Imatges de pàgina
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RULE IX.

The article a or an agrees with nouns in the singular number only, individually or collectively as "A Christian, an Infidel, a score, a thousand.”

The definite article the may agree with nouns in the singular or plural number; as, "the garden, the houses, the stars."

The articles are often properly omitted; when used, they should be justly applied, according to the distinct nature; as, "Gold is corrupting; The sea is green; A lion is bold."

RULE X.

One substantive governs another signifying a different thing, in the possessive or genitive case as, "My father's house;" "Man's happiness;" "Virtue's reward."

RULE XI.

Active verbs govern the objective case} as, "Truth ennobles her," She comforts me;" "They support us;" "Virtue rewards her followers."

RULE XII.

One verb governs another that follows it, or depends upon it, in the infinitive mood as, "Cease to do evil; learn to do well;" "We should be prepared to render an account of our actions."

The preposition to, though generally used before the latter verb, is sometimes properly omitted; as" I heard him say it ;" instead of," to say it."

RULE XIII.

In the use of words and phrases which, in point of time, relate to each other, a due regard to that relation should be observed. Instead of saying, "The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away;" we should say; "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away." Instead of "I remember the family more than twenty years ;" it should be," I have remembered the family more than twenty years."

RULE XIV.

Participles have the same government as the verbs have from which they are derived as, "I am weary with hearing him;" She is instructing us," "The tutor is admonishing Charles."

RULE XV.

Adverbs, though they have no government of case, tense, &c. require an appropriate situation in the sentence, viz. for the most part before adjectives, after verbs active or neuter, and frequently between the auxiliary and the verb: as, "He made a very sensible discourse; he spoke unaffectedly and forcibly; and was attentively heard by the whole assembly."

RULE XVI.

Two negatives, in English, destroy one another, or are equivalent to an affirmative; as, "Nor did they not perceive him;" that is, "they did perceive him." "His language, though inelegant, is not ungrammatisal; that is, "it is grammatical."

RULE XVII.

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Prepositions govern the objective case as, "I have heard a good character of her "From him that is needy turn not away "A word to the wise is sufficient for them;" "We may be good and happy without rich

es.'

RULE XVIII.

Conjunctions connect the same moods and tenses of verbs, and cases of nouns and

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pronouns : as, "Candour is to be approved und practised;" "If thou sincerely decire and earnestly pursue virtue, she will assuredly be found by thee and prove a rich reward;" "The master taught her and me to write ;" "He and she were school-fellows.".

RULE XIX.

Some conjunctions require the indicative, some the subjunctive mood, after them. It is a general rule, that, when something contingent or doubtful is implied, the subjunctive ought to be used: as, "If I were to write, he would not regard it ;"" he will not be pardoned, unless he repent."

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Conjunctions that are of a positive and abcolate nature require the indicative mood. As virtue advances so vice recedes," "He is healthy because he is temperate.”

RULE XX.

When the qualities of different things are compared, the latter noun or pronoun is not governed by the conjunction (hun or as,

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but agrees with the verb, or is governed by the verb or the preposition, expressed or understood; as, Thou art wiser than I;" that is," than I am." They loved him more than me;" i. e. "more than they loved me; "The sentiment is well expressed by Plato, but much better by Solomon than him ;" that is "than by him."

RULE XXI.

To avoid disagreeable repetitions and to express our ideas in a few words, an elipses, or omission of some words, is frequently admitted. Instead of saying, "He was a learned man, he was a wise man, and he was a good man ;" we use the elipses and say, "he was a learned,wise and good man."

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When the omission of words would obscure the sentence, weaken its force, or be attended with an impropriety, they must be expressed. In the sentence, "We are apt to love who love us," the word them should be supplied. A beautiful field and trees," is not proper language. It should be, "Beautiful fields and trees," or "A beautiful field and fine trees."

RULE XXII.

All the parts of a sentence should correspond to each other: a regular and dependdant construction throughout should be carefully preserved. The following sentence is therefore inaccurate: "He was more beloved, but not so much admired, as Cinthio."

More requires than afterit,which is no where found in the sentence. It should be, "He

was more beloved than Cinthio, but not so much admired."

PROSODY.

PROSEDY consists of two parts: the former teaches the true pronunciation of words, comprising ACCENT, QUANTITY, EMPHA~ $13, PAUSE, and TONE, and the latter, the laws of VERSIFICATION.

ACCENT.

Accent is the laying of peculiar stress of the voice on a certain letter or syllable in a word, that it may be better heard than the rest or distinguished from them: as in the word presume, the stress of the voice must be on the letter v, and second syllable, sume, which take the accent.

QUANTITY.

The quantity of a syllable is that which is occupied in pronouncing it. Is is considered as long or short

A vowel or syllable is long, when the accent-is on the vowel; which occasions it to be slower joined in pronunciation, to the following letter: as, "Fall, bale, mood, hönse, feature "

A syllable is short, when the accent is on .the consonant which occasions the vowel

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