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PART III.

SYNTAX.

THE third part of grammar is SYNTAX, which

treats of the agreement and construction of words in a sentence.

A sentence is an assemblage of words, forming a complete sense.

Sentences are of two kinds, simple and compound.

A simple sentence has in it but one subject, and one finite verb: as, "Life is short."

A compound sentence contains two or more simple sentences, joined together by one or more connective words: as, "Life is short, and art is long."

As sentences themselves are divided into simple and compound, so the members of sentences may be divided likewise into simple and compound members: for whole 'sentences, whether simple or compounded, may become members of other sentences, by means of some additional connexion; as in the following example: "Toe ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people do not consider," This sentence consists of two compounded members, each of which is subdivided into two simple members, which are properly called clauses.

* Finite verbs are those to which number and person appertain. Verbs in the infinitive mood have no respect to number or person.

There are three sorts of simple sentences; the explicative, or explaining; the interrogative, or asking; the imperative, or commanding.

An explicative sentence is, when a thing is said to be or not to be, to do or not to do, to suffer or not to suffer, in a direct manner: as, "I am; thou writest; Thomas is loved." If the sentence be negative, the adverb not is placed after the auxiliary, or after the verb itself when it has no auxiliary: as, "I did not touch him;" or, "t touched him not."

In an interrogative sentence, or when a question is asked, the nominative case follows the principal verb, or the auxiliary: as, "Was it he?" "Did Alexander conquer the Persians ?"

In an imperative sentence, when a thing is commanded to be, to do, to suffer, or not, the nominative case likewise follows the verb or the auxiliary: as, "Go, thou traitor!" "Do thou go:" "Haste ye away:" unless the verb let be used; as, "Let us be gone."

A phrase is two or more words rightly put together, making sometimes part of a sentence, and sometimes a whole sentence.

The principal parts of a simple sentence are, the subject, the attribute, and the object.

The subject is the thing chiefly spoken of; the attribute is the thing or action affirmed or denied of it; and the object is the thing affected by such action.

The nominative denotes the subject, and usually goes before the verb or attribute; and the word or phrase, denoting the object, follows the verb: as, "A wise man governs his passions." Here, a wise man is the subject; governs, the attribute, Op Hing affirmed; and his passions, the object.

Syntax principally consists of two parts, Concord and Government.

Concord is the agreement which one word has with another, in gender, number, case, or person. Government is that power which one part of speech has over another, in directing its mood, tense, or case.

In arranging the Rules of Syntax, we have adopted that scheme which appeared to be the least liable to objections; and the most likely to impress the mind of the learner, and be retained in his memory. The plan corresponds very nearly with that, which is founded on the Concord and Government of words. But an arrangement on this principle is not, in all cases, sufficiently distinct; and, if it were strictly adhered to, would not embrace all the rules of Syntax. The rule, that "a verb must agree with its nominative, in number and person," being of primary use and importance, demands the first place. The seven subsequent rules are so intimately connected with the principle of the first rule, that they necessarily follow it, without admitting the intervention of any other. By this arrangement, the pronouns are presented in a distinct point of view, and in regular succession. The English adjective, having but a very limited syntax, is classed with its kindred article, the adjective pronoun, under the eighth rule. It has, however, an appropriate section under that rule. After this special disposition, the syntax of the remaining parts of speech, is exhibited according to their etymological arrangement. The whole is closed by two rules of a mixed and general nature.—By this order, the first nine rules accord with those which respect the rules of Concord; and the remainder include, though they extend beyond, the rules of Government.

To produce the agreement and right disposition of words in a sentence, the following rules and observations should be carefully studied.

Rule I.

"Thou art

A VERB must agree with its nominative case, in number and person: as, "I learn;" improved;" "The birds sing."

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THE following are a few examples of the violation of this rule. "What signifies good opinions, when our practice is bad?" "what signify." "The Normans, under which general term is comprehended the Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes, were accustomed to slaughter and rapine;" are comprehended."" If thou would be easy and happy in thy family, be careful to observe discipline:" "if thou wouldst." "Gold, whence came thou? whither goes thou? when will thou come again?" "eamest, goest, wilt." "But thou, false promiser, never shall obtain thy purpose:" it ought to be "shalt." "And wheresoe'er thou turns thy view;" "turnest." "There's two or three of us have seen the work:" "there are." "Great pains has been taken;"" have been." "I have considered what have been said on both sides in this controversy;" "what has been said." "One would think there was more sophists than one;" "there were more." "The number of the names together were about one hundred and twenty ;"" was about."

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* 1. The infinitive mood, or part of a sentence, is sometimes put as the nominative case to the verb: as,

* The chief practical notes under each Rule, are regularly numbered, that they may correspond with the examples in the volume of Exercises.

"To see the sun is pleasant;" "To be good is to be happy" "A desire to excel others in learning and virtue is commendable;" "That warm climates should accelerate the growth of the human body, and shorten its duration, is very reasonable to believe ;"" Promising without due consideration, often produces a breach of promise;" "To be temperate in eating and drinking, to use exercise in the open air, and to preserve the mind free from tumultuous emotions, are the best preservatives of health." These sentences, or clauses, thus constituting the subject of an affirmation, may be termed nominative

sentences.

2. Every verb, except in the infinitive mood, or the participle, ought to have a nominative case, either expressed or implied: as, "Awake; arise;" that is, "Awake ye; arise ye."

We shall here add some examples of inaccuracy, in the use of the verb without its nominative case. "As it hath pleased him of his goodness to give you safe deliverance, and hath preserved you in the great danger," &c. The verb "hath preserved," has here no nominative case; for it cannot be properly supplied by the preceding word, "him," which is in the objective case. It ought to be, "and as he hath preserved you;" or rather," and to preserve you." "If the calm in which he was born, and lasted so long, had continued ;"" and which lasted," &c. "These we have extracted from an historian of undoubted credit, and are the same that were practised," &c.: "and they are the same." "A man whose inclinations led him to be corrupt, and had great abilities to manage the business ;"" and who had," &c. "A cloud gathering in the north; which we have helped to raise, and may quickly break in a storm upon our heads;"" and which may quickly."

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