will render the sentence the most perspicuous and agreeable, and, by the use of both, avoid an unpleasant repetition of either.

IV.-A noun governing the possessive plural, should not be made plural, unless the sense requires it. Thus say, “We have changed our mind," if only one purpose or opinion is

meant.

OBS.-A noun taken figuratively may be singular, when the literal meaning would require the plural: such expressions as, "their face,”"their neck,"" their hand,"-" their head,"-" their heart,"--" our mouth,"-"our life,"—are frequent in the Scriptures, and are not im

proper.

V. The possessive case should not be prefixed to a participle, or to a participial phrase, where unnecessary, or when the construction thus formed would be awkward or inelegant. The following phrase is therefore faulty: "Adopted by the Goths in their pronouncing the Greek." Omit their.

False Syntax.

EXAMPLE.-Thy ancestors virtue is not thine.

FORMULE.-Not proper, because the noun ancestors, which is intended for the possessive plural, has not the appropriate form of that case. But, according to Note I., under Rule XVIII., "In the use of the possessive case, its appropriate form should be observed." An apostrophe is required after ancestors; thus, Try ancestors' virtue is not thine.

I.

Mans chief good is an upright mind.

I will not destroy the city for ten sake.
Moses rod was turned into a serpent.
They are wolves in sheeps clothing.

The tree is known by it's fruit.

The privilege is not their's, any more than it is your's.

Yet he was gentle as soft summer airs,

Had grace for others sins, but none for theirs'.

II.

There is but little difference between the Earth and Venus's

diameter.

This hat is John or James's.

The store is opposite to Morris's and Company's.

This palace had been the grand Sultan's Mahomet's.
This was the Apostle's Paul's advice.

Were Cain's occupation and Abel the same?
Were Cain and Abel's occupation the same?
Were Cain's and Abel's occupations the same?
Were Cain and Abel's parents the same?
Were Cain's parents and Abel the same?
Was Cain's and Abel's father there?
Were Cain's and Abel's parents there?

Thy Maker's will has placed thee here,
A Maker's wise and good.

III.

The world's government is not left to chance.

He was Louis the Sixteenth's son's heir.

The throne we honor is the choice of the people.

We met at my brother's partner's house.

An account of the proceedings of the court of Alexander. Here is a copy of the Constitution of the Society of Teachers of the City of New York.

IV.

Their healths perhaps may be pretty well secured.
We have all the talents committed to our charges.
For your sakes forgave I it, in the sight of Christ.
We are, for our parts, well satisfied.

The pious cheerfully submit to their lots.

Fools think it not worth their whiles to be wise.

V.

I rewarded the boy for his studying so diligently.
Have you a rule for your thus parsing the participle?
He errs in his giving the word a double construction.
By our offending others, we expose ourselves.

They deserve our thanks for their quickly relieving us.

Promiscuous.

Brown and Jones's house will be occupied by the respective

owners.

Edward the Second's death was a shocking one.

I have seen neither William nor Charles's book.

Socrates' sayings are recorded in Plato and Xenophon's works.

Horace' poems show great genius.
Adam was Cain's and Abel's father.

Men and women's shoes are made differently.

Jones's and Taylor's store was destroyed by fire.
All good people must take this lesson to their hearts.
Queen Elizabeth mourned on account of Essex' sad fate.

Parsing.

Parse all the possessives in the above sentences when corrected.

Rule XIX. Object of the Verb.

Active-transitive verbs, and their imperfect and preperfect participles, govern the objective case; as, "I found her assisting him."-" Having finished the work, I submit it."

Observations.

13.

"Me he re

"Home he

1. The objective case generally follows the governing word: but when it is emphatic, it often precedes the nominative; as, stored to mine office, and him he hanged.”—Gen. xli., had not."-Thomson. "This point they have gained." In poetry it is sometimes placed between the nominative and the verb; as, "His daring foe securely him defied."-Milton. "The broom its yellow leaf

hath shed."

2. An active-transitive verb is often followed by the direct object of the action, and the indirect object, or that in respect to which the action is performed. The latter is usually preceded by a preposition, which is sometimes understood; as, "I paid [to] him the money."—"They offered [to] me a seat."-" He asked [of] them the question."

3. In expressing such sentences passively, the object of the preposition is sometimes assumed for the nominative; as, "Ile was paid the

money," instead of, "The money was paid [to] him." The direct object should, however, generally be made the subject of the passive verb; but in some cases, usage seems to sanction the reverse; as, "The boy was taught grammar"; instead of, "Grammar was taught [to] the boy."—"He was denied the privilege." In this construction, the noun following the passive still continues to be an object of the action expressed by the verb, and is, accordingly, in the objective case.

4. An active-transitive verb is sometimes followed by an object and an attribute agreeing with it; as, "Thy saints proclaim thee king,” ¿.e., that thou art king.-"The Author of my being formed me man.”Murray. "And God called the firmament Heaven."—Bible. And, in such a construction, the direct object is sometimes placed before the verb; as, And Simon he surnamed Peter."-Mark iii.

5. Some verbs, usually intransitive, govern only a noun of kindred meaning; as, "He lived a virtuous life."-" Joseph dreamed a dream."

--

Notes, or Subordinate Rules.

I. Those verbs and participles which require an object, should not be used intransitively; as, "She affects [kindness] in order to ingratiate [herself] with you."-"I will not allow of it." Omit of.

II.-Those verbs and participles which do not admit an object, should not be used transitively; as, "The planters grow cotton." Say raise, or cultivate.

False Syntax.

EXAMPLE-She I shall more readily forgive.

FORMULE.-Not proper, because the pronoun she is in the nominative case, and is used as the object of the active transitive verb shall forgive. But according to Rule XIX., "Active-transitive verbs, and their imperfect and preperfect participles, govern the objective case." Therefore, she should be her; thus, Her I shall more readily forgive.

Thou only have I chosen.

Who shall we send on this errand?

My father allowed my brother and I to accompany him. He that is idle and mischievous, reprove sharply.

Who should I meet but my old friend!

He accosts whoever he meets.

Whosoever the court favors is safe.

They that honor me I will honor.

Who do you think I saw the other day?
Let you and I avoid such company.

I.

The ambitious are always seeking to aggrandize.
I must premise with three circumstances.

This society does not allow of personal reflections.
False accusation cannot diminish from real merit.
His servants ye are to whom ye obey.

II.

Good keeping thrives the herd.

We endeavored to agree the parties.

Being weary, he sat him down.

Go, flee thee away into the land of Judah.

The popular lords did not fail to enlarge themselves on the subject.

Parsing.

Parse all the nouns and pronouns in the following sentences.

His father presented him a gold watch. The teacher refused him permission. The savages at last gave them their liberty. They asked him a curious question. The governor offered him a large reward. They paid him the money. His father denied him the privilege. They showed him some beautiful pictures.

Change the active-transitive verb in each of these sentences to a passive verb, using the direct or indirect object for the nominative, as may be preferable.

Rule XX.-Object of the Preposition.

Prepositions govern the objective case; as, "Beauty dwells in them, and they in her.”

Observations.

1. Prepositions are sometimes elliptically construed with adjectives; as, in vain, in secret, at first, on high; i.e., in a vain manner, in secret places, at the first time, on high places. Such phrases imply time, place, degree, or manner, and are equivalent to adverbs. In parsing, the learner may supply the ellipsis.

2. In a few instances prepositions precede adverbs; as, at once, from above, for ever. These should be united, and parsed as adverbs, or else the adverb must be parsed as a noun.