Comparison of Adverbs.

536. Adverbs of quality, derived from adjec tives, and a few others, admit of comparison like adjectives; as, nobly, more nobly, most nobly; soon, sooner, soonest.

The following are compared irregularly:

537. An adverb is parsed by stating what part of speech-the class to which it belongs-the word which it modifies-its derivation and comparison, if derived and compared. Thus :

"He speaks fluently."-Fluently, an adverb of manner, and modifies" speaks;" derived from fluent, and compared more fluently, most fluently.

PRELIMINARY ORAL EXERCISE.

When we say, “John runs rapidly," what part of speech is John? what is runs (314)? What is the use of the word rapidly in that sen. tence? What part of speech are those words which express the man. ner of doing a thing (528-1)? What part of speech, then, is rapidly? Why? Can you think of any other words that might be used to express the manner in which “John runs ”?—“ Swiftly, slowly, well, ill.” What part of speech are these words? Suppose you say, "John ran yesterday' -" John runs now"-" John will run soon"-what is the use of the words yesterday, now, soon? What are words called which express a circumstance of time (528-3)? Then what part of speeck are yesterday, now, soon? Why?

What other words besides the verb do adverbs modify (523) ? When we say, "John is a very good boy," what word modifies good?

What part of speech is good? Why? Then what part of speech is very? Why?

If I say, "John reads exceedingly well," what word modifies reads? Ans. Well. Then what part of speech is well? Why? What word tells us how well he reads? What word does exceedingly modify? Then what part of speech is it? Why?

EXERCISES.

1. Tell to what class the following adverbs belong-whether primitive or derivative-if not primitive, how are they formed-compare if compared :

Justly, wisely, happily, beautifully, fashionably, sufficiently, thirdly, nearly, almost, perfectly.

Here, there, anywhere, hither, thither, yes, no, thence, somewhere-now, then, to-day, hereafter.

2. Form sentences, each of which will contain one of the preceding adverbs. Parse as directed (537).

PREPOSITIONS.

538. A Preposition is a word which shows the relation between the noun or pronoun following it, and some other word in the sentence; as, "The Love Or Money."-" Come To me."

Of

539. Of the words related, that before the preposition is called the antecedent term of the relation, and that which follows it is called the subsequent term or regimen.

The antecedent term is always limited by the prepositional phrase, which is, in character, adjective or adverbial, according as the antecedent is a substantive or some other word. (596, 2).

540. Instead of a noun or pronoun, a preposition may be followed by an infinitive mood, or clause of a sentence, used as a substantive; as, "We are about to depart."

"Honored for having done his duty.-" The crime of being a young man."

541. The preposition and its regimen united are called the adjunct of the antecedent term; and the antecedent term, as related to its adjunct, may be called the principal. It is usually a noun, or pronoun, an adjective, a verb, or an adverb ; as, "The waters of Jordan."-" He with the book in his hand."-"It is good for me.' "Pray for us.' "He acts consistently with his prin. ciples."

542. The same word not unfrequently has several adjuncts; as, "He WENT from Boston to New York, by railroad, in eight hours." Also the noun or pronoun in the adjunct may be limited by one or more adjuncts-the whole forming a compound adjunct; as, “It is CONSISTENT with the character of a man of honor." Here" of honor" is the adjunct of man, of a man of honor" is a compound adjunct of character; and the whole, "with the character of a man of honor," is a compound adjunct of consistent.

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543. The preposition is so called because it is usually placed before its regimen, as in the above examples. Sometimes, however, the sentence may be so inverted that the preposition follows its regimen immediately, or at some distance; as, "Where echo walks the steep hills among. "Whom did he speak to ?"

544. In the natural order of a sentence, the adjunct follows its principal, as, “He withdrew after supper." It is often convenient, however, to arrange the adjunct first, as, After supper he withdrew with his friend who had called for him." Here the same sense can not be given by placing the adjunct, “after supper" anywhere ase in the sentence.

545. Prepositions may be divided into classes which shall indicate their use, and in some sense, the historical order of their development.

1. Relations of place. (1) Where a thing is (rest in); as in, on, at, by. (2) Direction to or from a place (motion); as, to, into, from, etc. (3) Both place and direction; as, over, under, etc.

2. Relations of time. (1) Relations of place extended, as in, after, etc. (2) Time merely; as, since, till, during, etc.

3. To indicate the agent or instrument. (1) Simple relations of place extended [The mill is by the river]; as, "The mill is turned by the river. (2) Compound prepositional phrases; as, by means of, by virtue of, etc.

4. To denote cause or purpose, as from, for, etc.

5. To denote miscellaneous relations, not easily classified, frequently by means of abbreviated forms of expression. These may be shown approximately in the following

The following embraces most of the prepositions in common use:

List of Prepositions.

TO BE COMMITTED ACCURATELY TO MEMORY.

546. Concerning, excepting, regarding, respecting, and touching, were originally present participles active of transitive verbs, and as such required an objective case after them (801). They may frequently be so construed still. During may be regarded as originally the present participle active of an intransitive verb, having the noun or pronoun in the nominative case absolute (769); thus, “During life,” means life during, or while life endures. Notwithstanding, a compound of not and the present participle withstanding, may be explained the same way. Still, when used as a preposition, the word following must be regarded as in the objective case (818).

547. Except and save were originally imperatives. Out of may be regarded either as two words—an adverb and preposition-or as one word-forming a sort of compound preposition. Of this character are the following: From between, from beyond, from within, from without, over against, and the like. Off is, for the most part, an adverb, and means at a distance; as, "Far off.” With a noun or pronoun following, it is a preposition, and means not on, from, etc.; as, Off the table."

548. The word a in the sense of at, in, on, to, of, etc., has the force of a preposition in such expressions as a reading, a hunting, etc., and may be parsed as such. The same word is used as a prefix in such words as aboard, ashore, asleep, abed, afloat, etc. (190.) Better regard the whole as an adverbial phrase (535, 6).

549. To, the sign of the infinitive mood, is, by some, regarded as a sort of verbal prefix belonging to the form of the verb in that part. It is properly a preposition, but is rarely analysed and parsed as such.

550. When a preposition has not an object, it becomes an adverb; as, "He rides about." But in such phrases as cast up, hold out, fall on, etc., up, out, on, should be considered as parts of the verbs to which they are joined, rather than as prepositions or adverbs.

551. Several words in the preceding list are used sometimes as prepositions and sometimes as other parts of speech; as, thus :—till, until, after, before, etc., are frequently adverbs. But and save, followed by the objective case, are used as prepositions; followed by a nominative, they are conjunctions. For and since are also used as conjunctions.