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close, closest; wide, widest; and est, when they end with a consonant; as, reddest, smallest, greatest, etc.

§ 90. Adjectives are sometimes compared by prefixing the adverbs more and most, less and least; as, more wise, most wise; less wise, least wise; less lovely, least lovely, etc.

REMARK 1. Adjectives of more than one syllable are usually compared by adverbs; as, glorious, more glorious, most glorious; gracious, more gracious, most gracious; except dissyllables ending with y mute; as, happy, happier, happiest.

REM. 2. When an adjective ends with y preceded by a consonant, i is substituted for it, before er and est; as, mighty, mightier, mightiest.

91. A few adjectives express the degrees of comparison by irregular terminations; as,

Good,

better,
former,
worse,
less,

best.
first.
worst.
least.

ELL

Evil or bad,
Little,

Much or many,

Near,

Late

Old,

nearer,

more, later

older or elder,

nearest and next.

most.

latest or last.

oldest or eldest.

REMARK 1. The words much, more, and most; little, less and least, are adjectives only when they are prefixed to nouns; as, much labor; more labor; most labor; little study; less study; least study.

REM. 2. When the definite article the is prefixed to an adjective without a noun, the adjective usually becomes a noun, and should be parsed as such; as, "Providence rewards the good, and punishes the bad." Sometimes adjectives are used as nouns without the article; as, little can be done on the present occasion; both have gone to the city.

FIRST COURSE.

In what other way are adjectives sometimes compared ?

SECOND COURSE.

How are adjectives of more than one syllable usually compared ? Give the substance of the second remark under sec. 90. When are much, more, most, little, less, and least, adjectives? When the definite article the is prefixed to an adjective without a noun, what is the adjec

REM. 3. The following adjectives have more than one superlative, and some of them more than one comparative; as,

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REM. 5. The following have no positive; as,

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REM. 6. Aside from the degrees of comparison, adjectives are modified in a variety of ways by other words; as, very far; extremely studious; exceedingly penurious; far distant; extremely wise; much learned. Most of the modifiers in ly, are sometimes thus used.

REM. 7. Adjectives of the comparative degree, admit the conjunction than to commence the last part of the comparison; as, "virtue is better than riches;" except after and hither outer or utter; former and latter or hinder; inner and outer; upper and under or nether; major and minor; senior, prior and ulterior; anterior and posterior; interior and exterior; superior and inferior.

REM. 8. Nouns are often used as adjectives, but are not comparable; as, meadow ground; wine cask; sea fish; iron wedge; cane field.

REM. 9. Many irregular adjectives are joined in composition with other words, and are used as nouns, adverbs or prepositions, as their construction in sentences requires; as, beforehand, front-room, head-ache, rear-rank, inland, after-ages, mid-ship,

SECOND COURSE.

Are adjectives ever modified in any other way than by the degrees of comparison? When do adjectives of the comparative degree admit of the conjunction than? Are nouns used as adjectives comparable? Are irregular adjectives joined in composition?

left-handedness, right-handedness, bottom-lands, out-post, highland, low-land, upland, downhill.

REM. 10. Proper and numeral adjectives are never compared. REM. 11. Own is an intensive adjective.

EXERCISES IN DISTINGUISHING DIFFERENT DEGREES OF COM

PARISON.

Whitish, bluish, lovely, great, wiser, purer, noblest, fairest, good, better, best.

Which of the preceding adjectives are of the diminutive degree? Which, of the positive? Which, of the comparative? Which, of the superlative?

RULE.

Adjectives belong to nouns which they describe, expressed or implied.

EXERCISES IN PARSING.

"Fragrant flower."

What part of speech is fragrant? § 70. Why? § 70. What kind of an adjective is it? § 73. Why common? §73. What degree of comparison? § 84. Why? § 84. To what does it belong? Flowers.

"Happier life."

What part of speech is happier? § 70. Why? § 70. What degree of comparison? § 88. Why? § 88.

"Sweetest increase."

What part of speech is sweetest? § 70. Why? § 70. What degree of comparison? §89. Why? $89.

Parse the articles, nouns and adjectives in the following examples.

us.

EXAMPLES FOR PARSING.

A better' world' is above. The noblest prospect is before An obedient son honors his father. An affectionate parent cherishes his children.' Monday is past. January is the first month in the year." Christmas occurs the twentyfifth of December. This' apple is good, that' is bad. Such

SECOND COURSE.

Are proper and numeral adjectives ever compared? What is own? 1691. 2$62. 3067. 7876.

4036.

5867.

675, and Rem. 1.

878.

people are well instructed. The Newtonian' system is admired by many. A sea-faring life is dangerous. Two' persons were seen at my door. Each man must account for himself. The apple is reddish. This is a charming boy.

PRONOUNS.

§ 92. A pronoun is a word that supplies the place of a noun; as, "The man is happy; he is benevolent; he is useful."

93. A pronoun often supplies the place of preceding sentences; as, "The Jews, it is well known, were at this time under the dominion of the Romans."

Here it denotes the whole sentence except the clause is well known.

"Shall worldly glory, impotent and vain,

That fluctuates like the billows of the main ;
Shall this with more respect thy bosom move,
Than zeal for crowns that never fade above?
Avert it heaven."-Poole's Tasso.

Here the four preceding lines are represented by it.

§ 94. The noun that is represented by a pronoun usually precedes it, and is called the antecedent.

REMARK 1. The pronoun it often precedes the clause or sentence it represents, and hence it is called an inceptive pronoun; as, "It is remarkable, that the philosopher Seneca makes use of the same argument. Here the last clause of the sentence is represented by it.

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REM. 2. It also begins a sentence when the name of a person, either of the masculine or feminine gender, or of the singular or plural number succeeds the verb; as, "It was Mary who bedewed the Saviour's feet with her tears."

REM. 3. In like manner it begins a sentence when the verb

FIRST COURSE.

What is a pronoun? Does a pronoun ever supply the place of sentences? What is the position of the noun in relation to the pronoun that represents it?

SECOND COURSE.

When it precedes a clause, what is it called? When does it begin a

sentence?

1874.

279. 375, and Rem. 2. 4 § 77. 5 § 83.80.

is followed by masculine or feminine pronouns, either of the singular or plural number, or of either person; as, “It was they who executed the fearful deed."

§ 95. The noun that is represented by an interrogative pronoun, is contained in the answer to the question, expressed or implied; as, "Whose book is this?— John's." "Who can find out the Almighty unto perfection?"

REMARK 1. Nouns denoted by the pronouns I and thou, and their various modifications, are generally not expressed, because the speaker represented by I and we, and the person addressed by thou and ye or you, are always present or supposed to be present.

REM. 2. When I and the name of the person are both expressed, the pronoun precedes the noun. The same is true in

respect to the pronoun we, ye or you.

REM. 3. In the singular, thou is used in the solemn style, and you in common parlance. In the plural, ye is used in the grave style, and you in familiar style.

REM. 4. In common parlance, you is used in the singular as well as in the plural, and when it represents a singular noun, the verb with which it agrees must have the plural form.

REM. 5. He, she and they, and their different modifications, are sometimes used indefinitely; as, "He is wise who lives virtuously."

REM. 6. The personal and interrogative pronouns are sometimes used as antecedents to the relatives who and that; as, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

§ 96. There are seven kinds of pronouns; the personal, the relative, the compound relative, the interrogative, the indefinite, the definite, and the distribu

tive.

FIRST COURSE.

In what is the noun which is represented by an interrogative contained? How many kinds of pronouns are there?

SECOND COURSE.

Why are not the pronouns I and thou generally expressed? Repeat Rem. 2, sec. 95. How are thou and you used in the singular? How are he and they sometimes used? How are the personal and interrogative pronouns sometimes used?

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