modify nouns and verbs. (5) It will be found presently that nouns not only perform the function of expressing the subjects, or leading part of the subjects of propositions, but are also largely employed for the purpose of modifying or completing the subjects and the predicates of propositions. (6) When, in addition to this, we consider that the verb is the predicate with an assumed assertive form, and that the predicate itself is a noun of a particular kind (see § 27), we may judge how largely nouns figure in the formation of propositions, and (what is nearly the same thing) in constituting discourse.

To present the names and definitions of all the parts of speech to the young learner at this stage of his progress, appears to us injudicious, and is inconsistent with our plan. These strange names and definitions cannot but appear unmeaning and repulsive till the want of them is felt, till the pupil has occasion to employ them to facilitate his progress. To burden the memory with unknown terms, and definitions as yet incomprehensible, is needlessly to render the study of grammar disgusting to the youthful mind. In conformity with these views, we shall confine our attention, for some time to come, exclusively to the two important classes of words already presented-the nouns and the verbs.

The noun we proceed to consider first, and for the present, only in its main function of subject noun. The manner of distinguishing nouns from other words; the classification of nouns so far as it appears important for grammatical purposes; and the modifications of form to which they are subjected, whilst employed as subject nouns, must come briefly under our notice. Our attention must also be incidentally directed to another class of words serving to modify nouns, namely, determinative adjectives, as without reference to these, some of the peculiar uses of nouns cannot be fully explained. For more extended discussion of these points, we must refer the reader to § 91; and Additional Observations on Determinative Adjectives,

158.

are other words, besides the subject noun and verb, employed in propositions? (5) What other functions do nouns perform in the construction of propositions besides that of subject noun? (6) Is the noun, besides this, a constituent part of verbs? Yes; all verbs may be considered as nouns (of a particular class) with an assertive form.]

CHAPTER II.

OF NOUNS.

DEFINITION OF NOUNS.-CLASSIFICATION OF NOUNS.-MODIFICATION OF THE FORM OF THE SUBJECT NOUN TO EXPRESS PLURALITY.

§ 20. [(1) A complete definition of nouns ought to embrace all the functions which they perform in discourse. (2) But as a full definition of this sort would be unmanageable in practice on account of its length, we substitute for the present one embracing only the great distinguishing function of nouns. This definition follows naturally, and will be easily understood from what we have said in the preceding chapter.]

(3) Nouns are words which express the subjects of propositions. Any single word which, without another sign implied, customarily serves to represent the subject, or the leading part of the subject of a proposition, is to be classed as a noun. (4) This definition will include all names of persons, places, things, notions or conceptions of the human mind, of which we ever have occasion to make an assertion-to say any thing. (5) When words, not commonly used or recognized as nouns, serve to express the subjects of propositions, they are said to be employed substantively; they perform on such occasions the functions of nouns. Whatever may be their more common use, and their generally received name and classification, they are, for the time, nouns, and, in the analysis of language, must be considered and treated as nouns. (6) A phrase or an entire proposition sometimes serves as the subject of another proposition, and is then said to be used substantively—that is, em

$20. [(1) What should a complete definition of nouns embrace? (2) State the objeotion to a complete definition.]

(3) Give a definition embracing the main function of nouns. (4) What will this defini tion include? (5) What is meant by words employed substantively?

(6) What is meant by a phrase, or a proposition being used substantively?

ployed as a noun. (7) For example, TO SEE THE SUN is pleasant. The subject of this proposition is the phrase, ". To see the sun." Being pleasant is asserted of that which this phrase expresses. Again, in the proposition, That vanity is ridiculous is generally admitted, the subject of the main proposition is, "Vanity is ridiculous," which words themselves form a complete proposition, because they contain an assertion.

(8) It will be observed that we have here used the term phrase, to designate a regularly arranged combination of words, which does not constitute a complete proposition, or express an assertion. We may sometimes find occasion to use this term again, in the same

sense.

21. In making the assertion that all words, which, singly employed, express the subject of an assertion, are nouns, we contemplate words only, as used for the proper purpose which they are designed to serve in language, namely, as signs of thought. Every word whatever, or even any syllable or letter of a word, when employed merely to indicate the spoken or written sign itself, and not that which it usually signifies, may serve as the subject of a proposition. Thus we may say of the verb think considered merely as a vocable or word, Think is a verb; think is a word of one syllable; think is a word expressed in writing by five letters, &c. But the word think, employed alone, and as significant of what it usually indicates, cannot be made the subject noun of any proposition. We can neither say that think (with its proper significance) is, or that think does any thing.*

When a word is used in grammatical and philological discussions,

We have used the limitation, "employed alone," because, if we place the little particle to before think, it becomes what we shall call a verbal noun, and may be used as the subject, or leading part of the subject, of an assertive proposition; as, To think correctly is a rare accomplishment. Here, To think correctly is the subject of the proposition, and To think the leading part of the subject, to which "correctly" is superadded as a modification. Again, a proposition, of which think is the verb, might be employed as subject of another proposition; as, That William thinks his brother to be wrong, is well known to his intimate friends. Here the proposition, "William thinks his brother to be wrong," is used substantively, and, as subject of the assertion," is well known to his intimate friends."

(7) Give examples.

(8) What is the difference between a phrase and a proposition?

not as the sign of the conception which it usually indicates, but, as above, to represent the sign or word itself, it is said to be taken or employed materialiter or technically. Employed in this way, every word becomes for the time a noun, that is, the name of itself, the name of the uttered or written sign, not of that which it has been invented to represent.

We are not to be understood as asserting universally that every single word, entitled to the name of noun, is capable of serving as the subject noun of a proposition. A word which performs any of the functions (to be enumerated hereafter) peculiar to nouns, must be classed among nouns. For example, we would class the word while among nouns (though in modern English it is never used, and could not now with propriety be used, as the subject noun of a proposition), because it manifestly performs the function of a noun in completing the predicates of certain propositions: as, He remained a while, I will come after a while, &c. When a subject noun, of the same meaning with while, is wanted, we employ the word time. That while serves not as a subject noun, is to be attributed to a rare accident in language.

A full definition of nouns, as we have already said, ought to embrace all the functions which they perform in discourse. The definition above given we do not offer as complete, but as sufficient for the learner's guidance in distinguishing nouns. There are very few nouns, indeed, which cannot be readily ascertained to be such by the test we have adopted; and if they cannot, it is only because, like the word while, they have fallen into disuse in their prominent function of serving as subjects of propositions, and, in this respect, have given place to some more modern term.

§ 22. When the learner meets a word manifestly intended to express the subject of an assertion, or the leading part of the subjectthat part which all the words making up the complete subject regard, modify, limit or describe-he can have no room to doubt what he should call it. It is a noun, or a word or combination of words, for the time used as a noun. Whether a word, employed for a different purpose from that of subject noun, is a noun, may be readily ascertained, in nearly all cases, by trying whether it can serve as the subject noun of a proposition, or, in other words, by trying whether an assertion can be made in regard to that which it expresses-whether it can be said of it, that it is, or is not something, or that it does, or does not do something.*

* A practical rule, commonly given for the purpose of distinguishing

The rule to determine whether a word is to be classed among nouns may be given in the following brief form: (1) Every word which, alone and without any word implied, expresses what can be made the subject or leading part of the subject of a proposition or assertion, is a noun.

*

EXERCISE. Let the learner point out the nouns in the following passage, and show that the test given in the above rule applies to each of them :

"Columbus was not ignorant of the mutinous disposition of his crew, but he still maintained a serene and steady countenance; soothing some with gentle words; endeavoring to stimulate the pride or avarice of others, and openly menacing the refractory with signal punishment, should they do any thing to impede the voyage."

MODEL OF EXAMINATION.-Point out the first noun in this passage. Ans. Columbus.-How do you ascertain that Columbus is a noun? Ans. From the fact that it expresses the subject of the proposition, "Columbus was not ignorant," &c.-Point out the next noun in the passage. Ans. "Disposition."-Why class this as a noun? Ans. Because it will serve to express the leading part of the subject, or, in other words, serves as subject noun, for example, in the following proposition, The disposition of his crew was mutinous. "Crew" is a noun; we can say, The crew was mutinous, &c. In the next proposition, He nouns, is, to try whether they will make sense when united with a determinative or descriptive adjective-classes of words which we shall come to consider hereafter-in other words, to try whether they admit of being modified by these classes of words. This rule, besides the objection that it is indirect and mechanical, fails in regard of at least one large class of words now recognized by the best grammarians as nouns, viz., those words which have usually been called the infinitives of verbs; and it applies very clumsily to many proper names of persons, places, &c. It will exercise the rational powers of the learner to much better purpose to apply the test, Is this word the subject noun of the proposition which I am analyzing, or, if not, can i (stripped, if necessary, of case ending or inflexion) be made the subject nour. of some other proposition—that is, can any thing be asserted of it?

*The learner will find afterward that for some purposes nouns take cer tain inflexions, of which they must be stripped before they can serve as sub ject nouns. This fact will, in the end, present little difficulty, and it is unne cessary, at this point of our progress, to perplex the pupil by embracing it i our rule.

22. (1) Repeat the rule to determine whether a given word is a noun