discussed long ago, there is no occasion t As in the use of the case absolute, the always the nominative, the following exa in making it the objective. "Solomon and I have no doubt he made as wise and any body has done since; him only ex much greater and wiser man than Solom "he only excepted."

The nominative case is commonly plac but sometimes it is put after the verb tense; and between the auxiliary and t ple, if a compound tense: as,

1st, When a question is asked, a co wish expressed: as, "Confidest thou thou;"Mayst thou be happy!" "Lo

2d, When a supposition is made wi tion if: as, " Were it not for this;" "E 3d, When a verb neuter is used: as, peared the king."

4th, When the verb is preceded by there, then, thence, hence, thus, &c. : "There was he slain ;"" Then comet! ariseth his grief;" "Hence proceeds was the affair settled."

5th, When a sentence depends on ne be coupled with another sentence: as, it, neither shall ye touch it, least ye di

Some grammarians assert, that the p appears, form what are called imperson therefore, be confined to the singular arguments advanced were nearly as f tions were as appears incontrovertib follows," "as it appears." If we giv tence a different turn, and instead of as is no longer termed impersonal; but its nominative, in the plural number: advanced were nearly such as follor were such as appear incontrovertible.'

†These grammarians are supported by g authority of an eminent critic on language an a verb is used impersonally," says Dr. Cam

nould be in the singular or the plural number. may vary ¡e form of expression. Thus, the sense of the preceding entences may be conveyed in the following terms. "The rguments advanced were nearly of the following nature; The following are nearly the arguments which were adanced;" "The arguments advanced were nearly those which follow:" "It appears that the positions were incontrovertible;" "That the positions were incontrovertible s apparent ;” “The positions were apparently incontrover tible." See the Octavo Grammar; the note under Rule 1

RULE II.

Two or more nouns, &c. in the singular number, joined together by a copulative conjunction, expressed or understood, must have verbs, nouns and pronouns, agreeing with them in the plural number: as, "Socrates and Plato were wise; they were the most eminent philosophers of Greece ;""The sun that rolls over our heads, the food that we receive, the rest that we enjoy, daily admonish us of a superior and superintending Power."+

This rule is often violated; some instances of which are annexed. "And so was also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon; "and so were also." "All joy, tranquility, and peace, even for ever and ever, doth dwell;" "dwell for ever." By whose power all good and evil is distributed;"" are distributed." "Their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished;"

Rhetoric, "it ought undoubtedly to be in the singular number, whether the neuter pronoun be expressed or understood. For this reason, analogy and usage favor this mode of expression: "The conditions of the agreement were as follows;" and not, as followA few late writers have inconsiderately adopted this last form, through a mistake of the construction. For the same reason, we ought to say, "I shall consider his censures so far only as concerns my friend's conduct;" and not so far as concern.'

See the exceptions to this rule, at p. 46 of the Key; 12th edition.

every serious thought of the proper faces the sense of religion and of God; "obliterate," and "efface."

6

1. When the nouns are nearly related, guishable in sense, and sometimes even different, some authors have thought it a verbs, nouns, and pronouns, in the sing "Tranquility and peace dwells there negligence has produced the effect;" and slaughter was very great." But it i ry to the first principles of grammar, to tinct ideas as one, however nice may be ference and if their be no difference on superfluous, and ought to be rejected.

:

To support the above coustruction, verb may be understood as applied to ea terms; as in the following example. a mass of iron, is easier to bear than a r standing" But besides the confusion. application, which such a construction appears to be more proper and analogi the verb is intended to be applied to an to make use of the disjunctive conjunct tically refers the verb to one or othe terms in a separate view. To preserve of the copulative and disjunctive conju Jeder the rules precise, consistent and Blair very justly observes, that "two o joined by a copulative, must always pronoun to which they refer, to be p number."

12. In many complex sentences, it is to determine, whether one or more of considered as the nominative case; whether the verb should be in the si number. We shall, therefore, set do éd examples of this nature, which may ernment to the scholar, with respect to lar construction. "Prosperity, with possessor truly amiable." "The shi ture, was destroyed." "Not only his

eople, was

e-worthy.

he king, with s life-guard, has just passed through the village." "In e mutual influence of body and soul, there is a wisdom, a onderful wisdom, which we cannot fathom." "Virtue, onour, nay, even self-interest, conspire to recommend the "Patriotism, morality, every public and prite consideration, demand our submission to just and lawl government." "Nothing delights me so much as the orks of nature."

easure."

In support of such forms of expression as the following, e see the authority of Hume, Priestley, and other writers; nd we annex them for the reader's consideration. "A ng course of time, with a variety of accidents and circumcances, are requisite to produce those revolutions." "The ing, with the lords and commons, form an excellent frame f government." "The side A, with the sides B and C, ompose the triangle." "The fire communicated itself to he bed, which, with the furniture of the room, and a valuale library, were all entirely consumed." It is, however, roper to observe, that these modes of expression do not ppear to be warranted by the just principles of construcon. The words "A long course of time." "The king," The side A," and "which," are the true nominatives o the respective verbs. In the last example, the word all should be expunged. As the preposition with governs the objective case in English; and, if translated ino Latin, would govern the ablative case, it is manifest, that he clauses following with, in the preceding sentences, cannot form any part of the nominative case. They cannot be at the same time in the objective and the nominative cases. The following sentence appears to be unexceptionable; and may serve to explain the others. "The lords and commons are essential branches of the British constitution: the king, with them, forms an excellent frame of government »*

3. If the singular nouns and pronouns, which are joined together by a copulative conjunction, be of several persons, in making the plural pronoun agree with them in person,

*

Though the construction will not admit of a plural verb, the sentence would certainly stand better thus: "The king, the lords, and the commons, form an excellent constitution."

L

The conjunction disjunctive has

trary to that of the conjunction cop the verb, noun, or pronoun, is refe ceding terms taken separately, it singular number: as, "Ignorance o caused this mistake;" "John, Ja intends to accompany me ;"" Th minds, neither knowledge nor un

The following sentences are variation "A man may see a metaphor or an alleg well as read them in a description;" "re character nor dialogue were yet underst "It must indeed be confessed, that a l do not carry in them robbery or murder in it." "Death, or some worse misfo them " "It ought to be "divides."

1. When singular pronouns, or a no different persons, are disjunctively co must agree with that person which is I as, "I or thou art to blame ;""Thou o or thou, or he, is the author of it ;""( person." But it would be better to say blame, or thou art," &c.

2. When a disjunctive occurs betwe or pronoun, and a plural one, the verb is the plural noun and pronoun: as, "N riches were injurious to him ;" "I or by it." But in this case, the plural nou it can conveniently be done, should be verb.

RULE IV.

A noun of multitude, or signi have a verb or pronoun agreeing the singular or plural number regard to the import of the word nity or plurality of idea: as, " large" "The parliament is dis

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