The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown (free ebook reader .txt) 📕

radical form of the principal verb is made use of."—Priestley's Gram., p. 24. "They would have the same right to be taken notice of by grammarians."—Ib., p. 30. "I shall not quarrel with the friend of twelve years standing."— Liberator, ix, 39. "If there were none living but him, John would be against Lilburne, and Lilburne against John."—Biog. Dict., w. Lilburne. "When a personal pronoun is made use of to relate to them."—Cobbett's Eng. Gram., ¶ 179. "The town was taken in a few hours time."—Goldsmith's Rome, p. 120. "You must not employ such considerations merely as those upon which the author here rests, taken from gratitude's being the law of my nature."—Blair's Rhet., p. 296. "Our author's second illustration, is taken from praise being the most disinterested act of homage."—Ib., p. 301. "The first subdivision concerning praise being the most pleasant part of devotion, is very just and well expressed."—Ib. "It was a cold thought to dwell upon its disburdening the mind of debt."—Ib. "The thought which runs through all this passage, of man's being the priest of nature, and of his existence being calculated chiefly for this end, that he might offer up the praises of the mute part of the creation, is an ingenious thought and well expressed."—Ib., p. 297. "The mayor of Newyork's portrait."—Ware's English Grammar, p. 9.

   "Calm Temperance, whose blessings those partake
    Who hunger, and who thirst, for scribbling sake."
        —Pope, Dunciad, i, 50.

EXERCISE III.—ADJECTIVES.

"Plumb down he drops ten thousand fathom deep."—Milton, P. L., B. ii, 1, 933. "In his Night Thoughts, there is much energy of expression: in the three first, there are several pathetic passages."—Blair's Rhet., p. 403. "Learn to pray, to pray greatly and strong."—The Dial, Vol. ii, p. 215. "The good and the bad genius are struggling with one another."— Philological Museum, i, 490. "The definitions of the parts of speech, and application of syntax, should be given almost simultaneous."—Wilbur and Livingston's Gram., p. 6. "I had studied grammar previous to his instructing me."—Ib., p. 13. "So difficult it is to separate these two things from one another."—Blair's Rhet., p. 92. "New words should never be ventured upon, except by such whose established reputation gives them some degree of dictatorial power over language."—Ib., p. 94. "The verses necessarily succeed each other."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 142. "They saw that it would be practicable to express, in writing, the whole combinations of sounds which our words require."—Blair's Rhet., p. 68. "There are some Events, the Truth of which cannot appear to any, but such whose Minds are first qualify'd by some certain Knowledge."—Brightland's Gram., p. 242. "These Sort of Feet are in Latin called Iambics."—Fisher's Gram., p. 134. "And the Words are mostly so disposed, that the Accents may fall on every 2d, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th Syllables."—Ib., p. 135. "If the verse does not sound well and harmonious to the ear."—Ib., p. 136. "I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts."—Ecclesiastes, ii, 8. "No people have so studiously avoided the collision of consonants as the Italians."—Campbell's Rhet., p. 183. "And these two subjects must destroy one another."—Ib., p. 42. "Duration and space are two things in some respects the most like, and in some respects the most unlike to one another."—Ib., p. 103. "Nothing ever affected him so much, as this misconduct of his friend."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 155. "To see the bearing of the several parts of speech on each other."—Greenleaf's Gram., p. 2. "Two or more adjectives following each other, either with or without a conjunction, qualify the same word."—Bullion's E. Gram., p. 75. "The two chapters which now remain, are by far the most important of any."— Student's Manual, p. 293. "That has been the subject of no less than six negotiations."—Pres. Jackson's Message, 1830. "His gravity makes him work cautious."—Steele, Spect., No. 534. "Grandeur, being an extreme vivid emotion, is not readily produced in perfection but by reiterated impressions."—Kames, El. of Crit., i, 203. "Every object appears less than when viewed separately and independent of the series."—Ib., ii, 14. "An Organ is the best of all other musical instruments."—Dilworth's English Tongue, p. 94.

   "Let such teach others who themselves excel,
    And censure freely who have written well."—Pope, on Crit., l. 15.

EXERCISE IV.—PRONOUNS.

"You had musty victuals, and he hath holp to eat it."—SHAK.: Joh. Dict., w. Victuals. "Sometime am I all wound with adders, who, with cloven tongues, do hiss me into madness."—Beauties of Shak., p. 68. "When a letter or syllable is transposed, it is called METATHESIS."—Adam's Lat. Gram., p. 275. "When a letter or syllable is added to the beginning of a word, it is called PROSTHESIS."—Ib. "If a letter or syllable be taken from the beginning of a word, it is called APHÆRESIS."—Ib. "We can examine few, or rather no Substances, so far, as to assure ourselves that we have a certain Knowledge of most of its Properties."—Brightland's Gram., p. 244. "Who do you dine with?"—Fisher's Gram., p. 99. "Who do you speak to?"—Shakspeare. "All the objects of prayer are calculated to excite the most active and vivid sentiments, which can arise in the heart of man."—Adams's Rhet., i, 328. "It has been my endeavour to furnish you with the most useful materials, which contribute to the purposes of eloquence."—Ib., ii, 28. "All paraphrases are vicious: it is not translating, it is commenting."—Formey's Belles-Lettres, p. 163. "Did you never bear false witness against thy neighbour?"—SIR W. DRAPER: Junius, p. 40. "And they shall eat up thine harvest and thy bread: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds."—Jer., v, 17. "He was the spiritual rock who miraculously supplied the wants of the Israelites."— Gurney's Evidences, p. 53. "To cull from the mass of mankind those individuals upon which the attention ought to be most employed."— Rambler, No. 4. "His speech contains one of the grossest and most infamous calumnies which ever was uttered."—Merchant's Gram. Key, p. 198. "STROMBUS, i. m. A shell-fish of the sea, that has a leader whom they follow as their king. Plin."—Ainsworth's Dict., 4to. "Whomsoever will, let him come"—MORNING STAR: Lib., xi, 13. "Thy own words have convinced me (stand a little more out of the sun if you please) that thou hast not the least notion of true honour."—Fielding. "Whither art going, pretty Annette? Your little feet you'll surely wet."—L. M. Child. "Metellus, who conquered Macedon, was carried to the funeral pile by his four sons, one of which was the prætor."—Kennett's Roman Ant., p. 332. "That not a soldier which they did not know, should mingle himself among them."— Josephus, Vol. v, p. 170. "The Neuter Gender denotes objects which are neither males nor females."—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 37. "And hence it is, that the most important precept, which a rhetorical teacher can inculcate respecting this part of discourse, is negative."—Adams's Rhet., ii, 97. "The meanest and most contemptible person whom we behold, is the offspring of heaven, one of the children of the Most High."— Scougal, p. 102. "He shall sit next to Darius, because of his wisdom, and shall be called Darius his cousin."—1 Esdras, iii, 7. "In 1757, he published his 'Fleece;' but he did not long survive it."—L. Murray, Seq., p. 252.

   "The sun upon the calmest sea
    Appears not half so bright as thee."—Prior.

EXERCISE V.—VERBS.

"The want of connexion here, as well as in the description of the prodigies that accompanied the death of Cæsar, are scarce pardonable."—Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. i, p. 38. "The causes of the original beauty of language, considered as significant, which is a branch of the present subject, will be explained in their order."—Ib., Vol. ii, p. 6. "Neither of these two Definitions do rightly adjust the Genuine signification of this Tense."—Johnson's Gram. Com., p. 280. "In the earnest hope that they may prove as beneficial to other teachers as they have to the author."—John Flint's Gram., p. 3. "And then an example is given showing the manner in which the pupil should be required to classify."—Ib., p. 3. "Qu in English words are equivalent to kw."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 258. "Qu has the power of kw, therefore quit doubles the final consonant in forming its preterite."—Ib., p. 103. "The word pronoun or substantive can be substituted, should any teacher prefer to do it"—Ib., p. 132. "The three angles of a right-angled triangle were equal to two right angles in the days of Moses, as well as now."—GOODELL: Liberator, Vol. xi, p. 4. "But now two paces of the vilest earth is room enough."—Beaut. of Shak., p. 126. "Latin and French, as the World now goes, is by every one acknowledged to be necessary."—Locke, on Ed., p. 351. "These things, that he will thus learn by sight, and have by roat in his Memory, is not all, I confess, that he is to learn upon the Globes."—Ib., p. 321. "Henry: if John shall meet me, I will hand him your note."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 261. "They pronounce the syllables in a different manner from what they do at other times."—Blair's Rhet., p. 329. "Cato reminded him of many warnings he had gave him."—Goldsmith's Rome, i, 114. "The Wages is small. The Compasses is broken."—Fisher's Gram., p. 95. "Prepare thy heart for prayer, lest thou temptest God."—Life of Luther, p. 83. "That a soldier should fly is a shameful thing."—Adam's Lat. Gram., p. 155. "When there is two verbs which are together."—Woodworth's Gram., p. 27. "Interjections are words used to express some passion of the mind; and is followed by a note of admiration!"—Infant School Gram., p. 126. "And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth."—2 Samuel, xviii, 25. "The opinions of the few must be overruled, and submit to the opinions of the many."—Webster's Essays, p. 56. "One of the principal difficulties which here occurs, has been already hinted."—Blair's Rhet., p. 391. "With milky blood the heart is overflown."—Thomson, Castle of Ind. "No man dare solicit for the votes of hiz nabors."—Webster's Essays, p. 344. "Yet they cannot, and they have no right to exercise it."—Ib., p. 56. "In order to make it be heard over their vast theatres."—Blair's Rhet., p. 471. "Sometimes, however, the relative and its clause is placed before the antecedent and its clause."—Bullions, Lat. Gram., p. 200.

   "Here thou, great Anna! whom three realms obey,
    Does sometimes counsel take—and sometimes tea."
        —Kames, El. of Crit., i, 321.

EXERCISE VI.—PARTICIPLES.

"On the other hand, the degrading or vilifying an object, is done successfully by ranking it with one that is really low."—Kames, El. of Crit., ii, 50. "The magnifying or diminishing objects by means of comparison, proceeds from the same cause."—Ib., i, 239. "Gratifying the affection will also contribute to my own happiness."—Ib., i, 53. "The pronouncing syllables in a high or a low tone."—Ib., ii, 77. "The crowding into one period or thought different figures of speech, is not less faulty than crowding metaphors in that manner."—Ib., ii, 234. "To approve is acknowledging we ought to do a thing; and to condemn is owning we ought not to do it."—Burlamaqui, on Law, p. 39. "To be provoked that God suffers men to act thus, is claiming to govern the word in his stead."—Secker. "Let every subject be well understood before passing on to another."—Infant School Gram., p. 18. "Doubling the t in bigotted is apt to lead to an erroneous accentuation of the word on the second syllable."—Churchill's Gram., p. 22. "Their compelling the man to serve was an act of tyranny."—Webster's Essays, p. 54. "One of the greatest misfortunes of the French tragedy is, its being always written in rhyme."—Blair's Rhet., p. 469. "Horace entitles his satire 'Sermones,' and seems not to have intended rising much higher than prose put into numbers."—Ib., p. 402. "Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, comforting the afflicted, yield more pleasure than we receive from those actions which respect only ourselves."—Murray's Key, 8vo, p. 238. "But when we attempt to go a step beyond this, and inquire what is the cause of regularity and variety producing in our minds the sensation of beauty, any reason we can assign is extremely imperfect."—Blair's Rhet., p. 29. "In an author's writing with propriety, his being free of the two former faults seems implied."—Ib., p. 94. "To prevent our being carried away by that torrent of false and frivolous taste."—Ib., p. 12. "When we are unable to assign the reasons of our being pleased."—Ib., p. 15. "An adjective will not make good sense without joining it to a noun."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 12. "What is said respecting sentences being inverted?"—Ib., p. 71. "Though he admits of all the other cases, made use of by the Latins."—Bicknell's Gram., p. viii. "This indeed, is accounting but feebly for its use in this instance."—Wright's Gram., p. 148. "The knowledge of what passes in the mind is necessary for the understanding the Principles of Grammar."—Brightland's Gram., p. 73. "By than's being used instead of as, it