member, it marks the agent; in the second, it sub, mits to the government of the preposition; in the third, it represents the possessor; in the fourth, the object of an action; and therefere it must be in the three different cases, correspondent to those offices.

When both the antecedent and the relative become nominatives, each to different verbs, the relative is the nominative to the former, and the antecedent to the latter verb; as, True Philosophy, which is the ornament of our nature, consists more in love of our duty, and the practice of virtue, than in great talents and extensive knowledge.

When the relative pronoun is of the interrogative kind, the noun or pronoun containing the an swer must be in the same case as that which contains the question; as, Whose books are these? They are John's. Who gave them to him? We. Of Whom did you buy them? Of a bookseller. To express the answers at large, we should say, They are John's books. We gave them to him. We bought them of a bookseller. As the relative pronoun, when used interrogatively, refers to the subsequent word or phrase containing the answer to the question, that word or phrase may properly be termed the subsequent to the interrogative.

RULE XXII.

Every adjective, and every pronoun and participle, used adjectively, belong to some nous or pronoun expressed or understood; as,

He is a good as well as a wise man : Few are happy; i. e. few persons are happy: This is a pleasant walk; i. e. this walk is pleasant: He

wrote in a style which was easy and flowing; i. e. which was an easy and flowing style.

The word means, and the phrases, by this means, by that means, are used by our best and most correct writers, in the singular number. They are, indeed in so general and approved use,that it would appear awkward, if not affected, to apply the old singular form, and say, By this mean, by that mean; although it is more agreeable to the general analogy of the language. The word means (says Priestly) belongs to the clase of words, which do not change their termination on account of number; for it is used alike in both numbers.

The word amends is used in this manner in the following sentences: Though he did not succeed, he gained the approbation of his country: and, with this amends, he was content: Peace of mind is an honourable amends for the sacrifices of interest.

The practice of the best and most correct writers or a majority of them, corroborated by general usage forms, during its continuance, the standard of language; especially, if, in particlar instances, this practice continue after objection and due consideration. Every connexion and application of words and phrases, thus supported, must therefore be entitled to respect.

On this principle, many forms of expression, not less deviating from the general analogy of the language than those before mentioned, are to be considered as strictly proper and justifiable.

Of this kind are the following: None of them are varied to express the gender: and yet none originally signified one: He himself shall do the work; here. what was at first appropriated to the

ce

ore!

t

objective, is now properly used as the nominative,

case.

When two persons or things are spoken of in a sentence, and there is occasion to mention them again for the sake of distinction, that is used in reference to the former, and this in reference to the latter as, Self-love, which is the spring of action in the soul, is ruled by reason: but for that, man would be inactive; and but for this, he would be active to no end.

The distributive adjective pronouns, each, every, either, agree with the nouns, pronouns, and verbs, of the singular numbers only; unless the plural noun convey a collective idea; as, Every six month Every hundred years.

The following phrases are exceptionable: Let cach esteem others better than themselves; It ought to be himself: The language should be both perspicuous and correct; in proportion as either of these two qualities are wanting, the language is imperfect; it should be is wanting. Every one of the letters bear regular dates, and contain proofs of attachment; bears a regular date, and contains. Every town and village were burned: Every grove and every tree were cut down; was burned, and was cut down.

Adjectives are sometimes improperly applied as adverbs; as, Indifferent honest; excellent well ; miserable poor. Instead of, Indifferently honest; excellently well; miserably poor. He behaved himself conformable to that great example; conformably. Endeavour to live hereafter suitable to a person in thy situation; suitably, I can never think so very mean of him; meanly. He describes this river agreeable to the common reading: agreeably. The adjective pronoun such is often

misapplied; as, He was such an extravagant young man, that he spent his whole patrimony in a few years; It should be, so extravagant a young man. I never before saw such large trees; saw trees so large. When we refer to the species or nature of a thing, the word such is properly used; as, Such a temper is seldom found; but when degrees is signified, we use the word so; as, So bad a temper is seldom found.

Adverbs are likewise improperly used as adjectives; as, The tutor addressed him in terms rather warm, but suitably to his offence; suitable. They were seen wandering about solitarily and distressed; solitary. He lived in a manner agreeably to the dictates of reason and religion? agreeable. The study of syntax should be previously to that of punctuation; previous.

It is sometimes difficult to determine whether an adjective or an adverb ought to be used. It may be of use to the learner to observe that the verb to be in all its moods and tenses generally requires the word immediately connected with it to be au adjective? consequently when the verb to be can be subsituted for any other, without varying the construction, or essentially varying the mending, the verb thus capable of being changed, must also be connected with an adjective. The following are examples of this nature: He feels warm? (he is warm :) She lives free from care? (she is, &c. :) They now appear happy; (they now are happy) He has grown bold in sin; (he is bold &c.) How deligtful the country appears; (is: How pleasant the fields look; (are) the apple t ass sour: (is sour.) In all these sentences we can easily substitute some of the variations of the

E

verb to be for the other verbs. But these same verbs are so constructed that we cannot do this: and consequently are followed by an adverb: as, He feels warmly the insult offered him: She lives freely at another's expense: How happily they appear to live? He has grown sincerely virtu

ous.

The rule to which these illustrations have reference, it is hoped, will be found useful, although it is not to be considered as of universal application. Anomilies in language must often be encountered.

Adjectives that have in themselves a superlative signification, do not properly admit of the superlative or comparative form superadded:such as, Chief, extreme, perfect, right, universal, supreme, &c. which are sometimes improperly written, Chiefest, extremest, perfectest, rightest, most universal, most supreme.

Inaccuracies are often found in the way in which the degrees of comparison are applied and constructed. The following are examples of wrong construction in this respect: This noble nation hath, of all others, admitted fewer corruptions.The word fewer is here construed precisely as if it were the superlative. It should be, This noble nation hath admitted fewer corruptions than any other. We commonly say, This is the weaker of the two or, The weakest of the two: but the former is the regular mode of expression, because there are only two things compared.

A substantive with its adjective is sometimes reckoned as one compound word, whence, they often take another adjective and sometimes a third,and so on: as, An old man: a good old man : a very learned, judicious, good old man.