55. RULE VIII. 1. Every adjective qualifies a substantive expressed or understood; as, A good boy.

2. Adjectives denoting one, must have nouns in the singular; those denoting more than one, must have nouns in the plural; as, This man, these men, six feet.

OBS. Adjectives should not be used as adverbs. The distinction is, adjectives qualify nouns; adverbs modify verbs adjectives and other adverbs; thus, "He is miserable poor," should be, "he is miserably poor.

Remark 1. Adjectives of number may be denominated singular or plural, according as in their signification they refer to one, or more than one.

Rem. 2. Adjectives joined with the singular, are the ordinal numbers, first, second, last, &c; one, cach, every, either, neither, much, with its comparative more, enough, whole: see § 18, 2, Obs. 1.

Still it is correct to say, the first four lines: the last six verses; every twelve years, &c., because the things spoken of are considered as one aggregate, viz. as the first portion consisting of four lines. Every period of twelve years, &c.

Rem. 3. Adjectives joined with the plural only, are all cardinal numbers above one, the words few, many, with its comparative more, both, several, enow. Many is sometimes construed with a singular noun; as, "Full many a flower," &c. Rem. 4. The adjectives, all, no, some, other may be joined with a singular or plural noun according to the sense.

Rem. 5. "This here," "that there," for this and that; and “them,' there," for these and those, are vulgarisms.

""them

Rem. 6. This means and that means refer to one cause; these means, those means, to more than one, $ 10, 5 Note. Amends is used in the same way as

means.

EXERCISES.

This boys are diligent. I have not seen him this ten days. Those sort of people fear nothing. These soldiers are remarkable tall. They behaved the noblest. It is uncommon good. Them books are almost new. Give me that there knife. These kind of favours did real injury. There is six foot water in the hold. I have no interests but that of truth and virtue. You will find the remark in the second or third pages. Charles was extravagant, and by those means became poor. The scholars were attentive and industrious, and by that means acquired knowledge. Let each esteem others better than themselves. Every person, whatever be their station, are bound by the laws of morality and religion. Are either of these men your friend?

56. RULE IX. When two persons or things are contrasted, that refers to the first mentioned, and this to the last; as, Virtue and vice are as op posite to each other as light and darkness; that enobles the mind, this debases it.

Remark. Former and latter, one and other, are often used instead of that and this. Former and latter are alike in both numbers; one and other refer to the singular only. That and this, as applied under this rule, are seldom applied to persons; but former and latter are applied to persons or things indiscriminately. In most cases the repetition of the noun is preferable to either of them.

Obs. Hence in the use of the demonstratives when no contrast is expressed, "this" and "these" refer to things present or just mentioned: “that” and "those" to things distant or formerly mentioned. Thus, "they cannot be sepa rated from the subject, and for that reason," &c. should be, “and for this rea son," &c.

EXERCISES.

Wealth and poverty are both temptations to man; this tends to excite pride, that discontentment. Religion raises men above themselves, irreligion sinks them beneath the brutes; that binds them down to a poor pitiable speck of perishable earth, this opens for them a prospect to the skies. Rex and Tyrannus are of very different characters; that rules his people by laws to which they consent, this by his absolute will and power; this is called freedom, that tyranny. More rain falls in the first two summer months than in the first two winter ones; but it makes a much greater shew in the one than in the other, because there is a much slower evaporation. Health is

more valuable than great possessions, and yet the latter is often sacrificed in the pursuit of the former. Exercise and temperance are the best promoters of health: that prevents disease; this often dissipates it.

Self-love, the spring of motion, moves the soul;
Reason's comparing balance rules the whole :
Man, but for this, no action could attend;

Man, but for that, were active to no end.

(Ex. on Obs.) That very subject which we are now discussing, is still involved in mystery. This vessel of which you spoke yesterday, sailed for the West Indies this morning at 10 o'clock.

57. RULE X. 1. Pronouns agree with the nouns for which they stand, in gender, number, and person; as, John is here; he came an hour ago. Every tree is known by its fruit.

2. When a pronoun refers to two words of different persons connected by a copulative conjunction, it becomes plural, and prefers the first person to the second, and the second to the third; as, John and I will do our duty.

Remark. 1. For an exception to this rule, see § 15, 4.

Rem. 2. The word containing the answer to a question must case with the word that asks it; as, Who said that? I (said it.) are these? John's.

be in the same

Whose books

Rem. 3. It is improper, in the progress of a sentence, to express the same object by pronouns of different numbers or genders; as, I laboured long to make thee happy, and now you reward me by ingratitude. It should be either, "to make you happy, or, thou rewardest."

EXERCISES.

1. Answer not a fool according to her folly. A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty, but a fool's wrath is heavier than it both. Take handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it towards heaven in the sight of Pharaoh; and it shall become small dust. The crown had it in their power to give such rewards as they thought proper. The fruit tree beareth fruit after his kind. becca took goodly raiment and put them upon Jacob.

Re

2. Thou and he shared it between them. James and I are attentive to their studies. You and he are diligent in reading their books; therefore they are good boys.

(Rem. 2.) Who betrayed her companion? Not me. Who revealed the secrets he ought to have concealed? Not him; it was her. Whom did you meet? He and his brother. Whose pen is that? Mine's. Who bought that book? Him.

(Rem. 3.) Virtue forces her way through obscurity, and sooner or later it is sure to be rewarded. Thou hast ever shewn thyself my real friend, and your kindness to me I can never forget

You draw the inspiring breath of ancient song,
Till nobly rises emulous thy own.

Thou, goddess-mother, with our sire comply;
If you submit, the thunderer stands appeased.

58. RULE XI. The relative agrees with its antecedent in number and person, and the verb agrees with it accordingly; as, Thou who speakest. The book which was lost.

See observations on the relative and interrogative, § 16 & 17.

Remark 1. The antecedent, or that to which the relative refers, may be a noun, or pronoun, or clause of a sentence.

Rem. 2. Who is applied to persons, or things personified; which, to all other objects, sometimes to children—to collective nouns composed of persons, when unity is expressed; and also to persons in asking questions. (§ 17, Obs 1, 2, 4.) Rem. 3. The relative that is used instead of who or which ;

1. After adjectives in the superlative degree,—after the words same and all,— and often after no, some, and any.

2. When the antecedent includes both persons and things; as, The man and the horse that we saw yesterday.

3. After the interrogative who; and often after the personal pronouns; as, Who that has any sense of religion, would have argued thus? I that speak in righteousness.

EXERCISES.

1 & 2. Those which seek wisdom, will certainly find her. This is the friend which I love. That is the vice whom I hate. This moon who rose last night had not yet filled her horns. Blessed is the man which walketh in wisdom's ways. Thou who has been a witness of the fact, can give an account of it. I am happy in the friend which I have long proved. The court who gives currency to manners, ought to be exemplary. The tiger is a beast of prey, who destroys without pity. Who of these men came to his assistance? The child whom I saw, is dead.

A train of heroes followed through the field,

Which bore by turns great Ajax's sev'nfold shield. 3. It is the best which can be got. Solomon was the wisest man whom ever the world saw. It is the same picture which you saw before. "And all which beauty, all which wealth e'er gave, await alike the inevitable hour." The lady and lapdog which we saw at the window, have disappeared. The men and things which he has studied, have not contributed to the improvement of his morals. I who speak unto thee, am he. Sidney was one of the wisest and most active governors which Ireland had enjoyed for several years. He has committed the same fault which I condemned yesterday.

RULE XI. Continued.

§ 59. SPECIAL RULES AND OBSERVATIONS.

RULE I. The relative, with its clause, should be placed as near as possible to its antecedent, to prevent ambiguity; thus, "The boy beat his companion, whom every body believed incapable of doing mischief," should be, "The boy, whom every body believed incapable of doing mischief, beat his companion." Hence,

RULE II. When the relative is preceded by two words referring to the same thing, its proper antecedent is the one next it; as, Thou art the man who was engaged in that business.

Observation. The relative is sometimes in such sentences made to agree improperly with the first; "I am a man who am a Jew." This sentence, according to its construction, should be arranged thus; I, who am a Jew, am a man. In such sentences care should always be taken to ascertain to which word the relative and its clause belongs, and to arrange the sentence accordingly. In this, the sense is the only guide.

RULE III. The antecedent, if a pronoun of the third person, is often understood when no emphasis is implied, and is always included in the compound relatives, whoever, whosoever, &c. (§ 16, Obs. 3.)

Observation. The relative is sometimes understood, especially in colloquial language; as, "The friend I visited yesterday, is dead to-day," for "The friend whom I visited," &c.

EXERCISES.

I. The king dismissed his minister, without any inquiry, who had never before committed so unjust an action. The soldier with a single companion, who passed for the bravest man in the regiment, offered his services. Thou art a friend indeed, who hast relieved me in this dangerous crisis.

II. Thou art the friend that hast often relieved me, and that hast not deserted me now in the time of peculiar need. I am the man who command you. I am the person who adopt that sentiment, and maintains it. Thou art he who driedst up the Red Sea before thy people Israel.

III. He whoever steals my purse, steals trash. Those whom he would, he slew; and those whom he would he kept alive. The man whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin. To them whomsoever he saw in distress, he imparted relief.