The neuter verb tobe, and all passive verbs, have two forms in the imperfect tense of this mood, as well as in the present; therefore, the following rule may serve to direct you in the proper use of each form. When the sentence implies doubt, supposition, &c. and the neuter verbbe, or the passive verb, is used with a reference to present or future time, and is either followed or preceded by another verb in the imperfect of the potential mood, theconjunctiveform of the imperfect tense must be employed; as, "Ifhewerehere, weshouldrejoice together;" "Shemightgo,wereshe so disposed." But when there is no reference to present or future time, and the verb is neither followed nor preceded by another in the potential imperfect, theindicativeform of the imperfect tense must be used; as, "Ifhewasill, he did not make it known;" "Whetherhewasabsent or present, is a matter of no consequence." The general rule for using the conjunctive form of the verb, is presented on page 145. See, also, page 135.
The perfect, pluperfect, and first future tenses of the subjunctive mood, are conjugated in a manner similar to the correspondent tenses of the indicative. The second future is conjugated thus:
The perfect, pluperfect, and first future tenses of the subjunctive mood, are conjugated in a manner similar to the correspondent tenses of the indicative. The second future is conjugated thus:
This verb to be, though very irregular in its conjugation, is by far the most important verb in our language, for it is more frequently used than any other; many rules of syntax depend on constructions associated with it, and, without its aid, no passive verb can be conjugated. You ought, therefore, to make yourself perfectly familiar with all its changes, before you proceed any farther.
Thecases of nounsare a fruitful theme for investigation and discussion. In the progress of these lectures, this subject has frequently engaged our attention; and, now, in introducing to your notice the passive verb, it will, perhaps, be found both interesting and profitable to present one more view of the nominative case.
Every sentence, you recollect, must have onefiniteverb, or more than one, and onenominative, either expressed or implied, for, without them, no sentence can exist.
Thenominativeis theactororsubjectconcerning which the verb makes an affirmation. There are three kinds of nominatives,active, passive, andneuter.
The nominative to anactiveverb, isactive, because itproducesan action, and the nominative to apassiveverb, ispassive, because itreceivesorenduresthe action expressed by the verb; for,
APassive Verb denotes actionreceivedorenduredby the person or thing which is the nominative; as, "Theboy is beatenby his father."
APassive Verb denotes actionreceivedorenduredby the person or thing which is the nominative; as, "Theboy is beatenby his father."
You perceive, that the nominativeboy, in this example, is not represented as theactor, but as theobjectof the action expressed by the verbis beaten; that is, the boyreceivesorenduresthe action performed by his father; thereforeboyis apassivenominative. And you observe, too, that the verbis beaten, denotes theactionreceived or endured by the nominative; thereforeis beatenis apassiveverb.
If I say, Johnkickedthe horse, John is an active nominative, because he performed or produced the action; but if I say, Johnwas kickedby the horse, John is a passive nominative, because he received or endured the action.
The nominative to aneuterverb, isneuter, because it does not produce an action nor receive one; as, Johnsitsin the chair. John is here connected with the neuter verbsits, which expresses simply the state of being of its nominative, thereforeJohnis a neuter nominative.
I will now illustrate the active, passive, and neuter nominatives by a few examples.
I. Of ACTIVE NOMINATIVES; as, "Theboybeats the dog; Theladysings; Theballrolls; Themanwalks."
II. Of PASSIVE NOMINATIVES; as, "Theboyis beaten; Theladyis loved; Theballis rolled; Themanwas killed."
III. Of NEUTER NOMINATIVES; as, "Theboyremains idle; Theladyis beautiful; Theballlies on the ground; Themanlives in town." You may now proceed to the conjugation of passive verbs.
Passive Verbs are calledregularwhen they end ined; as, wasloved; wasconquered.All Passive Verbsare formedby adding theperfect participleof an active-transitive verb, to the neuter verbto be.
Passive Verbs are calledregularwhen they end ined; as, wasloved; wasconquered.
All Passive Verbsare formedby adding theperfect participleof an active-transitive verb, to the neuter verbto be.
If you place a perfect participle of an active-transitive verb after this neuter verbbe, in any mood or tense, you will have apassiveverb in the same mood and tense that the verbbewould be in if the participle were not used; as, I amslighted; I wasslighted; he will beslighted; If I beslighted; I may, can,ormust beslighted, &c. Hence you perceive, that when you shall have learned the conjugation of the verbbe, you will be able to conjugate any passive verb in the English language.
The regular passive verb tobe loved, which is formed by adding the perfect participlelovedto the neuter verb tobe, is conjugated in the following manner:
This mood has six tenses:—See conjugation of the verb tobe.
NOTE. This conjugation of the passive verbto be loved, is called thepassive, voiceof the regular active-transitive verbto love.
NOTE. This conjugation of the passive verbto be loved, is called thepassive, voiceof the regular active-transitive verbto love.
Now conjugate the following passive verbs; that is, speak them in the first pers. sing, and plur. of each tense, through all the moods, and speak the participles; "to be loved, to be rejected, to be slighted, to be conquered, to be seen, to be beaten, to be sought, to be taken."
NOTE 1. When the perfect participle of anintransitiveverb is joined to the neuter verbto be, the combination is not a passive verb, but aneuterverb in apassive form; as, "Heis gone; The birdsare flown; The boyis grown; My friendis arrived." The following mode of construction, is, in general, to be preferred; "Hehasgone; The birdshaveflown; The boyhasgrown; My Friendhasarrived."2. Active and neuter verbs may be conjugated by adding their present participle to the auxiliary verbto be, through all its variations; as, instead of, I teach, thou teachest, he teaches, &c., we may say, I am teaching, thou art teaching, he is teaching, &c.; and, instead of, I taught, &c.; I was teaching, &c. This mode of conjugation expresses the continuation of an action or state of being; and has, on some occasions, a peculiar propriety, and contributes to the harmony and precision of language. When the present participle of an active verb is joined with the neuter verb to be, the two words united, are, by some grammarians, denominated an active verb, either transitive or intransitive, as the case may be; as, "I am writing a letter; He is walking:" and when the present participle of a neuter verb is thus employed, they term the combination a neuter verb; as, "I am sitting; He is standing." Others, in constructions like these, parse each word separately. Either mode may be adopted.
NOTE 1. When the perfect participle of anintransitiveverb is joined to the neuter verbto be, the combination is not a passive verb, but aneuterverb in apassive form; as, "Heis gone; The birdsare flown; The boyis grown; My friendis arrived." The following mode of construction, is, in general, to be preferred; "Hehasgone; The birdshaveflown; The boyhasgrown; My Friendhasarrived."
2. Active and neuter verbs may be conjugated by adding their present participle to the auxiliary verbto be, through all its variations; as, instead of, I teach, thou teachest, he teaches, &c., we may say, I am teaching, thou art teaching, he is teaching, &c.; and, instead of, I taught, &c.; I was teaching, &c. This mode of conjugation expresses the continuation of an action or state of being; and has, on some occasions, a peculiar propriety, and contributes to the harmony and precision of language. When the present participle of an active verb is joined with the neuter verb to be, the two words united, are, by some grammarians, denominated an active verb, either transitive or intransitive, as the case may be; as, "I am writing a letter; He is walking:" and when the present participle of a neuter verb is thus employed, they term the combination a neuter verb; as, "I am sitting; He is standing." Others, in constructions like these, parse each word separately. Either mode may be adopted.
DEFECTIVE VERBS are those which are used only in some of the moods and tenses.
DEFECTIVE VERBS are those which are used only in some of the moods and tenses.
The principal of them are these.
The principal of them are these.
NOTE.Mustandoughtare not varied.Oughtandquothare never used as auxiliaries.Oughtis always followed by a verb in the infinitive mood, which verb determines its tenses.Oughtis in thepresenttense when the infinitive following it is in the present; as, "Heoughtto do it;" andoughtis in theimperfecttense when followed by the perfect of the infinitive; as, "Heoughtto have done it."
NOTE.Mustandoughtare not varied.Oughtandquothare never used as auxiliaries.Oughtis always followed by a verb in the infinitive mood, which verb determines its tenses.Oughtis in thepresenttense when the infinitive following it is in the present; as, "Heoughtto do it;" andoughtis in theimperfecttense when followed by the perfect of the infinitive; as, "Heoughtto have done it."
Before you proceed to the analysis of the following examples, you may read over the lastthreelectures carefully and attentively; and as soon as you become acquainted with all that has been presented, you will understand nearly all the principles and regular constructions of our language. In parsing a verb, or any other part of speech, be careful to pursue thesystematic order, and to conjugate every verb until you become familiar with all the moods and tenses.
"Heshould have been punishedbefore he committed that atrocious deed."
Should have been punishedis a verb, a word that signifies to do—passive, it denotes action received or endured by the nom.—it is formed by adding the perfect part,punishedto the neuter verb tobe—regular, the perf. part, ends ined—potential mood, it implies obligation, &c.—pluperfect tense, it denotes a past act which was prior to the other past time specified by "committed"—third pers. sing. num. because the nom. "he" is with which it agrees: RULE 4.The verb must agree, &c.—Conjugated, Indic. mood, pres. tense, he is punished; imperf. tense, he was punished; perf. tense, he has been punished; and so on. Conjugate it through all the moods and tenses, and speak the participles.
Columbus discovered America. America was discovered by Columbus. The preceptor is writing a letter. The letter is written by the preceptor. The work can be done. The house would have been built ere this, had he fulfilled his promise. If I be beaten by that man, he will be punished. Young man, if you wish to be respected, you must be more assiduous. Being ridiculed and despised, he left the institution. He is reading Homer. They are talking. He may be respected, if he become more ingenuous. My worthy friend ought to be honored for his benevolent deeds. This ought ye to have done.
All the most important principles of the science, together with many of the rules, have now been presented and illustrated. But before you proceed to analyze the following exercises, you may turn over a few pages, and you will find all the rules presented in a body. Please to examine them critically, and parse theexamplesunder each rule and note. The examples, you will notice, are given to illustrate the respective rules and notes under which they are placed; hence, by paying particular attention to them, you will be enabled fully and clearly to comprehend the meaning and application of all the rules and notes.
As soon as you become familiarly acquainted with all thedefinitionsso that you can apply them with facility, you may omit them in parsing; but you must always apply the rules of Syntax. When you parse without applying the definitions, you may proceed in the following manner:
"Mercy is the true badge of nobility."
Mercyis a noun common, of the neuter gender, third person, singular number, and in the nominative case to "is:" RULE 3.The nominative case governs the verb.
Isis an irregular neuter verb, indicative mood, present tense, third person, singular number, agreeing with "mercy," according to RULE 4.The verb must agree, &c.
Theis a definite article, belonging to "badge," in the singular number: RULE 2.The definite articlethe, &c.
Trueis an adjective in the positive degree, and belongs to the noun "badge:" RULE 18.Adjectives belong, &c.
Badgeis a noun com. neuter gender, third person, singular number, and in the nominative caseafter"is," and put by apposition with "mercy," according to RULE 21.The verb to be may have the same case after it as before it.
Ofis a preposition, connecting "badge" and "nobility," and showing the relation between them.
Nobilityis a noun of multitude, mas. and fem. gender, third person, sing, and in the obj. case, and governed by "of:" RULE 31.Prepositions govern the objective case.
Learn to unlearn what you have learned amiss.
What I forfeit for myself is a trifle; that my indiscretions should reach my posterity, wounds me to the heart.
Lady Jane Gray fell a sacrifice to the wild ambition of the duke of Northumberland.
King Missipsi charged his sons to consider the senate and people of Rome as proprietors of the kingdom of Numidia.
Hazael smote the children of Israel in all their coasts; and from what is left on record of his actions, he plainly appears to have proved, what the prophet foresaw him to be, a man of violence, cruelty, and blood.
Heaven hides from brutes what men, from men what spirits know.
He that formed the ear, can he not hear?
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
NOTE 1.Learn, in the first of the preceding examples, is a transitive verb, because the action passes over from the nom.youunderstood, tothe rest of the sentencefor its object: RULE 24. In the next example,that my indiscretions should reach myposterity, is a part of a sentence put as the nominative to the verbwounds, according to the same Rule.2. The nounsacrifice, in the third example, is nom. after the active-intransitive verbfell: RULE 22. The nounproprietors, in the next sentence, is in the objective case, and put by apposition withsenateandpeople: RULE 7, or governed byconsider, understood, according to RULE 35.3. In the fifth example,what, followingproved, is a compound relative.Thing, the antecedent part, is in the nom. case afterto be, understood, and put by apposition withhe, according to RULE 21, and NOTE.Which, the relative part, is in the obj. case afterto beexpressed, and put by apposition withhim, according to the same RULE.Manis in the obj. case, put by apposition withwhich: RULE 7. The latter part of the sentence may beliterallyrendered thus: He plainly appears to have provedto be that base character whichthe prophet foresaw him to be, viz. amanof violence, cruelty, and blood. The antecedent part of the firstwhat, in the next sentence, is governed byhides; andwhich, the relative part, is governed byknowunderstood. The antecedent part of the secondwhat, is governed byhidesunderstood, and the relative part is governed byknowexpressed.4. The firsthe, in the seventh example, is, in the opinion of some, nom. tocan hearunderstood; but Mr. N.R. Smith, adistinguished and acute grammarian, suggests the propriety ofrendering the sentence thus; "He that formed the ear,formed it to hear; can he not hear?" The firsthe, in the last example, is redundant; yet the construction is sometimes admissible, for the expression is more forcible than it would be to say, "Let him hear who hath ears to hear;" and if we adopt the ingenious method of Mr. Smith, the sentence is grammatical, and may be rendered thus; "He that hath ears,hath earsto hear; let him hear."
NOTE 1.Learn, in the first of the preceding examples, is a transitive verb, because the action passes over from the nom.youunderstood, tothe rest of the sentencefor its object: RULE 24. In the next example,that my indiscretions should reach myposterity, is a part of a sentence put as the nominative to the verbwounds, according to the same Rule.
2. The nounsacrifice, in the third example, is nom. after the active-intransitive verbfell: RULE 22. The nounproprietors, in the next sentence, is in the objective case, and put by apposition withsenateandpeople: RULE 7, or governed byconsider, understood, according to RULE 35.
3. In the fifth example,what, followingproved, is a compound relative.Thing, the antecedent part, is in the nom. case afterto be, understood, and put by apposition withhe, according to RULE 21, and NOTE.Which, the relative part, is in the obj. case afterto beexpressed, and put by apposition withhim, according to the same RULE.Manis in the obj. case, put by apposition withwhich: RULE 7. The latter part of the sentence may beliterallyrendered thus: He plainly appears to have provedto be that base character whichthe prophet foresaw him to be, viz. amanof violence, cruelty, and blood. The antecedent part of the firstwhat, in the next sentence, is governed byhides; andwhich, the relative part, is governed byknowunderstood. The antecedent part of the secondwhat, is governed byhidesunderstood, and the relative part is governed byknowexpressed.
4. The firsthe, in the seventh example, is, in the opinion of some, nom. tocan hearunderstood; but Mr. N.R. Smith, adistinguished and acute grammarian, suggests the propriety ofrendering the sentence thus; "He that formed the ear,formed it to hear; can he not hear?" The firsthe, in the last example, is redundant; yet the construction is sometimes admissible, for the expression is more forcible than it would be to say, "Let him hear who hath ears to hear;" and if we adopt the ingenious method of Mr. Smith, the sentence is grammatical, and may be rendered thus; "He that hath ears,hath earsto hear; let him hear."
REMARKS.—Anomalyis derived from the Greek,a, without, andomales, similar; that is,without similarity. Some give its derivation thus;anomaly, from the Latin,ab, from, or out of, andnorma, a rule, or law, means anoutlaw; a mode of expression that departs from the rules, laws, orgeneralusages of the language; a construction in language peculiar to itself. Thus, it is a general rule of the language, that adjectives of one syllable are compared by addingr, orer, andst, orest, to the positive degree; but good,better, best; bad,worse, worst, are not compared according to the general rule. They are, therefore, anomalies. The plural number of nouns is generally formed by adding s to the singular: man,men; woman,women; child,children; penny,pence, are anomalies. The use ofnews, means, almsandamends, in the singular, constitutes anomalies. Anomalous constructions are correct according to custom; but, as they are departures from general rules, by them they cannot be analyzed.Anidiom, Latinidioma, a construction peculiar to a language, may be an anomaly, or it may not. An idiomatical expression which is not an anomaly, can be analyzed.Feetandyears, in the 1st and 2d examples, are not in the nominative afteris, according to Rule 21, because they are not in apposition with the respective nouns that precede the verb; but the constructions are anomalous; and, therefore, no rule can be applied to analyze them. The same ideas, however; can be conveyed by a legitimate construction which can be analyzed; thus, "Theheightof the wall is threefeet;" "Theageof my son is eightyears."An anomaly, when ascertained to be such, is easily disposed of; but sometimes it is very difficult to decide whether a construction is anomalous or not. The 3d, 4th, and 5th examples, are generally considered anomalies; but if we supply, as we are, perhaps, warranted in doing, the associated words which modern refinement has dropped, they will cease to be anomalies; thus, "My knife isof theworthofa shilling;" "—of theworthofhim," &c. "He has been thereforthree times;" as we say, "I was unwellforthree days, after I arrived;" or, "I was unwell three days." Thus it appears, that by tracing back,fora few centuries, what the merely modern English scholar supposes to be an anomaly, an ellipsis will frequently be discovered, which, when supplied, destroys the anomaly.On extreme points, and peculiar and varying constructions in a living language, the most able philologists can never be agreed; because many usages will always be unsettled and fluctuating, and will, consequently, be disposed of according to the caprice of the grammarian. By some, a sentence may be treated as an anomaly; by others who contend for, and supply, an ellipsis, the same sentence may be analyzed according to the ellipsis supplied; whilst others, who deny both the elliptical and anomalous character of the sentence, construct a rule by which to analyze it, which rule has for its foundation the principle contained in that sentence only. This last mode of procedure, inasmuch as it requires us to make a rule for every peculiar construction in the language, appears to me to be the most exceptionable of the three. It appears to be multiplying rules beyond the bounds of utility.The verbs,cost, weighs, andmeasures, in the 6th, 7th, and 8th examples, may be considered as transitive. See remarks onresemble, have, own, &c., page 56.
REMARKS.—Anomalyis derived from the Greek,a, without, andomales, similar; that is,without similarity. Some give its derivation thus;anomaly, from the Latin,ab, from, or out of, andnorma, a rule, or law, means anoutlaw; a mode of expression that departs from the rules, laws, orgeneralusages of the language; a construction in language peculiar to itself. Thus, it is a general rule of the language, that adjectives of one syllable are compared by addingr, orer, andst, orest, to the positive degree; but good,better, best; bad,worse, worst, are not compared according to the general rule. They are, therefore, anomalies. The plural number of nouns is generally formed by adding s to the singular: man,men; woman,women; child,children; penny,pence, are anomalies. The use ofnews, means, almsandamends, in the singular, constitutes anomalies. Anomalous constructions are correct according to custom; but, as they are departures from general rules, by them they cannot be analyzed.
Anidiom, Latinidioma, a construction peculiar to a language, may be an anomaly, or it may not. An idiomatical expression which is not an anomaly, can be analyzed.
Feetandyears, in the 1st and 2d examples, are not in the nominative afteris, according to Rule 21, because they are not in apposition with the respective nouns that precede the verb; but the constructions are anomalous; and, therefore, no rule can be applied to analyze them. The same ideas, however; can be conveyed by a legitimate construction which can be analyzed; thus, "Theheightof the wall is threefeet;" "Theageof my son is eightyears."
An anomaly, when ascertained to be such, is easily disposed of; but sometimes it is very difficult to decide whether a construction is anomalous or not. The 3d, 4th, and 5th examples, are generally considered anomalies; but if we supply, as we are, perhaps, warranted in doing, the associated words which modern refinement has dropped, they will cease to be anomalies; thus, "My knife isof theworthofa shilling;" "—of theworthofhim," &c. "He has been thereforthree times;" as we say, "I was unwellforthree days, after I arrived;" or, "I was unwell three days." Thus it appears, that by tracing back,fora few centuries, what the merely modern English scholar supposes to be an anomaly, an ellipsis will frequently be discovered, which, when supplied, destroys the anomaly.
On extreme points, and peculiar and varying constructions in a living language, the most able philologists can never be agreed; because many usages will always be unsettled and fluctuating, and will, consequently, be disposed of according to the caprice of the grammarian. By some, a sentence may be treated as an anomaly; by others who contend for, and supply, an ellipsis, the same sentence may be analyzed according to the ellipsis supplied; whilst others, who deny both the elliptical and anomalous character of the sentence, construct a rule by which to analyze it, which rule has for its foundation the principle contained in that sentence only. This last mode of procedure, inasmuch as it requires us to make a rule for every peculiar construction in the language, appears to me to be the most exceptionable of the three. It appears to be multiplying rules beyond the bounds of utility.
The verbs,cost, weighs, andmeasures, in the 6th, 7th, and 8th examples, may be considered as transitive. See remarks onresemble, have, own, &c., page 56.
"Ahme!nor hope nor life remains.""Memiserable! which way shall I fly?"
"Ohappiness!our being's end and aim!Good, pleasure, ease, content! whatever thy name,That something still which prompts th' eternal sigh.For which we bear to live, or dare to die."—
The verblet, in the idiomatic examples under number 1, has no nominative specified, and is left applicable to a nominative of the first, second, or third person, and of either number. Every action necessarily depends on an agent or moving cause; and hence it follows, that the verb, in such constructions, has a nominative understood; but as that nominative is not particularlypointed out, the constructions may be considered anomalous.Instead of saying, "Letit [to] be enacted;" or, "Itisorshallbe enacted;" "Lethim [to] be blessed;" or, "Heshallbe blessed;" "Let usturn to survey," &c.; the verbs,be enacted, be blessed, turn, &c. according to an idiom of our language, or the poet's license, are used in theimperative, agreeing with a nominative of the first or third person.The phrases,methinksandmethought, are anomalies, in which the objective pronounme, in thefirstperson, is used in place of a nominative, and takes a verb after it in thethirdperson.Himwas anciently used in the same manner; as, "him thute, him thought." There was a period when these constructions were not anomalies in our language. Formerly, what we call theobjectivecases of our pronouns, were employed in the same manner as our presentnominativesare.Agois a contraction ofagone, the past part. of togo. Before this participle was contracted to an adverb, the nounyearspreceding it, was in the nominative case absolute; but now the construction amounts to an anomaly. The expressions, "generally speaking," and "considering their means," under number 4, are idiomatical and anomalous, the subjects to the participles not being specified.According to the genius of the English language, transitive verbs and prepositions require theobjectivecase of a noun or pronoun after them; and this requisition is all that is meant by government, when we say, that these parts of speech govern the objective case. See pages 52, 57, and 94. The same principle applies to the interjection. Interjections require theobjectivecase of a pronoun of the first person after them; but thenominativeof a noun or pronoun of the second or third person; as, "Ahme!Ohthou!O mycountry!" To say, then, that interjectionsrequireparticular cases after them, is synonymous with saying, that theygovernthose cases; and this office of the interjection is in perfect accordance with that which it performs in the Latin and many other languages. In the examples under number 5, the firstmeis in the objective after "ah," and the secondme, afterahunderstood; thus, "Ah miserable me!" according to NOTE 2, under Rule 5.—Happiness, under number 6, is nom. independent; Rule 5, or in the nom. afterO, according to this Note. The principle contained in the note, proves that every noun of the second person is in thenominativecase; for, as the pronoun of the second person, in such a situation, is always nominative, which is shown by itsform, it logically follows that the noun, under such circumstances, although it hasno formto show its case, must necessarily be in the same case as the pronoun. "Good, pleasure, ease, content,that," the antecedent part of "whatever," andwhich, the relative part, are nom. afterartunderstood; Rule 21, andnameis nom. tobeunderstood.The second line may be rendered thus; Whether thou art good, or whether thou art pleasure, &c. orbethynamethat [thing] which [ever thing] it may be: puttingbein the imperative, agreeing withnamein the third person.Somethingis nominative afterartunderstood.
The verblet, in the idiomatic examples under number 1, has no nominative specified, and is left applicable to a nominative of the first, second, or third person, and of either number. Every action necessarily depends on an agent or moving cause; and hence it follows, that the verb, in such constructions, has a nominative understood; but as that nominative is not particularlypointed out, the constructions may be considered anomalous.
Instead of saying, "Letit [to] be enacted;" or, "Itisorshallbe enacted;" "Lethim [to] be blessed;" or, "Heshallbe blessed;" "Let usturn to survey," &c.; the verbs,be enacted, be blessed, turn, &c. according to an idiom of our language, or the poet's license, are used in theimperative, agreeing with a nominative of the first or third person.
The phrases,methinksandmethought, are anomalies, in which the objective pronounme, in thefirstperson, is used in place of a nominative, and takes a verb after it in thethirdperson.Himwas anciently used in the same manner; as, "him thute, him thought." There was a period when these constructions were not anomalies in our language. Formerly, what we call theobjectivecases of our pronouns, were employed in the same manner as our presentnominativesare.Agois a contraction ofagone, the past part. of togo. Before this participle was contracted to an adverb, the nounyearspreceding it, was in the nominative case absolute; but now the construction amounts to an anomaly. The expressions, "generally speaking," and "considering their means," under number 4, are idiomatical and anomalous, the subjects to the participles not being specified.
According to the genius of the English language, transitive verbs and prepositions require theobjectivecase of a noun or pronoun after them; and this requisition is all that is meant by government, when we say, that these parts of speech govern the objective case. See pages 52, 57, and 94. The same principle applies to the interjection. Interjections require theobjectivecase of a pronoun of the first person after them; but thenominativeof a noun or pronoun of the second or third person; as, "Ahme!Ohthou!O mycountry!" To say, then, that interjectionsrequireparticular cases after them, is synonymous with saying, that theygovernthose cases; and this office of the interjection is in perfect accordance with that which it performs in the Latin and many other languages. In the examples under number 5, the firstmeis in the objective after "ah," and the secondme, afterahunderstood; thus, "Ah miserable me!" according to NOTE 2, under Rule 5.—Happiness, under number 6, is nom. independent; Rule 5, or in the nom. afterO, according to this Note. The principle contained in the note, proves that every noun of the second person is in thenominativecase; for, as the pronoun of the second person, in such a situation, is always nominative, which is shown by itsform, it logically follows that the noun, under such circumstances, although it hasno formto show its case, must necessarily be in the same case as the pronoun. "Good, pleasure, ease, content,that," the antecedent part of "whatever," andwhich, the relative part, are nom. afterartunderstood; Rule 21, andnameis nom. tobeunderstood.
The second line may be rendered thus; Whether thou art good, or whether thou art pleasure, &c. orbethynamethat [thing] which [ever thing] it may be: puttingbein the imperative, agreeing withnamein the third person.Somethingis nominative afterartunderstood.
"All were wellbutthestranger." "I saw nobody but thestranger." "All had returned but he." "None but thebravedeserve the fair." "The thing they can'tbutpurpose, they postpone." "This life, at best, isbuta dream." "It affordsbuta scanty measure of enjoyment." "If hebuttouch the hills, they will smoke." "Man isbuta reed, floating on the current of time."
"Notwithstanding his poverty, he is content."
"Open your handwide." "The apples boilsoft." "The purest clay is that which burnswhite." "Drinkdeep, or taste not the Pierian spring."
"What thoughthe swelling surge thou see?" &c. "What ifthe foot, ordain'd the dust to tread?" &c.
REMARKS.—According to the principle of analysis assumed by many of our most critical philologists,butisalwaysa disjunctive conjunction; and agreeably to the same authorities, to construe it, in any case, as a preposition, would lead to error. See false Syntax under Rule 35. They maintain, that its legitimate and undeviating office is, to join on a member of a sentence whichexpresses opposition of meaning, and thereby forms an exception to, or takes from the universality of, the proposition contained in the preceding member of the sentence. That it sustains its true character as a conjunction in all the examples under number 1, will be shown by the following resolution of them.—"All were well but thestranger [was not well."] "I saw nobody but [I saw] thestranger." "None deserve the fair but thebrave[deserve the fair."] "They postpone the thing which [they ought to do, and do not] butwhich [thing] they cannot avoid purposing to do." "This life, at best, [is not a reality,] butit is a dream. It [affords not unbounded fruition] butit affords a scanty measure of enjoyment." "If hetouchthe hills,but exert no greater power upon them, they will smoke;"—"Ifhe exert no greater power upon the hills, but [be-out this fact] if he touch them, they will smoke." "Manis not a stable being, buthe is a reed, floating on the current of time." This method of analyzing sentences, however, if I mistake not, is too much on the plan of our pretended philosophical writers, who, in their rage for ancient constructions and combinations, often overlook the modern associated meaning and application of this word. It appears to me to be more consistent with themodernuse of the word, to consider it anadverbin constructions like the following: "If hebut (only, merely)touch the hills they will smoke."Exceptandnear, in examples like the following, are generally construed as prepositions: "All wentexcept him;" "She standsnear them." But many contend, that when we employbutinstead ofexcept, in such constructions, anominativeshould follow: "All wentbut he [did not go."] On this point and many others,customisvariable; but the period will doubtless arrive, whenbut, worth, andlike, will be considered prepositions, and, in constructions like the foregoing, invariably be followed by an objective case. This will not be the case, however, until the practice of supplying an ellipsis after these words is entirely dropped.Poverty, under number 2, is governed by the prepositionnotwithstanding, Rule 31. The adjectiveswide, soft, white, anddeep, under number 3, not only express the quality of nouns, but also qualify verbs: Note 4, under Rule 18.—What, in the phrases "what though" and "what if," is an interrogative in the objective case, and governed by the verbmattersunderstood, or by some other verb; thus, "What matters it—what dost thou fear, though thou see the swelling surge?" "What would you think, if the foot, which is ordained to tread the dust, aspired to be the head?"
REMARKS.—According to the principle of analysis assumed by many of our most critical philologists,butisalwaysa disjunctive conjunction; and agreeably to the same authorities, to construe it, in any case, as a preposition, would lead to error. See false Syntax under Rule 35. They maintain, that its legitimate and undeviating office is, to join on a member of a sentence whichexpresses opposition of meaning, and thereby forms an exception to, or takes from the universality of, the proposition contained in the preceding member of the sentence. That it sustains its true character as a conjunction in all the examples under number 1, will be shown by the following resolution of them.—"All were well but thestranger [was not well."] "I saw nobody but [I saw] thestranger." "None deserve the fair but thebrave[deserve the fair."] "They postpone the thing which [they ought to do, and do not] butwhich [thing] they cannot avoid purposing to do." "This life, at best, [is not a reality,] butit is a dream. It [affords not unbounded fruition] butit affords a scanty measure of enjoyment." "If hetouchthe hills,but exert no greater power upon them, they will smoke;"—"Ifhe exert no greater power upon the hills, but [be-out this fact] if he touch them, they will smoke." "Manis not a stable being, buthe is a reed, floating on the current of time." This method of analyzing sentences, however, if I mistake not, is too much on the plan of our pretended philosophical writers, who, in their rage for ancient constructions and combinations, often overlook the modern associated meaning and application of this word. It appears to me to be more consistent with themodernuse of the word, to consider it anadverbin constructions like the following: "If hebut (only, merely)touch the hills they will smoke."
Exceptandnear, in examples like the following, are generally construed as prepositions: "All wentexcept him;" "She standsnear them." But many contend, that when we employbutinstead ofexcept, in such constructions, anominativeshould follow: "All wentbut he [did not go."] On this point and many others,customisvariable; but the period will doubtless arrive, whenbut, worth, andlike, will be considered prepositions, and, in constructions like the foregoing, invariably be followed by an objective case. This will not be the case, however, until the practice of supplying an ellipsis after these words is entirely dropped.
Poverty, under number 2, is governed by the prepositionnotwithstanding, Rule 31. The adjectiveswide, soft, white, anddeep, under number 3, not only express the quality of nouns, but also qualify verbs: Note 4, under Rule 18.—What, in the phrases "what though" and "what if," is an interrogative in the objective case, and governed by the verbmattersunderstood, or by some other verb; thus, "What matters it—what dost thou fear, though thou see the swelling surge?" "What would you think, if the foot, which is ordained to tread the dust, aspired to be the head?"
In the following examples, the same word is used as several parts of speech. But by exercising judgment sufficient to comprehend the meaning, and by supplying what is understood, you will be able to analyze them correctly.
I will now present to you a few examples in poetry. Parsing in poetry, as it brings into requisition a higher degree of mental exertion than parsing in prose, will be found a more delightful and profitable exercise. In this kind of analysis, in order to come at the meaning of the author, you will find it necessary totransposehis language, and supply what is understood; and then you will have the literal meaning in prose.
Eternal Hope! when yonder spheres sublimePealed their first notes to sound the march of time,Thy joyous youth began:—but not to fade.—When all the sister planets have decayed;When wrapt in flames the realms of ether glow,And Heaven's last thunder shakes the world below;Thou, undismay'd, shalt o'er the ruins smile,And light thy torch at Nature's funeral pile!
Eternal Hope! thy joyous youth began when yonder sublime spheres pealed their first notes to sound the march of time:—but it began not to fade.—Thou, undismayed, shalt smile over the ruins, when all the sister planets shall have decayed; and thou shalt light thy torch at Nature's funeral pile, when wrapt in flames, the realms of ether glow, and Heaven's last thunder shakes the world below.
Daughter of heaven, relentless power,Thou tamer of the human breast,Whose iron scourge, and tort'ring hour,The bad affright, afflict the best!The gen'rous spark extinct revive;Teach me to love and to forgive;Exact my own defects to scan:What others are to feel; and know myself a man.
Daughter of heaven, relentless power, thou tamer of the human breast, whose iron scourge and torturing hour affright the bad, and afflict the best! Revive thou in me the generous, extinct spark; and teach thou me to love others, and to forgive them; and teach thou me to scan my own defects exactly, or critically: and teach thou me that which others are to feel; and make thou me to know myself to be a man.
What conscience dictates to be done,Or warns me not to do,This teach me more than hell to shun,That more than heav'n pursue.
O God, teach thou me to pursue that (the thing) which conscience dictates to be done, more ardently than I pursue heaven; and teach thou me to shun this (the thing) which conscience warns me not to do, more cautiously than I would shun hell.
For see, ah! see, while yet her waysWith doubtful step I tread,A hostile world its terrors raise,Its snares delusive spread.O how shall I, with heart prepared,Those terrors learn to meet?How, from the thousand snares to guardMy unexperienced feet?
For see thou, ah! see thou a hostile worldtoraise its terrors, and see thou a hostile worldtospread its delusive snares, while I yet tread her (virtue's) ways with doubtful steps.
O how shall I learn to meet those terrors with a prepared heart? How shall I learn to guard my unexperienced feet from the thousand snares of the world?