IN WHICH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE SCIENCE ARE CLEARLY AND COPIOUS AND APPROPRIATE EXERCISES. ADAPTED TO THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE LEARNERS. BY CALEB FARNUM, JR., A. M. STEREOTYPE EDITION. PROVIDENCE: JOSEPH KNOWLES, PRINTER. 1848. > KD 42500 HARVARD Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by CALB FARNUM, Jr., In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Rhode Island. Conclusion of a Letter to the School Committee of Providence. You will allow us, in as few words as possible, to call your attention to those peculiarities in the work, which eminently fit it for our use. 1. The language in which the book is written, combines conciseness with clearness and accuracy, and, without being puerile, is, nevertheless, such as to be easily understood, even by young pupils. 2. By employing terms in the most careful and select manner, a single rule is made to cover a great variety of similar cases. By this means, the number both of rules and exceptions is greatly diminished, and the explanatory remarks and observations, resorted to in other works, are, for the most part, dispensed with. 3. By omitting most of the usual subdivisions of the Parts of Speech, particularly those of the Pronouns and Verbs, the exercise of parsing is greatly simplified, and the desired results are, at the same time, fully attained. 4. The examples for illustration and exercise, are very copious and judiciously selected. 5. The arrangement of the different parts of the work, including the exercises, is peculiarly well fitted for the gradual and easy development of the science to the mind of the learner. Other particulars might be referred to, but we deem these sufficient to show, that the "Practical Grammar," though unpretending in appearance, is a work of more than ordinary merit. It would therefore be very gratifying to us, and we are confident it would be greatly to the interest of our schools, should you see fit to adopt it as a text-book for our use. PROVIDENCE, Oct. 1, 1842. C. T. KEITH, D. BURBANK, J. D. GIDDINGS, [Grummar Masters.] Ar a meeting of the School Committee of the City of Providence, holden December 2, 1842, on the recommendation of the sub-committee, to whom had been referred the "Grammar of the English Language," by Caleb Farnum, Jr., it was voted, that the said Grammar be used in the Grammar Schools of this city, instead of the one now in use. PROVIDENCE, Dec. 31, 1842. EDWARD R. YOUNG, Secretary. STEREOTYPED AT THE BOSTON TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. PREFACE. IT has been my belief that a work on English Grammar might be so constructed as materially to abridge and simplify this study, and at the same time contain all that is necessary to a thorough practical knowledge of the subject. The works in common use, besides being faulty in other respects, contain a large amount of unnecessary matter, which, by taking up the time and distracting the attention of the learner, hinders his progress in the study, and, in too many cases, utterly prevents him from acquiring any adequate knowledge of the science. In the work which is before the reader, an effort has been made to divest the study of Grammar of all this superfluous matter, and to present, by itself, whatever is useful in practice, or necessary to a complete, though concise view of the subject. It may be proper briefly to notice some of the ways in which this has been done. 1. Most of the usual subdivisions of the Parts of Speech have been rejected. Some classification of words is necessary, in order that suitable rules may be given for their use. For this purpose, the customary division into Parts of Speech, with perhaps one or two slight variations, is as good as any that can be made. But, except the division of nouns into proper and common, no subdivision of these classes is required, either for this or for any other purpose, 2. Many rules have been rejected because they relate to subjects which are sufficiently plain without them: in other cases, rules which are not absolutely necessary, have been rejected, because they are liable to a great number of exceptions. Many such rules are to be found in all the Grammars now in general use; and they cause much embarrassment to the learner, without affording him any important assistance. In speaking of rules, I mean to include all directions respecting the use of language, whether they are called rules, or notes, or remarks. 3. In several instances, by some variation in phraseology, or in the mode of treating a subject, a single rule has been made to supply the place of several. 4. Occasion has been found for but very little of that kind of matter, which is contained in great abundance in other Grammars under the name of "remarks " or "observations." While I have been thus studious to reject every thing that is superfluous, i have been equally studious to retain every thing that is useful. The most approved Grammars have been read with attention; and whatever useful instruction is to be found in them, I have aimed to embody, in some form, in this. Some additions to this stock have also been made, consisting of such matter as appeared to be required, either to complete the system, or to render the work in any way more useful. I would not be understood to say that this book contains all, on the subject of English Grammar, that would be useful to advanced students. I speak in reference to the great mass of learners, for whom works of this kind are intended. Those who are already familiar with Grammar, as far as taught in this book, and have time and inclination to pursue the study further, may derive both pleasure and profit from the reading of larger works. These brief remarks will give some idea of the course which has been pursued in the selection of matter for this work. The result is, that the pupil has just what he needs to learn, placed in a clear view before him, instead of finding it incorporated with several times its amount of matter which can be of no use to him. In addition to this close attention to the selection of matter for this work, the greatest care has been exercised in the arrangement, in the mode of treating the different branches of the subject, and in the structure of the rules and definitions. I have also attached much importance to a copious and judicious selection of exercises. Much might be said on each of these points, illustrating the course pursued, and pointing out the different ways in which improvement has been attempted. But this is unnecessary. A single remark, however, respecting the structure of rules and definitions, may not be out of place, as this is a point of great importance in a work of this kind, and one on which I have spent much time and study. There are three principal qualities belonging to a good rule or definition in Grammar- clearness, brevity, and accuracy. A rule or definition should be clear, that it may be easily understood; brief, that it may be easily learned and retained; and accurate, that it may express the meaning intended. These three qualities are of great importance, and in framing rules and definitions, every exertion should be made to unite them. But this is sometimes impracticable in such cases, as accuracy is of the greatest importance, it should never be sacrificed to the others. The correctness of the principles contained in this remark, will not be questioned. Whether I have been more successful than others in applying them, can be decided only by an examination of the work." It is proper to mention that, in preparing this work, considerable use has been made of the labors of others. Where improvement was impracticable, rules and definitions have been borrowed, though I have found less frequent occasion for this than appears in many works of this kind. In preparing the exercises, more of this has been done. Many of these have been selected from other works on Grammar-chiefly from Murray's Exercises. English Grammar, as it is generally presented to the learner, requires so much time and labor, that comparatively few of those who engage in the study, ever become sufficiently acquainted with it to derive much benefit from it. Hence arises the complaint, so generally prevalent, of the unprofitableness of this study. This work was undertaken in the hope of removing this difficulty, by presenting the science in such a way as to bring a competent knowledge of it within the reach of all who will devote to it a reasonable amount of study. How far 1 have been successful in the attainment of this object, is now submitted to the decision of the public. ENGLISH GRAMMAR is the art of speaking and writing the English language with propriety. It is divided into four parts; namely, Orthography, Etymology, Syntax, and Prosody. Orthography treats of letters. It includes an ac count of the different sorts of letters, and their correct use in spelling words. Etymology treats of the derivation of words, and of their classes and modifications. Syntax treats of the formation of words into sen tences. Prosody treats of elocution and versification. PART I. ORTHOGRAPHY. ORTHOGRAPHY treats of letters. It includes an account of the different sorts of letters, and their correct use in spelling words. Letters are characters employed to represent those |