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that of signifies among, and that the expression is equivalent to this-Draco, of (regarded as an individual philosopher, i.e., amongst or in comparison with) all philosophers, enacted the severest laws." This observation holds in the case of such expressions as, "I was told of it;"" He spoke to me of you;" wherein of holds the place of about, and expresses the relationship, through contact, between, in the first example, I and it; in the second, he and

you.

12. "This is a discovery of Sir Isaac Newton's." The first thing to be remarked here, is the difference in sense between a sentence like the one above, and a sentence like, "This is a discovery of Sir Isaac Newton." The latter proposition means, "This is how Sir Isaac Newton was discovered:" the former means, "Of Sir Isaac Newton's discoveries, this is one;" or, "This is one of the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton's discoveries." Now the difference in sense is expressed by the presence or the absence of the 's in Newton's; that is, by the fact of the noun Newton being in the possessive case. In the first sentence, the word Newton's is possessive, and the question arises as to what word it is governed by. We see this at once by bearing in mind the meaning of the sentence. The three sentences—(1) “This is a discovery of Sir Isaac Newton's;" (2) "This is one of Sir Isaac Newton's discoveries;" (3) "Of Sir Isaac Newton's discoveries, this is one," (meaning nearly the same thing, and differing widely from "This is a discovery of Sir Isaac Newton,") are all, if closely examined, incomplete in expression. The full expression would be (1) "This is a discovery of Sir Isaac Newton's (discoveries);" (2) "This is one of the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton's (discoveries);" (3) "Of the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton's (discoveries), this (discovery) is one (discovery)." We now see that, in the original sentence, the word Newton's is in the possessive case, because it is governed by the substantive discovery, not expressed, but understood. Again-" This is a picture of a friend," means one thing; whilst, "This is a picture of a friend's," means another thing. The latter, expressed in full, would be-"This is a picture of (or, from amongst) a friend's (pictures)." "An enemy of the Emperor," means a man who is hostile to the Emperor;" "An enemy of the Emperor's,"

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means, one of the Emperor's enemies." "A notion of a brother," means " a notion concerning a brother;" notion of a brother's," means one (amongst others) of a brother's notions." In all sentences like those just quoted, there are two substantives: one which the a agrees with, and which is expressed; and one by which brother's is governed, and which is omitted, as being understood.[This whole observation is taken from Latham's English Grammar.]

RULE V.-ON THE CASE ABSOLUTE.

A noun is sometimes introduced into a sentence not as the subject of a verb, and not in a state of governmentthat is, not governed by a verb, a preposition, or by another noun; hence, such noun is called absolute, as being free from such influence as one word exercises on another in causing it to assume a particular form; as in the expression, "The day being fine, we took a walk;" wherein day is in no wise connected with any word as governing it, and is the case absolute.

When two actions are represented as occurring simultaneously, the one may be expressed in the ordinary way, by a subject and a verb; the other, by a noun or pronoun, and a participle agreeing therewith. This is especially the case when the two actions stand connected with each other, one as cause, the other as effect: thus-"His father being absent, he conducted himself riotously," wherein "he conducted himself riotously" is the proposition, in which the subject is he and the verb conducted this expresses the effect. "His father being absent," is equal to another proposition, "Because his father was absent;" wherein father unites with the participle, being, to express the cause, and is the absolute construction or the case absolute.

The absolute construction, as well as a cause, expresses also a state or condition; as in the sentence, "The King having seated himself on the throne, the deputation pro

ceeded to read the address;" wherein King is the case absolute; and the clause, "The King having seated himself on the throne," expresses the state in which the King was, and the time of the act expressed in the subsequent clause.

The possessive case is not used as the case absolute; hence such case must be either the nominative or the objective; and these cases being alike in form, it matters not, as far as nouns are concerned, whether the one or the other be set down as the absolute case. It is different with regard to pronouns, which are sometimes used absolutely, and which, in some instances, are so inflected as to be different in form in the nominative and objective.

"He being now dead, his son managed the estate." "Him being now dead, his son managed the estate." The question is, which of these is the correct expression; and the answer is, that although the latter would formerly be used, and may be, logically speaking, the more correct, the former is more adopted by late writers, and it may, from such examples, be laid down that the nominative is the case absolute.

"He spoke regarding him." This expression does not militate against the principle just laid down; him is not the case absolute, but the objective case, governed by the transitive participle regarding, which agrees with he. If the absolute expression were used to express the same idea, it would be in the following form-"He spoke, he being regarded." A similar observation applies to the following

"He spoke concerning him;" wherein the participle concerning is used transitively, and in its literal acceptation of perceiving, that is, having in mind.

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Generally speaking:" this is an instance of the absolute construction with an ellipsis of the noun or pronoun with which speaking agrees. The expression is equivalent to, 'We, generally speaking," that is, speaking of the greater number as opposed to particulars; here, we is the case absolute.

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"To be candid, I do not wish to accompany you." In such expressions, the infinitive mood used as a noun may be considered as absolute; the better way, however, to account for such, is to consider them as elliptical: thus"To be candid," "If you will allow me to be candid;"

wherein to be is the infinitive mood, depending on the verb allow.

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Notwithstanding the wetness of the day, we took a walk;" He took a walk during the rain."

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Nothing can possibly be more ungrammatical and illogical than to consider notwithstanding and during, in such expressions, as prepositions governing the nouns which follow them in the objective case. Wetness is evidently the case absolute; and withstanding-that is, opposingqualified by the negative not, is the participle of the verb to withstand, and agrees with the noun wetness. In like manner, during is a contracted form of the participle enduring; which, in the sense of holding out or lasting, agrees with the noun rain, which is the case absolute.

RULE VI.-ON THE VERB "TO BE," &c., &c.

The verb To be requires the same case after as before it : thus-"Lartius was the first Dictator;" wherein Lartius is the nominative before was; and Dictator is therefore said to be the nominative following it.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE VERB " TO BE," &c. &c.

1. Passive verbs, especially verbs of naming, and some intransitive verbs, also require after them the case which precedes them: thus-"Brutus and Cassius were esteemed patriots;" "William I. was called Conqueror," "He became a great man ;" "He lived and died a hero."

NOTE. In the first example given under this observation, patriots may be regarded as following to be, understood. Whether this be required here or not, it is certain that, in the case of many intransitive verbs, such construction is necessary; as, "He seems the leader of his party;" i. e., "He seems to be the leader," &c.

2. This construction of the verb to be, &c. &c., depends evidently on the principle of apposition; the noun following

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