in a somewhat tropical, or conventional sense, but their mean. ing always bears a relation to the original root.

Some derivatives have many special meanings, according to the subject to which they refer, and their relation to other words in composition.

It is recommended that at stated times the pupil be required to prepare lists of words under each of these prefixes, and that the teacher show how such as are used in a modified sense have lost their literal meaning.

For an additional exercise, some native or foreign root may be given, which will combine with each of several prefixes,—the pupils to form a list, and write out their meanings.

Suffixes.

A suffix is a letter or syllable, placed after a root, or primitive, to modify its signification.

The suffixes are so numerous, and of such varied form and meaning, that they are more appropriately presented in separate works on the "Analysis of Words." It has been thought desirable, however, to present what may be regarded as their grammatical features in the structure of the different Parts of Speech (98), and the discussion has, therefore, been removed to APPENDIX I., which

вее.

PARSING.

93. Parsing is the art of resolving a sentence into its elements or parts of speech (91. 3).

94. Parsing is distinguished into etymological and syntactical. (575).

95. A word is parsed etymologically by stating the class of words to which it belongs, with its accidents or grammatical properties. (576).

96. A word is parsed Syntactically by stating, in addition, the relation in which it stands to other words, and the rules according to which they are combined in phrases and sentences. (983).

97. These two, though related, are perfectly distinct; and in the early part of the student's course, nothing should be anticipated which he can be supposed to know only at a more advanced stage. Let the student learn one thing at a time, each thing thoroughly in its proper order, and continue to combine things learned, as far as it can be done without anticipating what is future. In this way the process will be simple and easy; every step will be taken in the light, and when completed, the result will be satisfactory. Besides, the student must be able to parse etymologically with great ease and promptness, before he can with any advantage begin the study of syntax. For this purpose the class should be properly drilled on the exercises furnished at every step in the following pages.

PARTS OF SPEECH.

98. THE Parts of Speech in English are nine, viz.: Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Article, Adjective, Adverb, Preposition, Interjection, and Conjunction.

99. Of these, only the Noun, Pronoun, and Verb, and some Adjectives and Adverbs, are inflected.

NOUNS.

100. A Noun is the name of any person, place, or thing, when used in connection with other words; as, John, London, book. Hence,

The names of persons, places, or things, are Nouns.

101. Nouns are of two kinds, Proper and Com

mon.

102. A Proper Noun is the name applied to an individual only; as, John, London, America, the Ohio.

103. A Common Noun is a name applied to all things of the same sort; as, man, chair, table, book. 104. REMARKS.-Proper nouns are used to distinguish individuals of the same class from one another. Common nouns distinguish sorts or classes, and are equally applicable to all things of the same class. Thus, the common noun, boy, is equally applicable to all objects of that class; but the proper nouns, John, James, Robert, etc., are applicable only to particular individuals of a class.

Observations on Nouns.

105. When a proper noun is used to denote a whole class, it is usually reckoned common, and generally has an article before it. In such cases the noun becomes the type of a class, and forms a kind of transition between the proper and the common noun; as, "The twelve Cæsars," "He is the Cicero of his age," ""A Daniel come to judgment." A Campbell, i. e. one of the Campbells.

106. Common nouns become proper when personified (1046, 1), and also when used as proper names; as, Hail, Liberty! The Park.

107. Under common nouns are usually ranked—

1. Class names, which can be used to designate any single individual of the class.

2. Collective nouns, or nouns of multitude, which signify many in the singular number; as, army, people.

3. Names of materials.

4. Names of measures, etc.

5. Abstract nouns, or names of qualities. An abstract noun is the name of an attribute which the mind

conceives apart, or abstracted from, its object; as, whiteness, sleep, wisdom, etc.

The names of actions, as reading, writing, etc., are sometimes called verbal nouns.

Class nouns, derived from other nouns, and denoting a small one of the kind; as, stream, streamlet; hill, hillock; are also called diminutive nouns.

NOUNS.

a Sampson.

S Sensible

1. CLASS NAMES Rational.

2. COLLECTIVE NAMES

2. Common. 3. NAMES OF MATERIALS

4. NAMES OF MEASURES, ETC.

(1. Names of qualities

Book.

Scholar.

Army.

Iron.

Foot, etc.

Goodness.

108. To the class of nouns belongs everything, whether word, letter, mark, or character, of which we can think, speak, or write, regarded merely as an object of thought, even when, as sometimes happens, we do not give it a name. Thus when we say, "Good" is an adjective, a is a vowel, b is a consonant, A is a capital, 4 is an even number, is a fraction, ? is a mark of interrogation, + is the sign of addition, of subtraction, of equality-Good, a, b, A, 4, §, ?, +,

=

—, —, are all to be regarded as nouns.

109. REMARK.-A noun is also called a substantive. But this term for convenience is here used in a more comprehensive sense, to mean a noun, a personal pronoun, or a phrase, or sentence used as a noun. Thus in such a rule as this, "An adjective qualifies the substantive," etc., the word substantive may mean either a noun, pronoun, substantive phrase, or substantive sentence.

EXERCISES.*

1. In the following list, distinguish proper nouns from common, and give a reason for the distinction:

*The exercises furnished here, and throughout this work, are intended merely as a specimen of the way in which the leading truths and facts in Grammar may be wrought into the minds of pupils, by means of exercises properly devised. It is not, however, expected or

2

Albany, city, tree, nation, France, Philip, dog, horse, house, garden, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, river, Hudson, Ohio, Thames, countries, America, England, Ireland, Spain, sun, moon, stars, planets, Jupiter, Venus, Mars, man, woman, boy, girl, John, James, Mary, Susan, mountain, stream, valley.

2. In the following sentences, point out the nouns. Say why they are nouns; tell whether they are proper or common, and why. Thus: "Table" a noun, because the name of a thing; common, because applied to all things of the same sort.

[In subsequent exercises, the pupil may designate more particu larly the sub-classes to which the nouns belong :-]

The table and chairs in this room belong to John; the book-case, writing-desk, and books, to his brother.—Time and tide wait for no man.-The largest city in Europe is London; in America, New York. The northern states produce wheat, oats, barley, rye, corn, and potatoes; while cotton, tobacco, rice, and sugar, are the products of the south.

3. Write down ten nouns, or names of persons or things, and say something respecting each, so as to make a sentence; thus:—

Summer. Summer is the warmest season of the year. 4. Tell what words in the sentences so made are nouns, and why; which are proper, or common, and why.

Accidents of the Noun.

110. The accidents of nouns are Person, Gender, Number, and Case.

desired that the teacher should limit himself to these. Every active and ingenious teacher will devise such new and various methods of exercising his pupils as their age, capacity, and circumstances, and his own judgment and experience may suggest, as best calculated to draw out their powers, and cultivate in them a habit of thinking and reasoning for them selves.