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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.

RULE 1.

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

RULE II.

Two or more nouns, &c. in the singular number, joined together by one or more copulative conjunc tions, have verbs, nouns, and pronouns agreeing with them in the plural number: as, "Socrates and Plato were wise; they were the most eminent philosophers of Greece;""The sun that rolls over our heads, the food that we receive, the rest that we enjoy, daily admonish us of a superior and superintending Power.",

RULE III.

The conjunction disjunctive has an effect contrary to that of the conjunction copulative; for as the verb, noun, or pronoun is referred to the preceding terms taken separately, it must be in the singular number, as, "Ignorance or negligence has caused this mistake;" ;"" John, or James, or Joseph, intends to accom. pany me:" "There is in many minds, neither knowledge nor understanding."

RULE IV.

A noun of multitude, or signifying many, may have a verb or pronoun agreeing with it, either of the singular or plural number; yet not without regard to

the import of the word, as conveying unity or plurality of idea as, "The meeting was large; "The parliament is dissolved;""The nation is powerful;" "My people do not consider: they have not known me;"« The multitude eagerly pursue pleasure, as their chief good; ""The council were divided in their sentiments."

RULE V.

Pronouns must always agree with their antecedents, and the nouns for which they stand, in gender and number; as, "This is the friend whom I love ;" "That is the vice which I hate." "The king and the queen had put on their robes ;"" The moon appears, and she shines, but the light is not her own.”

The relative is of the same person as the antecedent, and the verb agrees with it accordingly, as, Thou who lovest wisdom," "I, who speak from experience."

RULE VI.

The relative is the nominative case to the verb, when no nominative comes between it and the verb: as, "The master who taught us ;" "The trees which are planted."

"When a nominative comes between the relative and the verb, the relative is governed by some word in its own member of the sentence ; as, "He who preserves me, to whom I owe my being, whose I am," and whom I serve, is eternal."

RULE VII.

When the relative is preceded by two nominatives of different persons, the relative and verb may agree in person with either, according to the sense

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am the man who command you ;" or, "I am the mar who commands you."

RULE VIII.

Every adjective, and every adjective pronoun, be longs to a substantive, expressed or understood; as, "He is a good as well as a wise man ;"" Few are haphy" that is "persons," "This is a pleasant walk; that is, "This walk is," &c.

Adjective pronouns must agree, in number, with their substantives as, "This book, these books; that sort, those sorts; another road, other roads

RULE IX.

The article a or an agrees with nouns in the singular number only, individually or collectively pas, "A Christian, an Infidel, a score, a thousand."

The definite article the may agree with nouns in the singular or plural number: as," the garden, the houses, the stars."

The articles are often properly omitted: when used, they should be justly applied, according to their distinct nature: as, "Gold is corrupting; The sea is green; A lion is bold."

RULE X.

One substantive governs another signifying a dif ferent thing, in the possessive or genitive case as, "My father's house;" "Man's happiness;" "Vir tue's reward."

RULE XI.

Active verbs, govern the objective case: as, "Truth ennobles her;"" She comforts me;"« They support us" " Virtue rewards her followers."

RULE XII

One verb governs another that follows it, or depends upon it, in the infinitive mood; as, " Cease to do evil; learn to do well;" " We should be prepared to render an account of our actions."

The preposition to, though generally used before the latter verb, is sometimes properly omitted: as, heard him say it " instead of," to say it."

RULE XIII.

In the use of words and phrases which, in point of time, relate to each other, a due regard to that relation should be observed. Instead of saying," The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away;" we should say '; "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away." Instead of “ I remember the family mous than twenty years;" it should be," I have remembered the family more than twenty years.”

RULE XIV.

Participles have the same government as the verbs have from which they are derived, as, "I am weary with hearing him ;” « She is instructing us ;” The tutor is admonishing Charles.”

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."

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."

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."

RULE XVIII.

Conjunctions connect the same moods and tenses of verbs, and cases of nouns and pronouns : as, "Candour, is to be approved and practised;" If thou sincerely desire, and earnestly pursue virtue, she will esredly be found by thee, and prove a rich reward ;" master taught her and me to write ""He and she wore school-fellows."

RULE XIX.

Some conjunctions require the indicative, some the subjunctive mood, after them. It is a general rule, that when something contingent or doubtful is implied, the subjunctive ought to be used as, " If I were to write, he would not regard it ;""He will not be pardoned, unless he repent."

Conjunctions that are of a positive and absolute nature require the indicative mood. "As virtue advan. ces so vice recedes ;" "He is healthy because he is temperate."

RULE XX.

When the qualities of different things are com→ pared, the latter noun or pronoun is not governed by the conjunction than or as, (for conjunctions have no