These will be given in order that some exercise of his mental and reasoning faculties may be necessary for the pupil or student; the habit too extensively prevalent of supplying incorrect sentences and no others, leading to indolence and want of reflection; and thereby enervating rather than strengthening those whose purpose should be to acquire such power as would fit them for the necessary work of helping themselves in any future exertion which may be desirable for them to make.] it QUESTIONS ON THE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON SYNTAX. IN what sense does Etymology, and in what sense does Syntax treat of words? Define the province of Syntax, and give the derivation of the word. Whether has lan guage adapted itself to the requirements of rules, or rules been gathered from the usage of language? Offer some observations on this head :-Why are rules necessary? and what are their proper functions? In what did idiomatic phrases and verbal formulæ originate? What has been laid down in addition to a knowledge of rules as necessary to the formation of a correct style? What are the parts called into which language is broken up? What is the logical term for sentence? Define the term sentence. What are the principal parts of a sentence? What is the difference between the subject of a sentence and a subject of a verb? Define predicate. What sort of sentences has an object in them? How is the object easily known? Derive the term. What are the five predicables? Subdivide sentences into two kinds. Define a simple and also a complex sentence. Give examples of both. When and why may a sentence, having but one subject, be called complex? When and why may it be so called, having only one verb? Do explanatory phrases alter the character of a sentence considered as simple or complex? Give a reason for your answer. Do subjects, and predi cates, and objects consist always of single words? Give examples in each case, illustrating your answer. What sort of complex predicate may be resolved into the simple one? Give some examples. What determines the number of simple sentences into which a complex one may be resolved? Give examples. What general rule has been laid down relative to the order in which the several members of a complex sentence should follow each other? Give a better disposition of some of the individual words and members of the following sentences according to this rule: "It is the rotation of the earth alone that affords a solution of the difficulty complete. It acquires, which has the effect of diminishing the force of gravity at its surface, what is called a centrifugal force, by revolving on its axis. You have often, when in motion, and you yourself at rest, had a momentary belief that objects were moving which you knew yourself to be stationary. Leaves perspire and absorb a considerable quantity of moisture, but in general insensibly; in some cases, sensibly. A branch which has had its wound, after being gathered, stopt with wax, will speedily, in a dry atmosphere, wither; but it may be made, by removing it to a damp situation, to recover. Haymakers are familiar quite with the fact, that it is next to impossible to get their hay-harvest, in moist weather, lodged in safety; and every one has observed the effects, in causing plants to droop, of a hot day, and in causing them to flourish of a moist one." Can any fixed law be laid down as to the order of the several parts? Why not? How is it, then, that the position of certain parts is fixed? What is a relative clause? What sort of clause is called a complement, and why so called? Lay down a general rule regarding the position of the relative clause. What interferes sometimes to violate in some measure this rule? What part do relative clauses take in imparting a character to sentences considered as simple or complex? Why? What individual word, for a similar reason, plays a similar part? Give examples illustrating both facts. What part of a sentence must be supposed to be first present to the mind? Does it always come first in the sentence? What consideration justifies its not coming first? Give examples illustrating your answer. What words exclusively form the subjects of sentences ? What is an independent subject? Why may I and thou form, and he not form, such a subject? Under what circumstances may he be considered as the subject of a sentence? What other word is like he in this respect? Give examples. What remark has been made about it as the subject of a sentence? When does it occupy such a position ? Correct the following sentence, so that the anomaly thereof with regard to the proper subject may be obviated:- "When birds overhead perform their evolutions, or steer their course to some distant settlement, they make signals and utter cries as unintelligible as the learned languages to an unlettered peasant.' What is meant by a man's style of writing ?" What, in most cases, produces a diversity in style? What is the substance of Cobbett's remark, as to the order of the several parts of a sentence? What sort of sentences should be avoided as far as possible? Why? Give the substance of Locke's strictures on an ill-use of words. QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES ON RULE I., AND [NOTE. The questions asked, and the exercises given under each Rule, may be answered and performed by a reference to the Rule, and the Observations under it.] Why are a noun and a verb essential to every sentence? What accidents have the verb and noun in common? Of the two, the verb and noun (the subject), which is the govern ing word? In what respects does it govern the other? In what case is the subject of a verb? The following sentence violates the principle of concord, as laid down in Rule I.,-"The birds sings sweetly." In how many ways may it be altered, so that the words, in their altered state, may not violate this Rule? In how many ways, so that the words, in their altered state, may be the grammatical correction of the foregoing? Give the reason of this. What functions does the infinitive mood sometimes perform? Why is it capable of doing so? Does the infini ? tive, as the subject of a verb, always stand alone? Give three examples of a whole sentence being used as the subject of a verb. In what number is the verb in such case When two nominatives singular are coupled by a copulative conjunction, in what number will the verb be expressed? What number will the pronoun be in which represents them? What exception may be taken to the way in which this principle is generally enunciated? Shew, by an example, that the presence of what is generally called a copulative conjunction is not necessary to produce the plural construction in the verb. When does a noun, coupled by with to a nominative case, produce plurality in the verb? and when does it not do so? Give examples of both. State the exact difference between the word with followed by a noun used as part of the subject of a verb, and the phrase as well as." Lay down a general law which obtains regarding plurality in the verb. Is this law ever violated? When two or more nouns denote the same individual, in what number will the verb be? State the principle which holds with regard to the number of the verb when different subjects are connected by and and a negative particle. What force has the word every agreeing with nouns connected by and? State accurately the general principle relative to the number of the verb when the subject is a collective noun, or a noun of multitude. When or connects two singular nouns, in what number must the verb be? What other word has a similar force ? Give the reason of this. What is the general usage as regards the number of the verb, when a singular and a plural nominative are so connected? When two subjects of different persons are connected by and, why is there no difficulty in determining the person of the verb? When two singular nominatives of different persons are disjunctively connected, what is the usage, according to Murray and Latham, regarding the person of the verb? On what ground is Murray's theory to be preferred? By what contrivance may these difficulties be in some measure obviated? State the usage regarding the number of the verb when the following words are subjects: Alms, riches, news, means, pains, amends. What number of the verb always followsi t as a subject? When does a compound of self require the verb to be in the third person singular?, When not in the third person singular, what principle regulates the number and person of the verb ? "The two Generals have seen each other:" what is the grammatical position of each in this sentence? Supply a verb. What is the use of there and here when used indeterminately with a verb? When the noun preceding and the noun following the verb to be, are in different numbers, in what number should the verb be? EXERCISES. [The student will correct such of the following sentences as involve a breach of Rule I., and a violation of the principles laid down in the Observations under it.] 66 About two millions of the French people was Protestants. I are taller than my brother. The young king possessed a good capacity and gentle dispositions. His eldest surviving son and successor were now in his eighteenth year. A soft answer turn away wrath. If riches increases, set not thy heart upon them. The servants of the mean-spirited monarch were obliged to appear against him. The laws of Draco were written in blood. Each have their own faults. Whence come he? To do wrong are never useful. To do right is always salutary. To believe in the truth of all things told us, are exceedingly foolish. To disbelieve all things told him, is the characteristic of an incredulous man. "I came, I saw, I conquered," were the intelligence communicated by Cæsar, after a certain battle, to the Roman Senate. To betray the confidence reposed in us is deceitful. Health and strength are blessings for which we cannot sufficiently thank God. The cares of this life, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and they become unfruitful. (See Observation 6.) Pompey, Cæsar, and Crassus was intrusted with the command of the whole Roman Empire. Of generous minds it are remarked that it is unsuspicious. Supineness of mind, with disregard of consequences, generally produce ruin. The lion with a stroke of his paw is said to have broken the bars of his cell. The character he received, with the |