Part 5

For if there are several Subjects belonging in the same manner to one Verb, or several Verbs belonging in the same manner to one Subject, the Subjects and Verbs are still to be accounted equal in number: for every Verb must have its Subject, and every Subject its Verb; and every one of the Subjects, or Verbs, should or may have its point of distinction.

EXAMPLES.

“The passion for praise produces excellent effects in women of sense.” Addison, Spect. Nᵒ 73. In this Sentence _passion_ is the Subject, and _produces_ the Verb; each of which is accompanied and connected with its adjuncts. The Subject is not passion in general, but a particular passion determined by its Adjunct of Specification, as we may call it, the passion for praise. So likewise the Verb is immediately connected with its object, _excellent effects_; and mediately, that is, by the intervention of the word _effects_, with _women_, the Subject in which these effects are produced; which again is connected with its Adjunct of Specification; for it is not meant of women in general, but of women of sense only. Lastly it is to be observed, that these several Adjuncts are connected with the Verb each in a different manner; namely, with _effects_, as the object; with _women_, as the subject of them; with _sense_, as the quality or characteristic of those women. The Adjuncts therefore are only so many imperfect Phrases; the Sentence is a Simple Sentence, and admits of no Point, by which it may be distinguished into parts.

“The Passion for praise, which is so very vehement in the fair sex, produces excellent effects in women of sense.” Here a new Verb is introduced, accompanied with Adjuncts of its own; and the Subject is repeated by the Relative Pronoun _which_. It now becomes a Compounded Sentence, made up of two Simple Sentences, one of which is inserted in the middle of the other; it must therefore be distinguished into its component parts by a Point placed on each side of the additional Sentence.

“How many instances have we [in the fair sex] of chastity, fidelity, devotion? How many Ladies distinguish themselves by the education of their children, care of their families, and love of their husbands; which are the great qualities and achievements of woman-kind: as the making of war, the carrying on of traffic, the administration of justice, are those by which men grow famous, and get themselves a name?” Ibid.

In the first of these two Sentences the Adjuncts _chastity_, _fidelity_, _devotion_, are connected with the Verb by the word _instances_ in the same manner, and in effect make so many distinct Sentences: “how many instances have we of chastity? how many instances have we of fidelity? how many instances have we of devotion?” They must therefore be separated from one another by a Point. The same may be said of the Adjuncts “education of their children, &c” in the former part of the next Sentence: as likewise of the several Subjects, “the making of war, &c” in the latter part; which have in effect each their Verb; for each of these “is an atchievement by which men grow famous.”

As Sentences themselves are divided into Simple and Compounded, so the members of sentences may be divided likewise into Simple and Compounded members: for whole Sentences, whether Simple or Compounded, may become members of other Sentences by means of some additional connexion.

Simple members of Sentences closely connected together in one Compound member or sentence, are distinguished or separated by a Comma: as in the foregoing examples.

So likewise the Case Absolute; Nouns in Apposition, when consisting of many terms; the Participle with something depending on it; are to be distinguished by the Comma: for they may be resolved into Simple members.

When an address is made to a person, the Noun, answering to the Vocative Case in Latin, is distinguished by a Comma.

EXAMPLES.

“This said, He form’d thee, Adam; thee, O man, Dust of the ground.”

“Now Morn, her rosy steps in th’ eastern clime Advancing, sow’d the earth with orient pearl.”

Milton.

Two Nouns, or two Adjectives, connected by a single Copulative or Disjunctive, are not separated by a Point: but when there are more than two, or where the Conjunction is understood, they must be distinguished by a Comma.

Simple members connected by Relatives and Comparatives are for the most part distinguished by a Comma: but when the members are short in Comparative Sentences; and when two members are closely connected by a Relative, restraining the general notion of the Antecedent to a particular sense; the pause becomes almost insensible, and the Comma is better omitted.

EXAMPLES.

“Raptures, transports, and extasies are the rewards which they confer: sighs and tears, prayers and broken hearts, are the offerings which are paid to them.” Addison, Ibid.

“Gods partial, changeful, passionate, unjust; Whose attributes were rage, revenge, or lust.”

Pope.

“What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion?”

A member of a Sentence, whether Simple or Compounded, that requires a greater pause than a Comma, yet does not of itself make a compleat Sentence, but is followed by something closely depending on it, may be distinguished by a Semicolon.

EXAMPLE.

“But as this passion for admiration, when it works according to reason, improves the beautiful part of our species in every thing that is laudable; so nothing is more destructive to them, when it is governed by vanity and folly.” Addison, ibid.

Here the whole Sentence is divided into two parts by the Semicolon; each of which parts are Compounded Members, divided into their Simple Members by Commas.

A member of a Sentence, whether Simple or Compounded, which of itself would make a compleat Sentence, and so requires a greater pause than a Semicolon, yet is followed by an additional part making a more full and perfect Sense, may be distinguished by a Colon.

EXAMPLE.

“Were all books reduced to their quintessence, many a bulky author would make his appearance in a penny paper: there would be scarce any such thing in nature as a folio: the works of an age would be contained on a few shelves: not to mention millions of volumes, that would be utterly annihilated.” Addison, Spect. Nᵒ 124.

Here the whole Sentence is divided into four parts by Colons: the first and last of which are Compounded Members, each divided by a Comma; the second and third are Simple Members.

When a Semicolon has preceded, and a greater pause is still necessary; a Colon may be employed, tho’ the Sentence be incompleat.

The Colon is also commonly used, when an Example, or a Speech is introduced.

When a Sentence is so far perfectly finished, as not to be connected in construction with the following Sentence, it is marked with a Period.

In all cases the proportion of the several Points in respect to one another is rather to be regarded, than their supposed precise quantity, or proper office, when taken separately.

Beside the Points which mark the pauses in discourse, there are others which denote a different modulation of the voice in correspondence with the sense. These are

The Interrogation Point } thus { ? The Exclamation Point } marked { ! The Parenthesis } { ()

The Interrogation and Exclamation Points are sufficiently explained by their names: they are indeterminate as to their quantity or time, and may be equivalent in that respect to a Semicolon, a Colon, or a Period, as the sense requires. They mark an Elevation of the voice.

The Parenthesis incloses in the body of a Sentence a member inserted into it, which is neither necessary to the Sense, nor at all affects the Construction. It marks a moderate depression of the voice, with a pause greater than a Comma.

A PRAXIS, or Example of Grammatical Resolution.

1. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate late being Governour of Judea, the word of God came unto John the Son of Zecharias in the wilderness.

2. And he came into all the country about Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

3. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

4. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.

5. And as all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

6. Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that, Jesus also being baptized and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape upon him; and lo! a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

1. _In_ is a Preposition; _the_ the Definite Article; _fifteenth_, an Adjective; _year_, a Substantive, or Noun, in the Objective Case governed by the Preposition _in_; _of_, a Preposition; _the reign_, a Substantive, Objective Case, governed by the Preposition _of_; _of Tiberius Cæsar_, both Substantives, Proper Names, Government and Case, as before; _Pontius Pilate_, Proper Names; _being_, the Present Participle of the Verb Neuter _to be_; _Governour_, a Substantive; _of Judea_, a Proper Name, Government and Case as before: _Pontius Pilate being governour_, is the Case Absolute, that is, the Nominative Case with a Participle without a Verb following and agreeing with it; the meaning is the same as, _when_ Pilate _was_ governour: _the word_, a Substantive; _of God_, a Substantive; _came_, a Verb Neuter, Indicative Mode, Past Time, third Person Singular Number, agreeing with the Nominative Case _word_; _unto_, a Preposition; _John_, a Proper Name; _the Son_, a Substantive, put in Apposition to _John_; that is, in the same Case, governed by the same Preposition _unto_; _of Zecharias_, a Proper Name; _in_, a Preposition; _the wilderness_, a Substantive, Government and Case as before.

2. _And_, a Conjunction Copulative; _he_, a Pronoun, third Person Singular, Masculine Gender, Nominative Case, standing for _John_; _came_, as before; _into_, a Prep. _all_, an Adjective; the country, a Subst. _about_, a Prep. _Jordan_, a Proper Name; _preaching_, the Present Participle of the Verb Active _to preach_, joined like an Adjective to the Pronoun _he_; _the baptism_, a Substantive in the Objective Case following the Verb Active _preaching_, and governed by it; _of repentance_, a Subst. Government and Case as before; _for_, a Prep. _the remission of sins_, Substantives, the latter in the Plural Number, Government and Case as before.

3. _And_, (b. that is, _as before_) _the same_, an Adjective; _John_ (b.) _had_, a Verb Active, Indicative Mode, Past Time, third Person Sing. agreeing with the Nominative Case _John_; _his_, a Pronoun, third Person Sing. Possessive Case; _raiment_, a Subst. in the Objective Case, following the Verb Active _had_, and governed by it; _of camel’s_, a Substantive, Possessive Case; _hair_, Subst. Objective Case, governed by the Preposition _of_, the same as, _of the hair of a camel_; _and_, (b.) _a_, the Indefinite Article; _leathern_, an Adj. _girdle_, a Subst. _about_, (b.) _his_, (b.) _loins_, Subst. plural Number; _and his_, (b.) _meat_, Subst. _was_, Indicative Mode, Past Time, third Person Singular of the Verb Neuter _to be_; _locusts_, Subst. plural Number, Nominative Case after the Verb _was_; _and_, (b.) _wild_, Adj. _honey_, Subst.

4. _Then_, an Adverb; _said_, a Verb Active, Past Time, third Person Sing. agreeing with the Nominative Case _he_ (b.) _to_, a Prep. _the multitude_, Subst. Objective Case, governed by the Prep. _to_; _that_, a Relative Pronoun, its Antecedent is _the multitude_; _came_, (b.) _forth_, an Adverb; _to_, a Prep. and before a Verb the sign of the Infinitive Mode; _be baptized_, a Verb Passive, made of the Participle Passive of the Verb _to baptize_, and the Auxiliary Verb _to be_, in the Infinitive Mode; _of him_, Pronoun, third Person Sing. standing for _John_, in the Objective Case governed by the Prep. _of_; _O_, an Interjection; _generation_, Subst. Nominative Case; _of vipers_, Subst. plural Number; _who_, an Interrogative Pronoun; _hath warned_, a Verb Active, Present Perfect Time, made of the Perfect Participle _warned_ and the Auxiliary Verb _hath_, third Person Singular agreeing with the Nominative Case _who_; _you_, Pronoun, second Person plural, Objective Case, following the Verb Active _warned_ and governed by it; _to flee_, Verb Neuter, Infinitive Mode; _from_, a Prep.; _the wrath_, Subst. Objective Case, governed by the Prep. _from_; _to come_, Verb Neuter, Infinitive Mode; _bring_, Verb Active, Imperative Mode, second Person plural, agreeing with the Nominative Case _ye_ understood, as if it were, _bring ye_; _forth_, an Adverb; _therefore_, a Conjunction; _fruits_, a Subst. plur. Objective Case, following the Verb Active _bring_, and governed by it; _meet_, an Adjective, joined to _fruits_, but placed after it, because it has something depending on it; _for repentance_, a Subst. governed by a Prep. as before.

5. _And_, (b.) _as_, an Adverb; _all_, (b.) _men_, Subst. plural Number; _mused_, a Verb Neuter, Past Time, third Person plural, agreeing with the Nominative Case _men_; _in_, (b.) _their_, a Pronominal Adjective, from the Pronoun _they_; _hearts_, Subst. plural Number, Objective Case governed by the Prep. _in_; _of John_, (b.) _whether_, a Conjunction; _he_, (b.) _were_, Subjunctive Mode, governed by the Conjunction _whether_, Past Time, third Person Sing. of the Verb _to be_, agreeing with the Nominative Case _he_; _the Christ_, Subst. Nominative Case after the Verb _were_; _or_, a Disjunctive Conjunction, corresponding to the preceding Conjunction _whether_; _not_, an Adverb; _John_, (b.) _answered_, a Verb Active, Indicative Mode, Past Time, third Person Sing. agreeing with the Nominative Case _John_; _saying_, Present Participle of the Verb Active _to say_, joined to the Substantive _John_; _unto_, (b.) _them_, a Pronoun, third Person plural, Objective Case governed by the Prep. _unto_; _all_, (b.) _I_, Pronoun, first Person Singular; _indeed_, an Adverb; _baptize_, a Verb Active, Indicative Mode, Present Time, first Person Singular, agreeing with the Nominative Case _I_; _you_, Pronoun, second Person plural, Objective Case, following the Verb Active _baptize_, and governed by it; _with_, a Prep. _water_, Subst. _but_, a Disjunctive Conjunction; _one_, a Pronoun, standing for some Person not mentioned by name; _mightier_, an Adjective in the Comparative Degree, from the Positive _mighty_; _than_, a Conjunction, used after a Comparative word; _I_, (b.) the Verb _am_ being understood, that is, _than I am_; _cometh_, a Verb Neuter, Indicative Mode, Present Time, third Person Sing. agreeing with the Nominative Case _one_; _the latchet_, Subst. _of_, (b.) _whose_, Pronoun Relative, _one_ being the Antecedent to it, in the Possessive Case; _shoes_, Subst. plural; _I_, (b.) _am_, Indicative Mode, Present Time, first Person Sing. of the Verb _to be_, agreeing with the Nominative Case _I_; _not_, (b.) _worthy_, an Adjective; _to unloose_, a Verb Active, in the Infinitive Mode, governing the Substantive _latchet_ in the Objective Case; _he_, (b.) _shall baptize_, a Verb Active, Indicative Mode, Future Time, made by the Auxiliary _shall_, third Person Sing. agreeing with, the Nominative Case _he_; _you_, (b.) _with the_, (b.) _Holy_, an Adjective; _Ghost_, a Subst. _and with_, (b.) _fire_, a Subst. this and the former both in the Objective Case governed by the Prep. _with_.

6. _Now_, an Adverb; _when_, an Adverb; _all_, (b.) _the people_, a Subst. _were baptized_, a Verb Passive, made of the Auxiliary Verb _to be_ joined with the Participle Passive of the Verb _to baptize_, Indicative Mode, third Person plural, agreeing with the Nominative Case Sing. _people_, being a Noun of multitude; _it_, Pronoun, third Person Sing. Neuter Gender, Nominative Case; _came_, (b.) _to pass_, Verb Neuter, Infinitive Mode; _that_, a Conjunction; _Jesus_, a Proper Name; _also_, an Adverb; _being_, Present Participle of the Verb _to be_; _baptized_, Participle Passive of the Verb _to baptize_; _and_, (b.) _praying_, Present Participle of the Verb Neuter _to pray_; _Jesus being baptized and praying_ is the Case Absolute, as before; _the heaven_, Subst. _was opened_, Verb Passive, Indicative Mode, Past Time, third Person Sing. agreeing with the Nominative Case _heaven_, the Auxiliary Verb _to be_ being joined to the Participle Passive, as before; _and the Holy Ghost_, (b.) _descended_, Verb Neuter, Indicative Mode, Past Time, third Person Sing. agreeing with the Nominative Case _Ghost_; _in a_ (b.) _bodily_, an Adjective; _shape_, a Subst. _like_, an Adjective; _a dove_, a Subst. Objective Case, the Prep. _to_ being understood, that is, _like to a dove_; _upon_, Prep. _him_, Pronoun, third Person Sing. Objective Case governed by the Prep. _upon_; _and_, (b.) _lo!_ an Interjection; _a voice_, a Subst. Nominative Case, _there was_ being understood, that is, _there was a voice_; _from_, Prep. _heaven_, Subst. Objective Case, (b.) _saying_, (b.) _this_, a Pronominal Adjective, _person_ being understood; _is_, Indicative Mode, Present Time, of the Verb _to be_, third Person Sing. agreeing with the Nominative Case _this_; _my_, a Pronominal Adjective; _beloved_, an Adjective; _Son_, a Subst. Nominative Case after the Verb _is_; _in_, (b.) _whom_, Pronoun Relative, Objective Case governed by the Prep. _in_, the Substantive _Son_ being its Antecedent; _I am_, (b.) _well_, an Adverb; _pleased_, the Passive Participle of the Verb _to please_, making with the Auxiliary Verb _am_ a Passive Verb, in the Indicative Mode, Present Time, first Person Sing. agreeing with the Nominative Case _I_.

THE END.

FOOTNOTES

[1] “And I persecuted this way unto _the_ death.” _Acts_ xxii. 4. The Apostle does not mean any particular sort of death, but death in general: the Definite Article therefore is improperly used. It ought to be _unto death_, without any Article: agreeably to the Original, αχρι θανατου.

“When He the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into _all Truth_.” _John_ xvi. 13. That is, according to this Translation, into all Truth whatsoever, into Truth of all kinds: very different from the meaning of the Evangelist, and from the Original, εις πασαν την αληθειαν, into _all the Truth_; that is, into all Evangelical Truth.

“Truly this was _the_ Son of God.” _Matt._ xxvii. 54. and _Mark_ xv. 39. This Translation supposes, that the Roman Centurion had a proper and adequate notion of the character of Jesus, as the Son of God in a peculiar and incommunicable sense: whereas, it is probable, both from the circumstances of the History, and from the expression of the Original, (ὑιος Θεου, a Son of God, not ὁ υιος, _the_ Son) that he only meant to acknowledge him to be an extraordinary person, and more than a mere man; according to his own notion of Sons of Gods in the Pagan Theology. This is also more agreeable to St. Luke’s account of the same confession of the Centurion: “Certainly this was δικαιος, a righteous man;” not ὁ Δικαιος, the Just One. The same may be observed of Nebuchadnezzar’s words, _Dan._ iii. 25.—“And the form of the fourth is like _the_ Son of God:” it ought to be by the Indefinite Article, like _a_ Son of God: ὁμοια ὑιῳ Θεου, as Theodotion very properly renders it: that is, like an Angel; according to Nebuchadnezzar’s own account of it in the 28th verse: “Blessed be God, who hath sent his _Angel_, and delivered his servants.” See also _Luke_ xix. 9.

These Remarks may serve to shew the great importance of the proper use of the Article; the near affinity there is between the Greek Article, and the English Definite Article; and the excellence of the English Language in this respect, which by means of its two Articles does most precisely determine the extent of signification of Common Names: whereas the Greek has only one Article, and it has puzzled all the Grammarians to reduce the use of that to any clear and certain rules.

[2] “A good character should not be rested in as an end, but employed as _a means_ of doing still farther good.” ATTERBURY’S Sermons. Ought it not to be _a mean?_

[3] “About _an_ eight days:” that is, a space of eight days. _Luke_ ix. 28. But the expression is obsolete, or at least vulgar; and we may add likewise improper: for the number _eight_ has not been reduced by use and convenience into one collective and compact idea, like _a hundred_, and _a thousand_; each of which, like _a dozen_, or _a score_, we are accustomed equally to consider on certain occasions as a simple Unity.

[4] And antiently, _eyen_, _shoen_, _housen_, _hosen_; so likewise antiently _sowen_, _cowen_, now always pronounced and written _swine_, _kine_.

[5] In the German the vowels _a_, _o_, _u_, of monosyllable Nouns are generally in the Plural changed into diphthongs with an _e_: as der _hand_, the hand, die _hände_; der _hut_, the hat, die _hüte_; der _knopff_, the button, (or knop) die _knöpffe_; &c.

[6] These are directly from the Saxon: _mus_, _mys_; _lus_, _lys_; _toth_, _teth_; _fot_, _fet_; _gos_, _ges_.

[7] “Lingua Anglorum hodierna avitæ Saxonicæ formam in plerisque orationis partibus etiamnum retinet. Nam quoad particulas casuales, quorundam casuum terminationes, conjugationes verborum, verbum substantivum, formam passivæ vocis, pronomina, participia, conjunctiones, & præpositiones omnes; denique quoad idiomata, phrasiumque maximam partem, etiam nunc Saxonicus est Anglorum sermo.” Hickes. Thesaur. Lingg. Septent. Præf. p. vi. To which may be added the Degrees of comparison, the form of which is the very same in the English as in the Saxon.

[8] “_Christ his_ sake,” in our Liturgy, is a mistake, either of the Printers, or of the Compilers.⸺“My paper is the _Ulysses his_ bow, in which every man of wit or learning may try his strength.” Addison, Guardian Nᵒ 98. This is no slip of Mr. Addison’s pen: he gives us his opinion upon this point very explicitly in another place. “The same single letter [_s_] on many occasions does the office of a whole word, and represents the _his_ and _her_ of our forefathers.” Addison, Spect. Nᵒ 135. The latter instance might have shewn him, how groundless this notion is: for it is not easy to conceive, how the letter _s_ added to a Feminine Noun should represent the word _her_; any more than it should the word _their_, added to a Plural Noun: as, “the _children’s_ bread.” But the direct derivation of this Case from the Saxon Genitive Case is sufficient of itself to decide this matter.

[9]

“At his command th’ uprooted hills retir’d Each to _his_ place: they heard his voice and went Obsequious: Heaven _his_ wonted face renew’d, And with fresh flowrets hill and valley smil’d.”

Milton, P. L. B. vi.

“Was I deceiv’d, or did a sable Cloud Turn forth _her_ silver lining on the Night?”

Milton, Comus.

“Go to your Natural Religion: lay before _her_ Mahomet and his disciples arrayed in armour and in blood:⸺shew _her_ the cities which he set in flames; the countries which he ravaged:⸺when _she_ has viewed him in this scene, carry _her_ into his retirements; shew _her_ the Prophet’s chamber, his concubines and his wives:⸺when _she_ is tired with this prospect, then shew _her_ the Blessed Jesus.—” See the whole passage in the conclusion of Bp Sherlock’s 9th Sermon, Vol. I.