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to express the same idea by arranging the sentence differently; as, James is in the wrong, or I am," or, "One of us is in the wrong.” "Either you are mistaken or he is."—" I am to blame, or thou art." This remark is sometimes applicable, also, when the substantives are of the same person, but different in number, and requiring each a different form of the verb; as, "Either the captain or the sailors were to blame :" otherwise, “ Either the captain was to blame, or the sailors were."

790. RULE 5.-1. A collective noun, expressing many as one whole, has a verb in the singular; as, "The company was large."

791. 2. But when a collective noun expresses many as individuals, the verb must be plural; as, "My people do not consider." 792. It is sometimes difficult to determine whether a collective noun expresses unity or plurality. It is now generally considered best to use the plural, where the singular is not manifestly required. 793. A subject after “many a" has a verb in the singular; as, "Full many a flower is born," etc. (735).

794. Two or more verbs connected in the same construction, as a compound predicate (627) have the same subject; as, "James reads and writes." "James neither reads nor writes."

795. But when verbs are not connected in the same construction, cach verb should have its own subject. The following sentence is wrong in this respect : "The whole is produced as an illusion of the first class, and hopes it will be found worthy of patronage ;" it should be, either" He produces the whole as an illusion," etc., "and hopcs," etc.; "The whole is produced," etc., "and he hopes, etc., or, "and it is hoped," etc.

For the position of the verb and its subject, see (767), and also (741).

EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED.

What is the verb in each of the following sentences? What is its subject? See if they agree. If they do, give the rule and show how it applies. If they do not, change the verb so as to agree with its subject, and give the rule. Thus, loves should be love, to agree with I, in the first person, singular. Rule-" A verb agrees," etc. (776).

(776) I loves reading.—A soft answer turn away wrath -We is but of yesterday, and knows nothing. The days of man is as grass.—

Thou sees how little has been done.-He dare not act otherwise.Fifty pounds of wheat produces forty pounds of flour.-A variety of pleasing objects charm the eye.--So much of ability and merit are seldom found.-A judicious arrangement of studies facilitate improvement.-Was you there ?-I, who are first, has the best claim. The derivation of these words are uncertain.-To be igno rant of such things are now inexcusable.-(482).—She needs not trouble herself.

(777) Forty head of cattle was sold in one hour.--The horse was sent forward to engage the enemy.-The foot, in the meantime, was preparing for an attack.—Fifty sail was seen approaching the coast. Two dozen is as many as you can take.-One pair was spoiled; five pair was in good condition.

(778) Patience and diligence, like faith, removes mountains.-Life and death is in the power of the tongue.--Anger and impatience is always unreasonable.-Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. To profess regard, and to act differently, marks a base mind. To be good and to seem good is different things.

(781) That able scholar and critic have died.-Your friend and pa tron who were here yesterday have called again to-day.

(782) Every leaf, and every twig, and every drop of water, teem with life. Every man and every woman were searched.-No wife, no mother, no child, soothe his cares.-No oppressor, no tyrant, triumphthere.

(785) Either the boy or the girl were present.—Neither precept nor discipline are so forcible as example.—Our happiness or misery de pend much upon our own conduct.-A man's being rich, or his being poor, do not affect his character for integrity.-To do good or to get good are equally neglected by the foolish.

(786) His time, as well as his money and health, were lost in the undertaking.-He, and not we, are to blame.-James, and also his brother, have embarked for the gold region.

(787) Neither the scholars nor the teacher was present.-Whether he subjects or the king is responsible, makes no difference.

(788) Either he or I are willing to go.-Neither thou nor he art of age. You or your brother are blamed.—Neither James nor I has had a letter this week.

(790) Stephen's party were entirely broken up.-The meeting were large and respectable. The people often rejoices in that which will

prove their ruin.-The British Parliament are composed of lords and commons.-The noble army of martyrs praiseth thee, O God!—A great number of women were present.-The public is respectfully informed.—The audience was much pleased.--The council was not unanimous.-Congress have adjourned.

While still the busy world is treading o'er

The paths they trod five thousand years before.

(793) Many a one have tried to be rich, but in vain.-Many a broken ship have come to land.

(795) The letter from which the extract was taken, and came by mail, is lost.—It was proposed by the president to fit out an expedition, and has accomplished it.-Our friend brought two loads to market, and were sold at a good price.

The Predicate Substantive.

796. RULE IX.-The predicate substantive, after an attributive verb, is put in the same case as the subject before it (797); as,

"It is I"-" He shall be called John."-" She walks a queen."—" I took it to be him."- -"He seems to be a scholar."—"The opinion is, that he will live." Hence

NOTE.-As the subject of a verb can be only in the nominative (760), or objective (872), the predicate substantive can be only in the nominative or objective.

797. Any verb may be the copula [attributive verb] between the subject and the predicate substantive, except a transitive verb in the active voice. But those most commonly used in this way are the verbs to be, to become, to seem, to appear; intransitive verbs of motion, position, etc., and passive verbs, denoting to call, name, style, appoint, choose, make, esteem, reckon, etc.

798. The predicate substantive after a verb may be any thing that can be the subject of a verb (762).

799. The infinitive without a definite subject, or the participle of an attributive verb (604) in a substantive clause, has a predicate substantive after it in the nominative; as,

"To be a foreigner is a disadvantage." "He was not known to be a foreigner."

His being a foreigner was not known."

"He was suspected of being a foreigner."

"We did not know his being [or, of his being] a foreigner."

In all these examples, the word foreigner is the predicate nominative after to be, or being, because these phrases being only abridged dependent clauses (649), the predicate noun remains in the same case after the clause is abridged as it was before. Thus, "He was not known to be a foreigner,"=" It was not known that he was a foreigner." As, then, in the latter form, foreigner is in the nominative under the rule, it remains the same in the abridged form, and so of the other examples. But when we say,' For him to be a foreigner," or, "We did not know him to be a foreigner" (395), him, in both examples, is the subject of to be, and foreigner is in the objective, according to the rule.

Position.

800. The usual position of the predicate substantive is after the verb, as that of the subject is before it, and this is always the order of construction. But in both the direct and the indirect question, and in inverted sentences, its place is often different; thus, "WHO is he?"-" We know not WHO he is."-" Is he a STUDENT ?”— "He is the same THAT he was."-" The DOG it was that died."-“ A MAN he was to all the country dear."-" FEET was I to the lame.".

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EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED.

In each of the following sentences, which is the attributive verb ?— what is its subject ?-what the predicate substantive? Correct where it is wrong, and give the reason for the correction. Thus, me is the predicate substantive, and should be I, because the subject it is in the nominative. Rule-" The predicate," etc.

(796) It is me.-It was me who wrote the letter, and him who carried it to the post-office.-I am sure it could not have been her.-You would probably do the same thing if you were him.-I understood it to be he. It may have been him, but there is no proof of it.—I little thought it had been him.

Whom do you think he is?-Who do you think him to be?— Whom do men say that I am?—IIe is the man whom you said it was

-Let him be whom he may.-Is it not him whom you though it was?-Thomas knew not whom it was that called, though quite cer tain it was not her who we saw yesterday.

The Object after Transitive Verbs.

801. RULE X.—A substantive, being the object of a transitive verb in the active voice, is put in the objective case; as, "We love him."-"He loves us." "Whom did they send?"

802. The infinitive mood, a participle used as a noun, or part of a sentence, may be the object of a transitive verb, as well as a noun or pronoun; as, "Boys love to play."-" I know who is there."—"I wish that they were wise."-"You see how few have returned."

Special Rules.

803. RULE 1.-An intransitive verb does not govern an objective case (320, 1). Thus

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Repenting him of his design," should be, "Repenting of his design." Still, a few anomalies of this kind are to be found; as, “They laughed him to scorn.”—“The manliness to look the subject in the face."-"Talked the night away."

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804. RULE 2.-Intransitive verbs in a transitive sense (375) govern the objective case (321, 1, 2); as, 'He runs a race.""They live a holy life."

805. To this usage may be referred such expressions in poetry as the following: "The brooks ran nectar."—" The trees wept gums and balme."-" Her lips blush deeper sweets," etc.

806. To this rule also belongs the objective after causatives (375, 3); as "He runs a stage."-" John walks his horse."-" He works him hard," etc. Such expressions, however, as "Grows corn," are inelegant, and should be avoided.

807. RULE 3.—Intransitive verbs do not admit a passive voice, except when used transitively (375). Thus

"I am purposed "—" I am perished." should be. "I have purposed"