular neuter verb, and conjugated like the verb
to love.
Some authors very improperly spell the past tense of learn ,
spell, mix, &c. as they are pronounced, viz. learnt, spelt, mixt, in
stead of learned , & c .
98. As many of the irregular verbs have two passive participles,
it will be necessary to teach the pupil how to conjugate all the
perfects with both. Let us give a tense or two of the verb to be
reave, as an example for the other verbs, both in the past and in
the perfect.
Past Tense.
I bereft, or I bereaved. * We bereft, or wet bereaved.
You bereft, or you bereaved. You bereft, or you bereaved.
He bereft, or he bereaved . They bereft, or they bereaved.
Perfect
S. I have bereft, or I have bereaved.
You have bereft, or you have bereaved.
He has bereft, or he has bereaved .
P. We have bereft, or we have bereaved.
You have bereft, or you have bereaved.
They have bereft, or they have bereaved .
The past, perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect indicative, with
the perfect and pluperfect potential, perfect infinitive, and perfect
participle, are inflected with bereft or bereaved in the same way
that the past and perfect have just now been exhibited .
The whole of the Passive verb will have bereft or bereaved, and
so on with other verbs that have two passive participles : for it is
the Passive Participle that is put after the verbs have and be, and
not the past tense. Therefore, although there are two ways of the
past tense in such verbs as sling, which has slang or slung in the
past tense, yet it will have only one way, viz. slung, in all those
* In the solemn style, bereaved is infinitely preferable to bereft, as exem
plified in Jacob's pathetic exclamation , “ Me ye have bereaved ofmy child
ren .”.' — Pronounce bereaved in two syllables, not in three.
+ The pronouns may be omitted before the second form ; hut children
will understand the verb better with them ; because they complete the
second sentence .
 VERBS. 45

tenses that have the auxiliaries have or had, and through all the
passive voice, that is, after any part of the verb to be.
99. In none of the exercises which precede the exercises in
parsing, (Grammar, page 59,) are there given any examples of
what is called the Solemn style. This is the style of the Scrip
tures, and of all liturgic compositions; it abounds in old English
authors, and in most of the poets. It is important therefore that the
pupil should be made acquainted with its peculiarities, as soon as
he is so far advanced that there can be no danger of their creating
confusion in his mind.
For the greater convenience of the teacher, the difference be
tween the ordinary and the solemn style in the verbs To love, and
To be is given in full.
TO LOVE.
INDICATIVE.
Common style. Solemn style.
Present, 2. You love. Thou lovest.
3. He loves. He loveth.
Past, 2. You loved . Thou lovedst.
Perfect, 2. You have loved. Thou hast loved.
3. He has loved. He hath loved.
Pluperfect, 2. You had loved. Thou hadst loved.
Future , 2. You shall or will Thou shalt or wilt love.
love.
Future Perfect, 2. You shall or will Thou shalt or wilt have
have loved . loved.
POTENTIAL
Present, 2. You may, or can, Thou mayst,* or canst, or
or must love. must love.
Past, 2. You might, or Thou mightst,* or couldst,*
could , or would, or wouldst,* or shouldst *
or should love. love.
Perfect, 2. You may, or can , Thou mayst,* or canst,
or must, have or must, have loved.
loved.

* Mayest, mightest, couldest, and wouldest, are sometimes used in the

Bible and in poetry for Mayst, mightst, couldst, and wouldst. Shouldest is
also used for shouldst, but more rarely.
46 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.-KEY.
Common style. Solemn style .
Pluperfect, 2. You might, or Thou mightst,* or couldst,"
could , or would, orwouldst,* orshouldst*
or should have have loved.
loved .
In the second person plural of all the tenses, the pronoun ye
is used instead of you : as, Ye love, for you love ; ye have loved,
for you have loved.
TO BE.
INDICATIVE.
Present, 2. You are. Thou art.
Past, 2. You was. Thou wast, or wert.
Perfect, 2. You have been. Thou hast been .
3. He has been . He hath been .
Pluperfect, 2. You had been. Thou hadst been .
Future, 2. You shall or will Thou shalt or wilt be.
be.
Future Perfect, 2. You shall or will Thou shalt or wilt have
have been . been .
POTENTIAL.
Present, 2. You may, or can, Thou mayst,* or canst ,*
or must be. or must be.
Past, 2. You might, or Thou mightst,* or couldst,*
could, or would, orwouldst,* orshouldst *
or should be be .
Perfect, 2. You may , or can, Thou mayst,* or canst
Or must have or must have been .
been .
Pluperfect, 2. You might, or Thoumightst,*or couldst,*
could, or would , or wouldst,* or shouldst*
or should have have been.
been.
In the second person plural of all the tenses, the pronoun ye is
used instead of you ; as, ye are, for you are ; ye were, for you
were.t
* See the Note on page 45.
+ The verb To Be , suffers the same changes for the solemn style when
it is joined with the Passive Participle to form the Passive Verb as when
it stands alone.
 ADVERBS. 47

After this let the pupil be exercised with examples of the solemn
style, as follows :
Tell the mode, tense, number, and person of the verbs in these
sentences :
Whither thou goest, I will go ; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge
Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king ?—And when thou hearest,
forgive-He maketh small the drops of water-Art thou come ? - If
thou beest* he - With clouds he covereth the light-So willeth Win
chester-Behold he comethAs when a lion roareth-Ye shall be
holy — That which hatht been shall be-Wilt thou then obediently
keep God's holy will ?-- The Scripture moveth us in sundry places - 0
that thou wouldest rend the heavens - Surely ye are spies-0 that
thou wert as my brother - That thou mayest know how thou oughtest
to behave thyself in the house of God.
ADVERBS.
100. After the pupil has learned the definition of an Adverb, and
has been told again and again that an adverb merely expresses a
circumstance attending an action or quality, he may be asked
which is the adverb in the example, Ann speaks distinctly.
Distinctly. Is distinctly joined to a verb, an adjective or an
adverb ? To a verb, viz. speaks ; and it expresses the circum
stance of distinctness, or the manner in which she speaks.
Which is the adverb in the sentence, She is remarkably dili
gent ? Remarkably ; which expresses the circumstance that her
diligence was worthy of being noticed. Which is the adverb in
the sentence, Ann reads very correctly ? There are two adverbs,
correctly, and then very , which is joined to correctly, to express
thecircumstance of correctness in a high degree.
101. For additional exercises on the adverb, the pupil may be
asked, which is the adverb in the following sentences, and how he
knows that such a word is an adverb.
We often misplace our affections — I never saw a liar prosper-She
cheerfully obeys her parents—Never did I see a disobedient child happy
-She received her joyfully - Do it quickly-I seldom see diligence
lose its reward - James runs fast I love my mother dearly Were
you wise you would study diligently John walks gracefully He
that liveth uprightly shall be blessed-Hares run swiftly Ile was fre
quently interrupted.
It is unnecessary to give any more examples of this kind here ;
because almost all the exercises on the adverb in the Grammar

* Be was formerly used for thePresent Indicative of the verb To BE :

thus, We be true men.- Bible. If thou beest he . - Milton . There be high
tales of merry England.-James.
† Some have supposed that hast is a contraction from havest, hath from
kaveth, and had from haved.
 G Y.KEY
48 ENGLISH ETYMOLO .

may be given in this manner, as an exercise without book, after

which they may be parsed straight forward ; thus,
6
• Immediately the cock crew.'
Immediately,an adverb. How do you know that immediately
is an adverb ? Because it expresses a circumstance, viz. the time
when the cock crew, or because it ends in ly. From what is this
adverb formed ? From the adjective immediate, by adding ly ;
The an article, the definite, (Why called the definite ?) Cock a
noun , singular number, masculine gender, the nominative. ( What
is the feminine of cock ? ) Crew a verb neuter, the third person ,
singular number, past tense, indicative mode. Give the present,
the past, and participle of this verb. Crow, crew , or crowed.
Is crow a regular or an irregular verb ? Why ? Because its past
tense does not always end in ed.
Here the pupil may be asked, what is the nominative to crew
in this sentence ? And why crew is neuter ? What is the dif
ference between an active and a neuter verb, &c.—No. 73.
102. The teacher should remember (and perhaps he can with
advantage explain to his pupils) that the most of our Adverbs are
contractions, and that every Adverb is equivalent to a Preposition
followed by its complement: Thus, Really, is contracted from real
and like ; Godly, from God and like ; Always, from all and
ways ; i. e. in every manner ; otherwise, from other and ways ;
and hereby, from here and by ; thus, Hereby ye shall be proved,
i. e. by this thing which is here stated.
Again ; Every Adverb is equivalent to a Preposition followed
by its complement. Thus, Writing hastily, is equivalent to Wri
ting with haste ; Drinking freely; to , drinking with freedom ;
Excessively rich, to, rich to excess ; Then were they glad, to, At
that time they were glad.
PREPOSITIONS.
103. The most general remark that can be made respecting pre
positions is, that except a few , they refer to place, or local position.
Across, aslant, athwart,and round, are prepositions. The same
word, however, is often a preposition in one place, and an adverb
in another. Aslant, for instance, is a preposition, and governs
the noun brook in the sentence, " There is a willow grows aslant
a brook ." -- HAMLET. And an adverb in the sentence, “ He fell,
the shaft drove through his neck aslant.” — DRYDEN. In the first
instance, aslant might still be considered an adverb were the word
over supplied. Round, in like manner, is sometimes an adverb,
 CONJUNCTIONS. 49

and takes about after it, and sometimes a preposition , and governs
a noun, unless we supply about, and consider round always an
adverb ; except when it is an adjective.
CONJUNCTIONS.
104. What is a conjunction ? Mention the conjunction in the
example, “ You and I must go to Leith ,” &c. Here let the pupil
be asked, whether and connects or joins words or sentences ; then
what but connects ; and afterwards throw out but, and show the
pupil that “ You and I must go to Leith , ” is a complete sentence
of itself; and the phrase, Peter may stay at home, is also a com
plete sentence ; but when the conjunction but is placed between
them , it joins the two sentences together, and makes but one of
them.
The phrases, For as much as, in as much as, and insomuch,
may becalled conjunctions.
Save, ( originally the imperative of to save,) means except, unless,
but. Dr. Johnson, in his Dictionary, marks it an adverb,but this
cannot be, for it never qualifies a verb or an adjective.
As thepronoun that follows save is always in the nominative,
( see 1 Kings, iii. 18, Matt. xix. 11 , Rev. xiii. 17,) we must con
clude that the nouns that follow it are in general in the nomina
tive too, agreeing with a verb expressed or understood ; but that
when in the objective they are governed either by an activeverb,
or a preposition , and as in our Latin version of the New Testa
ment, save is translated nisi or sed , we must conclude that it is
generally a disjunctive conjunction , equal to except or unless ; and
that as except is sometimes used as a preposition , so may save be
used as a preposition.
Exercises corrected .
I see a boy who is blind. The well is ten feet deep.
I saw a flock of geese. Look at the oxen .
This is the horse which was lost. This horse will let me ride on him .
This is the hat which I wear. I can stay these (or, this) two
John is here, he is a good boy. hours.
Jane is here, she reads well. I have two penknives.
I saw two mice. My lady has got her fan .
The dog follows his master. Two pair of ladies' gloves.
These two horses eat hay. Henry the Eighth bad six wives. !
John met three men . I see the man who sings.
We saw two children . We saw an ass which brayed a 1 .
He has but one tooth . us .
KEY 5
50 ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY.KEY.
They will stay these (or, this)
two days.
We were not there.
I love him.
He loves me.
You have, or, thou hast been
busy.
He dares (or, dare ) not speak .
She need not do it.
We were sorry forit.
You might, or, thou mightst
not go.
He dves, or, doth , not learn .
If I do that.
You may, or, thou mayst do
it.
The book was lost.
You will, or, thou wilt, do bet
ter to stop.
The horses were sold .
The boys were reading.
I teach him grammar.
He is not attentive to
You shall, or, thou shalt not go
out.
If I be, (or, am) not at home.
You can, or, thou canst do
nothing for me.
 PARSING.

105. The exercises in parsing (Grammar, page 59) have been

so selected that there will be found in them , at least one example
on every important point which has been already mentioned in the
Grammar.
The method of exercising the pupil on the different parts of
speech has been already explained, but as it is difficult to acquire
the form of parsing some sorts of words, particularly the pronoun
andverb, it will be necessary to return and parse for three or four
lessons at one particular part of speech , such as the Personal pro
noun, in order to give the pupilsa facility in going over the form
of each part of speech . If three or four lessons are not sufficient,
go on with the same part of speech, and over the same exercises,
till he can go through the form dextrously, though it should re
quire twenty lessons.
When going over the lesson and pointing out any particular
part of speech, selecting all the adjectives, for instance, and nothing
else, it will at times be proper, in order to keep the pupils lively,
to allow the first, whoever heis, that can point out the next adjec
tive, to get the preference. This cannot be done often , because
the pupils become so eager that a number of them will not unfre
quently speak at once , and render the noise troublesome ; but as a
means of rousing them when languid, either from indolence or fa
tigue, it may occasionally be adopted with a good effect.
After the pupil has learned the personal pronouns, and prior to
his parsing the exercises on them in the Grammar, he may occa
sionally be treated with an exercise upon them in the following
manner, with shut book. After telling him the number and case,
conceal, for a few seconds, which personal pronoun it is : thus,
Objective singular - First personal pronoun Me. Let the first
that says me, get the uppermost place in the class . - Another ex
ample : Possessive plural - Third personal pronoun Theirs.
Again : Objective singular -- third personal pronoun, masculine,
Him --In the same manner with the verb— Third person singu
lar - Perfect Indicative ? Has loved . See No. 65. - This may
suffice as a specimen .
51
52 ENGLISH PARSING..KEY .

106. After the pupil knows all the nouns, adjectives, and pronouns,
&c. at sight, the teacher need not always parse straight forward ;
he may read over the exercises till he comes to something that
seems a little difficult; ask the pupil a question or two respecting
it ; then read on again till he comes to another difficulty respecting
the verb and its nominative, or any thing else. After removing
these difficulties, begin at the beginning of che lesson again, and
parse every word straight forward as far as time will permit.
107. The principal or standing difficulties are seven ; 1. Which
is the verb ? 2. What sort of verb ? 3. What is its nominative ?
4. Which person ? 5. Of what number ? 6. Which tense and
mode ? 7. What, if active, is its objective ? It is chiefly on
these points, and on the relative, No. 49 , that the pupil should be
examined before parsing every word straight forward.
Remarks to be made to the Pupil.
108. 1. That a verb is the principalword in a sentence, with
out which it would not make sense. Give a few examples ; thus,
“ John apples ;" this is nonsense, for it wants a verb ; put in eats,
or buys, or gathers, &c. and it will make sense ; thus, John eats
apples - eats, then, must be the verb in the sentence.
2. Every verb has a nominative or subject, ( except the infini
tive and participles .)
3. Every active verb has an objective case, or object.
4. Wherever you see a pronoun in the nominative, you are sure
that it has a verb (expressed or understood .)
5. Those verbs are in general active that have an object and no
preposition after them ; and those verbs are in general neuter that
have no object, but a preposition after them.
109. It will be of great importance frequently to ask the follow
ing questions, which are but the echo of the preceding remarks.
1. What is the principal or the most important word in a sentence ?
The verb.
2. What must every verb have ? A nominative or subject. Repeat the
exceptions.
3. What is an active verb ?
4. What is a neuter verb ?
5. What must an active verb have after it ? An object.
6. What has an active verb, which a neuter verb wants ? An object.
7. What generally follows a neuter verb ? A preposition.
8. any difference between the form of the active verb and the
form Isofthere
the neuter ? No.
9. What is a passire verb ? How is it formed ?
 ENGLISH PARSING.-KEY. 53

10. Every active verb has a passive ; but has a neuter verb any passive ?
No : for neuter, applied to verbs, means neither active nor passive.
11. What is it that you call the nominative or subject ?
12. Where is the nominative placed when a question is asked ?-No. 71.
How to find out the Nominative.
110. It is of the greatest consequence to give children a facility
in finding out the nominative to a verb, and the objective after it ;
and therefore the teacher will do well to exercise them in the fol
lowing manner, till they can readily discover these things for them
selves.
When you want the nominative, ask the question with the verb
that you want the nominative to, and the answer will be the nom
inative you want. Thus, in the sentence. “ John , though he is
not a very good boy, and though he has often vexed his parents,
can write a very sensible letter.” Here, if we want the nomina
tive to can write, ask the question with can write ; thus, Who can
write ? John ; therefore, John is the nominative to can write.
How to find out the Objective.
111. Ask the question with the nominative and the verb that
you wantthe objective to , and the answer will be the objective you
want. Thus, “ Greek and Latin we understand very well ."
What do we understand ? Greek and Latin ; therefore, Greek
and Latin are the objectives after understand.
It will take much practice to make children expert at finding out
the Nominative, the Objective, and the Verb ; but as their future
progress depends almost entirely on the readiness with which they
discover these things, no labor should be thought too great to make
them expert at discovering them . The first point is the verb
the next its nominative — the next, after a long time, the objective.
No. 1 .
112. In going over No. 1 , as an exercise on the verb, request
the first pupil to point out the first verb, and the second pupil the
second verb, as they pointed out the noun, adjective, & c. — See
Grummur, page 59.
2. Christianity, nominative to teaches us, understood.
8. No, when it is joined to a noun, is an adjective ; but when it
forms the answer to a question, an adverb.
9. Alike, an adverb . - Guide nominative to serves understood.
10. Attend, a verb active, but when on is joined to it, it may be
considered a verb neuter, and ona preposition.
54 ENGLISH PARSING.-KEY.

13. Ought, a defective verb, third person singular, present indi

cative. Ought is understood twice, before to regulate, and to dif
fuse . — Syntax, Rule VIII.- Whole, an adjective.
15. Candor, nominative to controls, understood . - Judgments,
object of controls.
18. Both, a conjunction here.
23. Timorous and turbulent, adjectives, having persons under
stood.
No. 2,
113. 1. To outlive, a verb active.
2. Inheritance, in the nominative case, after the verb to be .
Rule IX . - estate, the nominative to is understood.
3. Friends, nominative after can be. Syntax, Rule IX.
7. Parent, in apposition with idleness.--Rule X.
11. Profane, an adjective, having persons understood .
12. Daily, an adverb here, but often an adjective, as, A daily
post.
13. Fast, an adverb here.
22. Dead, an adjective - While, an adverb.
23. Lying and dissimulation, nominative to appear under
stood.
No. 2.
114. How is a passive verb formed ?-See Grammar, page 35.
1. Supported, a passive participle — having must be understood to
make it a verb passive.
2. But, i. e. but you can not be deprived of virtue.
9 Like, an adjective -Arrows, depends upon to understood,
after like. In a case like this, it might well be said that arrows
depends upon like, and not upon the preposition to.
16. Pleasing, an adjective - gratitude, nominative to is under
stood.
22. Long, an adverb here .--- Rule XVIII.
28. Life and death in the nominative ; they signify the same
thing as these two things. — Rule X.
No. 4 .
115. 1. Forget, verb active, second person singular or plural,
imperative. How do you know it is either singular or plural ?
By your following it. Had thou or thy or thine been after it, it
must have been singular. We must in generalgather the number
of the imperative mode from the sense .
 ENGLISH PARSING.-KEY. 55

3. And not things, i. e. and suit not things.

4. Steady, an adjective.
7. Betimes, an adverb - For, a conjunction.
8. Unworthy, an adjective agreeing with thing understood.
13. Connect, present infinitive, for to is understood after let.
See Grammar, page 63 , and Rule VIII.
14. Agree, verb neuter, and be followed, a verb passive, both in
the infinitive after let.
15. Be tinctured , infinitive after let.
16. The wounds, which is understood for the object of can
in flict.
19. Read, infinitive, as the second verb is in all the sentences
which follow the nineteenth sentence to the twenty-ninth.
21. From the twenty-first to the twenty-seventh sentence, the
first verb is in the indicative.
27. And that tongue of his perhaps head understood
28. You'd, i. e. you would - you're, i. e. you are.

No. 5.
116. 1. What = to two objectives — traitor, nominative after is
4. Make us wise. - See Rule IX .
6. Enough, a noun, objective case.
8. To-morrow , a noun, governed by on understood. - See
Grammar, page 56. 1
9. Too long, adverb .
13. Make a man to be proud, i. e. a proud man . - Rule IX.
14. Good , a noun here, or an adjective if we understand deeds.
15. Whatever , = two objectives, i. e. do that — which you can
(do.)
No. 6.
117. 1. Productive, an adjective, qualifying things under
stood.
2. Mankind, a noun of multitude conveying plurality of idea.
7. Contented, an adjective, but it may be considered a verb pas
sive.
12. Worth, an adjective, the same as worthy, but often a noun ,
Inquiry is in the objective, governed by of understood.
56 ENGLISH PARSING.-KEY.

14. All, here is used as a noun, and means every thing . It is in

the objective, governed by for,—That, is a relative, the nomina
tive to is. - Sacred, is an adjective.
No. 7.
118. 1. What is equal to that which ; both are in the objective ;
that, governed by of, and which, by read.
2. What = that which ; that, objective governed by delay ;
which, nominative to ought.
3. What=that which ; that, objective, governed by choose, and
which, nominative to is.
4. What = that which , in both places.- Consider governs that
in both places ; understand it to the second - have lost, and possess
governs which .
5. What = that which , both in the nominative ; which to cannot
be mended , and that to must be endured .
6. What = that which, both objective governed by to and about.
7. What = two objectives that after tell — which after hear.
8. What = two objectives, governed by the preposition except,
and the verb gave.
9. What = two objectives, governed by mark and aims at, --the
second what is either an adjective, or a compound relative, equal to
those which ; and those (words) is governed by mark understood,
and which by the verb utters.
10. What, in “ what a grace," i. e. what grace, is an adjective,
like the adjective many, in, “ Full many a flower ."
No. 8.
119. 1. Some would perhaps make the subject-nominative of
deserves, all the preceding part of the sentence, and consider what
ever a mere adjective agreeing with thing understood . It appears
preferable to divide the whatever into that which, both wordsbeing
in the nominative. Invert the sentence, and the propriety of this
preference will be obvious. “ That ( thing) deserves not the name
of pleasure which gives pain to others.”
1. Whatever = two nominatives — which gives that deserves.
2. Whoever = two nominatives that lives - he keeps.
3. Whatsoever = objective and nominative - eat that -- which is
set.
4. Whatever = two objectives, governed by in and choose.
 ENGLISH PARSING.-KEY. 57

5. Whoever = two nominatives - that is -- he would be so an

adverb.
6. Whatever = two nominatives — which is that is worth, an
adjective here, but often a noun.
7. All the whatevers in the last three sentences are adjectives
The last whatever agrees with circumstances.
8. O health, nominative, same case as parent. – See Grammar,
Rule X.
9. Acquirement, nominative to is understood.
No. 9.
120. 1. Am reading, a verb active, because it governs books,
understood .
7. Am willing, a verb neuter — to surrender, a verb active go
verns the fortressunderstood.
8. Should be learning, a verb active, because we must learn
something
9. Is studying, a verb neuter, but often a verb active, as, He is
studying music.
No. 10.
121. 1. Vital, an adjective, used as an adverb. See Grammar,
pages 85 and 118 - joy ,nominative to must be ; here put after the
verb, because there is before it.—Rule I. Obs. 2.
Who,* an interrogative pronoun ,singular, the nominative. Up
borne, a passive participle. Arrive, a verb neuter, third person
singular, future ; shall is understood .
2. Adam , nominative to besought - guest, objective - mild, de
ceitful, &c. are adjectives, used as adverbs, i. e. adverbs. - See
Grammar, p.85, 118, Note. Some would, with a little straining,
consider them to be pure adjectives. Thus, The godlikeangel who
was mild answered, or, the mild godlike angel. And deceitful
fortune smiled. But this would be describing the personal quali
* Mr. Murray says , The relative pronoun , when used interrogatively ,
relates to a word or phrase, which is not antecedent, but subsequent to the
relative." This, however, is a mistake. The relative never can relate
to a word that comes after it . It does not refer to the word that answers
the question at all, as Mr. M.supposes , but to a word understood before it.
Thus, Who wrote on my book, John ? i. e. John , point out the - perso
who-wrote on my book. Whose siate is this ? i. e. Tell me the personn
whose slate this is. Which horse do you intend to sell ? i. e. Show me, or
tell me, or specify the horse which you intend to sell . Whom shall I send ?
i. e . Name the person whom I should send.
58 ENGLISH PARSING . - KEY .

ties of the angel and fortune, and not the mannerof their acting
The words in question then with cheerful, &c. are here adverbs.
Smiled on, smiled, a verb neuter, and on a preposition .
Even , an adverb - at last, an adverb. . Some would call at a
preposition , and last an adjective, in the superlative degree, having
my day understood.
Sinks, a verb neuter, having breeze for its nominative.
Fled , a verb neuter - fled ( from ) the loathed abode.

1
 SYNTAX.

122. BEFORE proceeding to Syntax, it may be proper to caution

the teacher against thinking that his pupils have done with pars
ing when they cometo syntax. They require exercises in pars
ing still, and should be exercised on it one third of their time at
the least.
Though children , if they can parse any book at opening with
facility, are quite capable of understanding syntax ; yet it requires
considerable skill, on the part of the teacher, to make every thing
sufficiently plain and obvious to them. To assist in the doing of
this, the following method of examining them upon the rules of
syntax, though brief, will probably be useful to many.
General Remarks.
123. In every Rule or Note, there are only two or three points
thatdemand the pupil's particular attention, and after these points
in the rules are ascertained, the pupil has only to look, in every
sentence, for the same points, and settle them according to the
rule .
124. These exercises will serve also as Promiscuous Exercises,
by giving the pupils, after they have gone over a few of the Rules,
a sentence, now under this rule, now under that; and allowingthe
first that can point out the error to get the preference, provided he
can give the rule for the correction. But though he corrects the
error, he should not get the preference unless he can give the pro
per rule for it : because one of the objects of this exercise is to
impress an understanding of the rules upon their minds. There
fore let the one that can give the rule get the preference, although
he was not the first that detected the error .
125. When a Rule, such as the third or fourth , is divided into
two parts, use only the applicable part. This obliges the pupil to
be more on his guard, lesthe should take the wrong part.
Repeat the rule at every correction.
RULE I.
126. Repeat the rule. What is the first point or thing of
which this rule speaks ? A verb. What is the second poini ?
59
60 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY.

Its nominative. The two principal points in every sentence then

are a verb and its nominative. What should the verb do with its
nominative ? It should agree with it. What does that mean ?
It means that when the nominative is singular, the verb should be
singular, and when the nominative is plural, the verb should be
plural. With regard to person , it means that when the nomina
tive is the first person, the verb should be the first person ; and
when the nominative is the second person , the verb should be the
second person ; and when the nominative is the third person, the
verb should be the third person.
Your business, then in every sentence, observe to the pupil, is to
compare the verb with its nominative, and make it the same num
ber and the same person . You must not alter the nominative ob
serve — it is right, but the verb, you must make to agree with its
nominative intwo things — in number and person . After this ex
planation, let the pupil read over the first sentence ; thus,
I love reading.
Which is the verb in this sentence ? Love. What is its nom
inative ? 1. Do they agree ? Yes. The nominative I is in the
first person, singular number, and the verb love, is in the first per
son , singular number.
A variety of pleasing objects charm the eye.
Which is the verb ? Charm . What is its nominative ? Va
riety. Do they agree ? No. Charm should be charms, because
variety is the third person singular.
A few pangs of conscience interrupts, &c.
Which is the verb ? Interrupts. What is its nominative ?
Pangs. Do they agree ?. No. Interrupts should be interrupt,
because pangs is the third person plural.
Such is a brief sketch of the manner of correcting these exer
cises for the first time. In going over them, however, the second
time, (which should be done at the same lesson if possible,) instead
of repeating the rule, A verb must agree with its subject nomina
tive, &c. at every correction, the following abbreviated method may
be used : After the pupil reads the sentence as it stands, let him
say ,-charm should be charms, because variety is in the third
person singular. Interrupts, should be interrupt, because pangs
is in the third person plural, &c.
Lastly, the exercises should be all read over in their corrected
state, and a strong emphasis laid on the corrected word .
The ships has sailed - have. My books is losi - are. Wewas at church
cere. I sees him - see. Mr. Trot's horses is sold - ure. Your stockings
 ENGLISH SYNTAX._KEY. 61

is mended - are. The goods has been sold-have. The farm are let - is.
The boys has dined - have. Thou shall not kill -- shult. They likes good
eating - like. The soldiers was verymuch fatigued - were. Is the snuffers
there - are. Thou sees a prince in disguise - seest. Thou should never
tell lies - shouldst. The arrows of death flies thick around us - fly. The
pens I bought is good - are. Grey hairs on the head excites respect - ex
cite. Numberless is the ways of doing evil- are. The years of iny life is
few - are. Was your brothers at school to day-were.
Rule 1.- Obs. 1 .
127. What is the first point under this rule ? The subject of a
verb . What do mean by the subject of a verb . — See Gram
mar , page 15. What is your business under this rule ? To find
out what word should be the nominative to the verb, and put it ,
into the nominative case.
* Him and herwere married-heand she. Her and him never quarrel
- she and he. Whom is it — who. Him and me read together-he and I.
RULE II.
128. First point ? Either the infinitive mode or part of a
sentence . Name your next point. A verb. Having found
either the infinite or part of a sentence, what are you to use it for ?
The nominative to the verb I find.
As the verb is the principal word in every sentence, it will per
haps be better to make it the first point, and then proceed thus:
“ To be carnally minded are death, but to be
spiritually minded are life and peace.”
In this sentence which is the verb ? Are, in two places. What
is the nominative to are ? To be carnally minded , is nominative
to the first are, to be spiritually minded, is nominative to the se
cond. What is the part of a sentence to be carnally minded, &c.
equal to ? To a noun in the singular number. Therefore, are in
both places should be is.
“ That warm climates should accelerate the growth of
the human body, and shorten its duration, are very reasonable
to believe.”
Which is the verb in this sentence ? Are. What is the nomi
native to are ? Is it a verb in the infinitive mode ? No ; for
there is no infinitive in the sentence. Observe that the rule says,
“ The infinitive modeor part of a sentence, is often used as the
nominative to a verb.” Now, as there is not an infinitive in this
sentence, the nominative to are is a part of the sentence, viz. that
warm climates, &c.; therefore are should be is, because Part of a
sentence, & c.
129. Remark 1. That a part of a sentence merely expresses
KEY. 6
 62 ENGLISII SYNTAX.KEY .

a circumstance ; hence it suggests the idea of unity, and requires

a verb in the singular number.
2. That though the infinitive mode is equal to a noun, it must,
in many cases, be only a participle noun ; i. e. a participle; such
as, Being carnally minded is death.
3. That it often requires more than the infinitive or participle,
to form a nominative. In the last example it requires all the three
words in Italic to be a noun , or form a nominative to is. To say
being is death would be a contradiction .
To be well instructed in early life are of unspeakable importance — is.
Being indolent and lazy render poverty and disgrace unavoidable - ren
ders . Her being of a very anıiable temper were the cause of his choice
wus.
RULE III.
130. In the first part of this Rule, what is the first point ? Two
(or more) nominatives in the singular, with and between them.
What is the next point ? A verb . What do these singular nom
inatives require ? A verb and pronoun in the plural, i. e. when a
pronoun refers to the singular nominatives, it must be plural as
well as the verb.-Nouns too must be plural when they refer to
two singular nouns.
Here it is the teacher's business to convince the pupil that these
singular nouns being all equally engaged in doing or being some
thing, are just equal to they ; and that were you to throw out the
nouns, you would use they in their stead.
Remark, That as the rule says two or more nominatives in the
singular, one or even two or three of these singular nominatives
may be pronouns.
John and James is here,
Which are the two nominatives in the singular ? John and
James. What pronoun are they equal to ? They. Therefore is
should be are.
131. Part II.- What is the first point here ? Two nomina
tives in the singular as before, with or or nor between them. What
is the second ? A verb. What are you to do ? To make the
verb and pronoun singular. Why ? Because it is either the one
or the other of the nouns that is the subject of the verb , but not
both .
Note . - If there are several nouns in a sentence, the two separated by
the conjunction are the ones that come under this rule.
“ Neither precept nor discipline are so forcible as example.”
Mention the two nouns which nor separates ? Precept and
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 63

discipline. Which is the verb that should bein the singular num
ber ? Are. Therefore are should be is. What is the meaning
of this sentence ? It means, that neither precept is so forcible as
example, nor is discipline so forcible as example.
RULE IV.
132. What is the first point ? A noun of multitude. (Explain
a noun of multitude.) What is the second point ? A verb and
a prononn . What are you to look for in every sentence then.
A noun of multitude. What are you to consider about it after
you find it ? Whether it conveys unity or plurality of idea ,i. e .
whether it conveys the idea of one or more than one. If it con
veys unity of idea, what are you to do ? To make the verb and
pronoun singular. If it conveys plurality of idea, what are you
to do ? To make the verb and pronoun plural.
A noun of multitude, is one which expresses one thing, consist
ing of many individual things, as, an army, a school.
A noun of multitude conveys unity of idea, when it expresses
several things considered as one.
A noun of multitude conveys plurality of idea, when it expresses
several things considered separately.
Sometimes there is no pronoun in the sentence , and sometimes
again there is no verb .
The parliament were dissolved.
Which is the noun of multitude in this sentence ? Parliament.
Does it convey the idea of unity or plurality ? Of unity ;
therefore, were should be was ; because when a noun of multitude
conveys unity of idea, & c.
After the pupil perfectly understands the rule, the method of do
ing the exercises may be abridged, by omitting the questions, and
directing him to point out the noun of multitude in the following
manner :
When the nation complain the rulers should listen to their
voice.
Complain should be complains ; and their should be its, be
cause nation conveys unity of idea.
The shoal of herrings were immense.
Were should be was, hecause shoal conveys unity of idea.
Remarks to be made to the pupil.
1st, That when a meeting or council, &c. is unanimous, it
conveys unity of idea ; but when not unanimous, plurality.
64 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY.

2d, In such phrases as , “The multitude eagerly pursuepleasure

as their chief good.” Multitude conveys plurality of idea, be
cause some seek pleasure in one way, some in another ; for though
they are all in pursuit of the same object, they are all taking dif
ferent directions, like people seeking a lost child.
The people is dispersed—are. Every class were busy by themselves
was, itself. The army consist of sixty thousand - consists. The peasantry
goes barefoot - go. The crowd quarreled among itself - themselves.
There is no church careless of their own defence - of its. Mankind is
naturally jealous of its rights — are, their.
RULE V.
133. What is the first point? Singular nominatives of different
persons. What does different persons mean ? The one in the
first person , and the other in the second or third, & c. By what
must these singular nominatives be separated ? By or or nor.
With which of these nominatives does the verb agree ? With the
last, i. e. with the one next it.
An easier way will be to make or or nor the first point, and
make the verb agree with the nominative after on or NOR.
Either I or thou am greatly mistaken .
Which is the disjunctive conjunction ? Or. Mention the two
nominatives which or separates ; I and thou . Which person is
I ? The first. Which person is thou ? The second ." Which
is the verb ? Am. Should it agree with thou or I ? It should
agree with thou, because it is next it. Therefore, am should be
art, because when singular nominatives of different persons, are
&c.
RULE VI.
134. What is the first point? A singular and a plural nomi
native. What is the second point? Or or nor . What is the
third ? A verb. Having found a singular and a plural nomina
tive with or or nor, and a verb, what are you to do ? To make
the verb plural for, A singular and a plural nominative separated
by or or nor, &c.—Where must the plural nominative be placed ?
Next the verb.
Neither poverty nor riches were injurious to him.
Mention the singular and plural nominative here. Poverty and
riches. With which of these should the verb agree ? With
riches. Therefore it should be were, because, &c.
Rule VI.- Obs. 1.
135. What is the first point ? The verb to be. What is the
next ? A singular and a plural nominative. The one before and
 ENGLISH SYNTAX .-- KEY. -65

the other after the verb to be. Sometimes the singular is before
the verb, and sometimes the plural.
When the verb thus stands betuseen a singular and a plural with
which of them does it agree ? With the one next it. But if they
are equally near , with which will it agree ? With the one before
it ; because that is the natural place of the nominative ; thus, His
meat was locusts and wild honey ; but if we put the plural nom
inative first, the verb will be plural, as, Locusts and wild honey
were his meat.
Reading and writing was his chief occupation - were ; but if we say,
His chief occupation were reading and writing-was. Locusts and wild
honey was his meat - were. A feeble, a harsh ,or an obscure style, are al
ways faults , (Blair ) -is always a fault, or rather faulty ; for a style cannot
be a fault, but it may be faulty.
Rule VI.-- Obs. 2.
136. What is the first point ? A pronoun . What is the
second point? Two words of different persons connected by and.
Having found these two points what are you to do ? To make
the pronoun plural, and of the first person when I or we is men
tioned, and of the second when I or we is not mentioned.
Remark, The first or second person must always be one of the
parties here, because there must be either the speaker or the hearer
mentioned before this rule can apply.
RULE VII.
137. What is the first point here ? An active verb. What is
the second ? An objective case. How will you find the objec
tíve case ? You must ask the question with the verb in order to
find out what word should be in the objective case, and then
put it into the objective and give the rule for it.
He loves us.
Which is the active verb here ? Loves. What is its object ?
Who is it that he loves ? Us.
She loves he.
Which is the active verb here ? Loves. What is its object ??
He. Then he should be him ; because an active verb, &c.
Rule VII.- Obs. 2.
138. What is the first point here ? A neuter verb. What
will neuter verbs not admit after them ? An objective. What
have they after them commonly ? A preposition . Your busi
ness here then is to look for a neuter verb, with an objective after
it ; and to throw out the objective after it, or to insert a pre
position.
6*
66 ENGLISH SYNTAX - KEY.

Go, flee thee away into the land of Judea.

Thee should be omitted, because neuter verbs, &c. The other
sentence in the exercises is so very difficult that the rule in its sim
ple form will not enable the pupil to correct it ; but it was thought
proper to give one sentence of this intricate sort by way of exam
ple, and let the teacher tell him how to do it, viz. by inserting
make conduct, thus, “ To make his conduct agree with the princi
ples,” & c.
He would sit him down-sit down. If he would depart the country
from the country. He waits me every morning-on me.
Rule VII.-Obs. 3.
139. What is the first point under this rule ? An active verb .
What is the next ? A preposition . What are you to do with
the preposition ? Throw it out. Why ? Because active verbs
do not admit, &c. What do they admit? An objective case ac
cording to the rule. Right ! Your business then is to bring the
active verb and its objective close together - but you must not in
every case throw out the preposition. In the second sentence it is
the object of ingratiate that is to be understood, and not the prepo
sition that is to be thrown out.
I endured with his insolence a long time-I endured his insolence.
This evil report diminished from his popularity - diminished his popula,
rity. Water easily insinuates into the vessels of vegetables-insinuates
itself. He strives to ingratiate with every one-to ingratiate himself.
RULE VIII.
140. What is the first point here? One verb. What is the
next ? Another verb, or anadjective, participle, nounor pronoun.
In what must the last verb be ? In the infinitive. What is the
sign ofthe infinitive ? To. What is your business ? To put the
last verb in the infinitive. After what verbs is to omitted, although
the following verb is in the infinitive ?
Cease do evil.
Do should be to do, because A verb in the infinitive, & c.
I bade him to read distinctly. They need not to call.
Which are the two verbs ? Bade and call. What is wrong ?
To should be omitted, because To, the sign of the infinitive, is
omitted , &c.*
Rule IX . ,
141. What is the first point ? Neuter and Passive Verbs. What
* To would not only be admissible, but necessary, were not omitted
after need ; thus, I need to learn . - To is used after almost every tense
of need except the Present Indicative-As, I shall not need to speak.
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 67

may they have on each side of them ! The same case, i. e. If a

nominative comes before them , a nominative may come after
them , & c.
It was I who wrote the letter.
Which is the neuter verb in this sentence ? Was. What
case is before it ? The nominative. What case should of course
come after it ?
I am her.
Which is the neuter verb in this sentence ? Am . What case
is before it ? The nominative. Then what case must be after it ?
The nominative. Therefore her should be she.
Let him be whom he may, &c.
The objective after be is any one understood , the antecedent to
who ; thus, “ Let him be any one who he may be :" i. e. Let him
be any one ; who he may beI don't care, I am not afraid of him.
Role X.
142. What is the first point ? A noun or pronoun . What is
the second ? Another noun or pronoun denoting the same per
son or thing. What is to be done with the two nouns or pro
nouns ? They are to be put in the same case .
Solomon, the son of David, the King of Israel, wrote many proverbs.
Which is the first noun in this sentence ? Solomon . What
other noun is annexed to it denoting the same person or thing ?
Son , &c. What other ? King, &c. Are these nouns in the
same case ? They are in the nominative case to wrote.
Pompey fought with Cæsar, the greatest general of his time.
143. Which nouns are in apposition here ! Cæsar and gene
ral. What do you mean when you say that two nouns are
in apposition ? That they stand near each other, that they de
note the same person or thing, and are in the same case .
In what case are Cæsar and general ? In the objective, and
governed by with.
RULE XI.
144. What is the first point ? Two nouns. In which case
must the first be ? In the possessive. Then your business is, to
put the first into the possessive.
145. In the following and similar sentences, possession should
be expressed by of, with the before the first noun, rather than by
the ' s.
68 ENGLISH SYNTAX_KEY.

Knowledge's hill - thehill of knowledge. Austria's emperor; London's

Lord Mayor ; Liverpool's trade ; Socrates's wisdom ; War's horrors ;
Gold's crown ; Haman the Jews' enemy ; Kentshire's hops are excellent.
In the following and similar phrases, we must use the ' s rather
than of
The wine of Adam ; the porter of Whitbread ; the hat of John ; the
bonnet of Mary ; the parasol of Jane ; the book of Robert.
146. Concerning the question so frequently asked, viz., whether
the names of streets should have the 's or not ? the general an
swer seems to be No ; because in general we do not intend to inti
mate possession or property, but designation .
The use of the 's no doubt took its rise from the name of the
builder or principal proprietor of the street. In process of time,
however, men began either to consider that the builder or original
proprietor having disposed of his property , had no right to possess
the street ; or what ismore probable, eager only to particularize
the street, they omitted the 's, and merely wrote its name, as they
would do that of a man.
There seems, however, to be a particular harshness in withhold
ing the 's from those proper names that have a soft c, or g, or s at
the end of them, such as Prince's George's, James's, street.
147. The impropriety and absurdity of omitting the s after the
apostrophe in such phrases as James's book, Thomas's shop, has
been sufficiently exposed, it is presumed, in the note under the
eleventh Rule, in the Grammar, to deter any one from adopting so
silly a conceit.
In such words as Herodias, righteousness, and conscience, by
custom , it is allowable to omit thes after the apostrophe.
RULE XII.
148. What is the first point ? An adjective. What is the se
cond ? A noun or pronoun which it qualifies or describes. Does
the adjective agree with the noun in gender, number, and case ?
It does. Why then is not this mentioned in the Rule ? Because,
as adjectives are not varied at all, except by comparison, the ad
jective is the same whatever may be the gender, number, or case
of the noun . Are there any exceptions to this rule ? There are ;
a few adjectives have a plural form ; as Singular, This ; Plural,
These. Then if the noun is of the plural number we must use
the plural form of the adjective : thus, we must say, these books,
and not this books.
Again, there are some adjectives which from their nature can
have no singular number : these then must always be joined with
 ENGLISH SYNTAX. KEY. 69

a plural noun; Thus, we must say , six feet, ten pounds ; and
never six foot, ten pound.
The compound noun hundred -weight, is either singular or plu
ral : thus, one hundred -weight, and forty hundred -weight, are
both correct.
Rule XII.-- Obs. 3.
149. What is the first point ? Each, every, either or neither.
What is the next ? Nouns and verbs in the singular number.
Your business then is to make every verb and noun singular that
belongs to any of these adjectives ; for the verbs, nouns, and pro
nouns, are plural in the exercises.
Let each esteem others better than themselves.
Which is the adjective ? Each. What number is each ? Sin
gular. Mention the noun or verb with whichit should agree in
number. Themselves, which should be himself, because each is
singular, and the adjectives each, every, and either belong, & c.
As soon as the pupil understands the rule, take a shorter method, like
that recommended under Rule IV.
Let each of you read their lesson - his. Every one of you should keep
their books clean-his. Either of them have as good a character as you
-has. Each of them were there-was. Neither of these demagogues are
aware that their opinions are absurd-is aware that his .
Rule XII . - Note.
150. To what does each relate ? To two or more objects, & c .
To what does every relate ? To more than two objects. What
is the difference between each and every ? Each will apply or
come down to two ; but every never comes below three. We
cannot say the boy has a book in every one of his hands, or in
every hand ; because hehasonly two hands. It should be in each
of his hands, or in each hand.
A .sweepfell
each Why not from
everythe
? chimney top and broke every one of his arms ,
151. What does either signify ? The one or the other, &c.
Why do you say, Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each
of them his censer, rather than took either of them ? Because
they both did it : now either would mean either the one or the other,
but not both.
A part of London stands on either side of the River Thames -- on each
side ? Why ? This agreement being confirmed by oath on either side,
the gold was brought forth - on each side.
Rule XIII.
152. What is the first point ? A pronoun . What is the se
cond ? A noun . What does the pronoun do with the noun ?
It agrees with it in gender, number , and person .
70 ENGLISH SYNTAX - KEY .

Explain agree. If the noun is masculine, the pronoun must be

masculine, &c.—If the noun is singular, the pronoun must be
singular, &c.-If the noun is the first person, the pronoun must
be the first person ; i. e. the pronoun must be the same in every
respect as the noun ; except with regard to case. They may be
in different cases .
Answer not a fool according to her folly.
Which is the pronoun in this sentence ? Her . Which is the
noun for which it stands ? Fool. What gender is fool ? Mas
culine. Therefore her should be his, because, & c.
Remark, That the epithetfool is as applicable to the female sex
as to the male ; but when the female is not particularly mentioned,
we understand it to be the male.
A stone is heavy and the sand weighty, but a fool's
wrath is heavier than it both .
It should be they, because it refers to stone and sand. The
sentence, however, would be more agreeable to the ear were they
omitted ; thus, " But a fool's wrath is heavier than both ;" or the
word both may be struck out, and the sentence end with than they ;
or than they are.
Rule XIV.
153. What is the first point ? The relative. What is the se
cond ? Its antecedent. Having found these two points, what is
your business ? To make the relative agree, or be the same in
gender, in number, and person , with the antecedent.
Those which seek wisdom will, &c.
Which is the relative in this sentence ? Which . Which is the
antecedent, and what gender is it ? Those is the antecedent, mas
culine or feminine. Therefore, which should be who, because its
antecedent is masculine or feminine.
Rule XIV.- Obs.
154. What is the first point ? To consider when that should
be used instead of who or which . Now, if you cast your eye
upon the rule, you will see that that is used, first, After an adjec
tive in the superlative degree, and also after the word same or all,
&c.; second, After two antecedents the one requiring who, the
other which ; and third, After the interrogalive who . Now,
when you get any of these things, (and there is one of them in
every sentence,) throw out the who, which, or whom , and put that
into its place. Children , in general, find this rule difficult .
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.KEY . 71

There seeins to be no real grammatical,impropriety in using

which after the superlative, and saying, “ It is the best which can
be got.”
It is the best which can be got.
Which should be that, because that is used instead of who, or
which , after adjectives in the superlative degree. Which is the
adjective in the superlative degree ? Best.
RULE XV.
155. What is the first point? The relative. What is the se
cond ? The two antecedents of different persons. How many
persons are there. Three, first, second, and third.
I am the man who commands you.
Which is the relative ? Who. Mention the two antecedents.
I and man. Which person is 1? The first. Which person is
man ? The third. With which of them does the relative agree ?
With man. Why ? Because it is next it ; therefore commands
is right, because when the relative is preceded by two, & c. By
making the who agree with man in the sentence. “ I am the man
who commands you ,” the meaning is, I am your commander, but
if we make the who agree with I, then the meaning will be, I,
your commander, am the mun .
Rule XV . - Obs.
156. What is the first point ? The relative. What is the se
cond ? The antecedent. Having got the relative and antecedent,
what are you to do ? To place the relative next its antecedent.
Why ? To prevent ambiguity . What does ambiguity mean ?
Uncertainty whether it relates to this antecedent orthat — liability
to two meanings. Where lies the ambiguity or doubtful meaning
in this sentence : “ The king dismissed his minister without any
inquiry, who had never before committed so unjust an action ?”
It liesin the who, which is so placed as to lead us to suppose that
it was the minister who never had committed so unjust an action
before, whereas it was the king who committed the unjust action
in dismissing his minister without any inquiry.
RULE XVI.
157. What is the first point ? The relative. What is the se
cond ? The verb. When is the relative nominative to the verb ?
When it stands immediately before the verb . When it does not
stand immediately before the verb, in what case is it ? In the
objective case , and is governed by a verb or preposition.

|
72 ENGLISH SYNTAX . -_ KEY .

The value of any possession is to be chiefly estimated by

the relief which it can bring us in the time of our greatest
need .
Mention the relative. Which . What verb does it stand
immediately before ? Can bring. In what case is it then ? In
the nominative case to the verb can bring. Repeat the Rule.
We usually find that to be the sweetest fruit which the
birds have picked.
Mention the relative. Which . To what verb is it the nomi
native ? To none ; because it does not stand immediately before
any verb. In what case is it then ? In the objective case, and
governed by have picked. Repeat the Rule.
RULE XVII.
158. What is the first point ? The antecedent and the relative
both in the nominative. What is the second point ? Two verbs.
To which verb is the antecedent the nominative ? To the second
verb . To which is the relative nominative ? To the first verb .
He who performs every part of his business in its due
place and season, suffers no part of his time to escape without
profit.
Mention the relative. Who. Mention the antecedent. He.
To what verb is he the nominative ? To suffers. To what verb
is who the nominative ? To performs. Why ? Because - Re
peat the Rule.
RULE XVIII., and Obs.
159. What does this Rule treat of ? Of the placing of ad
verbs. Your first point then must be an adverb, but what is your
next ? It is either an adjective or a verb, or an auxiliary and a
verb. What is the adverb placed before ? An adjective. What
is it placed after ? A verb active or neuter. What is it placed
between ? The auxiliary and the verb . Your business then
must be, & c.
We should not be overcome totally by present events.
Mention the adverb in this sentence. Totally. Mention the
verb . Should be overcome. Where should the adverb be placed ?
Between the auxiliary be and the verb overcome ; thus, We should
not be totally overcome.
There are two adverbs in this sentence, not and totally ; not is
properly placed between the two auxiliaries should and be, and
totally between be and overcome.
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.KEY . 73

She sweetly sings - sings sweetly. He is satisfied well - well satisfied.

I have seen often hail in summer -I have often seen . He is vain exces
sively-excessively vain . This has happened rarely before - has rarely
happened before.
Are adverbs always placed in one of these three positions ?
No ; only for the most part. Where may the adverb sometimes
be placed with propriety ? Before the verb, or at some distance
after it. Where is not placed with respect to the present and
perfect participles ? Before it.
In winter birds die not unfrequentlyof cold-birds not unfrequently die.
Having not seen the book, I cannot tell its value-not having seen. Call
together the reapers -- Call the reapers together.
Rule XIX.
160. Which is the first point here ? A preposition. The
next ? An objective case .
To whom will you give that pen ?
Which is the preposition in this sentence ? 7o. Which is the
noun or pronoun which it governs? Whom .
Sometimes a part of a sentence depends upon a preposition ; as,
“His success will depend upon how he conducts himself.”
Rule XIX . - Obs. 1.
161. What are the two points to be attended to ? A preposi
tion and a relative. What are you to do with them ? I am to
put the preposition immediately before the relative, and the relative
into the objective according to the rule.
Who do you speak to ?-to whom. Who do you come from ? ~ from
whom. Who should I lay the blame on but you ?-on whom. I have seen
the house which you spoke of - of which.
Remark Ist, Sometimes the relative is understood ; as, The
state I found him in was deplorable, i, e. the state in which I found
him .
2d, Sometimes both the relative and the preposition are under
stood ; as, “ In the tem er I found him there was something very
offensive;" i. e. in the temper in which I found him - or, familiarly,
In the temper that I found him in there was, &c.
3d , The relative that never admits a preposition immediately
before it, although it admits of one at some distance after it, as in
the last sentence .
Rule XIX .- Obs. 2.
162. What is the first point here ? Either two prepositions or
one and an active verb. What is the second point ? One noun
for both prepositions, or for one preposition and one active verb .
KEY.
74 ENGLISH SYNTAX - KET .

Right ! What is your business here then in every sentence ? To

join the noun itself to the first preposition, and put a pronoun
after the second preposition or active verb, as in the example.
Right !
He was found guilty of, and condemned for, the crime of sheep-stealing
-guilty of the crime, &c . and condemned for it. I wrote to , and caution
ed Ann against it-I wrote to Ann, and cautioned her against it.
Rule XIX.- Obs. 3.
163. First point ? The name of a place. When do you use
to before the name of a place ? When do you use in ?—There
are two ats. Where is the first At used ? Where is the second
used ?
The two ats might have been put into one rule thus: - At is
used after the verb to be, and before the names of villages, towns,
and foreign cities.
They have just arrived in Leith, &c.
In should be at, because at is used before the names of villages,
towns, &c.
RULE XX.
164. What is the first point here? A conjunction . What do
conjunctions join or connect ? The same modes and tenses of
verbs. A verb on each side of the conjunction then must be the
second point. Your business then is in general to put the verb
that comes after the conjunction into the same mode and tense
that the verb before the conjunction is in.
In the second part of the rule, the first point is still a conjunc
tion, but the second is a noun or pronoun. What then is your
business here ? To put the noun or pronoun that comes after the
conjunction in the same case that the noun or pronoun before it
28 in.
He reads and writes well.
In this sentence which is the conjunction ? And. What tense
comes before it ? The present. And what tense should come
after it ? The present. Because conjunctions connect, &c.
Rule XX .- Obs. 3.
165. What does neither require after it ? &c.
What does as require after it when equality is meant ? As ; as,
Mine is as good as yours, i. e. they are equal in goodness - yours
is no better than mine.
What does as require after it when similarity or resemblance is
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 75

meant ? So. Thus, As the stars, so shall thy seed be, i. e. they
shall resemble each other in greatness of number. In this respect
they shall be similar. “ As the one dieth so dieth the other," i. e.
there is a similarity or sameness in their manner of dying.
What does so require after it when degree is meant ? As ; as,
He is not so wise as his brother, ” i. e. he has not the same degree
of wisdom . The so as in this sense has generally not before so.
166. “ To see thy glory so as I have seen it, ” i. e. to see thy
glory to the same extent or degree it was formerly seen in by me.
The so in this sentence is quite superfluous; the as meaning in
the same manner, conveys the Psalmist's idea better than so as.
What does so require after it when a consequence is meant ?
That ; as, I am so weak, (what is the consequence ? ) that I can
not walk. Milo was so strong (what was the consequence of his
strength ? ) that he could carry an ox.
It is neither cold or hot.
Or should be nor, because neither requires nor after it.
Neither his father or his mother was there-nor 1. John is not as dili
gent as his brother - s07. There was something so amiable in his looks
as affected me much - that it affected 8. I think mine so good as yours
as 5. As his application is, will his progress be-80 will 6. He is not as
wise and as learned as he pretends to be -- so wise and so learned 7.
RULE XXI.
167. First point ? An interjection. What case of the first
personal pronoun follows an interjection ? The objective. What
case of the second ? The nominative. Does the objective of the
first personal pronoun depend on the interjection ? No, the objec
tive depends upon a preposition, or an active verb understood ; for
an objective can depend upon nothing but an active verb or pre
position.
Ah unhappy thee, &c..
Thee should be, thou, i. e. Ah unhappy art thou , because
interjections require the nominative of the second personal pro
noun after them .
Notwithstanding this rule, we may , in certain circumstances use
the objective of the second personal pronoun, as well as of the
first after the interjection : Thus, “ Ah thee, my babe, if thy father
die, ” i, e. Ah ! what will befall thee, or ah ! what will come upon
thee. Ah thou ! could not be used here unless thou were made
the subject of some verb ; thus, Ah thou, my babe, wilt become
an orphan ! but this is not so natural a way of expressing the
thought as the former, and of course not so good.-- Ah me ! my
76 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY.

son, and Ah thee ! my son , are equally good and grammatical.

Still, however, the general rule holds.
RULE XXII.
168. What is the first point ? A noun . What is the second
point ? A pronoun . What is your business in every sentence ?
To throw away or omit the pronoun, because it is improper, &c.
The king he is just.
Which is the noun in this sentence ? King. Which is the
pronoun to which the Rule refers ? He. To what verb are king
and he the nominative ? To is , but he should be omitted , because
it is improper to use both , &c.
Rule XXII.-Note.
169. The two points here are the same as above - a noun and
pronoun ; here, however, they are in the objective — the pronoun is
to be thrown away rather than the noun , because the noun is suf
ficient of itself; but the pronoun cannot be used unless the noun
is previously mentioned . For when I say, " he is just,” you do
not know what he is meant, because no noun was previously men
tioned to which he can refer, but when I say “ The king is just,”
there can be no mistake.
All thatwas committed to thy servants, they do it - omit it, -- all is the
object of do - 2 Chron . xxxiv. 16.
RULE XXIII.
170. What is the first point? A pronoun after than or as.
Lookfirstfor than oras, and you will find a pronoun immediately
after it. What does the pronoun after than or as do ? It either
agrees with a verb or is governed by a verb or preposition. How
are you to find out which of these is to be the way ? By supply
ing the word that is understood. If a verb is understood after the
pronoun the pronoun should be in the nominative. Thus, “ Taller
than me," should be than I, because it is the nominative to am ,
understood ; but if an active verb or preposition is understood
before the pronoun, it should be in the objective case ; as, It was
better made by his brother than he - should be than him, because
by is understood than by him.
Jolin can write better than me.
In this sentence me should be I, because it is the nominative to
can write understood, i. e. better than I can write.
He is as good as her.
Her should be she, because it is the nominative to is, under
 ENGLISH SYNTAX . - KEY. 77

stood, i. e. He is as good as she is. In the next sentence me

should be 1, because it is nominative to um understood. In the
next me should be I, because it is the nominative to suffer un
derstood .
Remark . In reading over the exercises in their corrected state
it seems to be a matterof indifference whether the verb that is un
derstood is expressed or not. Good authors in similar sentences
generally omit the verb. In the Scriptures, for example, we often
meet with such sentences as these, “ My father is greater than I.'
Only on the throne will I be greater than thou .” “ Is not her
younger sister fairer than she ?”
Rule XXIII.- Obs.
171. What is the first point ? To look what case the word
that asks the question is in. Why ? Because I must put the
word that answers it into the same case. Explain yourself. If
the question begins with a nominative such as who, or is he, the
answer must begin with a nominative, such as he or she or it, or
James or John, &c. If the question begins with an objective, the
answer must begin with an objective; and if the question begins
with the possessive whose, the answer must begin with the posses
sive of some noun or pronoun .
Show the pupil the reason of this by supplying the words un
derstood ; thus, Whose pen is this ? Mary's, i. e. It is Mary's
pen. Then, without asking him questions on each sentence, pro
ceed thus :
Who betrayed her companion ? Not me.
Me should be I, i. e. It was not I who betrayed her, hecause
the word who that asks the question is in the nominative and the
word that contains the answer should be in the same case - or me
should be 1, because it is the nominative to was understood.
RULE XXIV.
172. What is the first point ? Two persons or things contrast
ed . Explain contrasted. Two objects of opposite qualities com
pared together ; for instance, black and white form a contrast.
Repeat the first point again . Now what is the second ? This and
that. To what does this relate ? To what does that relate ?
What words are often used in this sense instead of this and
that, and apply to plurals, which this and that cannot do ? Fore:
mer and latter.
In sentence 1. This should be that, because it refers to wealth :
and that this, because it refers to poverty.
78 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY.

RULE XXV.
173. What is the first point ? A clause of a sentence. What
is a clause ? A part of a sentence. How do you know it ? By
its having, when in the middle of a sentence, a comma before it,
and a comma after it ; or by a comma after it when at the begin
ning, or before it when at the end of a sentence. A clause in
the middle may be thrown out without materially injuring the
sense .
The first point is a clause, now what isthe second? A pos
sessive case . What the third ? The word that usually follows
the possessive case .
You have three pointsthen — a clause, a possessive case and the
word that follows it. Now what does the rule say is improper ?
To place a clause of a sentence between, & c. Then your busi
ness is to remove the clause from between the possessive case and
the word that follows it.
Try the first sentence. “ They very justly condemned the
prodigal's, as he was called, senseless and extravagant conduct.”
They very justly condemned the prodigal's senseless and extrava
gant conduct, as he was called . Very well, that will do. But in
stead of expressing the idea of possession by an apostrophe and
s, what could you express it by ? By of, with the thing possessed
before of. Instead then of saying “ the prodigal's conduct,” what
could you say ? The conduct of the prodigal. Right ! Now try
to correct the first sentence by throwing out the apostrophe and s.
“ They very justly condemned the senseless and extravagant con
duct of the prodigal, as he was called .” Right! That is a better
way than the last, because it brings the pronoun he nearer its
noun prodigal.
Rule XXV. - Obs.
174. What is the first point ? Whichsoever, & c. What are
you to do with it ? To separate the soever from the relative, and
put in the word between them called the corresponding word .
Try this sentence then.
“Howsoever beautiful they appear, they have no real merit.”
How beautiful soever they appear. Right!
175. These words sometimes appear to be more elegant in their
undivided than in their divided state ; and, although Mr. Murray
and many others are of a contrary opinion, and although Addison
generally divides them, yet many do not ; and, in our translation
of the Bible, where these words occur more frequently perhaps
 ENGLISH SYNTAX - KEY . 79

than in any other book, they are very rarely divided. How clum
sy , and how inconsistent with the sweet simplicity of Scripture
language, would the following expressions be were these com
pounds divided. 60Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that
men should do to you, do ye even so to them ; for this is the law
and the prophets. Matt. vii. 12. Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, &c. think on these things.”
Philip. iv. 8 .
176. The words howsoever and whichsoever do not occur in
Scripture. The word whosoever occurs very often , but it is never
divided, and it cannot be divided, unless by saying what man
soever, which is not dividing the word, but changing it, and
proving that it cannot be divided ; besides, what mansoever is not
equal to whosoever, which applies to the feminine as well as to
the masculine. What person or what one soever would be but a
poor amendment of whosoever. The adverbs whensoever and
whithersoever are never divided.
Whoever, whatever, and whichever, are preferable to whosoever ,
& c.See p. 29. b.*
Those who are of opinion that the words in question should not
be divided, or that whoever, however, and vshatever, should be used
in their place, can easily declare their opinion to their pupils, and
omit the Rule and Exercises too .

RULE XXVI.
177. What is the first point? Verbs and words that in point
of time relate to each other.
What words besides verbs relate to time ? Adverbs ; such as,
now , then , lately , &c. and nouns, such as, to-day, yesterday.
What must be observed respecting those words that imply time ?
The order of time or events .
By reading the Remarks on the tenses the reader will perceive
that it is impossible to make this rule sufficiently plain and definite
to apply to every case ; but this, with the observation , will, it pro
perly applied, prevent the most common errors that occur.
I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue
with me now three days.
In this sentence continue should be have continued, because the
time of their continuance, viz. three days, is considered as com
plete ; for, In the use of verbs, &c.
80 ENGLISH SYNTAX.- KEY.
Rule XXVI.- Obs.
178. What is the first point ? The past tense. What should
be used after the past tense ? The present infinitive. What then
should you do ? Look for the past tense and put the verb that
follows it into the present infinitive.
Rule XXVII.
179. What is the first point ? The present participle. What
does it require before it, and what after it ? It requires an article
before it, and of after it. Think a little, then , on these three
things — the present participle, an article, and of.
You are then to find a present participle,and to put an ARTICLE
before it, and or after it, where that is not done already.
Learning of languages is very difficult.
Which is the present participle ? Learning. What does it
require before it, and what after it ? It requires the before it, and
of after it ; and the sentence should be, The learning of lan
guages , & c.
180. The teacher need not tell the pupil that these sentences
would be right without the article, and of, till he understands the
Rule perfectly with them, and then show him that they might be
both omitted ; but that the one should not be omitted without the
other.
181. The participle in the last sentence will not admit of after
it, because to, the inseparable companion of attend, would come
immediately before it ; therefore this sentence is corrected by omitt
ing the before not, or by saying, “ Inattention to this rule is the
cause of a very common error ; " but this would make the pupił
lose sight of the present participle, and therefore the former way
of correcting it is better.
Rule XXVII.-- Obs. 1 .
182. What is the first point? The present participle as before.
Look for a possessive pronoun before it, and then insert of after the
present participle.
Rule XXVII.- Obs. 2.
183. What is the first point ? The present participle. The
second ? A noun before it. What case should the noun before
the present participle be in ? The possessive. Your business
then is to look for a present participle, and put the noun or pronoun
before it into the possessive case -A pronoun is treated in every
respect like a noun.
184. The present participle might almost always be regarded as
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 81

a noun ; but while in the objective it is governed by an active

verb or preposition, it also, when the participle of an active verb,
governs a noun in the objective case . Thus, “ By pursuing his
studies, he became learned .” Here pursuing is a noun in the
objective governed by by, and studies is a noun in the objective,
governed by pursuing. It is true we might say, by the pursuing
of his studies, and then pursuing would really be a noun,because
it has an article before it ; and studies would follow of. This
theory would have been adopted had the present participle always
admitted an article before it and of after it, without altering the
sense .
185. In general, however, it may be laid down as a rule, that
the present participle is a noun, and that the noun after it follows
of either expressed or understood ; as, “ By doing good, he pro
cured love,” i. e. by the doing of good. It is often better to omit
the and of
186. The present participle commonly depends not on the pre
position immédiately before it, as might be supposed, but upon of
understood ; thus, “ No good arises from sleeping too long,” i. e.
from ( the habit of) sleeping -To perplex children with such
remarks as these would, perhaps, be improper.

RULE XXVIII.
187. What is the first point ? The Indefinite Passive Partici
ple. No, it is not the passive participle here ; for there is not one
to be seen. The first point here is either the verb to have, or the
verb to be — not the infinitive, but any part of either.
Find, then, some part of the verb have, or the verb be, and put
the Indefinite Passive Participle of the next verb after it.
188. Is wanting - It is an error to use the present participle of
this verb, instead of the Past tense Indicative Passive. Were I to
say, James is wanting, & c., you would understand that he was
active and seeking or desiring something, and you woulu say,
What is he wanting ? but James is wanted is passive, and means,
some person wants him, or wishes to see him . When want is
neuter, is wanting is used in the sense of deficient, as, Though
England is not wanting in a learned nobility, yet, &c.
He has wrote his copy.
1
Which is the verb to have or be in this sentence ? Has.
What does the verb to have require after it ? The passive partici
ple. Therefore wrote should be written , because the passive par
ticiple is used after the verb to have. In sentence 4, wove should
82 ENGLISH SYNTAX. -KEY.

be woven , because the passive participle is used after the verb

to be.
189. In the second paragraph of exercises the first point is the
passive participle, and your care must be to throw it out, and put
in the past tense.
RULE XXIX.
190. What is the first point ? It is one of three things. It is,
inevery sentenceeither the comparative degree or the pronoun
other, or such . What do the comparative degree and other require
after them ? Than . What does such require ? As. But you
will not see a than after the comparative degree nor an as after
such ; therefore , your business is to throw out the improper word,
such as besides, but, or who, and put in than or as into its place ;
thus,
He has little more of the scholar besides the name.
Besides should be than , because the comparative more requires
than after it.
Sentence 2d, “ Be ready to succor such persons who need thy
assistance."
Who should be as, because such requires as after it.
Rule XXIX .-- Obs. 1.
191. What is the first point ? Two objects compared. Having
found the two objects, which degree of comparison do you use ?
The comparative. But if there are more than two objects com
pared, which degree do you use ? The superlative. But is not the
superlative degree sometimes expressed by the comparative FORM ?
Yes, when the object compared stands opposed to that with which
it is compared ; as, “ Greece was more polished than any other
nation of antiquity .” In this case, the phrase than any other
must always be used.See notes in the Grammar.
James is the wisest of the two.
Wisest should be wiser, because when two objects are compared,
the comparative is generally used .
RULE XXX .
192. What is the first point ? Double comparatives and double
superlatives, i. e. comparing an adjective both by er and est and
more and most. The rule says double comparatives and superlatives
are improper, then what are you to do with them ? To throw
away one of them .
 ENGLISH SYNTAX - KEY . 83

The nightingale's voice is the most sweetest.

Point out the double superlative in this sentence. Most sweet
est. How do you correct this error ? By omitting most. Would
it not be as proper to retain most and omit est ? No. Why ?
Because sweet is a word of one syllable , and such words are gene
rally compared rather by er and est than by more and most.
To be so minute at every sentence will be unnecessary. It will
be sufficient to say, sentence 2. Worser should be worse, because
double comparatives are improper ; 3d, most should be omitted ,
because double superlatives, & c.
RULE XXXI.
193. What are the two things you must attend to here ? Ad
jectives and adverbs. What should adjectives not be used as ?
As adverbs. What should udverbs not be used as ? As adjec
tives.
What are you to do with every sentence here ? When I see
an adjective joined to an adjective or to a verb, I must make it an
adverb, because adjectives should not be used as adverbs, and when
I see an adverb joined to a noun, I must make the adverb an ad
jective, because Adverbs, &c.
Rule XXXI.- Obs. 1 .
194. Mention your two points here. From and hence, or
thence, or whence . Why should not from be used before these
words ? Because it is implied.
From whence come ye ?
From should be omitted, because it is implied in whence.
Rule XXXI.- Obs. 2.
195. What is the first point ? A verb of motion , such as go,
walk, come, proceed, or a phrase, such as, on his way. What
words should be used after verbs of motion , and what not ?
Rule XXXI.- Obs. 3.
196. What three words have you to attend to under this rule ?
When , while, where. Which of them should not be used as
nouns ? When and while. Which of them should not be used
as a preposition and a relative ? Where.
Where are you going ? -whither. They came here yesterday - hither.
From whence come they ?-whence. lle delivered a serion, where he
freely reproved the vicious - in which. Where went they ?-whither.
Any where - in any place. Any how - in any manner . Some how - in
some manner. The then state of affairs - the state of affairs at that time.
197. While in the last sentence in the exercises is used in the
84 ENGLISH SYNTAX_KEY .

same sense by several of our best authors, such as Addison, Atter

bury, and Locke. When it means mere time, exclusive of labor,
it is used freely by Milton , Tillotson ,& c.; thus, “ Musing, a while,
she stood." - " A little while and ye shall see me no more.
198. There seems to be but little impropriety in using then as
a noun occasionally'; it shortens discourse, and often strengthens
the language. Why confine this word to its adverbial sense
always, while we allow calm and many other words to have that
of a noun, a verb, and an adjective ? Milton has, “ Till then , who
knew the force of those dire arms ? To say till that time, would
be a clumsy phrase. “ Till then adieu,” is infinitely more forcible
than, Till that time adieu ; or, Adieu till that time , but would it
be too much to say that then, even in these and similar sentences,
is really an adverb, under the appearance of a noun, because the
sentence is elliptical and the real noun after the preposition is
understood ? Thus, “ Till ( the time that was) THEN, who knew
the force of those dire arms ? We meet at Christmas ; adieu till
( the time that shall be) THEN.
RULE XXXII.
199. What is a negative ? A denying word , such as, no, not,
never , nothing, neither, none, &c.
What is the first point? Two negatives. What should you
do with them ? Throw away one ; for two in the same sentence
are improper.
♡ Show that they are sometimes very proper ; as mentioned
in the note under this rule.
I cannot drink no more .
Which are the two negatives in this sentence ? Not and no.
Correct the sentence . No should be any , because two negatives,
& c.; or, not may be struck out and no left.
200. Besides the manner in which the exercises under this Rule
are corrected, K. p. 96. many of the sentences admit of the fol
lowing :
I can drink no more. He can do nothing. We have done
nothing to -day. He will never be taller. They could travel no
farther. Do not interrupt me thyself, nor let any one disturb me.
I have resolved to comply with the proposal, neither at present, nor
at, & c.
RULE XXXIII.
201. “ He was totally dependent of the papal crown."
Here let the pupil, after he has previously committed to memory
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 85

what particular preposition each word under theRulerequires after

it, be taught to say, of should be on , because dependent requires
on after it. In sentence 2d, for should be of, because accuse
requires of after it.
RULE XXXIV.
202. Sentence 1. “ The reward is his due, and it has already,
or will hereafter, be given to him .”
Remark. That when two words requiring a different govern
ment occur in the same sentence, you must not forget the con
struction of the former word, and adhere to that of the latter. In
the first sentence under this Rule for example, has requires been
after it, and will requires be ; thus, And it has already been given
to him, or it will hereafter be given to him . In sentence 2d , Dif
ferent requires from , and contrary requires to .
RULE XXXV.
203. Before what number is a used ? Before what number is
the used ? Before what is the article omitted ?
What is your business under this rule ? To correct the impro
per use or omission of the article -- that is, to throw out the article
where it has been improperly inserted — to put it in, where it has
been improperly omitted — and to change it where the one article
is improperly used for the other.
Reason was given to a man to control his passions.
In this sentence a should be omitted, because man is here taken
in its widest sense, and means all mankind.
The gold is corrupting.
In this sentence the should be omitted, because all gold, or money
in general, is corrupting, and not any particular species or quantity
of gold previously mentioned .
204. Remark, that a means one, or any single thing of the
kind . The means someparticular object or objects well known.
RULE XXXVI
205. An ellipsis is frequently admitted you say, what is an
ellipsis ? A leaving out of some words. What is your business
under this rule then ? To throw away all the words that may
with propriety be left out.
Remark, that where a word has been once introduced and can
easily be understood , it should be omitted, Thus the a before garden
KEY. 8
86 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY.

may be properly omitted in the sentence, “ A house and a garden ,"

because it is easily understood.
RULE XXXVII.
206. What is the first point ? An ellipsis. In how many
cases is the use of it forbidden ? Three. First, When it would
obscure the sentence. Second, When it would wealcen its force.
Third, When it would be attended with an impropriety. What
do you particularly mean by an impropriety here ; for every error
or deviation frorn what is proper is an impropriety ? To say, “ A
horse and ass ,” is an impropriety, because a, which is understood
to ass, will not apply to ass as it does to horse, because ass begins
with a vowel ; it should be “ A horse and an ass . "
In the last rule your business was to throw out some words, but
in this then it is to put in some, is it not ? Yes.
207. After the pupils have gone over the Rules of Syntax, many
important questions, such as the following, should be put to them ,
or rather they should be taught to puzzle one another with them.
How many things agree ? -How many things govern ?
How many rules relate to Nouns ?. -To Pronouns 2 To
Relatives ? -To Case ?-To Verbs ? -To Participles ?
-To Prepositions - -To Conjunctions ? -To Compara
tives ? -To Negatives ? -To Interjections ? To Arti
cles ?—To Ellipsis ?

EXERCISES CORRECTED .

RULE I. - EXERCISES CORRECTED .

A variety of pleasing objects charms the eye. A few pangs of
conscience now and then interrupt hispleasure, and whisper to
him that he once had better thoughts. There are more cultivators
of the earth than of their own hearts. Nothing but vain and fool
ish pursuits delights some persons. Not one of those whom thou
seest clothed in purple is happy. There are two or three of us
who have seen the work.
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 87
Obs. 1 .
He and she were of the same age. He and I are going to
school.
RULE II.-- EXERCISES CORRECTED .
To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is
life and peace . To live soberly, righteously, and piously, is re
quired of all men . That warm climates should accelerate the
growth of the human body, and shorten its duration, is very rea
sonable to believe. To be temperate in eating and drinking, to
use exercise in the open air, and to preserve the mind from tumul
tuous emotions, are the best preservatives of health. That it is
dur duty to promote the purity of our minds and bodies, to be just
and kind to our fellow-creatures, and to be pious and faithful to
him who made us, admits not of any doubt in a rational and well
informed mind.
RULE III .-EXERCISES CORRECTED .
Wisdom, virtue, and happiness, dwell with the golden medi
ocrity. Luxurious living and high pleasures, beget a languor and
satiety that destroy all enjoyment. Out of the same mouth proceed
blessing and cursing. John and James are here. Mary and her
cousin have come. John and Thomas say they intend to study
Latin. Neither he nor his brother was there. Either he or
James is going. Neither she nor her sister has been there. He
knows not what spleen, languor, or listlessness is. Neither pre
cept nor discipline is so forcible as example. Either the boy or
the girl was present. Neither character nor dialogue was yet un
derstood. The modest virgin, the prudent wife , or the careful
matron , is much more serviceable in life than a petticoated philoso
pher. It must be confessed that a lampoon or a satire does not
carry in it robbery or murder. Man is not such a machine as a
clock or a watch, which moves merely as it is moved . Man's hap
piness or misery is, in a great measure, put in his own hands.
When sickness, infirmity, or reverse of fortune affects us, the sin
cerity of friendship is proved. I, or thou , or he is the author of it.

RULE IV.- EXERCISES CORRECTED.

The parliament is dissolved. The fleet wasseen sailing up the
channel. Why does this generation seek after a sign ? The
shoal of herrings was immense. The remnant of the people was
persecuted. The committee were divided in their sentiments .
The army is marching to Cadiz. Some people ure busy, and yet
88 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY.

do very little. Never was any nation so infatuated. But this

peoplewho knoweth not the law is cursed. The people rezoice in
that which should give them sorrow. The fleet are all arrived,
and are moored in safety. When the nation complains, the
rulers should listen to its voice. The fleet was seen sailing up the
bay.
RULE VII .- EXERCISES CORRECTED .
She loves him . He mistook us for them. It hurt them very
much. Them that sin rebuke before all. Them that help me I
will reward. He was attached to those whom he thought true to
his party. Having exposed himself too much to the fire of the
enemy, he soon lost an arm in the action.
The man whom he raised from obscurity is dead. Whom did
they entertain so freely ? They are the persons whom we ought
to respect. Whom having not seen we love. They whom opu
lence has made proud, and whom luxury has corrupted, are not
happy.
Obs. 2.
It will be very difficult to make his conduct agree with the prin
ciples he professes. Go, flee away into the land of Judea . — or,
flee into , &c.
Obs. 3.
I shall premise two or three general observations. He ingrati
ates himself with some by traducing others.
RULE VIII. - EXERCISES CORRECTED .
Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. I bade him read distinctly.
They dare not trust him. We have heard him sing. It is the
difference of their conduct which makes us approve the one, and
reject the other. We heard the thunder roll. It is a great sup
port to virtue, when we see a good mind maintain its patience
and tranquillity under injuries and afflictions, and cordially forgive
its oppressors. Let medo that. I bid my servant do this, and he
doeth it. I need not solicit him to do a kind office.
Rule IX .-- EXERCISES CORRECTED.
I am she. Thou art he. If I were he. If it were they . It is
1. We took you to be him. Who is she. It was he and she that
spoke evil of me. I suppose it was they who called. If it was
not he, who could it be ? I saw one whom I took to be her. Let
him be who he may, I am not afraid of him. Whom do you
 ENGLISH SYNTAX .-KEY. 89

think him to be ? Who do men say that I am ? She is the per

son whom I understood it to have been. Who think ye that I am ?
Was it I that said so ? I am certain it was not he. I believe it
to have been them . It might have been he. It is impossible to be
they. It was either he or his brother that gained the first prize.
RULE XII. Obs . 3.-EXERCISES CORRECTED .
Let each esteem others better than himself. Every one of the
letters berers date after his banishment. Each of them , in his
turn, receives the benefits to which he is entitled . Every person,
whatever be his station, is bound by the duties of morality and reli
gion. Neither of those men seems to have any idea that his
opinions may be ill -founded. By discussing what relates to each
particular in its order, we shall better understand the subject. Is
either of these men your friend ?
And Jonathan the son of Shimeah, slew a man of great stature, .
who had on each hand six fingers, and on each foot six toes.
Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his
censer. The king of Israel and the king of Judah , sat each of
them on his throne.
RULE XIII.-EXERCISES CORRECTED .
John is a good boy, he does what is right. James loves his
master. That boy forgot his book. Jane and Ann are naughty,
' for they are disobedient. Answer not a fool according to his folly.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty ; but a fool's wrath is hea
pier than they are both . Take handfuls of ashes of the furnace,
and let Moses sprinkle them towards heaven , in the sight of Pha
raoh ; and they shall become small dust. Can any person, on his
entrance into life, be fully secure that he shall not be deceived ?
The mind of man cannot be long without some food to nourish
the activity of its thoughts.
Rule XIV .-EXERCISES CORRECTED.
A boy who is diligent will improve. He has got the place at
which he aimed. He is a wise man who speaks little. You see
the low estate to which I am reduced. I love the master who
taught me. Those who seek wisdom will certainly find her.
This is the friend whom I love. That is the vice which I hate.
This moon which rose last night. Blessed the man who walketh
in wisdom's ways . Thou who hast been a witness of the fact,
cunst give an account of it. The child that (or who) was lost is
8*
90 ENGLISH SYNTAX._KEY.

found. The tiger is a beast of prey, which destroys without pity .

Which of those men came to his assistance ?
Observations 1 , 2, and 3.
It is the best that can be got. Solomon was the wisest man
that ever the world saw. It is the same picture that you saw
before. And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, &c. The
lady and lap-dog that we saw at the window . Some village
Hampden , that, with dauntless breast, &c. He is the worst
scholar that I ever 'saw . This is the same book that you had
yesterday. We met the same man that we saw on Monday.
Who that can acquire knowledge would neglect it ?

RULE XV. Obs.-- EXERCISES CORRECTED.

The king, who had neverbefore committed so unjust an action,
dismissed his minister without any inquiry. The soldier who
passed for the bravest man in the regiment, with a single compa
nion, offered his services.

RULE XVIII. Obs .-EXERCISES CORRECTED.

We should not be totally overcome by present events. He
spoke unaffectedly and forcibly, and was attentively heard by the
whole assembly. It cannot, therefore, be impertinent or ridiculous,
to remonstrate. He found her not only employed, but also pleased
and tranquil. In the proper disposition of adverbs, the ear requires
to be carefully consulted as well as the sense. He has never been
at court.
The women voluntarily contributed all their rings and jewels
to assist the government. Not having known, or not having con
sidered the measures proposed , he failed of success. He was de
termined to invite the king back, and to call his friends together .
Ask me ever so much dowry. Charmers charming ever so
wisely.
RULE XIX . Obs . 1. - EXERCISES CORRECTED .
To whom do you speak ? With whom did they ride ? Under
whom dost thou serve ? Flattery can hurt none, but those to
whom it is agreeable. It is not with me thou art engaged. It
was not with him they were so angry . From whom didst thou
receive that intelligence ? The person with whom I traveled
has sold the horse on which he rode during our journey. Does
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 91

that boy know to whom he speaks ? I hope it is not with me thou

art displeased.
Obs. 2.
He is quite unacquainted with that subject, and consequently
cannot speak upon it.
Obs. 3.
He is going to London next week. She went to Boston some
time ago. We were once detained two years in England. You
was at the place before John. They have just arrived at Leith .
and are going to Dublin. They will reside two months in Eng
land . I have been in London , after having resided in France •
and I now live at Bath. I was at the place appointed long before
any of the rest. We touched at Liverpool on our way to New
York. He resides at Mavisbank in Scotland. She has lodgings
in George's Square.
RULE XX . Obs. 1.-EXERCISES CORRECTED
Rank may confer influence, but it will not necessarily produce
virtue. She was proud, though she is now humble. Our season
of improvement is short ; and, whether used or not, it will soon
pass away ; or, and whether we use it, &c.
Obs. 2.
She is not beautiful but she is handsome. I never want credit,
though I often want money. He is not rich, but he is respectable.
Obs. 3 .
Neither his father nor his mother was there. John is not so
diligent as his brother. There was something so amiable in his
looks that it affected me much. I think mine as good as yours.
As his application is, so will his progress be. He is not so wise
and so learned as he pretends to be . He must either go himself,
or send his servant. There is no condition so secure that it can
not admit of change. He is not so eminent, and so much esteem
ed, as he thinks himself to be. Neither despise the poor, nor envy
the rich, for as the one dieth, so dieth the other.. So far as I am
able to judge, the book is well written . His raiment was as white
as snow .
Rule XXI .-EXERCISES CORRECTED .
Ah ! unhappy thou, who art deaf to the calls of duty and of
honor. Oh ! happy we, surrounded by so many blessings.
Woe's me, for I am a man of unclean lips.
92 ENGLISH SYNTAX.KEY .

RULE XXII.-- EXERCISES CORRECTED .

The king is just. The men were there. Many words darken
speech . My banks are furnished with bees. The books are torn.
The boy was negligent. The pleasures which arise from doing
good, alone are pure. Who, instead of going about doing good,
are perpetually intent upon doing mischief. Disappointments and
afflictions, however disagreeable , often improve is. Simple and
innocent pleasures alone are durable.
If this rule had been observed, a neighboring prince would
have wanted a great deal of that incense which has been offered
up to him . Though man has great variety of thoughts, and such,
from which others as well as himself might receive profit and de
light, yet they are all within his own breast.
For he bringeth down them that dwell on high ; the lofty city
he layeth low.
The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple to thy soul with hooks of steel.
RULE XXIII . - EXERCISES CORRECTED .
He is as old as she. She is as old as he. We are stronger than
they. They were more prudent than we. The farm was better
cultivated by his brother than (by) him . He is younger than I.
She is kinder to him than ( to ) me. John can write better than I.
He is as good as she. Thou art a much greater looser than I by
his death . She suffers hourly more than I. They know how to
write as well as he ; but he is a better grammarian than they.
The undertaking was much better executed by his brother than
by him. They are greater gainers than we. She is not so learn
ed as he. If the king give us leave, we may perform the office
as well as they [perform it] that do.
Obs.
Who left the door open ? I. Who spilt the ink ? He. Who
came out of the garden last ? They . Whom did you see walking
in the garden ? Him and her. Who betrayed her companion ?
Not I. Who revealed the secrets he ought to have concealed ?
Not he ; it was she. Whom did you meet ? Him , Who
bought that book ? He. Whom did you see there ? Him and
his sister. Whose pen is this ? Mine.
Rule XXIV.EXERCISES CORRECTED.
Wealth and poverty are both temptations; that tends to excite
pride, this discontentment. Religion raises men above themselves,
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 93

irreligion sinks thern beneath the brutes ; this binds them down to
a poor pitiable speck of perishable earth, that exalts them to the
skies. And the cloud came between the camp of the Egyptians
and the camp of Israel, and it was a cloud and darkness to the
former, but it gave light to the latter . Moses and Solomon were
men of the highest renown ; the former was remarkable for his
meekness, the latter was renowned for his wisdom . I have always
preferred cheerfulness to mirth ; the latter I consider as an act,
the former as a habit of the mind. Body and soul must part ;
the latter wings its way to its almighty source, the former drops
into the dark and noisome grave.
RULE XXV.-EXERCISES CORRECTED .
They very justly condemned the senseless and extravagant con
duct of the prodigal, as he was called. They implicitly obeyed
the imperious mandates of the protector, as they called him . Be
yond this, the arts of civil society cannot be traced. These are
the psalms of David, the king, priest, and prophet of theJewish
people. We very oftenlaugh at the buffoonery of the fool, as he
is called. They carefully attended to the orders of the squire, as
they called him . This is the advice of Paul, the Christian hero,
and great apostle of the Gentiles.
Obs.
How beautiful soever they appear, they have no real merit. In
what light soever we view him , his conduct will bear inspection.
On what side soever they are contemplated, they appear to advan
tage. How much soever he might despise the maxims of the king's
administration, he kept a total silence on that subject.
He that keepeth the fig -tree shall eat the fruit thereof.
Rule XXVI .-EXERCISES CORRECTED .
I have compassion on the multitude, because they have continued
with me now three days. And he that had been dead sat up, and
began to speak. The next new year's day I shall have been at
school three years. The court laid hold on all the opportunities
which the weakness or necessities of princes afforded it, to extend
its authority. Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life.
His sickness was so great, that I often feared he would die before
our arrival. It would have given me great satisfaction to have
relieved him from that distressed situation . He ought to have done
it a year ago. If they believe not Moses and the prophets neither
will they believe though one should rise from the dead. His dis
ciples asked him, What may this parable be ? And hath put all
94 ENGLISH SYNTAX - KEY .

things under his feet, and given him to be the head over all things
to the church.
Obs.
I always intended to reward my son according to his merit.
We have done no more than it was our duty to do. From the
little conversation I had with him, he appeared to be a man of let
ters. Is was a pleasure to receive his approbation of my labors.
I intended to write you last week. It is very long since I ordered
the shoemaker to make new boots for me. I expected to gain the
prize this week .

Rule XXVII .-EXERCISES CORRECTED .

The obeying of our parents is the first duty of nature. The
neglecting of our duty will ultimately produce ruin. The learning
of languages is very difficult. The learning of any thing speedily
requires great application. By the exercising of our faculties
they are improved. By the observing of these rules you may
avoid mistakes. By the obtaining of wisdom thou wilt command
esteem. This was a betraying of the trust reposed in him. Not
attending to this rule is the cause of a very common error.
Obs. 1 .
Our approving of their bad conduct may encourage them to
become worse . For his avoiding of that precipice he is indebted
to his friend's care. What is the reason of John's rising so early ?
This man's raging is unpleasant. Ann's behaving well gained
her esteem .
Obs. 2.
What is the reason of this person's dismissing his servant so
hastily ? I remember its being done. What do you think of our
gurden's being robbed last night ? He thought my book's being
sold was wonderful. What do you think of my ship sailing to
morrow.

RULE XXVIII . EXERCISES CORRECTED .

He has written his copy. I would have written a letter. He
had mistaken his true interest. The coat had no seam, but was
woven throughout. The French language is spoken in every
kingilom in Europe. His resolution was too strong to be shaken
by slight opposition . The horse was stolen . They have chosen
the part of honor and virtue. The Rhine was frozen over. She
was shown into the drawing -room . My people have slidden
backwards. He has broken the bottle. Some fell by the way ,
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 95

side, and was trodden down. The price of cloth has lately risen
very much. The work was very well executed . His vices have
weakened his mind, and broken his health. He would have gone
with us, had he been invited. Nothing but application is wanted
to make you an excellent scholar. This is well written . He had
mistaken me. Smiles were interwoven with sighs. He had spo
ken two hours before that. The house was situated at the head
of the street.
He ran off yesterday. He drank too much beer. They began
to sing with joy. He soon began to be weary of having nothing
to do. He was greatly heated, and he drank with avidity. The
bending hermit here a prayer began. And end with sorrows as
they first began .
A second deluge learning thus o'er-ran ;
And the Monks finished what the Goths began .
RULE XXIX . - EXERCISES CORRECTED.
He has little more of the scholar than the name. Be ready to
succor such persons as need thy assistance . He is fiercer than a
lion . It is no other than himself. She gave such an answer as
astonished us all. I will sooner part with life than with liberty.
Sweeter than honey. They had no sooner risen than they appli
ed themselves to their studies. Those savage people seemed to
have no other element than war. Such men as act treacherously
ought to be avoided. He gained nothing farther by his speech,
than only to be commended for his eloquence. This is none
other than the gate of Paradise. Such sharp replies as cost him
his life. To trust in him is no more than to acknowledge his
power.
Obs. 1 .
James is the wiser of the two. He is the weaker of the two.
Ann is the taller of the two. John is the most learned of the
three. She was morehandsome than any of her sisters. I under
stood him better than I understood any other who spoke upon the
subject. Eve was fairer than any of her daughters. He is more
likely than any other to succeed . Jane is the wittiest of the three,
not the wisest.
RULE XXX . - EXERCISES CORRECTED .
The nightingale's voice is the sweetest in the grove. James is
a worse scholar than John . Tray is the swiftest dog. Absalom
was the most beautiful man. He is the chief among ten thou
sand. His work is well executed ; his brother's still better ; and
96 ENGLISH SYNTAX . - KEY .
his father's the best of all. Mine is a sweeter apple than yours .
I saw the most elegant house yesterday I ever saw . I think that
more likely to be true. He is more generally esteemed . The
extreme boundary of the earth. His rule was evidently false.
Rule XXXI .-EXERCISES CORRECTED .
They are miserably poor. They behaved the most nobly. He
fought more boldly than his brother. He lived in a manner
agreeable to the dictates of reason and religion. Hewasextreinely
prodigal, and his property is now nearly exhausted . I am extremely
willing to assist you. He is particularly neat. I like apples un
commonly well. She is exceedingly rude. Her speedy arrival
gave universal joy. She arrived unexpectedly. They lived con
formably to the rules of prudence. He speaks veryfluently ,
reads excellently, but does not think very coherently. They came
agreeably to their promise, and conducted themselves suitably to
the occasion. They hoped for a speedy and prosperous issue to
the war .
Observations 1 , 2, and 3.
Whence come ye ? He departed thence into a desert place.
Whither are you going ? Bid him come hither immediately.
We walked thither in an hour. He drew up a petition, in which
he too frequently represented his own merit. He went to London
last year, since that time I have not seen him . The situation in
which I found him. It is not worth his time and trouble.
Rule XXXII.-EXERCISES CORRECTED.
I cannot read any more. I can eat no more. Do not let any
body in. Nothing ever pleased me more. I have no book . I
have seen no one. Be honest, and take no semblance of disguise.
He is not very sensible, I think . I have not consented and shall
not consent to a proposal so unjust. There cannot be any thing
more insignificant than vanity. I cannot drink any more. He
cannot do any thing. We have not done any thing to-day. He
will never be any taller. They could not travel any farther.
Covet neither riches nor honors, nor any such perishing things.
Nothing ever affected her so much . Neither interrupt me thyself,
nor let any one disturb me. I am resolved not to comply with the
proposal, either at present or at any other time.
Rule XXXIII .-EXERCISES CORRECTED.
He was totally dependent on the papal crown . He accused the
minister of betraying the Dutch . You have bestowed your favors
on the most deserving persons. His abhorrence of gaming was
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.- KEY. 97

extreme. I differ from you. The English were very different

then from what they are now. In compliance with his father's
advice. He would not comply with his measures . It is no dis
couragement to the authors. The wisest princes need not think
it any diminution of their greatness, or derogation from their suf
ficiency, to rely upon counsel. Is it consonant to our nature ?
Conformable to this plan . Agreeable to the sacred text. Call on
your uncle.
He was eager in recommending it. He had no regard to his
father's commands. Thy prejudice against my cause. It is more
than they thought of. There is no need of it. Reconciling him
self to the king. No resemblance to each other . Upon such oc
casions as fell under their cognizance. I am engaged in writing.
We profit by experience. He swerved from the path. He is
resolved on going to the Persian court . Expert at his work. Ex
pert in deceiving . The Romans reduced the world under their
own power. He provided them with every thing. We insist on
it. He seems to have a taste for such studies.
Agreeably to your desire, I send the box. Call on John when
you are in town. He was averse to the match . Painting was
adapted to his taste . She was married to her cousin. He finds
difficulty in getting his lesson. James was engaged in writing his
lesson. He has a taste for drawing. I have no need of it. She
was disappointed in her shoes, for they did not fit her. We profit
by what we have seen . She has always had a taste for music.
He died of thirst. He found none in whom he could safely con
fide. I dissent from the examiner. It was very well adapted to
his capacity. He acquitted me of any imputation. You are con
versant with that science. They boast of their great riches. Call
on James to walk with you When we have had a true taste of
the pleasures of virtue, we can have no relish for those of vice. I
will wait on you. He is glad at calamities of a neighbor. She is
glad of his company. A strict observance of times and fashions.
This book is replete with errors. These are exceptions from the
general rule. He died a martyr for Christianity. This change is
for the better. His productions were scrupulously exact, and
conformable to all the rules of correct writing. He died by the
sword . She finds a difficulty in fixing her mind. This prince
was naturally averse to war. A freeman grows up with an aver
sion to subjection .
RULE XXXIV . - EXERCISES CORRECTED .
The reward is his due, and it has already been , or will hereafter,
be given to him . He was guided by interests always different
KEY 9
98 ENGLISH SYNTAX_KEY .

from those of the community, sometimes contrary to them. The

intentions of some of these philosophers, nay of many, might
have been and probably were good. No person was ever so per
plexed as he has been to-day, or sustained such mortifications.
He was more bold and active than his companion, but not so wise
and studious. Then said they unto him , whatshall we do that
we may work the works of God ? Sincerity is as valuable as
knowledge, and even more valuable. The greatest masters of cri
tical learning differ among themselves, or differ in opinion from one
another.
RULE XXXV . - EXERCISES CORRECTED .
Man is mortal. The sun rises in the east. I persecuted this
way unto death. Flour is cheaper now. A bsalom rode on a
mule. Have you studied geography yet. Of which I say no
thing. Money is as scarce as ever. Has Ann learned music ?
Reason was given to man to control his passions. Gold is cor
rupting. Man is the noblest work of the creation . The wisest
and the best men are sometimes betrayed into errors. We must
act our part with constancy , though the reward of our constancy
be distant. There are some evils of life, which equally affect the
prince and the people. Purity has its seat in the heart; but ex.
tends its influence over so much of the outward conduct, as to form
a great and material part of the character. At the worst, I could
but incur a gentle reprimand. A profligate man is seldom or never
found to be a good husband, a good father, or a kind neighbor.
He has been much censured for paying little attention to his busi
ness. So bold a breach of order called for a little severity in pu
nishing the offender.
RULE XXXVI.-EXERCISES CORRECTED .
A house and garden. The laws of God and man . Avarice and
cunning may acquire an estate ; but they cannot gain friends.
His crimes had brought him into extreme distress and perplexity.
He has an affectionate brother and sister. By presumption and
vanity we provoke enmity, and incur contempt. Genuine virtue
supposes our benevolence to be strengthened and confirmed by
principle. He is temperate, disinterested, and benevolent. Perse
verance in laudable pursuits will reward all our toils, and produce
effects beyond our calculation. We often commend as well as
censure imprudently. Destitute of principle, he regarded neither
his family, friends, nor reputation. He insulted every man and
woman in the company. The temper of him who is always in
the bustle of the world, will be often ruffled and disturbed . He
regards his word ,but you do not. They must be, and they shall
be punished . We succeeded , but they did not.
 ENGLISH SYNTAX - KEY . 99

RULE XXXVII . - EXERCISES CORRECTED .

A man of a noble spirit disdaineth the malice of fortune ; his
greatness of soul is not to be cast down. A house and un orchard .
A horse and an ass. A learned and an amiable young man. I
gladly shunned him who gladly fled from me. A taste for useful
knowledge will provide for us a great and noble entertainment when
other entertainments leave us. They enjoy also a free constitu
tion and excellent laws. The captain had several men who died
in his ship of the scurvy. I must, however, be so candid as to
own that I have been mistaken. The sacrifices of virtue will not
only be rewarded hereafter, but they will be recompensed even in
this life. Oh, Piety ! Oh, Virtue! how insensible have I been
to your charms ! That is a property which most men have, or
which at least they may attain. There is nothing in which men
are more deficient than in knowing their own characters. Why
do ye that which it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days ?
Neither has he, nor have any other persons, suspected so much
dissimulation. The evil of indolence is that with which we are
often beset. He was banished from the country. Those that sow
and those that reap will rejoice together.

PROMISCUOUS EXERCISES.
CORRECTED.
John writes prettily. Come hither, James. Whither are you
going, Thomas ? I shall never do so any more. The train of
our ideas is often interrupted . Was you present at last meeting ?
He need not be in so much haste. He dares not act otherwise
than he does. He whom they seek is in the house. George or I
am the person. He or they are much to be blamed. The troop
consists of fifty men. That set of books was a valuable present.
A pillar sixty feet high. His conduct evinced extreme vanity.
These trees are remarkably tall. He acted more boldly than was
expected. This is he whom I gave the book. Eliza always
appears amiable. She goes thither to -morrow . Whence came
they ? With whom do you lodge now ? He was born in London ,
but he died at Bath. If he is sincere, I am satisfied. Her father
and she were at church. The master requested him and me to
read more distinctly. It is no more than his due. Flatterers flat
ter as long as they have expectations of gain, and no longer.
John told the same story that you told. This is the largest tree
that I have ever seen .
100 ENGLISH SYNTAX - KEY .

Let him and me read the next chapter. She is free from pain.
That sort of dealing is unjust. David the son of Jesse was
younger than any of his brothers. You were very kind to him,
he said. Well, said I, what dost thou think of him now ? James
is one of those boys that were kept in at school, for bad behavior.
Thou, James, didst deny the deed. Neither good nor evil comes
of itself. We need not be afraid . He expected to gain more by
the bargain. You should drink plenty of goat's milk. It was he
who spoke first. Do you like milk ? Is it I that you mean !
From whom did you buy your grammar ? If one takes a wrong
method at first setting out, it will lead him astray. Neither man
nor woman was present. I am taller than you. She is the same
lady that sang so sweetly. After the straitest sect of our religion,
I lived a Pharisee. Is not thy wickedness great ? and are not
thine iniquities infinite ? There were more sophists than one. If
a person haslived twenty or thirty years, he should have some ex
perience. If this was his meaning, the prediction has failed.
Fidelity and truth are the foundation of all justice. His associates
in wickedness will not fail to mark the alteration in his conduct.
Thy rod and thy staffcomfort me.
And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save
Jesus only Strive not with a man without cause, if he has done
thee no harm . I wrote to the captain, and cautioned him against
it. Now both the chief priests and Pharisees had given a com
mandment, that if any man knew where he was, & c. The girl's
book is torn in pieces. It is not I with whom he is in love. He
who commands himself,commands the whole world. Nothing is
more lovely (or lovelier) than virtue.
'The people's happiness is the statesman's honor. Changed to
a worse shape thou canst not be. I have drunk no spirituous
liquors these six years. He is taller than I (am ,) but I am
stronger than he (is.) Solid peace and contentment consist neither
in beauty nor riches, but in the favor of God.
After whom is the king of Israel come out ? The reciprocations
of love and friendship between him and me, have been many and
sincere. Abuse of mercies ripens us for judgment. Peter and
John are not at school to -day. Three of them were taken into
custody. To study diligently, and behave genteelly, are commen
dable. The enemies whom we have most to fear are those of our
own hearts. Regulus was reckoned the greatest warrior that
Rome could then produce. Suppose life ever so long, fresh occa
sions of knowledge may still be made.
Surely thou who readest so much in the Bible canst tell me
what became of Elijah. Neither the master nor the scholars are
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 101

reading. Trust not him, who you know, is dishonest. I love no

interests but those of truth and virtue. Every imagination of the
thoughts of the heart is evil continually . No one can be blamed
for taking due care of his health . They crucified him , and two
others with him, on each side one, and Jesus in the midst.
I have read Pope's Homer, and Dryden's Virgil. Him that is
diligent you should commend. There was an earthquake which
made the earth tremble. And God said to Solomon, Wisdom and
knowledge are granted unto thee, &c. I cannot commend him
for justifying himself when he knows that his conduct was so
very improper. He was made very much of at school. Though
he was a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered . If he is alone tell him the news ; but if there is any
body with him, do not tell him. They ride faster than we.
Though the measure is mysterious, it is worthy of attention. If
he does but approve my endeavors, it will be an ample reward.
Was it he who came last ? Yes, it was he.
Forever in this humble cell,
Let thee and me, my fair one, dwell.
Every man should act suitably to his character and station in
life. His arguments were exceedingly clear. I spoke only three
words on that subject. The ant and the bee set a good example
before dronish boys. Neither in this world, nor in the world to
come. Evil communications corrupt good manners. Hannibal
was one of the greatest generals that the world ever saw. The
middle station of life seems to be the most advantageously situated
for the gaining of wisdom ; ( or for gaining wisdom .)
These are the rules of grammar, by observing which you may
avoid mistakes. The king conferred upon him the title of duke.
My exercises are not well written : I do not hold my pen well.
Grammar teaches us to speak properly. She accused her com
panion of having betrayed her. I will not dissent from her.
Nothing shall make me swerve from the path of duty and honor.
To whom shall I give it ? For whom are you looking ? It is
either a diminution of their judgment, or a derogation from it.
It fell under their notice or cognizance. She values herself upon
her fortune. That is a book with which I am much pleased. I
have been seeing the coronation , and a fine sight it was. That
picture of the emperor is a very exact resemblance of him. Every
thing that we here enjoy, changes, decays, and comes to an end.
It is not he they blame so much .
No people have more faults than they that pretend to have none.
The laws of Draco are said to have been written with blood. It
9*
 102 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY.

is so clear, or so obvious, that I need not explain it. She taught

him and me to read . The greater a bad man's accomplishments
are , the more dangerous he is to society, and the less fit for a com
panion. Each has his own faults, and every one should endeavor
to correct his own. Let your promises be few , and such as you
can perform .
His being at enmity with Cæsar and Antony was the cause of
perpetual discord. Their being forced to their books in an age
at enmity with all restraint, has been the reason why many have
hated books all their lives. There was a coffee -house at that end
of the town, in which several gentlemen used to meet on an
evening. Do not despise the state of the poor, lest it become your
own condition. It was his duty to interpose his authority in an
affair of so much importance. He spent his whole life in doing
good. Every gentleman who frequented the house, and conversed
with the erectors of this occasional club, was invited to pass an
evening when he thought fit. The winter has not been so severe
as we expected it to be. The rest (of the stars) in circuit wall
this universe. Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where
thou has laid him.
A lampoon, or a satire, does not carry in it robbery or murder.
She and you were not mistaken in your conjectures. My sister
and I, as well as my brother, are employed in our respective occu
pations. He repents of that indiscreet action. It was I, and not
he, that wrote it. Art thou he ? I shall take care that no one
shall suffer any injury. I am a man who approves of wholesome
discipline, and who recommends it to others; but I am not a per
son who promotes severity, or who objects to mild and generous
treatment. He has hit me in a right enough place. Prosperity,
as truly asserted by Seneca, very much obstructs the knowledge
of ourselves. To do to others as we would that they should do to
us, is our duty. This grammar was purchased at Perkins's, the
bookseller . The council were not unanimous.
Who spilt the ink upon the table ? He. Who lost this book ?
1. Whose pen is this ? John's. There are in fact no imper
sonal verbs in any language. And he spat on the ground and
anointed his eyes. Had I never seen you, I had never known
you . The ship Mary and Ann was restored to her owners. If
we consult either the improvement of the mind, or the health of
the body, it is well known that exercise is the great instrument of
promoting both. A man may see a metaphor or an allegory in a
picture, as well as read it in a description .
I had no sooner placed her at my right hand , by the fire, than
she opened to me the reason of her visit. A prudent wife shall
 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY. 103

be blessed. The house you speak of, cost me five hundred dol
lars. Did I not tell thee, O thou infamous wretch ! that thou
wouldst bring me to ruin ? Not only the counsel and attorney's,
but the judge's opinion also, favored his cause. It was the men,
women, andchildren's lot, to suffer great calamities. That is the
eldest son of the king of England . The tent of Lord Feversham
the general. This palace had been the Grand Sultan Mahomet’s.
They did not every man cast away the abomination of his eyes.
I have purposed. He has arrived . They had deserted from
their regiment. Whose works are these ? They are Cicero's, the
most eloquent of men . The mighty rivals have now at length
agreed. The time of William's making the experiment at length
arrived. If we alter the situation of any of the words, we shall
presently be sensible of the melody's suffering. This picture of
the king does not much resemble him. These pictures of the
king's were sent to him from Italy. Him who committed the
offence, thou shouldst correct, not me, who am innocent.
But Thomas, called Didymus, one of the twelve, was not with
them when Jesus came. I offer observations, that a long and che
quered pilgrimage has enabled me to make on man. After I had
visited Europe, I returned to America. Clelia is a vain woman,
who, if we do not flatter her, will be disgusted. In his conduct
was treachery, and in his words were faithless professions. The
orators did not forget to enlarge on so popular a subject. He acted
conformably to his instructions, and cannot justly be censured.
No person could speak more strongly on this subject, or behave
more nobly, than our young advocate, for the cause of toleration.
They were studious to ingratiate themselves with those whom it
was dishonorable to favor. The house framed a remonstrance, in
which they spoke with great freedom of the king's prerogative.
Neither flatter nor contemn the rich or the great. Many would
gladly exchange their honors, beauty , and riches, for that more
quiet and humble station, with which thou art now dissatisfied.
High hopes, and florid views, are great enemies to tranquillity.
Many persons will not believe but that they are free from preju
dices. I will lie down in peace, and take my rest. This word I
have found only in Spencer. The king being apprised of the con
spiracy, fled from Jerusalem .
Too great a variety of studies dissipates and weakens the mind.
James was resolved not to indulge himself in so cruel an amuse
ment. They admired the candor and uprightness of the country.
man, as they called him. The pleasure or pain of one passion
differs from that of another. The court of Spain, which gave the
order, was not aware of the consequences. There was much
104 ENGLISH SYNTAX.-KEY.

spoken and written on each side of the question ; but I have

chosen to suspend my decision.
Religion raises men above themselves ; irreligion sinks them
beneath the brutes ; this binds them down to a poor pitiable speck
of perishable earth ; that opens for them a prospect to the skies.
Temperance and exercise, however little they may be regarded,
are the best means of preserving health. To despise others on
account of their poverty, or to value ourselves for our wealth, is a
disposition bighly culpable. This task was the more easily per
formed, from the cheerfulness with which he engaged in it. These
counsels were the dictates of virtue, and of true honor. As his
misfortunes were the fruit of his own obstinacy, few persons pitied
him . And they were judged every man according to his works.
Riches are the baneof human happiness. I had written to my
brother before I received his letter.
When the President appeared, I was for some time in doubt
whether it could be he or not. Are you living contentedly in
spiritual darkness ? The company were very numerous. Shall
the throne of iniquity , which frameth mischief by a law, have
fellowship with thee. Where is the security that evil habits will
ever be broken ? Each brings materials to the place. Nor let
any comforter delight my ear. She was six years older than he.
They were obliged to contribute more than we. The Barons had
little more to rely on, than the power of their families. The
sewers must be kept so clear that the water may run away.
Such among us as follow that profession. No body is so sanguine
as to hope for it. She behaved more unkindly than I expected.
Agreeably to your request I send this letter. She is exceedingly
fair. Thomas is not so docile as his sister. There was no other
book thun this. He died of a fever. Among whom were Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James. My sister and I
waited till we were called . The army was drawn up in haste.
The public are respectfully informed , that, &c. The friends and
amusements that he preferred, corrupted his morals. Each must
answer for himself. Henry, though at first he showed an unwill
ingness, yet afterwards granted his request.
He and she live very happily together. She invited Jane and
me to see her new dress. She uttered such cries as pierced the
heart of every one who heard them. Maria is not so good as her
sister Ann. Though he promise ever so solemnly, I will not be
lieve him. The full moon was no sooner up, in all its brightness,
than he opened to them the gate of paradise. It rendered the pro
gress of the new invention very slow . This book is Thomas's,
that is James's. The wisdom of Socrates has been the subject of
 ENGLISH SYNTAX._KEY. 105

many a conversation . Fare thou well, James ; or, May you fare
well, James. Who that has the judgment of a man would have
drawn such an inference ? George was the most diligent scholar
that I ever knew. I have observed some children use deceit. He
durst not displease his master. The hopeless delinquents might,
each in his turn , adopt the expostulatory language of Job. Several
of our English words, some centuries ago, had meanings different
from those they have now. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy
talent in the earth ; lo, there thou hast that which is thine. With
this booty he made off to a distant part of the country, where he had
reason to believe that neither he nor his master was known. Thine
are the kingdom , the power, and the glory. I have been in London .
Which of the two masters, says Seneca, shall we most esteem ?
Him who strives to correct his scholars by prudent advice and mo
tives of honor, or another who will lash them severely for not
repeating their lessons as they ought? The blessing of the Lord
maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. For if there be
first a willing mind, it will be accepted according to that which a
man hath, and not according to that which he hath not. If a
brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily food , and one of
you say unto him . Depart in peace, be thou warmed and filled ;
notwithstanding, if yegive him not those things which are need
ful to the body ,what doth it profit ?
But she always behaved with great severity to her maids ; and
if any of them was negligent of her duty , or made a slip in her
conduct, nothing would serve her but burying the poor girl alive.
He had no master to instruct him ; he had read nothing but the
writings of Moses and the prophets, and had received no lessons
from the Socrateses, the Platoes, and the Confuciuses of the age.
Them that honor me, I will honor. For the poor ye have always
with you .
The first Christians of the gentile world made a simple and en
tire transition from a state as bad, as that of entire ignorance, if
not worse, to the Christianity of the New Testament. And he
said unto Gideon, every one that lappeth of the water with his
tongue, as a dog lappeth, shalt thou set by himself. The general
had not behaved with such courage as was expected. Milton
seems to have been well acquainted with his own genius, and to
have known what it was that nature had bestowed upon him more
bountifully than upon others. And on the morrow , because he
would know the certainty wherefore he was accused by the Jews,
he loosed him from his bonds.
Here rages force, here tremble flight and fear,
Here storms contention, and here fury frowns.
106 ENGLISH SYNTAX.KEY .

The Cretan javelin reached him from afar,

And pierced his shoulder as he mounted his car.
Nor is it then a welcome guest, affording only an uneasy sen
sation, and bringing always with it a mixture of concern and
compassion. He promised me a loan of the book for two days
only. I was once thinking to write a poem.
A very slow child will often be found to get lessons by heart as
soon as one who is ten times as intelligent, nay sometimes sooner.
It is then from a cultivation of the perceptive faculties only, that
we can attain those powers of conception which are essential to
taste. No man is fit for free conversation for the inquiry after
truth , if he is exceedingly reserved ; if he is haughty and proud
of his knowledge ; if he is positive and dogmatical in his opin
ions ; if he is one who always affects to outshine all the company ;
if he is fretful and peevish ; if he affects wit, and is full of puns,
or quirks, or quibbles. Conversation is the business, and let every
one that pleases add his opinion freely.
With yon suspicious wretch, whose bolted door
Ne'er moved in duty to the wandering poor,
I left the cup, to teach his sordid mind,
That heaven can bless if mortals will be kind.
In the mind of man there are many more shining qualities than
discretion, but there is none so useful. After Mr. Locke had been
introduced by Lord Shaftesbury to the Duke of Buckingham and
Lord Halifax, these three noblemen, instead of conversing with the
philosopher on literary subjects, in a very short time sat down to cards.
It is your light fantastic fools, in both sexes, who have neither
heads nor hearts, who, by dressing their bodies out of all shape,
render themselves ridiculous, & c. And how can brethren that
curse each other hope to partake of their parent's blessing ? The
superiority of others over us, though in trivial concerns, never
fails, as Nicole admirably observes, to mortify our vanity, and give
us vexation. Likewise also the chief priests, with the scribes,
mocking, said among themselves, He saved others ; himself he
cannot save. Noah, and his family, on account of their godliness,
were the only persons preserved from the flood. The wonderful
civilities that have passed between the nation of authors, and that
of readers, is an unanswerable argument of a very refined age.
And they said among themselves, who shall roll us away the stone
from the door of the sepulchre ? for it was very great. And
when they had looked , they saw that the stone was rolled away ,
A great stone that I happened, after a long search , to find by the
sea shore, served me for an anchor. What he says is true, but it
is not applicable to the point.
 PUNCTUATION . - KEY . 107

The senate of Rome ordered that no part of it should be rebuilt;

it was demolished to the ground, so that, at this day,travelers are
unable to say where Carthage stood. Thus ended the war with
Antiochus, two years after it had been begun, and twelve after the
second Punic war. Upon the death of Claudius, the young Em
peror Nero pronounced his funeral oration, and he, who scarcely
deserved the name of a man, was canonized among the gods.
Galerius abated many of his severities against the Christians on
his death -bed, and, a little before his death, revoked those edicts
which he had formerly published, tending to their persecution.
The first care of Aurelius was to marry his daughter Lucilla,
who was a widow , to Claudius Pompeianus, a man of moderate
fortune. But at length, having made his guards accomplices in
their design, they set upon Maximin while he slept at noon in his
tent, and, without any opposition , slew both him and his son,
whom he had made his partner in the empire. Aurelian , in three
several engagements, defeated the Marcomanni, a fierce and ter
rible nation of Germany, that had invaded Italy.

PUNCTUATION .
EXERCISES CORRECTED .
Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after
thee : for whither thou goest, I will go ; and where thou lodgest, I
will lodge ; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God :
where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried : the Lord
do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
It was a bright morning ; and as he passed where the trees glis
tened with dewdrops, and the birds were filling the scene with
melody, he communed in meekness and calm repose of spirit with
his own soul , and with God . He was laid in a grave among the
palms, on the bank of the Ganges, where soft winds breathed over
him, and the sound of waters murmured to his rest. Instead
therefore of manifesting a constant suspicion of them, as tending
continually to falseness and evil, she showed that wrong-doing.
would not only grieve, but disappoint her.
What then ? are we better than they ? No in no wise : for we
have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under
sin ; as it is written , there is none righteous, no, not one.
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death
 108 PUNCTUATION.KEY .

is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting ? 0

grave, where is thy victory ?
Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book : for the time
is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he that
is filthy, let him be filthy still : and he that is righteous, let him be
righteous still : and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
There is a glory in the close of such a day, when the sun is
sinking unclouded and majestic in the west, and when, after a day
of rapid growth and rejoicing in his beams, there is spread over
Nat aspect of repose . He was of middle age, of command
ing mien, of a mild and benign countenance, now dignified by
incipient baldness.
Free in the loftiest sense of freedom ; free to do all good ; re
stricted only from evil ; every man pursuing the unobstructed
course pointed out by his genius or his fortune ; every man pro
tected by laws inviolable, orwhose violation was instantly visited
with punishment by the Eternal Sovereign alike of ruler and
people.
But tears are a debt we owe to departed friends. They are
a debt to nature : and a debt to nature is a debt to God . It ought
to be, it must be paid ; and they will flow , till time dispels those
clouds which feed them, and dries up every source of grief.
The anxieties and burdens of youth were now to be shared, and
they found the same sympathy. In thehour of some quiet occu
pation, when the other members of the family were away, the son
unfolded his wishes and plans, as he could unfold them to none
but a mother ; and while every feeling was understood, there was
no irritating opposition where assent could not be given, nor any
feeble and unprincipled acquiescence. But there is magic in the
power of a friendly heart, when judgment and principle are present
to command respect. There is that particularly in the intercourse
of a manly son with a loved and honored mother, which is un
known in any other relation. With the father he may meet, in
deed, on terms of generous intercourse and confiding affection ; but
it is the intercourse of man with man ; the independent spirit, the
rebuke of wrong, the high -toned assertion of opinion or of right
these give to the whole a different hue. But let the noble-hearted
son meet the mother, and all is changed. Such a spirit feels the
sacredness of woman's sensibilities ; it disdains to conduct harshly
or insolently ; and then the mother it is a word of tenderness ;
of delicate sympathies ; of untiring beneficence. It softens the
spirit.
THE END.
1

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