analysis; the words more and most being regarded simply like other adverbial modifications of adjectives. (11) They differ in no respect, as regards grammatical form or grammatical function, from other adverbial modifications. There is no necessity for mentioning the names comparative and superlative degree, except when these degrees are formed by inflection. (12) Then it will be necessary, when the comparative or superlative form occurs, to say that the adjective is an adjective in the comparative or superlative degree, or that it is an adjective with the comparative or superlative inflectional modification. In writing we may express this by the abbreviations, Des. A. Comp. and Des. A. Sup.-Descriptive adjective of the comparative degree, and descriptive adjective of the superlative degree.

:

(13) We may notice, before we leave this subject, that a superlative adverb is sometimes accompanied by the determinative the; as, This boy writes THE BEST; John acted the MOST PRUDENTLY. Some seem to treat the determinative in this case as belonging to the form of the superlative, and attempt no further analysis. We think it belongs to the noun (generally the noun manner) implied in the adverb. For example, the expressions above may be resolved thus: This boy writes in the best manner; John acted in the most prudent manner. Here it is obvious that the determinative affects manner. (14) Sometimes, especially in colloquial usage, a descriptive adjective as well as a determinative, is used in connection with a superlative adverb, and this too must be regarded as modifying the noun implied in the adverb; as, The boy behaved the best possible under the circumstances; equivalent to, The boy behaved in the best MANNER possible, &c. This use of a descriptive adjective with an adverb is not, in our opinion, an elegant form of expression, but rather one to be avoided. It is much better in such cases to employ the full form with the word manner expressed, than to resort to the abbreviated a lverbial form.

[(15) The same may be said of such expressions as, This boy behaves the best of all. The analysis of this form of expression presents a difficulty. What word does the noun and preposition modification OF ALL affect? (For all is here evidently an adjective employed as a noun, or implying a noun.) What does it modify? Does it affect the

and most. (11) Assign the reasons for pursuing this course. (12) In what manner do we treat the inflectional forms in analysis?

(13) What is said of a superlative adverb accompanied by the determinative the? Give example and explanation. (14) What is said in reference to the use of a descriptive adjective with such superlatives?

[(15) Repeat the substance of what is said about such forms of expression as, This boy bʊ haves the lest of all.

subject noun boy, and are we consequently to supply with it the word boys? The expression will then be equivalent to This boy of all the boys behaved in the best manner. We incline to adopt this as the best mode of analyzing this class of expressions, and to think that there is here an awkward separation of the complement of all from the word which it modifies, or that of all is introduced, as it were, by after thought. Other modes of analysis of such expressions might be sug. gested, such as considering of all, like the determinative the, and the descriptive adjective in the forms above considered, as modifying the word manner implied in best; but all these modes seem to us to present greater difficulties, and to involve longer and more awkward suppressions. We think that it is better in all such cases to forego the use of the adverb, and adopt the circuitous mode of expression.]

We give no exercises for the present on the above modifications of adjectives and adverbs, because an accessory proposition is necessary to make full sense.

§ 96. Having considered the modification of adjectives by inflection, we proceed to consider the various ways in which they are modified by separate words. (1) We shall not need to spend much time on this subject, since all the modifications of this kind applied to adjectives correspond exactly either to those which are applied to nouns, or to those which are applied to verbs, and these we have already explained. We shall give notice as we pass along, when any of these modifications are applicable to adverbs.

MODIFICATIONS OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS CONSISTING OF Separate Words.—(2) 1st. Some adjectives admit of a dative modification, like verbs. (3) The adjectives most frequently so modified are like, near, nearer, nearest, next. We subjoin a number of examples which may be used as an exercise in analysis.

(4) "He cometh forth like a flower." "Who teacheth like him?” "Lest I become like them," &c.

"He shall be like a tree," &c.

"The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree, he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon." "There was none like thee before thee.”

96. (1) What remark is made in reference to the modifications consisting of separat words applied to adjectives and adverbs?

(2) What is the first modification of this kind here mentioned? (3) Enumerate the adjec Hves most frequently modified by a dative.

(4) Repeat some of the examples, and point out the adjective and the modifying datiys all the examples.

"The men near Micah's house." 'They knew not that evil was near them." The mouth of the foolish is near destruction." John sat near his brother. His sister sits next him.

[(5) All these adjectives instead of the dative are frequently followed by a noun and preposition modification, the preposition to or often unto being interposed between them and the completing noun. (6) Hence most grammarians in the analysis of the above examples would supply the preposition to before the nouns which follow like, near, &c., and say that these nouns are in the accusative or objective case after to. (7) We think that there is really no ellipsis in these examples, but that they exhibit another remnant of the ancient dative, not yet altogether superseded by the noun and preposition, but employed interchangeably with it. (8) We are obliged to recognise a dative in English (see $79,) in order to explain satisfactorily several forms of expression still used in our language. We may therefore, as well recognise the dative in cases like those before us, and in all similar cases, where we have a manifest remnant of the old dative usage.

(9) Some grammarians have ventured to call near a preposition whenever it is followed by a noun or pronoun, without the intervention of a preposition. The noun, according to their analysis, is in the objective case after the preposition near. This mode of analysis is altogether unwarrantable, and no recent grammarian of acknowledged high standing, we believe, has adopted it. To supply the preposition to is far preferable to this, though we think the recognition of a dative use of the noun in such expressions is the proper course to adopt.]

EXERCISE. To form propositions containing examples of adjectives modified by a dative.

(10) 2d. Some adjectives are modified by an accusative or objective of price, time, measure or dimension, like verbs. (See § 84.) We subjoin examples, which may serve, like those in the last paragraph, for an exercise in analysis.

[(5) By what kind of modification are these adjectives often accompanied instead of a dative? (6) How do grammarians generally explain the dative in the above kind of proposi tions? (7) Is there really an ellipsis or suppression of a preposition in the above examples? (8) Repeat the remark about the English dative.

(9) What have some grammarians considered near when followed by a noun, and what is said of their mode of analysis?]

(10) What is the second form of modification of adjectives by separate words?

[ (11) This house is worth four thousand pounds. The book is worth ten shillings. That work is worth all the labor expended upon it. It is worth while to consider a subject, &c. (while is here a noun in the accusative). William departed this life, aged thirty-five years. That man is sixty years old. This table is five feet long and three feet wide. The house is four stories high. The wall is eighteen inches thick, ten feet high, and two hundred feet long. The river, in this place, is fifteen feet deep.

(12) It will be noticed that the adjective old and the adjectives of dimension take the accusative of time and measure before them.]

EXERCISE.-Form a given number of propositions containing ex amples of adjectives modified by an accusative of time, measure, &c.

NOTE.-Those who class the word ago among the adverbs, must assign it a place with those which take an accusative of time before them. For example, That event happened TWENTY YEARS ago. We cannot admit this explanation of the modification of the word ago, and consequently, must decline classing it among the adverbs. Ago or agone, or agon (for so the word was often spelled in our old authors-we have an instance in 1 Sam. 30:13, “Three days agone I fell sick;" and in Archbishop Tillotson, as quoted by H. Tooke, "Thirty years agone") was once in common use as the perfect participle of the verb go. See H. Tooke, pp. 254–257, Mr. R. Taylor's edi tion, 1840. We select a few of the examples adduced by Mr. Tocke, enough, we think, to settle this matter beyond the reach of all cavil.

"Her love is after soone AGO."-Gower.

"The remenant was all AGO."---Idem.

"For after that he was AGO."-Idem.

"God wotte, worldely joye is soone AGO."-Chaucer.

fere."-Idem.

“AGO was every sorowe and every fere."

"Of any thinge of suche a time AGONE.—Idem.
'May sigh, that thei were AGONE.”—Gower.

"Whan that the mysty vapoure was AGONE."-Chaucer.
For I loved one, ful longe sythe AGONE."--Idem.
"But sothe is said, GONE sithen many a day."-Idem.

It is, we think, perfectly manifest from these examples, that our old authors used AGO interchangeably with GONE, as the participle of go. This fact affords us the best guidance to the true analysis of the forms of expression in which ago occurs. In the proposition, He lived thirty years AGO,

[(11) Repeat some of the examples, and in all the propositions given point out the adjec◄ Hive and the accusative of price, time, &c.

(12) Repeat the remark in reference to the adjective oll and the adjectives of dimension.,

we might consider the noun years as the accusative of time to the verb lived, and itself modified by the participle Aco. Or, what we think better, we may consider years as subject noun to the verb are suppressed and modified by the participle ago. In accordance with this view the above expression may be completed thus, He lived thirty years ARE (since) ago or gone. That this is the true way of supplying the ellipsis, we are the more confirmed in thinking, by such examples as the last two given above: "Ful longe sythe (since) agone;" "Gone sithen (since) many a day." Mr. Tyrwhitt, Moxon's edition, 1843, gives this line, we know not on what authority, “Gone sithen is many a day." This would be more to our purpose, if we could confide in Mr. Tyrwhitt's readings. But we cannot.

Another mode of analysis, not essentially different from the last, is to treat the noun of time as in the case absolute with the participle ago.

(13) 3d. Many adjectives are modified or completed by infinitives in the same manner as verbs. We subjoin a few examples for exercise in analysis.

[(14) Your friend is very ambitious to excel his neighbors. The young man is desirous to learn. He is anxious to succeed in his enter`prise. That action is worthy to be imitated. This boy is prone to do mischief. That boy is prompt to perform his duty. John is now ready to go home.*

(15) Participles or adjectives formed from verbs which take an

* The following examples may be regarded as somewhat different in char. acter. He is too lazy to learn. He is wise enough to take care of himself. Such infinitives assist, together with the adverbs enough and too, in indicating the degree of intensity which the adjective is made to express in these particular cases. They serve a purpose similar to that served by accessory propositions which indicate degrees of intensity. (See §§ 120-122.)

Some adverbs take also a modifying infinitive; as, He does not know HOW TO ACT; He does not understand wHEN TO BE SILENT, when to speak. “The Son of Man hath not where to lay his head." When we resolve the adverbs, these become identical with the infinitive which modifies a noun. How in what manner; when at what time, and where at what place. The nouns manner, time, place, are what the infinitives above really modify.These infinitives, with their accompaniments, may be considered as contracted accessory propositions (see § 142).

(18) What is the third modification of adjectives?

[(14) Repeat some examples, and point out the adjective and infinitive modification in all the examples.

(15) Repeat the remark about participles.]