The firft indicates the Action only, and nothing more, without any Re-
gard to the Modus, or Manner in which it is done: As I pipe, you dancé, or
bou danceft; be, or be fings, they talk, laugh or fing, &c.

The fecond, or the Imperative, intreats, exhorts, or commands. As fear
God; honour the King; Love your Neighbours as yourselves, &c.

The Subjunctive Mood is that, wherein the Verb either depends on, or is
fubjoined to, fome other Verb in the Sentence. As, You will meet with Ap-
plaufe, if you follow a virtuous Courfe of Life; If you will be intemperate, and
indulge your Appetites without Controul, you will feverely repent the Confequences,
fooner or later.

The Infinitive Mood is that in which the Action of the Verb is expreffed in
an indefinite or unlimited Manner; as to pipe, to dance, to play, &c.

Some indeed, add to these the Optative and Potential Moods. The latter
is known by the Particles may, might, can, could, would, or should, &c.
As, I may write, if I will; You might improve, if you would; he can fing,
if he pleafes, &c.

As to the Optative Mood, it is the fame as the Subjunctive, or Potential,
with the Addition only of the exclamatory Particle O! whereby we testify
our Inclination, Wifh, or Defire to do any Thing. As, O! that I may,
might, or could, be Mafter of the English, Latin, or French Languages, &c.

It is manifeft, however, that all the English Words are expreffed by little,
auxiliary, or fubfervient Particles, and not by any different Terminations of
the principal Verb itfelf, as is ufually done in most other Languages.

As to the Tenfes of Verbs, we mean by that grammatical Term, the several
Times wherein their refpective Actions are performed; and of these there are,
properly fpeaking, three only; that is to fay, the prefent, the past, and the
future, or, Time to come. As for Inftance; I love, I hate; or, I do love,
I do hate; I loved, or hated; or, did love or hate; and I shall or will love,
or hate, &c.

The Preter-tenfe, however, or the Time paft is, for the Generality, fub-
divided into three; namely, the Preter-imperfect, which denotes the Time
paft, but not actually finifhed; as, I was writing a Letter to my Father, but
was hindered in compleating it; the Preter-perfect, which denotes the Time
abfolutely paft; as, 1 had fent a Messenger to my Sifter three Hours ago; and
the Preter pluperfect, which denotes the Time paft before the Time of fome
other paft Action; as, I had heard that the King of Pruffia had gained an en-
tire Conqueft over the Auftrians, fome Time before the Publication of it in the

Gazette.

From whence it is manifeft, as we hinted before, that the Tenfes or Times,
are not formed in the English Language by different Terminations of the Verb
itself, as it is in most others; but by the Aid and Affiftance of the auxiliary
Verbs do, did; have, had; shall and will.

Of the Method made ufe of to know whether a Word be a Verb or not.
Suppose the Words to be fit, ftand, walk, &c. place fome perfonal Pro-
moun before them; and they will be good Senfe, if they are in Reality
Verbs; as I fit, you ftand, or thou flandeft, they walk; but otherwise non-
feufe

To diftinguish a Verb Alive from another Verb, p'ace the Particles do,
or did, before it; and if it be Senfe, it will be an Active Verb; as, I do
nwalk, I did ftand, I do or did fit, &c.

To diflinguish a Verb Paffive from another Verb, place the Particles am,
art, or are, before the Participle ending in (ed), and in Cafe it be good
Senfe,

Senfe, it will be a Paffive Verb; as, loved, hated, hurried, tired; I am loved, thou art hated, he is hurried; we, ye, or they, are tired, When 'tis in the Subjunctive Mood, the auxiliary Word be must be used, as if I be weary, I cannot fleep; if I be hurried, I cannot write, ..

Of PARTICIPLES.

A Participle is an Adjective formed of a Verb; and has that Denomination, from its taking Part of a Noun, as Gender, Cafe, and Declenfion; and Part of a Verb, as Tenfe, or Time, and Signification; and Part of both, as Number and Figure.

of PARTICLES.

Thefe are generally diftinguished by the four laft Parts of Speech called Adverb, Conjunction, Prepofition, and Interjection.

As thefe, however, are too inconfiderable, in my Opinion, to be made diftinct Parts of Speech, I shall include them all under the general Denomination of Particles; and shall dismiss this Head, with the few following curfory Remarks on each.

As to Adverbs, they are a Kind of Words which are joined in a Sentence to the Noun, or Verb, in order to fhew the particular Circumftance of their respective Significations.

Of these there are four Kinds. And,

1. All fuch as express the Manner or Quality: And thefe are formed of Adjectives, by the Addition only of the Particle (ly) as for Inftance; from prudent comes prudently; from flow comes flowly, and from quick comes quickly. And that these are nothing more than a Species of Nouns Adjective, is plainly manifeft, not only from their Senfe or Signification; but from their Admiffion likewife of Degrees of Comparison; as prudently, more prudently, moft prudently; flowly, more flowly, or flowlier, moft flowly, or flowlieft; and quickly, quicklier, or more quick, quicklieft, or most quick.

2. The fecond Sort are thofe of Time; as for Example,

3. The next Sort are thofe of Place. As for Inftance,

here,

there,

within,

without,

upwards,

downwards,

hither,

thither,

hence,

thence,

above,

below, &c.

The fourth and laft Sort are thofe of Number, or Order; as,

first,

fecondly,
thirdly,
laftly, &c.

Of thofe Particles which Grammarians, for the Generality, term Conjunctions.

Of these there are various Sorts.

As for Inftance,

1. Copulatives,

2. Disjunctives,

3. Conceffives,

4. Illatives,

5. Conditionals,

Of the firft Sort,

Of the second,

Of the third,

are

Of the fourth,

Of the fifth,

Of the fixth,

and, with, for, by, &c.

or, either, nor, neither, &c.
yet, tho', altho', albeit, &c.

feeing, fince, therefore, wherefore, &c.
if, provided always, nevertheless, &c.
yes, indeed, forfooth, &c.

Of thofe Particles which Grammarians, for the moft Part, term Prepofitions; or, in other Words, fuch Particles as are prefixed to Nouns, in order to point out the Cafe, State, or Relation, wherein they are refpectively used.

Of these likewise there are various Sorts; as for Example; the two Articles, a, or an, and the.

Of thofe Particles which Grammarians ufually term Interjections, which are but few in Number, and make the fmalleft Part of the English Language, or, indeed, of any other Language whatsoever.

The former are fo diftinguished from their being used when we are alone; and the Result of Pain, Sorrow, or any other Token of Surprize or Admiration; and sometimes are Marks of our Displeasure and Refentment: And these are

Heigh! hem! by! ab! alas! oh! pish! fie! phough! &c:

The latter are these.

Ho! bolo! bub! hift! bark! and ha, ha, he! to exprefs Laughter, er a fuperior Degree of Pleasure.

To conclude, notwithstanding these Particles are called little Words, and used for the several Purposes above particularly expressed; and notwithstanding we have mentioned them as too inconfiderable to be termed distinct Parts of Speech; yet it muft be acknowledged, at the fame time, that they are Words of the laft Importance, and that the Beauty and Elegance of a Difcourfe, in a great Measure, depend upon a judicious Ufe of them; for notwithstanding it is no difficult Task merely to point out a Thing, or Action; yet to give a particular Defcription of it, and to fet it in the fairest and most advantageous Point of Light; requires more Art and Judgment in the use of the above Particles, than most People would, without mature Reflection, ever imagine.

PART

A

PART

IV.

Of SENTENCES.

Sentence is either Simple, or Compound.

The Former (according to the Grammatical Idea of the Term) is a Period, or Set of Words, in which fome perfect Senfe, or Sentiment of the Mind is fully comprehended; as, Jefus wept.-Chrift died.-Vice is odious.Virtue is a Beauty, &c.

The Examples above produced are called fimple Sentences, as being nothing more than Nouns Subftantive, or Names, in the Nominative Cafe, and proper Verbs, or Affirmations joined to them; without which they could never be understood.

A Compound Sentence is, where two, or more Simple Sentences, are joined together by proper Particles; as, there is a Time to pipe, and a Time to dance; a Time to work, and a Time to play.

Of the Concord between the Subftantive and the Verb.

The Noun Subftantive, or Name, is the Thing, or Perfon, that either is does, or fuffers; and this, for the moft Part, is fet before the Verb; as for Infiance, William is faft afleep; Thomas is awake; I am at Work; you are at play; be, or fhe, is gone to Market; we, ye, or they, are gone a fishing, &c.

This Rule, however, is inverted in the four feveral Cafes hereunder particularly mentioned; viz. When a Question is asked ;-When any Word of Command is given ;-When a Sentence is conditional;-and when the Particle (there) or (its) precedes the Affirmation.

In the first Place, we fay; Could William ever be fo careless? Could any Servants ever be more infolent ?-Does the Tea-kettle boil? Is Supper ready?

&c.

In the fecond Cafe, that is to fay, in point of any pofitive Command: As, Mind your Bufinefs.-Read your Book.-Hold your Tongues, &c.—

Where the Sentence is conditional, we exprefs ourselves thus: Had I been apprehenfive of the Man's Infincerity, I would never have trufted him with a Shilling-Were la Man of Fortune, I would advance all my poor Relations,

&c.

In the last Place, we fay ; There was a Committee of the Bank of England fat Yefterday. There was a great Debate in the House of Parliament this Morning.It was the Husband, not the Wife, that was found guilty.—It was a Mare, and not a Horfe, that won the Race.

Tho' a Noun or Name is, for the most Part, the Nominative Cafe to the Verb; yet this Rule is not always obferved; for, in the first Place, a Verb or Affirmation, put into the Infinitive Mood, is fometimes fubftituted instead of a Noun or Name; as for Inftance, To laugh at Church is very indecent.To speak difrefpectfully of a Benefactor, is most shamefully ungrateful.-To die for the Good of one's Country is a truly heroic Action, &c.

Sometimes, again, a Whole Sentence is made ufe of as the Nominative Cafe to the Verb; as for Example, A hearty Zeal, and an ardent Inclination,

to ferve our great Creator, is our beft Fence againft all Miftakes of Importance in Points of Religion, &c.

Now the general Rule for finding out the Nominative Cafe to the Verb is, to ask the Queftion, Who, or What? And the Word that answers to who or what is, does, or fuffers, is the Nominative Cafe. As in the preceding Questions. -What is very indecent ?-To whiftle at Church.most shamefully ungrateful?-To speak difrefpectfully of a Benefactor.What is our beft Fence, &c. ?-A hearty Zeal, &c.

-What is

Here,

Again; I fing.-You dance. He plays,-We, ye, or they work. afk the Queftion,-Who fings, dances, plays, or works ?-I, you, &c. Here 'tis to be obferved, that the Verb must always agree with the Subftantive Noun or Name, in Number and Perfon; as, I love, thou loveft, he loveth, or loves; we, ye, or they love.Here, we must not fay, I loves, or we loves, &c.

When two Subftantives of the Singular Number precede the Verb; then the Verb must be in the Plural; as for Inftance, My Brother John and my Sifter Mary, were at the Play laft Night. (not was)—My Father and I were at Dinner together, in Guild-hall, laft Lord-Mayor's Day. (not was)-The Lord-Mayor and his Lady are to be at St Paul's this Morning. (not is), &c.

Note. If a collective Noun; that is to fay a Name, which expreffes a great Number of Perfons, though itself be fingular, precedes the Verb, the Verb must be in the plural Number; as, The Mob were very outrageous in the Streets laft Night. (not was)-Never mind what the Vulgar fay, or do. (not fays, or does)-The English Army are now in Germany. (not is), &c.

Of the Concord between the Subftantive and the Adjective.

In the English Tongue, when we apply an Adjective to a Subftantive, we make no Diftinction (as Grammarians do in Latin) of Cafe, Gender, or Number; for we fay, a modest Man; an infolent Woman; an affected Fop: or, in the plural; modeft Men; infolent Women; affected Fops ; &c.

Note. The Pronoun This, in the fingular Number, makes Thefe in the plural; as, This Hat is mine; but these two are yours.-This Chair is broken, but these are whole and found.

Again, the Pronoun That, in the fingular Number, makes Those in the plural: As, That Pair of Gloves in the Window are yours, but thofe on the Table are mine. That filver Tankard is my Landlord's, but those filver Candlefticks were borrowed, &c.

Note, once more, That the English Adjective for the most part, indeed, precedes the Subftantive; as, a delightful Profped; a new-built House; a pacing Horfe; &c. but there are fome Exceptions to this general Rule.

And in the firft Place, the Adjective is frequently parted from the SubHantive, when a Verb intervenes; as, Truly brave and heroic is the Man, whe dies in the Defence of his Country.-Very richly and gayly dreft are the Ladies, when they go to Court.-Infallibly true are all the Doctrines of the facred Scriptures, &c.

Sometimes, again, the Adjetive follows the Subflantive, when the Article (the) comes between; as George the Third, King of Great Britain, &c.— Lewis the Fifteenth, King of France, &c.

The Adjective follows the Subftantive in the following Grammatical Expreffions. As, a l'erb active; a Verb Passive; a Verb neuter, &c.

To