several others; as, "Gold is the most precious of the metals."

Sometimes, in the comparison of two objects, the quality compared is not named, but the meaning of the adjective sufficiently indicates the quality; as, "My barn is larger than your house;" that is, the size, etc., is larger.

213. REMARK.-The superlative degree, when made by prefixing the adverb most, is often used to express a very high degree of a quality in an object, without directly comparing it with others; as, "He is a most distinguished man." Thus used, it is called the superlative of eminence, and commonly has a or an before it, if the noun is singular; and is without an article, if the noun is plural. The same thing is expressed by prefixing the adverb very, exceedingly, etc.; as, a very distinguished man;"" very distinguished men." The superlative of comparison commmonly has the before it.

RULES FOR COMPARISON.

214. RULE 1. Adjectives of one syllable form the comparative by adding er to the positive, and the superlative by adding est; as, sweet, sweeter, sweetest.

Words ending in e mute, drop e before er and est; as, large, larger, largest. (66).

215. RULE 2. Adjectives of more than one syllable, are commonly compared by prefixing more and most to the positive; as, numerous, more numerous, most numerous.

216. REMARK.-Though these rules indicate the prevailing usage, yet adjectives of two syllables are not unfrequently compared by er and est; as, "Our tenderest cares;" "The commonest materials;" and some adjectives of one syllable, as wise, apt, fit, etc., from regard to euphony or taste, are sometimes compared by more and most. Dissyllables in le and y are generally compared by er and est; as as, able, abler, ablest. All adjectives in y after a consonant, change y into i before er and est; as, dry, drier, driest; happy, happier, happiest (57); but y after a vowel is not changed; as, gay, gayer, gayest.

217. A lower degree of a quality in one object compared with another, and the lowest compared with several others, is expressed

by prefixing less and least to the positive; as, sweet, less sweet, least sweet. This, by way of distinction, is sometimes called the compari son of diminution, or comparison descending.

218. The meaning of the positive is sometimes diminished without employing comparison, by annexing the syllable ish; as white, whitish; black, blackish. These may be called diminutive adjectives. So also various shades, degrees, or modifications of quality are frequently expressed by connecting with the adjective such words as rather, somewhat, slightly, a little, too, very, greatly, etc., and, in the comparative and superlative, by such words as much, far, altogether, by far, etc.

219. Such adjectives as superior, inferior, exterior, interior, etc., though derived from Latin comparatives, and involving the idea of comparison, are not considered the comparative degree in English, any more than such words as preferable, previous, etc. They have neither the form nor the construction of the comparative (963–2).

Irregular Comparison.

220. The following adjectives are compared irregularly,

viz.:

H

Positive.

Comparative.

Superlative.

Good

better

best

Bad, evil, or ill

worse

worst

Little

less, (sometimes lesser)

least

Much or many

more

most

Late

later, (irregular, latter)

latest or last

Near

nearer

221. 1. Much, is applied to things weighed or measured; many, to things that are numbered; more and most, to both.

2. Farther and farthest generally denote place or distance; as, "The farther they went, the more interesting was the scene;" further and furthest refer to quantity or addition; as, "I have nothing further to say.”

3. Older and oldest are applied to persons or things, and refer to age or duration; as, "Homer is an older poet than Virgil; "The pyramids are older than the pantheon."

4. Elder and eldest (from the obsolete eld) are applied only to persons of the same family, and denote priority of birth; as, "An elder brother."

5. Later and latest have respect to time; latter and last, to position and order.

222. Some superlatives are formed by annexing most, sometimes to the comparative, and sometimes to the word from which the comparative is formed; as, upper, uppermost or upmost, from up; nether, nethermost; inner, innermost, or inmost, from in; hinder, hindermost, or hindmost, from hind; outer, outermost, or utmost, from out.

Adjectives not Compared.

223. Adjectives whose signification does not admit of increase or diminution, can not properly be compared. These are—

1. Numerals; as, one, two; third, fourth; each, all, some, etc.

2. Proper adjectives; as, English, American, Roman. 3. Adjectives that denote figure, shape, or material; as, circular, square, wooden, etc.

4. Such adjectives as denote posture or position; as, perpendicular, horizontal.

5. Definitives; as, this, that, etc.

6. Adjectives of an absolute or superlative signification; as, true, perfect, universal, chief, extreme, infinite, complete.

224. REMARK.-Of these last, however, comparative and superlative forms are sometimes used, either to give greater force to the

expression, or when the words are used in a sense not strictly abso lute or superlative. The following are examples :—

Extreme." The extremest of evils."-Bacon. "The extremest verge."-Shakes. "His extremest state."-Spencer. [So in Greek

ἐσχατώτατος].

Chief." Chiefest of the herdsmen."-Bible. "Chiefest courtier."— Shakes. “First and chiefest.”— Milton.

Perfect." Having more perfect knowledge of that way," i. e., knowledge nearer to perfection.-Bible. So, "The most perfect Society."-E. Everett. 'Less perfect imitations."-Macaulay.

66

More complete, most complete, less complete, are common.

Parsing the Adjective.

225. In parsing an adjective fully: 1. State its class. 2. Compare, if admitting comparison (209), and if not compared, so state it. 3. Tell its degree of comparison, if compared. 4. The noun which it qualifies. Do this always in the same order and in the fewest words possible.

EXAMPLES.

“A wise son maketh a glad father."—" Wisdom is more precious than rubies."-"The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that can render a reason.' "Blessed are the pure in heart."

Wise is a common adjective, compared by er and est (214), positive, and qualifies son (196).

Glad is a common adjective compared by er and est, positive, and qualifies father.

More precious is a common adjective, compared by more and most, comparative, and qualifies wisdom (705, 4).

Wiser is a common adjective, compared by er and est, comparative, and qualifies sluggard (196) and (705, 4).

Seven is an adjective of quantity, numeral, cardinal, not compared, and qualifies men.

Blessed is a participial adjective, compared by more and most, posi tive, and qualifies men understood.

Pure is a common adjective, compared by er and est, positive, and qualifies men understood.

226. ABBREVIATION.-This process may be abbreviated without loss, by omitting the class (202), as of no use in Syntax (584), and also omitting to mention the degree of comparison (209), except the comparative or superlative, taking it for granted, in adjectives compared, that it is in the positive, unless otherwise stated. Any mention of degree, in adjectives not compared, would be improper. In this way the preceding adjectives may be parsed, thus:

Wise is an adjective, compared by er and est, and qualifies son. More precious is an adjective, compared by more and most, comparative, and qualifies wisdom.

Wiser is an adjective, compared by er and est, comparative, and qualifies sluggard.

227

PRELIMINARY ORAL EXERCISE.

What is an adjective? The pupil having given the definition (195) in answer, for the purpose of illustrating it, a list of nouns may again be formed on the blackboard as directed (181); and supposing the list to be man, horse, apple, house, tree, book, etc., the teacher may take them up, each in order, and proceed in some such way as the following:

MAN.-What part of speech is man? Why? Are all men exactly alike? If not, mention some things in which they differ. Ans. Some are tall; some are short; some old; some young; some learned; some unlearned; some wise; some foolish, etc.

When you say a tall man, a short man, an old man, a young man,” what is the use of the words tall, short, old, etc. Ans. They are used to qualify the word "man," by telling what sort of a man is meant (196-1). What part of speech are words used to qualify nouns? Then what part of speech are tall, short, old, young, etc.? Prefix an adjective to each of the nouns in the list above, so as to make sense. Prefix as many adjectives to each noun separately, as you can think of, to make sense; thus: HORSE—a large horse, a small horse, a young horse, an old horse, etc. What part of speech is large, small, young, etc.? Why?