implying existence. The word implying action however is not in this instance assertive. It simply expresses the notion of a property or action as derived from some previous judgment :

The shining sun.

Here the whole phrase "the shining sun" expresses simply one specific notion. This notion however is derived from a previous judgment, viz:"The sun shines."

Hence the following rule.

Sixth Rule.-EVERY ADJECTIVE, OR WORD USED AS AN ADJECTIVE, QUALIFIES SOME NOUN,

EXPRESSED OR UNDERSTOOD.

REMARK.

In languages where the adjective is inflected, this relation is shewn by the inflexions. In English it is usually indicated by its position immediately before the noun.

§ LVIII.

The general rule respecting the attribute of a noun as expressed by the adjective, undergoes various modifications.

1. Attributes of number are expressed by numerals:

Twenty men. The twelfth day. Many thanks.

2. Attributes of possession are expressed by the possessive pronouns, and the possessive case of the

noun :

My mother. My father's house.

3. Attributes of distinction are expressed by the articles and the demonstrative pronouns :

The man. This man. That man.

4. Attributes are expressed by a participle with or without adjuncts:

The sun, shining in his strength.

5. Attributes are expressed by prepositions with their case:

The Son of Adam. A man of wisdom.

The fear of hurting him prevented me.

6. Attributes are expressed by a noun in apposition:

William the Conqueror.

EXERCISES.

58. Point out all the attributive relations, which are found in the following passages :-namely, in the first five; in the second twelve; in the third twenty-two.

The generous buoyant spirit is a power

Which in the virtuous mind doth all things conquer,

It bears the hero on to arduous deeds:

It lifts the saint to heaven.

Hamlet is one of Shakspeare's plays that we think of the oftenest, because it abounds most in striking reflections on human life, and because his distresses are transferred by the turn of his mind, to the general account of humanity. Whatever happens to him we apply to ourselves, because he applies it to himself as a means of general reasoning. He is a great moralizer; and what makes him more attended to is, that he moralizes on his own feelings and experience.

Is any man fallen into disgrace? Charity doth hold down its head, is abashed and out of countenance, partaking of his shame. Is any man disappointed of his hopes or endeavours? Charity crieth out, Alas! as if it were itself defeated. Is any man afflicted with pain or sickness? Charity looketh sadly, it sigheth and groaneth, it fainteth and languisheth with him. Is any man pinched with hard want? Charity if it cannot succour, it will condole. Doth ill news arrive? Charity doth hear it with an unwilling ear and a sad heart, although not particularly concerned in it. The sight of a wreck at sea, of a field spread with carcases, of a country desolated, of houses burnt and cities ruined, and of the like calamities incident to mankind, would touch the heart of any man; but the very report of them would affect the heart of charity.

H

$ LIX.

The only remaining rule of Syntax of a fundamental character, is that which relates to the connection of sentences.

These are all grounded in the following principle—

Seventh Rule.-COPULATIVE AND DISJUNCTIVE PARTICLES UNITE TOGETHER NOTIONS OR ASSERTIONS, WHICH HOLD THE SAME RELATION IN ANY GIVEN SENTENCE.

The application of this rule is obvious. If conjunctions couple two nouns they must both be subjects or objects, or similarly situated in relation to the principal parts of the sentence: if they couple verbs, they must both be predicates of the same mood and tense; if they couple two sentences they must both be principal sentences, or both subordinate sentences of the same kind.

$ LX.

The above seven rules of Syntax, with their modifications, form the basis of an improved method of parsing—a method in which every word is regarded according to its position, intellectually speaking, in the sentence.

EXAMPLES OF PARSING.

1. Alfred, king of England, having inspected the enemy's position shortly routed them with great slaughter.

Alfred

king

of

Prop. Noun-Sub. to routed (Rule i.)

Com. Noun-Attributive to Alfred (Rule vi. 6.)
Preposition.

England Prop. Noun-"of England" attributive to king (Rule vi. 5.) having Participle auxiliary to inspected.

inspected participle;—“having inspected" attributive to Alfred (Rule vi. 4.)

the Def. Article.-Attributive to enemy's (Rule vi 3.) enemy's Com. Noun-Attributive to position (Rule vi. 2.) position Com. Noun-Object to having inspected (Rule iii.) shortly Adverb-modifying routed (Rule iv.)

routed

them

with

great

Act. Verb-predicate to Alfred (Rule ii.)
Per. Pronoun-Object to routed (Rule iii.)
preposition

Adjective-Attributive to slaughter (Rule vi.)

slaughter. Abstract noun "with great slaughter" extension of pred.

to routed.

2. The world in which we live is a round ball of a determined magnitude.

Com. Noun-Sub. to is (Rule i.)

preposition.

Rel. Pronoun-"in which" exten. of pred. to live (Rule v.)
Per. Pronoun-Sub. to live (Rule i.)

The

Def. Art.-Attrib. to world (Rule vi. 3.)

world

in

which

we

live

Neu. Verb-Pred. to we (Rule ii.)

is

a

Ind. Article.-Attrib. to ball (Rule vi. 3.)

round

ball

of

a

Ind. Article-Attrib. to magnitude (Rule vi. 3.)

Neu. Verb-in pred. relation to world (Rule ii.)

Adjective-Attrib. to ball (Rule vi.)

Com. Noun-Part of Pred. to world.

preposition.

determined participle-Attrib. to magnitude (Rule vi.)

magnitude. Abs. Noun "of a determined magnitude" attrib. to ball

(Rule vi. 5.)