with ease."--Sheridan's Elocution, p. 114. "And to the being well heard, and clearly understood, a good and distinct articulation contributes more, than power of voice."--Ib., p. 117.
"Potential means the having power or will;
As, If you would improve, you should be still."
--Tobitt's Gram., p. 31.
UNDER NOTE XVII.--VARIOUS ERRORS.
"For the same reason, a neuter verb cannot become a passive."--Lowth's Gram., p. 74. "The period is the whole sentence complete in itself."--Ib., p. 115. "The colon or member is a chief constructive part, or greater division of a sentence."--Ib. "The semicolon or half member, is a less constructive part or subdivision, of a sentence or member."--Ib. "A sentence or member is again subdivided into commas or segments."--Ib., p. 116. "The first error that I would mention, is, a too general attention to the dead languages, with a neglect of our own."--Webster's Essays, p. 3. "One third of the importations would supply the demands of people."--Ib., p. 119. "And especially in grave stile."--Priestley's Gram., p. 72. "By too eager pursuit, he ran a great risk of being disappointed."--Murray's Key, Octavo Gram., Vol. ii, p. 201. "Letters are divided into vowels and consonants."--Murray's Gram., i, p. 7; and others. "Consonants are divided into mutes and semi-vowels."--Ib., i, 8; and others. "The first of these forms is most agreeable to the English idiom."--Ib., i, 176. "If they gain, it is a too dear rate."--Barclay's Works, i, 504. "A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun, to prevent a too frequent repetition of it."--Maunder's Gram., p. 1. "This vulgar error might perhaps arise from a too partial fondness for the Latin."--Dr. Ash's Gram., Pref., p. iv. "The groans which a too heavy load extorts from her."--Hitchcock, on Dyspepsy, p. 50. "The numbers [of a verb] are, of course, singular and plural."--Bucke's Gram. p. 58. "To brook no meanness, and to stoop to no dissimulation, are the indications of a great mind."--Murray's Key, ii, 236. "This mode of expression rather suits familiar than grave style."--Murray's Gram., i, 198. "This use of the word rather suits familiar and low style."--Priestley's Gram., p. 134. "According to the nature of the composition the one or other may be predominant."--Blair's Rhet., p. 102. "Yet the commonness of such sentences prevents in a great measure a too early expectation of the end."--Campbell's Rhet., p. 411. "An eulogy or a philippie may be pronounced by an individual of one nation upon the subject of another."--Adams's Rhet., i, 298. "A French sermon, is for most part, a warm animated exhortation."--Blair's Rhet., p. 288. "I do not envy those who think slavery no very pitiable a lot."--Channing, on Emancipation, p. 52. "The auxiliary and principal united, constitute a tense."--Murray's Gram., i, 75. "There are some verbs which are defective with respect to persons."--Ib., i, 109. "In youth, the habits of industry are most easily acquired."--Murray's Key, ii, 235. "Apostrophe (') is used in place of a letter left out."--Bullions's Eng. Gram., p. 156.
CHAPTER III.--CASES, OR NOUNS.
The rules for the construction of Nouns, or Cases, are seven; hence this chapter, according to the order adopted above, reviews the series of rules from the second rule to the eighth, inclusively. Though Nouns are here the topic, all these seven rules apply alike to Nouns and to Pronouns; that is, to all the words of our language which are susceptible of Cases.
RULE II.--NOMINATIVES.
A Noun or a Pronoun which is the subject of a finite verb, must be in the nominative case: as, "The Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things; and they derided him."--Luke, xvi, 14. "But where the meekness of self-knowledge veileth the front of self-respect, there look thou for the man whom none can know but they will honour."--Book of Thoughts, p. 66.
"Dost thou mourn Philander's fate?
I know thou sayst it: says thy life the same?"
--Young, N. ii, l. 22.
OBSERVATIONS ON RULE II.
OBS. 1.--To this rule, there are no exceptions; and nearly all nominatives, or far the greater part, are to be parsed by it. There are however four different ways of disposing of the nominative case. First, it is generally the subject of a verb, according to Rule 2d. Secondly, it may be put in apposition with an other nominative, according to Rule 3d. Thirdly, it may be put after a verb or a participle not transitive, according to Rule 6th. Fourthly, it may be put absolute, or may help to form a phrase that is independent of the rest of the sentence, according to Rule 8th.
