English Grammar in Familiar Lectures Part 43

When a relative p.r.o.noun is of the interrogative kind, it refers to the word or phrase containing the answer to the question for its _subsequent_, which subsequent must agree in _case_ with the interrogative; as, "_Whose_ book is that? _Joseph's;" "Who_ gave you this? _John_."

NOTE. Whether the interrogative _really refers_ to a subsequent or not, is doubtful; but it is certain that the subsequent should agree in case with the interrogative.

FALSE SYNTAX.

Who gave John those books? Us. Of whom did you buy them? Of a bookseller, he who lives in Pearl street.

Who walked with you? My brother and him.

Who will accompany me to the country? Her and me.

RULE XVIII.

Adjectives belong to, and qualify nouns, expressed or understood; as, "He is a _good_, as well as a _wise_ man."

NOTE 1. Adjectives frequently belong to p.r.o.nouns; as, "I am _miserable; He_ is _industrious_."

2. Numeral adjectives belong to nouns, which nouns must agree in number with their adjectives, when of the _cardinal_ kind; as, "Ten _feet_; Eighty _fathoms_." But some anomalous and figurative expressions form an exception to this rule; as, "A fleet of _forty sail;" "Two hundred head of cattle_."

3. Adjectives sometimes belong to verbs in the infinitive mood, or to a part of a sentence; as, "_To see_ is _pleasant_; To be blind is _unfortunate_; To die for our country is _glorious_."

4. Adjectives are often used to modify the sense of other adjectives, or the action of verbs, and to express the quality of things in connexion with the action by which that quality is produced; as, "_Red hot_ iron; _Pale blue_ lining; _Deep sea-green_ sash; The apples boil _soft_; Open your hand _wide_; The clay burns _white_; The fire burns _blue_; The eggs boil _hard_."

5. When an adjective is preceded by a preposition, and the noun is understood, the two words may be considered an adverbial phrase; as, "In general, in particular;" that is, generally, particularly.

6. Adjectives should be placed next to the nouns which they qualify; as, "A tract of _good_ land."

7. We should generally avoid comparing such adjectives as do not literally admit of comparison; such as, _more impossible, most impossible; more unconquerable, more perfect_, &c. See REMARKS on adjectives, page 76.

8. When an adjective or an adverb is used in comparing two objects, it should be in the comparative degree; but when more than two are compared, the superlative ought to be employed; as, "Julia is the _taller_ of the two; Her specimen is the _best_ of the three."

FALSE SYNTAX.

_Note_ 2. The boat carries thirty tun.

The chasm was twenty foot broad, and one hundred fathom in depth.

_Note_ 6. He bought a new pair of shoes, and an elegant piece of furniture.

My cousin gave his fine pair of horses for a poor tract of land.

_Note_ 7. The contradictions of impiety are still more incomprehensible.

It is the most uncertain way that can be devised.

This is a more perfect model than I ever saw before.

_Note_ 8. Which of those two cords is the strongest?

I was at a loss to determine which was the wiser of the three.

RULE XIX.

Adjective p.r.o.nouns belong to nouns, expressed or understood; as, "_Any_ man, _all_ men."

NOTE 1. The demonstrative adjective p.r.o.nouns must agree in number with their nouns; as, "_This_ book, _these_ books; _that_ sort, _those_ sorts."

2. The p.r.o.nominal adjectives, _each, every, either, neither, another_, and _one_, agree with nouns in the singular number only; as, "_Each_ man, _every_ person, _another_ lesson;" unless the plural nouns convey a collective idea: as, "_Every_ six months."

3. _Either_ is often improperly employed instead of _each;_ as, "The king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, sat _either_ of them on his throne." _Each_ signifies _both_ taken separately; _either_ implies only _the one_ or _the other_ taken disjunctively:--"sat _each_ on _his_ throne."

FALSE SYNTAX.

_Note_ 1. Those sort of favors do real injury.

They have been playing this two hours.

These kind of indulgences soften and injure the mind. He saw one or more persons enter the garden.

_Note_ 2. Let each esteem others better than themselves.

There are bodies, each of which are so small as to be invisible.

Every person, whatever their station may be, are bound by the laws of morality and religion.

_Note_ 3. On either side of the river was the tree of life.

Nadab and Abihu took either of them his censer.

RULE XX.

Active-transitive verbs govern the objective case; as, "Cesar conquered _Pompey_;" "Columbus discovered _America_;" "Truth enn.o.bles _her_."

FALSE SYNTAX.

Ye who were dead, hath he quickened.

_Ye_, in the nominative case, is erroneous, because it is the object of the action expressed by the transitive verb "hath quickened;" and therefore it should be _you_, in the objective case. _You_ would then be governed by "hath quickened," agreeably, to Rule 20. _Active-transitive verbs govern the objective case_.

Who did they entertain so freely?

They who opulence has made proud, and who luxury has corrupted, cannot relish the simple pleasures of nature.

He and they we know, but who are ye?

She that is negligent, reprove sharply.

He invited my brother and I to pay him a visit.