The Grammar of English Grammars Part 48

"The larger here, and there the _lesser_ lambs, The new-fall'n young herd bleating for their dams."--_Pope_.

OBS. 7.--Our grammarians deny the comparison of many adjectives, from a false notion that they are already superlatives. Thus W. Allen: "Adjectives compounded with the Latin preposition _per_, are already superlative: as, _perfect, perennial, permanent_, &c."--_Elements of E. Gram._, p. 52. In reply to this, I would say, that nothing is really superlative, in English, but what has the form and construction of the superlative; as, "The _most permanent_ of all dyes." No word beginning with _per_, is superlative by virtue of this Latin prefix. "Separate spirits, which are beings that have _perfecter_ knowledge and greater happiness than we, must needs have also a _perfecter_ way of communicating their thoughts than we have."--_Locke's Essay_, B. ii, Ch. 24, --36, This mode of comparison is not now good, but it shows that _perfect_ is no superlative. Thus Kirkham: "The _following_ adjectives, and _many others_, are _always in the superlative degree_; because, by expressing a quality _in the highest degree_, they carry in themselves a superlative signification: _chief, extreme, perfect, right, wrong, honest, just, true, correct, sincere, vast, immense, ceaseless, infinite, endless, unparalleled, universal, supreme, unlimited, omnipotent, all-wise, eternal_." [183]--_Gram._, p. 73. So the Rev. David Blair: "The words _perfect, certain, infinite, universal, chief, supreme, right, true, extreme, superior_, and some others, which express a perfect and superlative sense in themselves, do not admit of comparison."--_English Gram._, p. 81. Now, according to Murray's definition, which Kirkham adopts, none of these words can be at all in the superlative degree. On the contrary, there are several among them, from which true superlatives are frequently and correctly formed. Where are the positives which are here supposed to be "_increased to the highest degree_?" Every real superlative in our language, except _best_ and _worst, most_ and _least, first_ and _last_, with the still more irregular word _next_, is a derivative, formed from some other English word, by adding _est_ or _most_; as, _truest, hindmost_. The propriety or impropriety of comparing the foregoing words, or any of the "_many others_" of which this author speaks, is to be determined according to their meaning, and according to the usage of good writers, and not by the dictation of a feeble pedant, or upon the supposition that if compared they would form "_double superlatives_."

OBS. 8.--_Chief_ is from the French word _chef_, the _head: chiefest_ is therefore no more a double superlative than _headmost_: "But when the _headmost_ foes appeared."--_Scott_. Nor are _chief_ and _chiefest_ equivalent terms: "Doeg an Edomite, the _chiefest_ of the herdsmen."--_1 Samuel_, xxi, 7. "The _chief_ of the herdsmen," would convey a different meaning; it would be either the _leader_ of the herdsmen, or the _princ.i.p.al part_ of them. _Chiefest_, however, has often been used where _chief_ would have been better; as, "He sometimes denied admission to the _chiefest_ officers of the army."--_Clarendon_, let us look further at Kirkham's list of _absolute_ "_superlatives_."

OBS. 9.--_Extreme_ is from the Latin superlative _extremus_, and of course its literal signification is not really susceptible of increase. Yet _extremest_ has been used, and is still used, by some of the very best writers; as, "They thought it the _extremest_ of evils."--_Bacon_. "That on the sea's _extremest_ border stood."--_Addison_. "How, to _extremest_ thrill of agony."--_Pollok_, B. viii, l. 270. "I go th' _extremest_ remedy to prove."--_Dryden_. "In _extremest_ poverty."--_Swift_. "The hairy fool stood on th' _extremest_ verge of the swift brook, augmenting it with tears."--_Shak_. "While the _extremest_ parts of the earth were meditating submission."--_Atterbury_. "His writings are poetical to the _extremest_ boundaries of poetry."--_Adams's Rhetoric_, i, 87. In prose, this superlative is not now very common; but the poets still occasionally use it, for the sake of their measure; and it ought to be noticed that the simple adjective is _not part.i.tive_. If we say, for the first example, "the _extreme_ of evils;" we make the word a _noun_, and do not convey exactly the same idea that is there expressed.

OBS. 10.--_Perfect_, if taken in its strictest sense, must not be compared; but this word, like many others which mean most in the positive, is often used with a certain lat.i.tude of meaning, which renders its comparison by the adverbs not altogether inadmissible; nor is it dest.i.tute of authority, as I have already shown.

(See Obs. 8th, p. 280.) "From the first rough sketches, to the _more perfect_ draughts."--_Bolingbroke, on Hist._, p. 152. "The _most perfect_."--_Adams's Lect. on Rhet._, i, 99 and 136; ii, 17 and 57: _Blair's Lect._, pp. 20 and 399. "The most _beautiful and perfect_ example of a.n.a.lysis."--_Lowth's Gram., Pref._, p. 10. "The plainest, _most perfect_, and most useful manual."--_Bullions's E. Gram., Rev._, p. 7. "Our sight is the _most perfect_, and the most delightful, of all our senses."--_Addison, Spect._, No. 411; _Blair's Lect._, pp. 115 and 194; _Murray's Gram._, i, 322. Here Murray anonymously copied Blair. "And to render natives _more perfect_ in the knowledge of it."--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 171; _Murray's Gram._, p. 366. Here Murray copied Campbell, the most accurate of all his masters. Whom did he copy when he said, "The phrases, _more perfect_, and _most perfect_, are improper?"--_Octavo Gram._, p. 168.

But if these are wrong, so is the following sentence: "No poet has ever attained a _greater perfection_ than Horace."--_Blair's Lect._, p. 398. And also this: "Why are we brought into the world _less perfect_ in respect to our nature?"--_West's Letters to a Young Lady_, p. 220.

OBS. 11.--_Right_ and _wrong_ are not often compared by good writers; though we sometimes see such phrases as _more right_ and _more wrong_, and such words as _rightest_ and _wrongest_: "'Tis always in the _wrongest_ sense."--_Butler_. "A method of attaining the _rightest_ and greatest happiness."--PRICE: _Priestley's Gram._, p. 78. "It is no _more right_ to steal apples, than it is to steal money."--_Webster's New Spelling-Book_, p. 118. There are equivalent expressions which seem preferable; as, _more proper, more erroneous, most proper, most erroneous_.

OBS. 12.--_Honest, just, true, correct, sincere_, and _vast_, may all be compared at pleasure. Pope's Essay on Criticism is _more correct_ than any thing this modest pretender can write; and in it, he may find the comparative _juster_, the superlatives _justest, truest, sincerest_, and the phrases, "_So vast_ a throng,"--"_So vast_ is art:" all of which are contrary to his teaching. "_Unjuster_ dealing is used in buying than in selling."--_Butler's Poems_, p. 163. "_Iniquissimam_ pacem _justissimo_ bello antefero."--_Cicero_. "I prefer the _unjustest_ peace before the _justest_ war."--_Walker's English Particles_, p. 68. The poet Cowley used the word _honestest_; which is not now very common. So Swift: "What _honester_ folks never durst for their ears."--_The Yahoo's Overthrow_. So Jucius: "The _honestest_ and ablest men."--_Letter XVIII_. "The sentence would be _more correct_ in the following form."--_Murray's Gram._, i, p.

223. "Elegance is chiefly gained by studying the _correctest_ writers."--_Holmes's Rhetoric_, p. 27. _Honest_ and _correct_, for the sake of euphony, require the adverbs; as, _more honest_, "_most correct_."--_Lowth's Gram., Pref._, p. iv. _Vast, vaster, vastest_, are words as smooth, as _fast, faster, fastest_; and _more vast_ is certainly as good English as _more just_: "Shall mortal man be _more just_ than G.o.d?"--_Job_, iv, 17. "Wilt thou condemn him that is _most just_?"--_Ib._, x.x.xiv, 17. "More wise, more learn'd, _more just_, more-everything."--_Pope.

Universal_ is often compared by the adverbs, but certainly with no reenforcement of meaning: as, "One of the _most universal_ precepts, is, that the orator himself should feel the pa.s.sion."--_Adams's Rhet._, i, 379.

"Though not _so universal_."--_Ib._, ii, 311. "This experience is general, though not _so universal_, as the absence of memory in childhood."--_Ib._, ii, 362. "We can suppose no motive which would _more universally_ operate."--_Dr. Blair's Rhet._, p. 55. "Music is known to have been _more universally_ studied."--_Ib._, p. 123. "We shall not wonder, that his grammar has been _so universally_ applauded."--_Walker's Recommendation in Murray's Gram._, ii, 306. "The p.r.o.noun _it_ is the _most universal_ of all the p.r.o.nouns."--_Cutler's Gram._, p. 66. Thus much for one half of this critic's twenty-two "_superlatives_." The rest are simply adjectives that are not susceptible of comparison: they are not "superlatives" at all. A man might just as well teach, that _good_ is a superlative, and not susceptible of comparison, because "_there is none good but one_."

OBS. 13.--p.r.o.nominal adjectives, when their nouns are expressed, simply relate to them, and have no modifications: except _this_ and _that_, which form the plurals _these_ and _those_; and _much, many_, and a few others, which are compared. Examples: "Whence hath _this_ man _this_ wisdom, and _these_ mighty works?"--_Matt._, xiii, 54. "But _some_ man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with _what_ body do they come?"--_1 Cor._, xv, 35. "The _first_ man Adam was made a living soul; the _last_ Adam was made a quickening spirit."--_Ib._, 45. So, when one p.r.o.nominal adjective "precedes an other, the former _must be taken_ simply as an adjective;" as,

"Those suns are set. O rise _some other_ such!"

--_Cowper's Task_, B. ii, l. 252.

OBS. 14.--p.r.o.nominal adjectives, when their nouns are not expressed, may be pa.r.s.ed as representing them in _person, number, gender_, and _case_; but those who prefer it, may supply the ellipsis, and pa.r.s.e the adjective, _simply as an adjective_. Example: "He threatens _many_, who injures _one_."--_Kames_. Here it may be said, "_Many_ is a p.r.o.nominal adjective, meaning _many persons_; of the third person, plural number, masculine gender, and objective case." Or those who will take the word simply as an adjective, may say, "_Many_ is a p.r.o.nominal adjective, of the positive degree, compared _many, more, most_, and relating to _persons_ understood."

And so of "_one_," which represents, or relates to, _person_ understood.

Either say, "_One_ is a p.r.o.nominal adjective, not compared," and give the _three definitions_ accordingly; or else say, "One is a p.r.o.nominal adjective, relating to _person_ understood; of the third person, singular number, masculine gender, and objective case," and give the _six definitions_ accordingly.

OBS. 15.--_Elder_ for _older_, and _eldest_ for _oldest_, are still frequently used; though the ancient positive, _eld_ for _old_, is now obsolete. Hence some have represented _old_ as having a two-fold comparison; and have placed it, not very properly, among the irregular adjectives. The comparatives _elder_ and _better_, are often used as _nouns_; so are the Latin comparatives _superior_ and _inferior, interior_ and _exterior, senior_ and _junior, major_ and _minor_: as, The _elder's_ advice,--One of the _elders_,--His _betters_,--Our _superiors_,--The _interior_ of the country,--A handsome _exterior_,--Your _seniors_,--My _juniors_,--A _major_ in the army,--He is yet a _minor_. The word _other_, which has something of the nature of a comparative, likewise takes the form of a noun, as before suggested; and, in that form, the reader, if he will, may call it a noun: as, "What do ye more than _others_?"--_Bible_. "G.o.d in thus much is bounded, that the evil hath he left unto _an other_; and _that Dark Other_ hath usurped the evil which Omnipotence laid down."--_Tupper's Book of Thoughts_, p. 45. Some call it a p.r.o.noun. But it seems to be p.r.o.nominal, merely by ellipsis of the noun after it; although, unlike a mere adjective, it a.s.sumes the ending of the noun, to mark that ellipsis.

Perhaps therefore, the best explanation of it would be this: "'_Others_ is a p.r.o.nominal adjective, having the form of a noun, and put for _other men_; in the third person, plural number, masculine gender, and nominative case."

The gender of this word varies, according to that of the contrasted term; and the case, according to the relation it bears to other words. In the following example, it is neuter and objective: "The fibres of this muscle act as those of _others_."--_Cheyne_. Here, "as _those of others_," means, "as _the fibres_ of _other muscles_."

OBS. 16.--"Comparatives and superlatives seem sometimes to part with their relative nature, and only to retain their _intensive_, especially those which are formed by the superlative adverb _most_; as, 'A _most learned_ man,'--'A _most brave_ man:' i. e. not the bravest or the most learned man that ever was, but a man possessing bravery or learning in a very eminent degree."--See _Alexander Murray's Gram._, p. 110. This use of the terms of comparison is thought by some not to be very grammatical.

OBS. 17.--Contractions of the superlative termination _est_, as _high'st_ for _highest, bigg'st for biggest_, though sometimes used by the poets, are always inelegant, and may justly be considered grammatically improper. They occur most frequently in doggerel verse, like that of _Hudibras_; the author of which work, wrote, in his droll fas.h.i.+on, not only the foregoing monosyllables, but _learned'st_ for _most learned, activ'st_ for _most active, desperat'st_ for _most desperate, epidemical'st_ for _most epidemical_, &c.

"And _th' activ'st_ fancies share as loose alloys, For want of equal weight to counterpoise."--_Butler's Poems_.

"Who therefore finds the _artificial'st_ fools Have not been chang'd _i th'_ cradle, but the schools."--_Ib._, p. 143.

OBS. 18.--Nouns used adjectively are not varied in number to agree with the nouns to which they relate, but what is singular or plural when used substantively, is without number when taken as an adjective: as, "One of the nine _sister_ G.o.ddesses."--_Webster's Dict., w. Muse_. "He has money in a _savings_ bank." The latter mode of expression is uncommon, and the term _savings-bank_ is sometimes compounded, but the hyphen does not really affect the nature of the former word. It is doubtful, however, whether a plural noun can ever properly a.s.sume the character of an adjective; because, if it is not then really the same as the possessive case, it will always be liable to be thought a false form of that case. What Johnson wrote "_fullers earth_" and "_fullers thistle_;" Chalmers has "_fullers earth_" and "_fuller's thistle_;" Webster, "_fuller's-earth_" and "_fuller's-thistle_;" Ainsworth, "_fuller's earth_" and "_fuller's thistle_;" Walker has only "_fullers-earth_;" Worcester, "_fuller's-earth_;" Cobb, "_fullers earth_;" the Treasury of Knowledge, "_fullers'-earth_." So unsettled is this part of our grammar, that in many such cases it is difficult cult to say whether we ought to use the apostrophe, or the hyphen, or both, or neither. To insert neither, unless we make a close compound, is to use a plural noun adjectively; which form, I think, is the most objectionable of all. See "_All souls day_,"--"_All-fools-day_,"--"_All-saints'-day_," &c., in the dictionaries.

These may well be written "_All Souls' Day_" &c.

EXAMPLES FOR PARSING.

PRAXIS IV.--ETYMOLOGICAL.

_In the Fourth Praxis, it is required of the pupil--to distinguish and define the different parts of speech, and the cla.s.ses and modifications of the_ ARTICLES, NOUNS, _and_ ADJECTIVES.

_The definitions to be given in the Fourth Praxis, are two for an article, six for a noun, three for an adjective, and one for a p.r.o.noun, a verb, a participle, an adverb, a conjunction, a preposition, or an interjection.

Thus_:--

EXAMPLE Pa.r.s.eD.

"The best and most effectual method of teaching grammar, is precisely that of which the careless are least fond: teach learnedly, rebuking whatsoever is false, blundering, or unmannerly."--_G. Brown_.

_The_ is the definite article. 1. An article is the word _the, an_, or _a_, which we put before nouns to limit their signification. 2. The definite article is _the_, which denotes some particular thing or things.

_Best_ is a common adjective, of the superlative degree; compared irregularly, _good, better, best_. 1. An adjective is a word added to a noun or p.r.o.noun, and generally expresses quality. 2. A common adjective is any ordinary epithet, or adjective denoting quality or situation. 3. The superlative degree is that which is _most_ or _least_ of all included with it.

_And_, is a conjunction. 1. A conjunction is a word used to connect words or sentences in constructing, and to show the dependence of the terms so connected.

_Most_ is an adverb. 1. An adverb is a word added to a verb, a participle, an adjective, or an other adverb; and generally expresses time, place, degree, or manner.

_Effectual_ is a common adjective, compared by means of the adverbs; _effectual, more effectual, most effectual_; or, _effectual, less effectual, least effectual_. 1. An adjective is a word added to a noun or p.r.o.noun, and generally expresses quality. 2. A common adjective is any ordinary epithet, or adjective denoting quality or situation. 3. Those adjectives which may be varied in sense, but not in form, are compared by means of adverbs.

_Method_ is a common noun, of the third person, singular number, neuter gender, and nominative case. 1. A noun is the name of any person, place, or thing, that can be known or mentioned. 2. A common noun is the name of a sort, kind, or cla.s.s, of beings or things. 3. The third person, is that which denotes the person or thing merely spoken of. 4. The singular number is that which denotes but one. 5. The neuter gender is that which denotes things that are neither male nor female. 6. The nominative case is that form or state of a noun or p.r.o.noun, which usually denotes the subject of a finite verb.

_Of_ is a preposition. 1. A preposition is a word used to express some relation of different things or thoughts to each other, and is generally placed before a noun or a p.r.o.noun.

_Teaching_ is a participle. 1. A participle is a word derived from a verb, partic.i.p.ating the properties of a verb, and of an adjective or a noun; and is generally formed by adding _ing, d_, or _ed_, to the verb.

_Grammar_ is a common noun, of the third person, singular number, neuter gender, and objective case. 1. A noun is the name of any person, place or thing, that can be known or mentioned. 2. A common noun is the name of a sort, kind, or cla.s.s, of beings or things. 3. The third person is that which denotes the person or thing merely spoken of. 4. The singular number is that which denotes but one. 5. The neuter gender is that which denotes things that are neither male nor female. 6. The objective case is that form or state of a noun or p.r.o.noun, which usually denotes the object of a verb, participle, or preposition.

_Is_ is a verb. 1. A verb is a word that signifies _to be, to act_, or _to be acted upon_.

_Precisely_ is an adverb. 1. An adverb is a word added to a verb, a participle, an adjective, or an other adverb; and generally expresses time, place, degree, or manner.

_That_ is a p.r.o.nominal adjective, not compared; standing for _that method_, in the third person, singular number, neuter gender, and nominative case.

[See OBS. 14th,] 1. An adjective is a word added to a noun or p.r.o.noun, and generally expresses quality. 2. A p.r.o.nominal adjective is a definitive word which may either accompany its noun or represent it understood. 3. The third person is that which denotes the person or thing merely spoken of. 4.

The singular number is that which denotes but one. 5. The neuter gender is that which denotes things that are neither male nor female. 6. The nominative case is that form or state of a noun or p.r.o.noun, which usually denotes the subject of a finite verb.

_Of_ is a preposition. 1. A preposition is a word used to express some relation of different things or thoughts to each other, and is generally placed before a noun or a p.r.o.noun.

_Which_ is a p.r.o.noun. 1. A p.r.o.noun is a word used in stead of a noun.

_The_ is the definite article. 1. An article is the word _the, an_, or _a_, which we put before nouns to limit their signification. 2. The definite article is _the_, which denotes some particular thing or things.

_Careless_ is a common adjective, compared by means of the adverbs; _careless, more careless, most careless_; or, _careless, less careless, least careless_. 1. An adjective is a word added to a noun or p.r.o.noun, and generally expresses quality. 2. A common adjective is any ordinary epithet, or adjective denoting quality or situation. 3. Those adjectives which may be varied in sense, but not in form, are compared by means of adverbs.

_Are_ is a verb. 1. A verb is a word that signifies _to be, to act_, or _to be acted upon_.

_Least_ is an adverb. 1. An adverb is a word added to a verb, a participle, an adjective, or an other adverb; and generally expresses time, place, degree, or manner.

_Fond_ is a common adjective, compared regularly, _fond, fonder, fondest_; but here made superlative by the adverb _least_. 1. An adjective is a word added to a noun or p.r.o.noun, and generally expresses quality. 2. A common adjective is any ordinary epithet, or adjective denoting quality or situation. 8. The superlative degree is that which is _most_ or _least_ of all included with it.

_Teach_ is a verb. 1. A verb is a word that signifies _to be, to act_, or _to be acted upon_.