POSITION OF THE SUBJECT.

767. The subject is commonly placed before the verb. But in imperative and interrogative sentences, and in sentences inserted for the sake of emphasis or euphony, the subject is often placed after the verb; as, "Go thou."—"Did he go?”— "May you be happy!"-" Were I he."-" Neither did they."-"Said I.”—“ There was a man," &c.

Under this rule there is liability to error only in the use of pronouns, and in leav ing a nominative without its verb.

EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED.

Which nouns or pronouns in the following sentences are the subject of a verb? If not in the proper case, change them, and give the rule, or a reason for the change :

(760) Him and me are of the same age. Come, let you and me go. Them are excellent. Whom do you think has arrived? Them that seek wisdom will find it. You and us enjoy many privileges. John is older than me.-(766) You are as tall as her. Who has a knife? Me. Who came in? Her and him. You can write as well as me. That is the boy whom we think deserves the prize. (765) Virtue, however it may be neglected for a time, yet men are so constituted as to respect genuine merit.

THE NOMINATIVE INDEPENDENT.

768. RULE VII-A substantive whose case depends on no other word, is put in the nominative. This occurs under the four following

SPECIAL RULES.

769 RULE 1.-A substantive with a participle, whose case depends on no other word, is put in the nominative absolute; as, "He being gone, only two remain."

770. In this construction, the substantive is sometimes understood; as, “His conduct, viewing it even favorably, can not be commended;" that is, we, a person viewing it, &c.

771. Sometimes being and having been are omitted; as, “Her wheel [being] at rest"" He destroyed or won," &c., that is, "He having been destroyed or won," &c.-" This said," that is, "This being said."

772. In this construction, the substantive with the participle is used to express an assumed fact in an abbreviated form, and is equivalent to a dependent clause, connected by when, while, if, since, because. &c. (650); as, " He having gone, his brother returned;" Since or because he went, his brother returned."

p. 773. RULE 2.—A person or thing addressed, without a verb or governing word, is put in the nominative independent; as, “I remain, dear sir, yours truly"—" Plato, thou reasonest well."

774. RULE 3.- -A substantive, unconnected in mere exclamation, is put in the nominative independent; as, "O; the times! O the manners!"

775. RULE 4.-A substantive, used by pleonasm before an affirmation, is put in the nominative independent; as, "The boy, oh! where was he?"-"Your fathers, where are they?-the prophets, do they live forever?"

Under this rule, a mistake can be made only in the case of pronouns.

EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED.

Point out the noun or pronoun whose case depends on no other word-put it in the case required by the rule, and give the special rule requiring it.

Me being absent, the business was neglected. He made as wise proverbs as any body, him only excepted. All enjoyed themselves very much, us excepted. Whom being dead, we shall come. Whose gray top

Shall tremble, him descending.

The bleating sheep with my complaints agree;
Them parched with heat and me inflamed by thee.

Her quick relapsing to her former state.

Then all thy gifts and graces we display,

Thee, only thee, directing all our way.

THE VERB AND ITS NOMINATIVE.

776. RULE VIII-A verb agrees with its nominative in number and person; as, "I read," "Thou readest," "He reads," "We read," &c.

[Respecting the nominative or subject, see (493). This rule, and the special rules under it, apply to an infinitive mood or clause of a sentence, when the subject of a verb (762), as well as to nouns and pronouns.]

SPECIAL RULES.

777. RULE 1.—A singular noun used in a plural sense, has a verb in the plural; as, "Ten sail are in sight" (160).

778. RULE 2.—Two or more substantives, singular, taken

together, have a verb in the plural; as, "James and John are here."

779. Substantives taken together are connected by and, expressed or understood (955), as in the example.

780. A singular nominative and an objective, connected by with, sometimes have a plural verb; as, "The ship with the crew were lost." This construction is incorrect, and should not be imitated. A mere adjunct of a substantive does not change its number or construction. Either, then, the verb should be singular, “The ship with the crew was lost," or, if the second substantive is considered as belonging to the subject, it should be connected by and; as, "The ship and the crew were lost." But,

781. When substantives connected by and, denote one person or thing, the verb is singular; as, "Why is dust and ashes proud?"-" The saint, the father, and the husband, prays."-Burns.

782. Singular nouns, preceded by each, every, no, though connected by and, have the verb in the singular; as, "Each book and each paper was arranged"— "Every paper and every book was arranged"-"No book and no paper was arranged."

783. When a verb, having several nominatives connected by and, is placed after the first, it agrees with that, and is understood to the rest; as,

"Forth in the pleasing spring

Thy beauty walks, thy tenderness, and love."-Thomson.

784. When the substantives connected are of different persons, the verb in the plural prefers the first to the second, and the second to the third. This can be perceived only in the pronoun (730–2).

785. RULE 3.—Two or more substantives, singular, taken separately, or one to the exclusion of the rest, have a verb in the singular; as, PY. "James or John attends"- - Neither James nor John attends"— "John, and not [but not] James, attends"- John as well as James attends"-" Not John, but James attends," &c.

&c.

786. Nouns taken separately, are connected by or, nor, as well as, and also, A noun taken so as to exclude others, is connected with them by such phrases as and not, but not, not, &c. In such, the verb agrees with the subject affirmed of, and is understood with the others.

NOTE. Singular nouns connected by nor, sometimes have a plural verb. In that case, the verb denies equally of all, and nor is equivalent to and, connecting the nouns, and a negative which is transferred to, and modifies the verb; as, Neither Moses, nor Minos, nor Solon, nor Lycurgus, were eloquent men,"Acton." Moses, and Minos, and Solon, and Lycurgus, were not eloquent men, or, “were neither of them eloquent." This construction has not been generally noticed, but it often occurs in the best writers.

787. But when two or more substantives, taken separately, are of different numbers, the verb agrees with the one next it, and the plural subject is usually placed next the verb; as, "Neither the captain nor the sailors were saved;" rarely, "Neither the sailors nor the captain was saved."

"

788. RULE 4.-When substantives, taken separately, are of different persons, the verb agrees with the one next it; as, "James or I am in the wrong"-" Either you or he is mistaken"-" I or thou art to blame."

789. Though sentences are often formed according to this rule, yet they are generally harsh and inelegant. It is generally better to put the verb with the first substantive, and repeat it with the second; or to express the same idea by arranging the sentence differently; as, "James is in the wrong or I am," or, "One of us is in the wrong"-" Either you are mistaken or he is"-"I am to blame, or thou art." This remark is sometimes applicable also, when the substantives are of the same person, but different in number, and requiring each a different form of the verb; as, "Either the captain or the sailors were to blame;" otherwise, "Either the captain was to blame, or the sailors were."

790. RULE 5.-1. A collective noun, expressing many, as ONE WHOLE, has a verb in the singular; as, "The company was large."

W

791—2. But when a collective noun expresses many as individuals, the verb must be plural; as, "My people do not consider."

792. It is sometimes difficult to determine whether a collective noun expresses unily or plurality. It is now considered generally best to use the plural, where the singular is not manifestly required.

793. A nominative after "many a" has a verb in the singular; as, "Full many a flower is born," &c.

794. Two or more verbs connected in the same construction as a compound predicate (627) have the same nominative; as, "James reads and writes"-James neither reads nor writes."

795. But when verbs are not connected in the same construction, every verb should have its own nominative. The following sentence is wrong in this respect: "The whole is produced as an illusion of the first class, and hopes it will be found worthy of patronage ;" it should be, either, "He produces the whole as an illusion," &c., "and hopes," &c.; or, "The whole is produced," &c., " and he hopes," &c., or," and it is hoped," &c.

For the POSITION of the verb and its subject see (767), and also (741).

EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED.

What is the verb in each of the following sentences? What is its subject? See if they agree. If they do, give the rule and show how it applies. If they do not, change the verb so as to agree with its nominative, and give the rule. Thus, loves should be love, to agree with I, in the first person, singular. Rule-" A verb agrees," &c.

(776) I loves reading. A soft answer turn away wrath. We is but of yesterday, and knows nothing. The days of man is as grass. Thou sees how little has been done. He dare not act otherwise. Fifty pounds of wheat produces forty pounds of flour. A variety of pleas

ing objects charm the eye. So much of ability and merit are seldom found. A judicious arrangement of studies facilitate improvement. Was you there! Circumstances alters cases. There is sometimes two or three of us. I, who are first, has the best claim. The derivation of these words are uncertain. Much does human pride and folly require correction. To do good unto others are the duty of all. To be ignorant of such things are now inexcusable.—(482) She needs not trouble herself. The truth needs not always be told.

(777) Forty head of cattle was sold in one hour. The horse was sent forward to engage the enemy. The foot, in the meantime, was preparing for an attack. Fifty sail was seen approaching the . coast. Two dozen is as many as you can take. One pair was spoiled; five pair was in good condition.

(778) Patience and diligence, like faith, removes mountains. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. Anger and impatience is always unreasonable. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. Idleness and ignorance produces many vices. Temperance and exercise preserves health. Time and tide waits for no man. Our welfare and security consists in unity. To profess regard and to act differently marks a base mind. To be good and to seem good is different things. To do good and to shun evil is equally our duty.

(781) That able scholar and critic have died. Your friend and patron, who were here yesterday, have called again to-day.

(782) Every leaf, and every twig, and every drop of water, teem with life. Every man and every woman were searched. Each day, and hour, and moment, are to be diligently improved. No wife, no mother, no child, soothe his cares. No oppressor, no tyrant, triumph

there.

(785) Either the boy or the girl were present. Neither precept nor discipline are so forcible as example. Our happiness or misery depend much upon our own conduct. When sickness, infirmity, or misfortune, affect us, the sincerity of friendship is tried. Neither ability nor inclination are wanting. A man's being rich, or his being poor, do not affect his character for integrity. To do good or to get good are equally neglected by the foolish.

(786) His time, as well as his money and health, were lost in the undertaking. He, and not we, are to blame. James, and also his brother, have embarked for the gold region. Books, not pleasure, occupies his mind. He, and not they, are mistaken.