(270.) No holy seer of religion, no statesman, no orator, no man of any literary description whatever, has come up, &c.—BURKE. No image meets my wandering eye.-WILSON. The whole population. After several victories. The conquest of Ireland was made by several attempts in several ages. Other lords have had dominion.-ISAIAH. He had no other refuge. Who will shew us any good?-PSALMS. Have

you no words? Ah, think again!-MONTGOMERY.

RULE IV.

271. Adjectives and adverbs should not be used for each other; the former expressing the quality of a noun, the latter pointing out the circumstances of a verb or adjective. Yet some adjectives qualify the noun or pronoun only through the verb; as- -Magnesia feels smooth. He looked afraid.

It would not do to say, Magnesia feels smoothly. The verb to be
is that which most frequently admits of being thus qualified
by an adjective; and if one is at a loss to determine whether
to use an adjective or an adverb, it may often be determined
by trying whether the verb can be interchanged with the verb
to be, or a part of the latter introduced without materially
violating the sense. Magnesia is smooth. He was afraid.
Under these circumstances, it is impossible always to apply the
rule that every adjective belongs to a substantive expressed or
understood. We say, He is alive; but we cannot say, He is
an alive man. We see a man working hard, and remark that
'he is very industrious,' though we by no means intend to
pronounce of him that he is an industrious man, for he may
be generally very idle. So on receiving a kind attention we
say: You are very kind;' but without intending to express
the opinion: You are a very kind person.' An adjective thus
situated seems to occupy an adverbial position and office.
Webster says on this subject: 'Adjectives are used to modify
the action of verbs, and to express the quality of things in
connection with the action by which they are produced.'
An adjective preceded by a preposition becomes an adverbial
phrase; as-At last. Of old.

·

Poets are allowed to use adjectives for adverbs-False flew the shaft, though pointed well.-MOORE.

EXAMPLES.

(271.) You may not be ashamed of that hero.-DRYDEN. Blind men say black feels rough, and white feels smooth.--DRYDEN. Youthful kings in battle seized alive.-POPE. His eye grew languid.-BLOOMFIELD. His genius, like Burke's, burned brightest at the last.-HAZLITT. His peers have found him guilty of high treason.-SHAKS. Aristotle has problems which inquire why the sun makes men black.-BROWN. Leave the lily pale, and tinge the violet blue.-PRIOR. My friend bade me welcome, but struck me quite dumb.-GOLDSMITH. Nay, look not big.-SHAKS. When he hears such a one is very rich, he turns pale.— ADDISON. Half the women would have fallen sick.-ADDISON. A miser grows rich by seeming poor; an extravagant man grows poor by seeming rich.-SHENSTONE. Dappled horses turn white.-BACON. The torrid zone is now found habitable.-COWLEY.

RULE V.

272. Adjectives often modify each other; as-Dark blue.

EXAMPLES.

(272.) The angelic squadron then turned fiery-red.-MILTON. Amid the festal-sounding shades.-COLLINS. If I were chained, unarmed, or bedrid old.-HOME. Fair Cadiz, rising o'er the dark blue sea.-BYRON. How beautiful beneath the bright blue sky.-SOUTHEY. The door was red hot, and the gap wider.-DICKENS.

RULE VI.

273. The comparative form is used when two things are compared-Iron is harder than wood.

274. The comparative has than after it when the things compared are of different classes-Wisdom is better than riches.

275. The comparative with than has other after it when the things compared are of the same class-Lycurgus was wiser than any other Spartan,' implies that Lycurgus was a Spartan; but, Lycurgus was wiser than any Spartan,' would mean that he was not of that nation.

276. The comparative has of after it when selection from two is implied-He was the stronger of the two.

277. The comparative may be used without either than or of following.

EXAMPLES.

(273, 274.) The swain is happier than his monarch.-STERNE. Sunfler than the course of light.-FALCONER.

Between two hawks which flies the higher pitch,
Between two dogs which hath the deeper mouth,

Between two blades which bears the better temper.-SHAKS.
When reason doubtful, like the Samian letter,

Points him two ways, the narrower is the better.-POPE.

(275.) Dryden could select from his works better specimens of every mode of poetry than any other English writer could supply.-POPE. (277.) Lest my rash hand should do a hasty deed my cooler thoughts forbid.-SHAKS. Could make the worse appear the better reason.-MILTON. Homer was the greater genius; Virgil the better artist.— POPE. A louder yet, and yet a louder strain.-Dryden.

RULE VII.

278. The superlative is employed when three or more things of the same class are compared-Oak is the hardest British wood. It is often used absolutely—A most beautiful flower.

EXAMPLES.

(278.) In the worst inn's worst room.-POPE. Dear Nature is the kindest mother still.-BYRON. The tyrant of the Chersonese was freedom's best and bravest friend.-BYRON. The most able men are not

always the most virtuous.-SCOTT. Oh! bloodiest picture in the book of time.-CAMPBELL. The greatest pleasure of life is love; the greatest treasure, contentment; the greatest possession, health; the greatest ease, sleep; the best medicine, a true friend; the surest consolation, a good conscience.-DICKENS.

RULE VIII.

279. Double forms (as-more better, most fairest) are improper; but two or more comparatives or superlatives may be coupled by conjunctions expressed or understood, and joined to

the same noun.

EXAMPLES.

(279.) The calmest and the stillest night.-SHAKS. The older and more inveterate a wound, the more painful the remedy, and more desperate the cure.-KIRWAN.

Sweet bird, that shunn'st the noise of folly,

Most musical, most melancholy.-MILTON.

Ask of the channeled rivers if they held

A safer, easier, more determined course.-WORDSWORTH.

RULE IX.

280. The position of comparatives and superlatives relatively to numerals must be determined according to the sense. We must say, 'The first four,' not 'The four first;' though the latter sometimes occurs in good authors.

RULE X.

281. Participles, both singly and in clauses, agree as adjectives with nouns and pronouns.

282. They also sometimes qualify the noun or pronoun through the verb.

283. Participles are often absolute-Generally speaking, he is regular. This said, he sat.

EXAMPLES.

(281.) They plainly heard the people cheering. Barnaby stood leaning on his spade, gazing at the brightness in the west, and singing softly to himself. Gashford paused a moment, struggling with his caution and his malice.-DICKENS.

(282.) Mrs Quilp came hurrying down stairs.-DICKENS. I remained standing on the spot where he had left me.-DICKENS. Two guests sat enjoying the fire.-SOUTHEY.

(283.) Sole reigning, holds the tyranny of heaven.—MILTON. door being opened, the child addressed him.-DICKENS.

The service past, around the pious man,

With ready zeal, each honest rustic ran.-GOLDSMITH.

The

Exercise.

Underline the adjectives, doubly underline the words qualified, and refer to particular rules:—

By many a death-bed I have been,

And many a sinner's parting seen.-SCOTT.

Carry much seed into the field. He that gathered much had nothing over. Bible. Return as much as you borrowed. Do all thy work. -Bible. Must I endure all this? More than any man in all Venice. Fought all his battles o'er again. Touch all her chords. All Judea and all the country about Jordan.-Bible. No strife between thee and me.-Bible. Worship no other God.-Bible. Are there no means? No, Saxon, none.-SCOTT. Father of many nations.-Bible. Every one of these remedies has been successively attempted.-JUNIUS. Every poem, every history, every oration, every picture, every statue, is an experiment on human feeling.-MACINTOSH. The worthiest of the worthy.-PAYNE. How come men often to prefer the worse to the better? This is the worst. The least of all thy mercies.-Bible. The knight is a much stronger Tory in country than in town.-Spectator. Magnesia feels smooth.-KIRWAN. It is worth observation.-BELOE. He rose late, but not refreshed. The air felt cool and chilly. The stars looked pale.-DICKENS.

Within that chest had she concealed herself,

Fluttering with joy, the happiest of the happy.-ROGERS.

His ready speech flowed fair and free,

In phrase of gentlest courtesy.-SCOTT.

Great Dryden next, whose tuneful muse affords

The sweetest numbers and the fittest words.-ADDISON.

Thee I revisit safe.-MILTON.

A being darkly wise, and rudely great.-POPE.

A sheet of livid flame discloses wide.-THOMSON.

Soft sighed the flute.-THOMSON.

Hoarse barks the wolf.-DARWIN.

False flew the shaft, though pointed well.-MOORE.

She gazed horribly eager around.-SOUTHEY.

Abrupt and loud a summons shook their gate.-CAMPBELL.
And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before.-BYRON.

A field of the dead rushes red on my sight.-CAMPBELL.
'And hast thou then forgot?' he cried, forlorn.-CAMPBELL.
The morn hath risen clear and calm.-MOORE.

Where the abbey rose dim on the sight.-SOUTHEY.
Each wondering brow is knit and arched.-CAMPBELL.
Allured to brighter worlds and led the way.-GOLDSMITH.
The younger guest purloined the glittering prize.-PARNELL.

VII. PRONOUN AND ANTECEDENT.

RULE I.

284. Pronouns must be of the same gender, number, and person as their antecedents.

(We use the term antecedent to denote the noun or pronoun for which any pronoun stands, and not merely that which precedes a relative.)

This rule has certain exceptions. Monarchs, authors, and public speakers use we, ours, and us, in reference to their single selves. Modern fashion insists on you being used for thou.

We

In figurative language, pronouns agree with the personified object.
The definite article is elegantly used instead of pronouns in speak-
ing of the members of the body, and in some other cases.
say: 'He has much pain in the head,' not his head.
The relative pronoun, when an objective to a verb following, is
often omitted, especially in a familiar style. (See 233.) On
the other hand, a relative is sometimes expressed, and its
antecedent understood, especially in poetry. (See 221.)

EXAMPLES.

(284.) I set myself a little more upon my centre. ourselves. Content thyself. You forget yourself.

We must humble Deliver yourselves up.

David hid himself. She came down to wash herself. It moves in all directions without turning itself.

That orbed maiden, with white fire laden,
Whom mortals call the moon.-SHELLEY.

Woods that wave o'er Delphi's steep,

Isles, that crown the Ægean deep.—GRAY.

At mercy of the waves, whose mercies are

Like human beings during civil war.—BYRON.

Fools who came to scoff, remained to pray.-GOLDSMITH.

With none who bless us, none whom we can bless.-BYRON.

Ye household deities, whose guardian eye.-ROGERS.

That forbidden tree, whose mortal taste.-MILTON.

A king sat on the rocky brow which looks o'er sea-born Salamis.-BYRON.

My loving people, we have been persuaded by some who are careful for our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes.-Queen Elizabeth in HUME. We have reason to believe that the Prince of Wales will be named Albert Edward.-Times newspaper. First, therefore, let us (editors and kings are always plural) premise that there are, &c.-W. IRVING.

Science has now left her retreats, her shades, her selected company of votaries.-CHANNING. The old house seemed to have many good years of life in him yet.-DICKENS.

And Jura answers through her misty shroud.-BYRON.
Ye avalanches, whom a breath draws down.-BYRON.
Tweed and his tributaries mingle still.-SCOTT.

And the larch hath hung all his tassels forth.-HEMANS.