the first person, rather than the second, and in the second rather than the third. p. 131.

NOTE 7. When a verb comes between two nominatives of different numbers, either of which may be the subject of the affirmation, it may agree with either, according to the sense. p. 132.

NOTE 8. A collective noun conveying unity of idea, must have a verb in the singular; but if it conveys plurality of idea, the verb must be in the plural. p. 132.

NOTE 9. In some cases the imperative verb is used without a definite nominative. p. 133.

NOTE 10. In asserting a present uncertainty, the verb in the subjunctive, should have the indicative form. p. 134.

RULE III.

Adjectives belong to the names of the things which they describe. p. 136.

NOTE 1. Adjectives sometimes belong to pronouns or substitutes. p. 136.

NOTE 2. Adjectives sometimes belong to verbs. p. 137.

NOTE 3. Adjectives sometimes belong to clauses or sentences. p. 138.

NOTE 4. Adjectives sometimes qualify the meaning of nouns, only as the effects of the verbs that agree with them. p. 140. NOTE 5. Adjectives sometimes belong to other adjectives. p. 141.

NOTE 6.

Adjectives sometimes belong to adverbs. p. 143. Definitive adjectives and numerals must agree with the nouns to which they belong, in number. p. 144.

NOTE 7.

NOTE 8. Nouns must agree, in number, with their definitives and numerals. p. 144.

RULE IV.

The relation of property requires the name or pronoun of the owner to be in the possessive case. p. 145.

RULE V.

When an address is made, the name of the person or thing addressed, is in the nominative case independent. p. 147.

RULE VI.

A noun or pronoun placed with a participle, independent of the rest of the sentence, is in the nominative case absolute. p. 148.

RULE VII.

Two or more nouns, or nouns and pronouns signifying the same thing, without an intervening verò, are put by opposition in the same case. p. 149.

RULE VIII.

Intransitive verbs, and some transitive verbs in the passive voice, have the same case after them as before them, when both words signify the same thing. p. 150.

RULE IX.

Transitive verbs, in the active voice, govern the objective case. Prepositions govern the objective case.

p. 151. NOTE 1. Verbs of giving, asking, teaching, and some others often govern two objectives. p. 152.

NOTE 2. Verbs in the passive voice, of giving, asking, teaching, and some others, govern the objective case.

p. 153. NOTE 3. The pronoun of the first person, singular, is put in the objective case after an interjection. p. 154.

NOTE 4. Names signifying duration, extension, quantity, quality and valuation, are often used in the objective case, without a governing word. p. 154.

NOTE 5. Home, way, north, east, and some other words of similar meaning, are often put in the objective case, without a governing word. p. 155.

NOTE 6. Transitive verbs, in the active voice, often take clauses or sentences after them. p. 155.

NOTE 7. Prepositions often take clauses or sentences after them. p. 156.

RULE X.

A verb in the infinitive mode may be governed by any word on which it depends. p. 157.

NOTE 1. A verb in the infinitive mode may be governed by a clause or sentence. p. 158.

NOTE 2. The infinitive is used without the sign to after the verbs bid, dare, hear, feel, see, let, make, &c. p. 159.

NOTE 3. The infinitive is sometimes independent. p. 159. RULE XI.

Participles refer to nouns and pronouns. p. 160.

NOTE 1.

161.

NOTE 2. p. 161.

Participles often refer to clauses or sentences. p.

Participles often stand without a name or clause.

RULE XII.

Pronouns must agree with the nouns for which they stand, in person and number. p. 163.

RULE XIII.

Adverbs belong to verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. p. 164. NOTE 1. Two negatives in the same simple sentence, destroy each other, and are equivalent to an affirmative. p. 165. NOTE 2. Adverbs sometimes belong to prepositions. p. 165.

RULE XIV.

Words connected by a conjunction, must be similar, and they usually have the same construction. p. 168.

RULE XV.

Ellipses should often be admitted, but not allowed to obscure the sense, nor weaken the force. p. 169.

RULE XVI.

When extent and duration are connected, in the same simple sentence, the extent should be placed before the duration. p. 170.

PUNCTUATION.

PUNCTUATION is the dividing of written composition, by points or stops, into such sentences, or parts, as the sense and grammatical construction require.

A period is a complete sentence, constituting a perfect proposition, and is generally unconnected, in construction, with what follows. The pause, at the close of a period, is distinguished by the same name, and in speaking is distinguished by a cadence, or fall of the voice.

The members of a period, or clauses and phrases which constitute the proposition, are more or less connected in sense and construction, and are distinguished accordingly by a comma, a semicolon, or a colon.

COMMA.

The comma, being the shortest pause, is often used to indicate the construction, where very little interruption of voice is allowable. In the use of the comma, much depends upon the meaning of the author.

RULE 1. In general there should be no pause between the parts of a simple sentence, unless it is very long: then it should be separated into parts by the comma; as, "No state of life is exempt from trouble." "The good taste of the present age, has not allowed us to neglect the cultivation of the English language."

The learner should write exercises on each rule, as he proceeds.

RULE 2. When a word is understood, the place should be marked by a comma; as, “The husband, wife, and children, suffered extremely."

(177)

RULE 3. Two or more simple sentences, closely connected, should be separated by a comma; as, "When our vices leave us, we flatter ourselves we leave them."

RULE 4. The nominative case independent, and absolute, and all detached adjuncts, affirmations and phrases involved in sentences, and other important clauses, must be separated from the other parts of the sentence by a comma; as, "My son, hear the counsels of thy father." "Providence has, I think, displayed a tenderness for mankind." "The envoy has returned, his business being accomplished." "Plutarch calls lying, the vice of slaves."

RULE 5. Contrast, antithesis, or remarkable points, in a sentence, even where the dependence, in construction, is very close, should be marked by the comma; as,

"Tho' deep, yet clear; tho' gentle, yet not dull;
Strong, without rage; without overflowing, full."

"A good man will love himself too well to lose, and his neighbor too well to win, an estate by gaming."

RULE 6. Modifying words and phrases, as however, nay, hence, in short, at least, finally, &c. should be separated by the comma; as, "It is, however, the task of criticism to establish principles."

SEMICOLON.

The semicolon is used to mark a longer pause then that represented by the comma.

RULE 1. When a member of a sentence contains a complete proposition, and is followed by a clause expressing an inference, or explanation, they must be separated by the semicolon; as, "The path of truth is a plain and safe path; that of falsehood, a perplexing maze."

RULE 2. When several short sentences follow each other, having only a slight connection in idea, they should be separated by the semicolon; as, "The epic poem recites the exploits of a hero; tragedy represents a disastrous event; comedy ridicules the vices and follies of mankind; pastoral poetry describes rural life; and elegy displays the tender emotions of the heart.”

COLON.

When a member of a sentence is complete, so as to admit of a full stop, but a clause is added by way of illustration, they should be separated by a colon; as, "Study to acquire a habit of thinking: no study is more important."