We will now give in their order the first, second, and third persons, singular and plural:

These express what is present. To express what is past by this same verb, the following forms are used:

These are sufficient, till we come to the examination of the verb in detail.

$27. GENDER.

DEFINITION 1.-Gender is the distinction of sex.

SPECIFICATION 1.-Hence there are two genders: masculine and feminine.

DEFINITION 2.-Masculine gender denotes the male sex.

Definition 3.—Feminine gender denotes the female

sex.

REMARK 1.-Nouns not included in the above divisions, are destitute of gender. Such nouns are commonly designated by the name of neuter gender; but we can discover no propriety in the use of the term. The words of the English language have real peculiarities sufficient, without appending negations as peculiarities. For the sake of convenient reference, however, substantives not denoting sex will be called neuter, when it is wished particularly to distinguish them from those having sex.

SPECIFICATION 2.-There are three ways of distinguishing sex.

1. The nouns in the following list become feminine by annexing

2. The nouns in the following list become feminine by rejecting

3. The nouns in the following list do not form their feminines in accordance with any regular plan:

REMARK 2.—The appellation of common gender, is sometimes used to distinguish nouns that include both sexes, or that may be applicable to either male or female.

EXAMPLES.

congregation, people, parents, neighbors. cousin. friend.

But there is little propriety in the use of the term, and in this work it is rejected. Unless the gender of such nouns is known to be feminine, they will be called masculine, using the term in its generic sense.

In the following sentences, no grammarian would think of parsing man in any other than the masculine gender; yet it is evidently meant to apply to all the human race, whether male or female.

REMARK 3.-Inanimate objects are often personified, that is, used as if they had sex.

Objects remarkable for greatness or strength, when personified, are, usually, used in the masculine gender; and those remarkable for beauty or amiableness, in the feminine gender; yet the rule sometimes varies.

EXAMPLES.

The earth is covered with her beautiful verdure.

Conscience pleads her cause within the breast.

"And Belgium's capital had gathered then her beauty and her chivalry."

The sun has risen in his strength.

Time hastes his rapid flight.

REMARK 4.-Collective nouns, referring to objects that have sex, are neuter if the persons making up the collection are regarded together merely as a single object of thought. But if the individuals making up the collection are contemplated separately as individuals, then the noun will be designated by the gender of those composing the collection. The noun, if singular, in the first instance conveys the notion of unity, in the last the notion of plurality. Collective nouns in the plural are usually, though not always, used in the neuter, each collection being regarded as so many single objects of thought.

EXAMPLES.

The people are opposed to any such measure.
The class is dismissed.

The committee meets in a few days.

The senate assemble on Monday.

The army is at New-Orleans.

The cabinet is not yet chosen.

The convention adopts the resolution.
The jury are not agreed.

The party is dissolved.

EXERCISES.

1. Parse all the substantives in each sentence given under the section; that is, mention the kind, person, number and gender of each noun or pronoun.

2. Analyze each proposition.

3. Write as many examples as you please.

$28. AGREEMENT OF PRONOUNS.

REMARK. Since the pronoun is a substitute for a noun, it must, evidently, agree in person, number, and gender, with the noun it represents. Thence the following

RULE OF AGREEMENT:

The pronoun must agree with the noun that it represents, in person, number, and gender.

Parse each pronoun; thus, we is a pronoun, representing the speakers, with which it must agree in the first person, plural, masculine gender.

REMARK 1.-When the noun which the pronoun represents, is sufficiently obvious, by the person or thing being present, or in any other way, it is not expressed. If the pronoun represents the first person, we say it represents the speaker; if the second person, the hearer; if the third verson, the person or thing spoken of.

REMARK 2.-The young of all animals may be spoken of without regard to their sex; so also when the sex of any animal is not well known.

REMARK 3.-Any person, or number of persons, may be regarded as mere objects of thought, irrespective of personality; and hence may have pronouns referring to such person or persons in the neuter

$29. CASE.

DEFINITION 1.-The term case is used to indicate the relation that substantives sustain to other words.

SPECIFICATION.-There are four cases: nominative, possessive, objective, and absolute.: