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

to gratulate His wish'd presence."—Milton cor. "Peace! my darling, here's no danger, Here's no ox anear thy bed."—Watts cor. "But all of these are mere conjectures, and some of them very unhappy ones."—Coleridge cor. "The old theorists' practice of calling the Interrogatives and Repliers ADVERBS, is only a part of their regular system of naming words."—O. B. Peirce cor. "Where several sentences occur, place them in the order of the facts."—Id. "And that all the events in conjunction make a regular chain of causes and effects."—Kames cor. "In regard to their origin, the Grecian and Roman republics, though equally involved in the obscurities and uncertainties of fabulous events, present one remarkable distinction."—Adams cor. "In these respects, man is left by nature an unformed, unfinished creature."—Bp. Butler cor. "The Scriptures are the oracles of God himself."—Hooker cor. "And at our gates are all kinds of pleasant fruits."—S. Song cor. "The preterits of pluck, look, and toss, are, in speech, pronounced pluckt, lookt, tosst."—Fowler corrected.

   "Severe the doom that days prolonged impose,
    To stand sad witness of unnumbered woes!"—Melmoth cor.

UNDER NOTE VII.—FORMS ADAPTED TO DIFFERENT STYLES.

1. Forms adapted to the Common or Familiar Style. "Was it thou[538] that built that house?"—Brown's Institutes, Key, p. 270. "That boy writes very elegantly."—Ib. "Could not thou write without blotting thy book?"—Ib. "Dost not thou think—or, Don't thou think, it will rain to-day?"—Ib. "Does not—or, Don't your cousin intend to visit you?"—Ib. "That boy has torn my book."—Ib. "Was it thou that spread the hay?"—Ib. "Was it James, or thou, that let him in?"—Ib. "He dares not say a word."—Ib. "Thou stood in my way and hindered me."—Ib.

"Whom do I see?—Whom dost thou see now?—Whom does he see?—Whom dost thou love most?—What art thou doing to-day?—What person dost thou see teaching that boy?—He has two new knives.—Which road dost thou take?—What child is he teaching?"—Ingersoll cor. "Thou, who mak'st my shoes, sellst many more." Or thus: "You, who make my shoes, sell many more."—Id.

"The English language has been much cultivated during the last two hundred years. It has been considerably polished and refined."—Lowth cor. "This style is ostentatious, and does not suit grave writing."—Priestley cor. "But custom has now appropriated who to persons, and which to things" [and brute animals].—Id. "The indicative mood shows or declares something; as, Ego amo, I love; or else asks a question; as, Amas tu? Dost thou love?"—Paul's Ac. cor. "Though thou cannot do much for the cause, thou may and should do something."—Murray cor. "The support of so many of his relations, was a heavy tax: but thou knowst (or, you know) he paid it cheerfully."—Id. "It may, and often does, come short of it."—Murray^s Gram., p. 359.

   "'Twas thou, who, while thou seem'd to chide,
    To give me all thy pittance tried."—Mitford cor.

2. Forms adapted to the Solemn or Biblical Style. "The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all."—Psalms, ciii, 19. "Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God; thou wast a God that forgave[539] them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions."—See Psalms, xcix, 8. "Then thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty."—Ib., lxxxix, 19. "'So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy;' who dispenseth his blessings, whether temporal or spiritual, as seemeth good in his sight."—Christian Experience of St. Paul, p. 344; see Rom., ix, 16.

   "Thou, the mean while, wast blending with my thought;
    Yea, with my life, and life's own secret joy."—Coleridge cor.

UNDER NOTE VIII.—EXPRESS THE NOMINATIVE.

"Who is here so base, that he would be a bondman?"—Shak. cor. "Who is here so rude, he would not be a Roman?"—Id. "There is not a sparrow which falls to the ground without his notice." Or better: "Not a sparrow falls to the ground, without his notice."—Murray cor. "In order to adjust them in such a manner as shall consist equally with the perspicuity and the strength of the period."—Id. and Blair cor. "But sometimes there is a verb which comes in." Better: "But sometimes there is a verb introduced."—Cobbett cor. "Mr. Prince has a genius which would prompt him to better things."—Spect. cor. "It is this that removes that impenetrable mist."—Harris cor. "By the praise which is given him for his courage."—Locke cor. "There is no man who would be more welcome here."—Steele cor. "Between an antecedent and a consequent, or what goes before, and what immediately follows."—Blair cor. "And as connected with what goes before and what follows."—Id. "No man doth a wrong for the wrong's sake."—Bacon cor. "All the various miseries of life, which people bring upon themselves by negligence or folly, and which might have been avoided by proper care, are instances of this."—Bp. Butler cor. "Ancient philosophers have taught many things in favour of morality, so far at least as it respects justice and goodness towards our fellow-creatures."—Fuller cor. "Indeed, if there be any such, who have been, or who appear to be of us, as suppose there is not a wise man among us all, nor an honest man, that is able to judge betwixt his brethren; we shall not covet to meddle in their matters."—Barclay cor. "There were some that drew back; there were some that made shipwreck of faith; yea, there were some that brought in damnable heresies."—Id. "The nature of the cause rendered this plan altogether proper; and, under similar circumstances, the orator's method is fit to be imitated."—Blair cor. "This is an idiom to which our language is strongly inclined, and which was formerly very prevalent."—Churchill cor. "His roots are wrapped about the heap, and he seeth the place of stones."—Bible cor.

"New York, Fifthmonth 3d, 1823.

Dear friend,

I am sorry to hear of thy loss; but I hope it may be retrieved. I should be happy to render thee any assistance in my power. I shall call to see thee to-morrow morning. Accept assurances of my regard. A. B."

"New York, May 3d, P. M., 1823.

Dear sir,

I have just received the kind note you favoured me with this morning; and I cannot forbear to express my gratitude to you. On further information, I find I have not lost so much as I at first supposed; and I believe I shall still be able to meet all my engagements. I should, however, be happy to see you. Accept, dear sir, my most cordial thanks. C. D."

See Brown's Institutes, p. 271.

   "Will martial flames forever fire thy mind,
    And wilt thou never be to Heaven resign'd?"—Pope cor.

UNDER NOTE IX.—APPLICATION OF MOODS.

First Clause of the Note.—The Subjunctive Present.

"He will not be pardoned unless he repent."—Inst., p. 191. "If thou find any kernelwort in this marshy meadow, bring it to me."—Neef cor. "If thou leave the room, do not forget to shut that drawer."—Id. "If thou grasp it stoutly, thou wilt not be hurt:" or, (familiarly,)—"thou will not be hurt."—Id. "On condition that he come, I will consent to stay."—Murray's Key, p. 208. "If he be but discreet, he will succeed."—Inst., p. 280. "Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob."—Gen., xxxi, 24. "If thou cast me off, I shall be miserable."—Inst., p. 280. "Send them to me, if thou please."—Ib. "Watch the door of thy lips, lest thou utter folly."—Ib. "Though a liar speak the truth, he will hardly be believed."—Bartlett cor. "I will go, unless I be ill."—L. Murray cor. "If the word or words understood be supplied, the true construction will be apparent."—Id. "Unless thou see the propriety of the measure, we shall not desire thy support."—Id. "Unless thou make a timely retreat, the danger will be unavoidable."—Id. "We may live happily, though our possessions be small."—Id. "If they be carefully studied, they will enable the student to parse all the exercises."—Id. "If the accent be fairly preserved on the proper syllable, this drawling sound will never be heard."—Id. "One phrase may, in point of sense, be equivalent to an other, though its grammatical nature be essentially different."—Id. "If any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man."—2 Thess., iii, 14. "Thy skill will be the greater, if thou hit it."—Putnam, Cobb, or Knowles, cor. "We shall overtake him, though he run."—Priestley et al. cor. "We shall be disgusted, if he give us too much."—Blair cor.

   "What is't to thee, if he neglect thy urn,
    Or without spices let thy body burn?"—Dryden cor.

Second Clause of Note IX.—The Subjunctive Imperfect.[540]

"And so would I, if I were he."—Inst., p. 191. "If I were a Greek, I should resist Turkish despotism."—Cardell cor. "If he were to go, he would attend to your business."—Id. "If thou felt as I do, we should soon decide."—Inst., p. 280. "Though thou shed thy blood in the cause, it would but prove thee sincerely a fool."—Ib. "If thou loved him, there would be more evidence of it."—Ib. "If thou convinced him, he would not act accordingly."—Murray cor. "If there were no liberty, there would be no real crime."—Formey cor. "If the house were burnt down, the case would be the same."—Foster cor. "As if the mind were not always in action, when it prefers any thing."—West cor. "Suppose I were to say, 'Light is a body.'"—Harris cor. "If either oxygen or azote were omitted, life would be destroyed."—Gurney cor. "The verb dare is sometimes used as if it were an auxiliary."—Priestley cor. "A certain lady, whom I could name, if it were necessary."—Spect. cor. "If the e were dropped, c and g would assume their hard sounds."—Buchanan cor. "He would no more comprehend it, than if it were the speech of a Hottentot."—Neef cor. "If thou knew the gift of God," &c.—Bible cor. "I wish I were at home."—O. B. Peirce cor. "Fact alone does not constitute right: if it did, general warrants were lawful."—Junius cor. "Thou lookst upon thy boy, as though thou guessed it."—Putnam, Cobb, or Knowles, cor. "He fought as if he contended for life."—Hiley cor. "He fought as if he were contending for his life."—Id.

   "The dewdrop glistens on thy leaf,
    As if thou shed for me a tear;
    As if thou knew my tale of grief,
    Felt all my sufferings severe."—Letham cor.

Last Clause of Note IX.—The Indicative Mood.

"If he knows the way, he does not need a guide."—Inst., p. 191. "And if there is no difference, one of them must be superfluous, and ought to be rejected."—Murray cor. "I cannot say that I admire this construction though it is much used."—Priestley cor. "We are disappointed, if the verb does not immediately follow it."—Id. "If it was they, that acted so ungratefully, they are doubly in fault."—Murray cor. "If art becomes apparent, it disgusts the reader."—Jamieson cor. "Though perspicuity is more properly a rhetorical than a grammatical quality, I thought it better to include it in this book."—Campbell cor. "Although the efficient cause is obscure, the final cause of those sensations lies open."—Blair cor. "Although the barrenness of language, or the want of words, is doubtless one cause of the invention of tropes."—Id. "Though it enforces not its instructions, yet it furnishes a greater variety."—Id. "In other cases, though the idea is one, the words remain quite separate."—Priestley cor. "Though the form of our language is more simple, and has that peculiar beauty."—Buchanan cor. "Human works are of no significancy till they are completed."—Kames cor. "Our disgust lessens gradually till it vanishes altogether."—Id. "And our relish improves by use, till it arrives at perfection."—Id. "So long as he keeps himself in his own proper element."—Coke cor. "Whether this translation was ever published or not, I am wholly ignorant."—Sale cor. "It is false to affirm, 'As it is day, it is light,' unless it actually is day."—Harris cor. "But we may at midnight affirm, 'If it is day, it is light.'"—Id. "If the Bible is true, it is a volume of unspeakable interest."—Dickinson cor. "Though he was a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered."—Bible cor. "If David then calleth (or calls) him Lord, how is he his son?"—Id.

"'Tis hard to say, if greater want of skill Appears in writing, or in judging, ill."—Pope cor.

UNDER NOTE X.—FALSE SUBJUNCTIVES.

"If a man has built a house, the house is his."—Wayland cor. "If God has required them of him, as is the fact, he has time."—Id. "Unless a previous understanding to the contrary has been had with the principal."—Berrian cor. "O! if thou hast hid them in some flowery cave."—Milton cor. "O! if Jove's will has linked that amorous power to thy soft lay."—Id. "SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD: If thou love, If thou loved."—Dr. Priestley, Dr. Murray, John Burn, David Blair, Harrison, and others. "Till Religion, the pilot of the soul, hath lent thee her unfathomable coil."—Tupper cor. "Whether nature or art contributes most to form an orator,