employed originally by after-thought, to explain a proposition already completed. (See Note d.) For example, This bale is one hundred pounds WEIGHT. Here we might supply the words as to, or in or by. This would make a very clumsy as well as finical expression-such as, we suspect, our early straightforward forefathers never employed. We suppose that the word weight was added by after-thought, as we have said, to explain that pounds by weight, not pounds sterling, were meant. The difference between these two kinds of pounds is of ancient date in our financial history.

Begin.

CHAPTER VI.

OF ADJECTIVES.

§ 85. (1) We pass now from that class of modifications which consists wholly or partly of nouns to those which are effected by words, invented and employed exclusively for the purpose of modification—of completing the noun and the verb. Here the adjec

tives claim our first attention.

OF ADJECTIVES.

(2) The adjectives rank next to the nouns and verbs in importance. (3) They have received the name of ADJECTIVE, because they are intended for the purpose of being ADJECTED, or added to a principal word to determine, limit, describe, or qualify it; or, to use the more general expression, which we employ as including all these purposes, to modify it. (4) The adjective may be considered the chief modifier.

(5) We divide the adjectives into two classes, which we shall call descriptive adjectives (des. a.), and determinative adjectives (det. a.). (6) The descriptive adjectives are far the most numerous class, and, besides, the easiest to explain. (7) We shall consider them first, as a knowledge of their use will prepare the way for the better understanding of the determinatives.*

*It will be observed that we have not treated the participles as a distinct class of adjectives. The reason is that, except when employed in forming compound tenses, as already described, and in performing the part of

§ 85. (1) Repeat the introductory remark.

(2) How do the adjectives rank in importance?

(3) Tell the reason assigned for giving this class of words the name ADJECTIVE. (4) How may the adjective be considered?

(5) Into what classes are the adjectives divided? (6) What is said of the descriptive adjectives? (7) What reason is assigned for considering them first?

THE DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES.—(8) The name descriptive is given to this class of words because they describe an object (expressed by the noun to which they are attached as attributives, or of which they are predicated), by some quality or property either attributed to it or asserted of it. (8 a) These words, by some called adjective nouns, are, like the abstract nouns, the names of qualities, properties, attributes of objects, but they are not, like the abstract nouns, employed as the subjects of propositions. (9) To illustrate this by an example, goodness is an abstract noun, the name of a moral quality, and can be employed as the subject of a proposition, Goodness is one of the divine attributes. Or it can be employed in modifying other nouns with the help of a preposition, as, A man of goodness. But good, also the name of the same moral quality, can predicates in contracted accessory propositions to be described hereafter, they differ nothing in their functions from descriptive adjectives. The difference between them and common descriptive adjectives is in meaning. The adjectives express qualities inherent in objects, the participles express actions attributively of which the noun they modify represents either the agent or the recipient or passive object. The participles of that very peculiar (peculiar as to significance) verb to be, may perhaps be regarded as forming an exception.

Participles in many cases become adjectives, when they are used not to express an action, but an inherent attribute. An action indefinitely continued, merges into an inherent attribute. Thus the participle loving, in such phrases as, A loving friend, comes to express an inherent attribute, because the action is capable of indefinite continuance, or, in other words, becomes habitual. Some actions again produce permanent effects, and hence their perfect participles expressing the completion of these effects, come to be used as common adjectives to express acquired inherent qualities. Thus in the phrase, An educated man, a learned man, the words educated and learned are used as common descriptive adjectives, and express permanent though acquired qualities.

What we have described above, we believe to be the true distinction between a participle and a participle adjectively used. The assertion of the old grammarians, that when a participle ceases to indicate time, it becomes an adjective, appears to us incorrect. At all events it cannot apply to English participles, which do not indicate time, but merely the state of the action as completed or incomplete-perfect or imperfect.

(8) Why is the name descriptive given to this class of words?

(8 a) In what are the descriptive adjectives like, and in what unlike, abstract nouns? (9)

only be used adjectively, in connection with a principal word to which it is adjected, which it describes, or modifies.*

(10) It cannot, like the noun goodness, be used as the subject of a proposition. We can assert nothing of it. (11) We find indeed such propositions as, The good alone are happy, but it is obvious that the good is in this proposition an abbreviated expression for good men, good persons, or good people. Either men, or persons, or some noun of similar meaning, is manifestly implied. (12) To assert of what we understand by the term good, considered alone, that it is happy would be absurd. (13) When considered (formally, technically, or materialiter) as a mere word without reference to its meaning, we can employ it as the subject of such propositions as the following: Good is a word of one syllable or of four letters; Good is an adjective; Good expresses a moral quality, &c. (14) But these assertions are made in reference to the word or sign, not in reference to what GOOD denotes. (15) If we wish to make any assertion about the quality expressed by good, we must employ the abstract noun goodness, as the subject of the proposition.

(16) Lest we should be misunderstood, we must call the attention

2

*The adjective is a more brief, compact, complete way of expressing the same thing that is expressed by the noun and preposition. A good man is equivalent to, A man of goodness, and generally speaking, a much more convénient phrase. When we have an adjective to express a quality, it forms the most perfect kind of complement. The adjectives may be regarded as a most artificial contrivance-one of the last results of the refinement of language. The want of a word of this sort to express a quality, is often felt as a serious disadvantage by those who value a compact, terse, and forcible style of writing. For example, we have no adjective to express the attribute sensibility; for sensible does not express this attribute, but one entirely distinct from it. If we wish to speak of a man possessed of this quality, we have to say, A man of sensibility. Such lumbering complements, especially when often repeated, enfeeble style.

Illustrate this by an example. (10) What farther is said of the adjective good? (11) What is said in reference to the good in such an assertion as The good alone are happy? (12) Can we assert any thing of good alone in its proper sense? (13) Repeat the remark in reference to good and similar adjectives considered (materialiter) as mere words. Repeat examples. (14) What is said of the assertions in the examples? (15) What word must we use, when we wish to assert any thing about the quality expressed by good?

(16) What two purposes does the same word sometimes serve? (17) Illustrate by ex

of the learner to the fact, that the same word sometimes serves both as a noun and as an adjective. (17) Thus cold is used as a noun, when we say, The COLD is excessive; but as an adjective, when we say, COLD weather often injures tender plants. (18) In such cases, it is by the function which the word performs, that we distinguish the noun from the adjective. (19) The discrimination is easily made. (20) It may appear more difficult to draw an exact line of distinction between words which are sometimes substantives and sometimes adjectives, and those nouns which are adjectively used. (21) The noun adjectively used, is generally employed only in certain set forms of expression, and serves most frequently to express, in an abbreviated manner, some modification which nouns and not adjectives are employed to effect. (See § 70.) (22) If it should be doubtful, in some cases, whether we should say of a certain modification, that it consists of a noun adjectively employed, or that the word which forms this modification is a word of double sense or double function, sometimes noun, sometimes adjective, it is a matter of small importance, since the two kinds of modification, in many instances, and especially in such doubtful instances, are almost, if not altogether, equivalent. (23) Those words which are both nouns and adjectives, generally occur so frequently in the adjective sense, as to preclude all doubt as to the course to be pursued in regard to them. They are not very numerous in our language. (24) The adjectives expressive of color, are very often used as nouns, though we have abstract nouns formed from them. (25) Thus we say, Green is pleasing to the sight; Red is disagreeable, &c.; though we have the nouns greenness, redness, &c. We suppose we should say, in such cases, that the Adjective is substantively employed, rather than that the same word is both noun and adjective.

(26) The learner will most readily acquire a knowledge of the descriptive adjectives, by directing his attention to the different classes of qualities or properties which fall within human knowledge. The classification here is precisely the same as in respect to the abstract nouns. (See § 26.)

ample. (18) How do we distinguish the noun from the adjective in such cases? (19) Is the discrimination easily made? (20) What distinction may be more difficult to make? (21) Repeat the substance of what is said in reference to the noun adjectively employed. (22) What remark is made in reference to doubtful cases? (23) What is said in reference to words which are used both as nouns, and as adjectives? (24) Repeat the remark about adjectives which express color. (25) Illustrate by examples.

(26) How may the learner most readily acquire a knowledge of the descriptive adjec tives?