EXAMPLES.

Nouns or Pronouns in front.

Tommy or he runs, ploughs, &c. Harry strides.

I walk. She plays. Lightning flashes.

You can write.

while you explain.

We admire flowers.
We admire flowers.

Stars twinkle.
They listen

VERBS.

Roars-rides-shines strides flashes runs fights-looks-repeats-flames- entreats ―repents spins-ploughs swims-grows - flows-grunts twinkle-leaps-hovers-thinks- dances - subdues

restrains-plays.

The Subject or Nominative of a Verb.

Indeed you may say o'er and o'er,
A list of verbs, e'en fifty score,
They'll have no sense at all

Unless you nouns or pronouns give,
And these we call the nominative-
A subject's given to all.

The subject stands in front you see,
As you all do in front of me:

Verbs tell what subjects do,

Thus, Tommy runs, when tired, he walks;
Or Mary sings, sometimes she talks-
Draws beautifully too.

Before I tell you any more,
We'll place the pronouns all before
The verbs, you understand;

The pers'nal nom'natives-I, thou, he,
Are subjects, too, now let us see
How all these subjects stand.

These verbs have moods and tenses, too,

To learn them all you've much to do,

But not for some time yet:

We'll look at what has gone before,
And parse these sentences once more,
Lest you may them forget.

ON PARSING.

Article, Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, and Verb.

These five words now are parts of speech,
To know each well I must you teach,

If you will all be steady:

I'll give a sentence now to parse—~—

Merely divide it into parts,

You know each name already.

JOHN HURT HIS BROTHER. What is John?

John is a name-then 'tis a noun

And hurt is what John did,

Hurt is a verb, I know it well,

John is the subject, I can tell,
Then his is in John's stead.

O his must be a pronoun then,
And brother? why a noun again,
Masculine gender, too—

For he's a little gentleman.

Well, parse me this one, if you can,
MY SISTER CRIED -Halloo !

My's close beside a noun-let's see,
Possessive pronoun it must be,
Adjective-pronoun too.

Then sister, your own sister Jane :
Sister's a noun, for 'tis a name,
Then cried is what you do,

Well, cried must be a verb, no doubt,
What was the crying all about?
John hurt his little brother.

At first you know they fight in play,
And end in earnest-that's the way
Boys often hurt each other.

EXPLANATION IN PARSING.

THE MANSE FELL. Why call it definite? out a particular house. mon noun. Why call

"The," the definite article. Because it defines or points What is manse? A comit common? Because there

are many manses; it is merely one of a class or number. Fell, a verb.

Because a verb shows what beings or things do. Whether is manse a being or a thing? A thing-it has no life. Manse is the subject of the verb. Would the verb have a definite meaning if it had no subject? It would have a meaning in the same sense that every word has; but the sense would be incomplete. In what case must the subject always be? In the nominative case. Then tell me the gender, number, and case of manse. neuter gender, singular number, and nominative case.

It is

"JESSIE READ THAT BEAUTIFUL BOOK." What is Jessie? A proper noun. What gender, number, and case? Feminine gender, singular number, and nominative case. How do you know it is in the nominative? Because it is the subject of the verb read. You call read a verb, why so? Because it shows what Jessie did. Now parse THAT. That points out that particular

book, and is a demonstrative adjective-pronoun. "Beautiful." An adjective. Why? It shows the kind or quality of book- -a beautiful one. "Book." A common noun, being one of a class; neuter, singular. It is in the objective case. *

EXERCISE FOR PARSING.

I thanked his

Richard lent his pretty new book. kind brother. Mamma admires neatness. The queen encourages the fine arts. Napoleon purchased the empress a handsome pearl necklace. The man who fears God honours his king. Patriots love their country. Fresh milk nourishes children. These new collars fit him. My dear sisters sing. I do love to fondle baby. She amuses dear mamma. My darling child died. What a pretty useful box! She stained her light silk dress. I spilt some port wine, which destroyed my lovely barege dress. This charming day raises my spirits. Charity opens the heart. Faith, hope, and charity.

THE SUBJECT OF A VERB.

M. D'you think you understand all this?
Ch. No, ma'am! not quite about the case
You call the nom'native:

I know you have explained it, too,
And yet I cannot follow you.

M. Well, try again, my love.

* Only ask the reason of the noun or pronoun's being nominative when it is the subject of a verb, and don't expect a reason yet for the object being objective.