RULE XV. ADVERBS, though they have no government of case, tense, &c. require an appropriate situation in the sentence, viz. for the most part, before adjectives, after verbs active or neuter, and frequently between the auxiliary and the verb: as, "He made a very sensible discourse; he spoke unaffectedly and forcibly; and was attentively heard by the whole assembly." A Few instances of erroneous positions of adverbs may serve to illustrate the rule. "He must not expect to find "We study agreeable always;" "always agreeable." always find them ready when we want them;" "we find them always ready," &c. "Dissertations on the prophecies which have remarkably been fulfilled;" "which have been remarkably." "Instead of looking contemptuously down on the crooked in mind or in body, we should look up thankfully to God, who hath made us better," "instead of looking down comtemptuously, &c. we should thankfully look up," &c. "If thou art blessed naturally with a good memory, continually exercise it;" "naturally blessed," &c. " exercise it continually." Sometimes the adverb is placed with propriety before the verb, or at some distance after it; sometimes between the two auxiliaries; and sometimes after them both; as in the following examples. "Vice always creeps by degrees, and insensibly twines around us those concealed fetters, by which we are at last completely bound." "He encouraged the English Barons to carry their opposition farther." They compelled him to declare that he would abjure the realm for ever;" instead of, "to carry farther their opposition," and "to abjure for ever the realm.? "He has generally been reckoned an honest man:" "The book may always be had at such a place;" in preference to "has been generally;" and "may be always. "These rules will be clearly understood, after they have been diligently studied," are preferable to, " These rules will clearly be understood, after they have diligently been studied." When adverbs are emphatical, they may introduce a sentence, and be separated from the word to which they belong: as, "How completely this most amiable of human virtues, had taken possession of his soul!" This position of the adverb is most frequent in interrogative and exclama, tory phrases. From the preceding remarks and examples, it appears that no exact and determinate rule can be given for the placing of adverbs, on all occasions. The general rule may be of considerable use: but the easy flow and perm spicuity of the phrase, are the things which ought to be chiefly regarded. The adverb there is often used as an expletive, or as a word that adds nothing to the sense; in which case it precedes the verb and the nominative noun: as, "There is a person at the door;" "There are some thieves in the house;" which would be as well, or better, expressed by saying, "A person is at the door;" "Some thieves are in the house." Sometimes, it is made use of to give a small degree of emphasis to the sentence: as, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." When it is applied in its strict sense, it principally follows the verb and the nominative case: as, "The man stands there." I. The adverb never generally precedes the verb: as, "I never was there;" "He never comes at a proper time." When an auxiliary is used, it is placed indifferently, either before or after this adverb: as, "He was never seen (or never was seen) to laugh from that time." sages. "If wisely." The word "ever" would be more suitable to the sense.—Ever is sometimes improperly used for never: as, "I seldom or ever see him now." It should be, "I seldom or never;" the speaker intending to say, "that rarely, or rather at no time, does he see him now;" not "rarely," or, "at any time." 2. In imitation of the French idiom, the adverb of place where, is often used instead of the pronoun relative and a preposition. "They framed a protestation, where they repeated all their former claims;" i. e. " in which they repeated." "The king was still determined to run forwards, in the same course where he was already, by his precipitate career, too fatally advanced;" i. e. " in which he was." But it would be better to avoid this mode of expression. The adverbs hence, thence, and whence, imply a preposition; for they signify, " from this place, from that place, from what place." It seems, therefore, strictly speaking, to be improper to join a preposition with them, because it is superfluous: as, "This is the leviathan, from whence the wits of our age are said to borrow their weapons;" "An ancient author prophecies from hence." But the origin of these words is little attended to, and the preposition from is so often used in construction with them, that the omission of it, in many cases, would seem stiff, and be disagreeable. The adverbs here, there, where, are often improperly applied to verbs signifying motion, instead of the adverbs hither, thither, whither: as, " He came here hastily;" "They rode there with speed." They should be, "He came hither;" "They rode thither," &c. 3. We have some examples of adverbs being used for substantives: "In 1687, he erected it into a community of regulars, since when, it has begun to increase in those countries as a religious order;" i. e. "since which time." "A little while and I shall not see you;" i. e. " a short time.""It is worth their while;" i. e. " it deserves their time and pains." But this use of the word rather suits familiar than grave style. The same may be said of the phrase, "To do a thing anyhow;" i. e. " in any manner;" or, "somehow;" i. e. "in some manner." "Somehow, worthy as these people are, they are under the influence of prejudice." Such expressions as the following, though not destitute of authority, are very inelegant, and do not suit the idiom of our language: "The then ministry," for," the ministry of that time;" "The above discourse," for, "the preceding discourse." Rule XVI. Two negatives, in English, destroy one another, or are equivalent to an affirmative: as, " Nor did they not perceive him;" that is, "they did perceive him." "His language, though inelegant, is not ungrammatical;" that is, " it is grammatical." It is better to express an affirmation, by a regular affirmative, than by two separate negatives, as in the former sentence: but when one of the negatives is joined to another word, as in the latter sentence, the two negatives form a pleasing and delicate variety of expression. Some writers have improperly employed two negatives instead of one: as in the following instances: "I never did repent of doing good, nor shall not now;" "nor shall 3 I now." "Never no imitator grew up to his author:" 66 never did any," &c. "I cannot by no means allow him what his argument must prove;" "I cannot by any means," &c. or, "I can by no means." "Nor let no comforter approach me;" "nor let any comforter," &c. "Nor is danger ever apprehended in such a government, no more than we commonly apprehend danger from thunder or earthquakes:" it should be, "any more." Ariosto, Tasso, Galileo, no more than Raphael, were not born in republics." "Neither Ariosto, Tasso, nor Galileo, any more than Raphael, was born in a republic." Rule XVII. PREPOSITIONS govern the objective case: as, "I have heard a good character of her :" "From him that is needy turn not away; "A word to the wise is sufficient for them;" "We may be good. and happy without riches." The following are examples of the nominative case being used instead of the objective. "Who servest thou under?" "Who do you speak to?" "We are still much at a loss who civil power belongs to?" "Who do you ask for?" "Associate not with those who none can speak well of." In all these places it ought to be "whom." See Note I. Get The prepositions to and for are often understood, chiefly before the pronouns: as, "Give me the book;" me some paper;" that is, "to me; for me." "Wo is me;" i. e. " to me." "He was banished England;" i. e. 66 "from England." I. The preposition is often separated from the relative which it governs: as, "Whom will you give it to?" in |