"He

and qualifies journey; and the sentence is equivalent to, “He performed a journey which was an easy one." easily performed his journey," only appears identical in meaning with the foregoing; merely implying, as it does, that the performing of the journey was easy to him, without any reference to the fact of such journey being an easy one. This is the grammatical and philosophical distinction between the two expressions in question. It must be confessed, however, that such distinction is not observed even by the best writers; and that the former expression, which serves as an example of many, would be used to express the idea conveyed by the latter. This confusion could not exist were the English adjective inflected in case.

11. In the dissertation on the etymology of the Adjective, its position [see Observation 16. and preceding remarks to which the Observation refers,] was laid down : to this it may be added, that when two adjectives qualify a noun they may follow it; as, "A man tall and slender.' In poetry, moreover, a single adjective follows its noun; as, Hunger keen;" "Darkness visible;" "Glory great;" "Sighs profound."

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12. It was remarked on the etymology of the Adjective, that they never govern a case; Latham says that the word like is an exception to this rule, and the only one in the English language. "This is like him;" wherein him, he says, governed by like, preserves the original power of the dative case. Why the word like, in the aforesaid example, should govern him, and the word next, in such an expression as "He sat next him," not govern him, it is difficult to determine.

13. The use or omission of the adjective, a, makes a great difference in meaning in certain expressions. "The medicine served him little;" "The medicine served him a little." The former is almost equivalent to a denial that the medicine served at all; the latter asserts that it did serve, although but in a small degree.

THE ADVERB.

14. The position of the adverb is determined by the idea which it is intended to convey, and great care must be taken that it occupy such a position as will clearly

represent that idea; a general rule may be approximately given on the subject, viz.: "Adverbs are placed in most instances before the adjective modified by them; after verbs modified by them; and frequently between the component parts of the verb; as, I have had quite sufficient; He spoke eloquently; He has nobly acquitted himself in that matter." "

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15. In the Greek language, two negatives make the negation stronger; in the English it is different, and two negatives are equivalent to an affirmative: the expression, therefore, "He could not by no possibility grant my request," is incorrect, expressing literally, as it does, the fact that he could grant my request: it should be, “by any possibility."

NOTE 1. Uneducated and unthinking speakers are wont very frequently to fall into the error adverted to in the foregoing observations: "I cannot take no more". Nothing was never so ridiculous"- "They could not pursue the path no farther," are examples of such errors, and literally express the very opposite idea to that intended.

NOTE 2. Sometimes two negatives may be so used in the same context as not to be equivalent to an affirmative; thus, "He could not speak, not even a word more." Here, however, we have apparently but one, yet in reality two distinct propositions, with a negative in each; the latter, associated with even, being a mere repetition of the former, in order to render the denial more emphatic.

16. Many phrases, generally consisting of a preposition and its governed noun, perform the functions of an adverb, and are therefore styled adverbial phrases; of such are," In fine" finally. "At length" lastly. "All of a sudden" length"=lastly. very suddenly. "At present" (this does not give us the idea of presently, at least literally, although the two expressions all but convey the same idea). In general"= generally. "At least"=in the least degree.

THE CONJUNCTION.

17. It remains to be remarked under this head, in addition to the remarks on the etymology of the Conjunction, and on the syntax of the Subjunctive Mood (Rule X.) that

conjunctions are capable of no government except that of mood; they do not govern a case. Than, following the comparative degree, does not govern the case of the succeeding noun, which is governed, as to case, by its position in the sentence. In the sentence, "John is taller than James," James is the subject of is, understood, and is therefore nominative. "They punished him more than me;" me is governed by the transitive verb punished, understood, and therefore in the objective. "John's books are cleaner than William's:" here William's is governed by the noun books understood, and therefore in the possessive case.

NOTE. From the foregoing, it may be laid down as a general rule, that the noun or pronoun which follows than is always influenced in case by a word understood.

18. The disjunctives, or, nor, are of two sorts, real and nominal. "A king or queen always rules in England:" here the disjunction is real; king or queen being different names for different objects. In all real disjunctions, the inference is, that if one out of two (or more) individuals (or classes) do not perform a certain action, the other does.

"A sovereign or supreme ruler always rules in England:" here the disjunction is nominal; sovereign and supreme ruler being different names for the same object. In all nominal disjunctives the inference is, that if an agent (or agents) do not perform a certain action under one name, he does (or they do) it under another.

Both nominal and real disjunctives agree in this-whatever may be the number of nouns which they connect, the construction of the verb is the same as if there were but one. 'Henry, or John, or Thomas walks (not walk); the sun, or solar luminary, shines (not shine). The disjunctive isolates the subject, however much it may be placed in juxtaposition with other nouns."-[This whole observation has been taken from Professor Latham.]

19. Some conjunctions are so used as to be always associated with others; when this happens, one of the associated particles belongs to one clause, the other to another; the one which precedes is called the antecedent, the other the consequent. The following are the principal conjunctions so used:

Neither James nor John was present. Either James or John will be present. Whether or not he will depart to-morrow, is still a matter of doubt. My house is as large as your's (is). He left so as to catch the nine o'clock train. As thy faith, so shall thy strength be. It was no other than the king himself. Your brother is so idle that he cannot possibly progress. I saw a horse such as your's. He commanded him by a voice such that, had he been a stone, it must have moved him. He ordered wine the same as that which I drank in your house. I would rather study than be a dunce.

NOTE 1.-On the usage of though, yet, see the etymology of Conjunctions.

NOTE 2. Other, such, same, &c., are usually ranked amongst the Adjectives. They are appended to the foregoing list; the same usage being observed with regard to them as to the Conjunctions.

NOTE 3.-Rather is sometimes used alone as an adverb, modifying the word with which it stands connected; thus, "It is rather cold;" whereby is meant that it is so cold that it is difficult to say whether it is cold or hot, but yet the cold preponderates in a small degree. There is still, therefore, a comparison, and rather occupies its usual position; as the sentence, if completed, would be, "It is rather cold than hot."

NOTE 4. The poets frequently use, as probably more emphatic, nor, both as the antecedent and the consequent; thus, "Nor man nor beast his ire did spare."