Q. What does the superlative express

?

A. The superlative degree increases or lessens the quality to the highest or lowest degree; as, wisest, greatest, least wise.

Q. How is the comparative formed?

A. The comparative is formed by adding r, or er, to the positive; as, chaste, chaster; sweet, sweeter. Q. How is the superlative formed?

A. The superlative is formed by adding st, or est, to the positive; as, chaste, chaster, chastest ; sweet, sweeter, sweetest.

Q. How are adjectives formed of two syllables, compared differently from those formed of one?

A. Adjectives of one syllable, are generally compared by er and est; and those of more than one syllable, by prefixing more and most; as, covetous, more covetous, most covetous. Adjectives of both kinds may be compared by less and least; as, less gay, least virtuous.

Q. How are dissyllables in y compared?

A. Dissyllables ending in y, change y into i before er and est; as, happy, happier, happiest.

Q. Are there not some adjectives which deviate from these rules?

A. The following adjectives are compared irregu

Exercises on Comparison.-When the pupil fully understands the effect of comparison, in increasing or diminishing the quality of objects, he may be requested to compare rich :—Rich, richer, richest. Why not more rich, most rich ?—because it is a word of one syllable. Compare faithful:-Faithful, more faithful, most faithful. Why is faithful compared by more and most ?— Because it is a word of more than one syllable. Compare round, strong, thin, red, firm, great, thick, rough, clear, rich, wild, stout, short.-Active, renowned, beautiful, eloquent, benevolent, virtuous, temperate, uneven, troublesome.-Easy, worthy, lazy, mighty, clumsy.-Little, evil, many, good.-Poor, delightful,

covetous.

Exercise. What is the positive of better?-of most ?—of eldest ?-of worst ?-of finest ?-What is the comparative of late? -near?-much ?-old?-amiable ?-sweet? What is the superlative of good?-far ?-bad ?-large ?-indolent?

Although words of one syllable are generally compared by er and est, yet they may be compared by more and most. And dissyllables ending in e frequently admit er and est; as, simple, nimble, humble. Double comparatives and superlatives are improper; as, more lovelier, most sweetest.

Exercise. Correct the following errors.-Thomas is a worser scholar than James; This is a comfortabler situation; Jane is a more amiabler girl than her sister; This house is lesser than ours; The nightingale's voice is the most sweetest in the grove; The magnificentest palace; The loftyest tower; A most perfect beauty.

Q. Are there not some adjectives which cannot be compared ?

A. Adjectives that admit neither increase nor decrease of signification, cannot be compared; as, square, round, right, true, chief, golden, perfect, full, universal, infinite, &c.: and all numeral adjectives.

Q. How are numeral adjectives divided?

A. The numeral adjectives which denote number, are divided into cardinal; as, one, two, three, twenty, &c. and ordinal; as, first, second, third, twentieth, &c.

с

OF PRONOUNS.

Q. What is a Pronoun?

A. A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun to prevent its too frequent repetition; as, 'The boy was diligent, and he has been rewarded.'

Q. How many kinds of pronouns are there?

A. There are three kinds of pronouns; namely, the Personal, the Relative, and the Possessive Pronouns.

OF PERSONAL PRONOUNS.

Q. How many Personal Pronouns are there? A. There are five personal pronouns; namely, I, thou, he, she, it; with their plurals, we, ye, or you, they.

Q. Do these pronouns vary in their form?

A. Personal pronouns alter their form to express person, number, gender, and case.

Q. How many persons have pronouns ?

A. The persons of pronouns are three in each number; namely:

Exercise.-Write, or tell the person, number, gender, and case of the following pronouns :-Me, them, us, hers, it, we, yours, her, thine, I, you, ours, thou, she, theirs, its, his, him, thee, mine, ye, he. Decline thou backwards.

Q. What is the force of the word self, affixed to the pronouns?

A. Self added to some of the pronouns, makes them emphatically refer to the person; as, myself, himself, herself, themselves: and the word own is often inserted to increase the emphasis; as, my own self.

OF RELATIVE PRONOUNS.

Q. What is a Relative Pronoun ?

A. A relative pronoun is a word that relates to a word or phrase before it, called the antecedent. Q. Which is the relative in the phrase, "The master who taught us ?"

A. The relative is who.

Q. Which is the antecedent?

A. The antecedent is the master.

Q. How many relative pronouns are there?
A. Four, viz.: who, which, what, and that.

T. Decline who.

P. Who is both singular and plural, and is thus declined:

Nominative.

Possessive.
Objective.

Q. How is who applied?

Who.

Whose.

Whom.

A. Who is applied to persons; as, the man who

wrote.

Q. To what is which applied?

A. Which refers to animals, and things without life; as, the dog which barks; the book which I purchased.

Q. How is the pronoun that used?

A. That is used to prevent the frequent repetition of who, whom, and which; as, the man, or the sheep that I saw.

Q. Is not what also a relative?

A. What is a compound relative, including both the antecedent and the relative; as, This is what I wanted; that is to say, the thing which I wanted.*

*Who, which, and what, have sometimes the words ever and soever added to them; as, whoever, whatever, or whosoever. In these cases they have a general signification; as, Whatever he does shall prosper; that is, all that he does.