In the Latin and Greek languages, and in the AngloSaxon also, we meet with true impersonals * ; but the existence of such verbs in the present English may be doubted.

11. The pronoun it must be supplied as nominative in the customary expression, " If you please;" for you is the objective governed by please.

The sentence," He can go if he please," properly signifies, “He can go if he please another;" when the sense intended is, "He can go if he choose," we should say, "He can go if it please him;" the auxiliary verb shall being understood. t

12. EXERCISES. ‡

، Now tread we a measure," said young Lochinvar. Scott.
The night winds sigh, the breakers roar,
And shrieks the wild sea-mew. Byron.

To do aught good never will be our task.

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Milton.

May Heaven requite you," replied the stranger,

pity to a poor orphan." Mackenzie.

obsolescent.

" for your

Thinks, in this instance, is from the Anglo-Saxon thincan, "to seem," which must not be confounded with thencan, "to think.” * Thus, in Latin, Penitet me sceleris - it repents me of the wickedness, and in Anglo-Saxon, Ne ge-wearth unc with aénne pening? — was it not agreed by us two for one penny?

It is probable that such phraseology as

"Give it to who you please" is grammatically more correct than "Give it to whom you please;" for it seems to mean Give it to the one who may please you;" otherwise, the signification is " Give it to the one to whom it may please you to give it."

With the verb please may be compared the verb like, which originally signified to please, but now means to be pleased with. Thus, in Shakspeare's Othello, we find Cassio saying, “I'll do it, but it dislikes me," that is, displeases me.

The Exercises appended to the several chapters of Supplementary Syntax may be found too numerous, in which case the teacher may allow the easier words of a sentence to be omitted in the parsing, and direct attention chiefly to those which are connected with the observations.

"Great is Diana of the Ephesians!"—is a collocation of words which vividly expresses the impetuous ardour of an excited and clamorous mob. M'Culloch.

The Lacedæmonians could not have shown greater alacrity, had it been their own territory that was in danger. Gillies.

There are a vast number of questions in respect to points of general grammar. Latham.

Is there a heart that music cannot melt?

Alas! how is that rugged heart forlorn! Beattie.

Neither William nor his peers were ignorant of the fact. Gleig. The prosperity of no empire, the grandeur of no king, can so agreeably affect in the reading. Burke.

Here stand a pair of honourable men. Shakspeare.

It seems now to be generally agreed, that cannon were used, for the first time, by English troops at the battle of Cressy. Gleig. Simply to be remembered is no advantage; it is a privilege which satire, as well as panegyric, can confer. Johnson.

Then shook the hills, with thunder riven. Campbell.
Were ne'er prophetic sounds so full of woe.

Collins.

There is something captivating in spirit and intrepidity, to which we often yield as to a resistless power; nor can he reasonably expect the confidence of others, who too apparently distrusts himself. Johnson.

Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son,

It should be thus with him. Shakspeare.

Bear witness, Greece, thy living page. Byron.

Heaven forgive me, and ever bless your Highness! Shakspeare. Every herb, and shrub, and tree, was different from those which flourished in Europe. Robertson.

If after every tempest come such calms,

May the winds blow till they have wakened death.

Shakspeare.

Logon himself, with the residue of his company, was taken.

Southey.

Let no man anticipate uncertain profits. Johnson.
Yielding to immoral pleasure corrupts the mind; living to

animal and trifling ones debases it. Johnson.

F

To penetrate the bowels of the earth and to refine the rude ore, were operations too complicated and laborious. Robertson.

Could I gather from the wave-worn store

Enough for my

rude boat, where could I steer?

There woos no home nor hope. Byron.

To fear no eye and to suspect no tongue, is the great prerogative of innocence. Johnson.

That you have wronged me, doth appear in this. Shakspeare. He judged from the glances of the Queen, that Varney's communications, be they what they might, were operating in his favour.

Scott.

The end and the reward of toil is rest. Beattie. Consolation or comfort are words which signify some alleviation of that pain to which it is not in our power to afford the proper and adequate remedy. Johnson.

Your edicts some reclaim from sins,

But most your life and blest example wins. Dryden. We have seen the humility of the Syrophonician suppliant; let us next consider her firmness. Horsley.

One or two of the comedies of Cervantes have obtained some praise. Hallam.

To call me to your senate, I'll deliver
Myself your loyal servant, or endure

Your heaviest censure. Shakspeare.

At this time a son and heir was born. The messenger has not returned; that is strange. Halcyon days is a poetical expression. It is close upon dinner time. The crew, which consisted of ninety men, were not to be so easily satisfied. Collecting antiquities is my favourite pursuit. How is it with our general? We should have gone, had it not rained so heavily. Misc.

CHAP. II.

THE ADJECTIVE.

1. Ir very frequently happens that an adjective, though grammatically qualifying the subject of a verb, does not form part of the logical subject, but is attributed by the verb, and forms part of the predicate; as "The meadows look cheerful;" "You grow old;" "He is forsaken;" "The birds are singing;" "To return was necessary."

Similarly; an adjective, though grammatically qualifying the object of a verb, may sometimes not form part of the logical object, but being attributed by the verb, or describing an effect of it, form a part of the predicate antecedent to the direct object. Thus, "He painted the boards black," and "He painted the black boards," are not assertions of the same import; in the former, painted black is the transitive part of the predicate; in the latter, painted. Compare Open thy mouth wide;" "I saw the goods removed."

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Priestley notices the ambiguity of the expression "I went to see the child dressed;" where the participial adjective dressed may be either in the object or in the predicate, either directly or indirectly qualifying

child.

An adjective, qualifying the object of a preposition, sometimes expresses a quality which is the effect of the preposition, and then the adjective naturally follows the noun or pronoun; as, "He stood with his arms folded."

2. It is commonly recommended that adjectives be not used as adverbs. Generally, this should be followed when the adjective has an adverbial derivative; it would be improper, for example, instead of "He spoke sensibly," to say, "He spoke sensible." In poetry, however, the use of an adjective for an adverb is very common; thus Milton speaks of "The monarch winning cheap the high repute."

3. Sometimes one adjective qualifies another, in which case the two may be treated as one compound adjective; as in the expressions "Dark brown silk;" "A narrownecked bottle."

Sometimes an adjective qualifies the combined significations of a noun and adjective; as, "An excellent young man;" — the combination young man forming a compound

noun.

Two adjectives do not severally qualify a noun, in logical parsing, unless they admit a conjunction between them. Thus, "A prudent, thoughtful man" signifies "A prudent and thoughtful man.”

4. It was formerly remarked, that between an adjective and its noun there should be congruity of numerical sense. This propriety may seem to be violated in the expression "Every six months;" but the explanatory extension "Every period of six months," or the consideration that six months may be accounted a distributive numeral denoting one period, may warrant such phraseology. It seems objectionable, however, to say, "I have waited this two hours," instead of these two hours.

5. The chief distinction of meaning between the comparative and superlative degrees of an adjective is, that the latter denotes selection, whereas the former denotes contrast or opposition. Accordingly, it is not always improper to use the superlative in distinguishing one object or set of objects from another. We may say either "This volume is dearer thun the other," or, "This volume is the dearest of the two, or the dearer of the two."*

:-"So

The selection implied by the superlative, and contrast implied by the comparative, render inadmissible such language as the following: crates was the wisest of all the other Athenians;' "Socrates was wiser than all the Athenians; " " Adam, the goodliest man of men since born his sons, the fairest of her daughters, Eve.". Milton, P. L. book iv.

*The superlative is often more agreeable to the ear; nor is the sense injured. In many cases a strict adherence to the comparative form renders the language too stiff and formal." Lennie's Gram. p. 104.