207. Antecedents Connected by "Or" or "Nor."

Rule XI.-A pronoun, with two or more antecedents in the singular, connected by or or nor, must be singular.

Rem. 1.- -When the two antecedents are of different genders, the use of a singular masculine pronoun to represent them is improper. In such cases,

1. Use a plural pronoun that may represent both genders; as, "Not on outward charms could he or she build their pretensions to please :"

2. Use different pronouns; as, "No boy or girl should whisper to his or her neighbor:"

3. Substitute a general term, including both, for the two antecedents, and represent this general term by a singular masculine pronoun; as, "No pupil (boy or girl) should whisper to his neighbor."

Rem. 2.—When one of the antecedents is plural, it should be placed last, and the pronoun should be plural; as, "Neither the farmer nor his sons were aware of their danger."

To be corrected.

EXERCISES.

1. No father or mother lives that does not love his or her children. 2. George or Charles are diligent in their business. 3. If an Aristotle. a Pythagoras, or a Galileo, suffer for their opinions, they are martyrs. 4. If you see my horse or mule, turn them into your pasture. 5. Poverty or wealth have their own temptations. To be parsed.

1. Henry or Samuel will lend you his book. 2. If thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. 3. Neither James nor John has gained much credit for himself.

4. Either Mary or Sarah will recite her lesson. 5. Even a rugged rock, or a barren heath, though in itself disagreeable, contributes by contrast to the beauty of the whole.

same.

6. Beginning with Latin or Greek hexameter, which is the 7. Either James or his father was mistaken in his opinion. 8. Neither the teacher nor the scholars used their books in the class.

208. Adjectives and Participles.

Rule XII.—An adjective or participle belongs to some noun or pronoun.

Rem. 1.—An adjective used as the predicate of a sentence, may modify an infinitive or a substantive clause, used as the subject; as, "To lie is sinful;" "That all men are created equal, is selfevident."

Rem. 2.—An adjective may modify a noun and another adjective, taken together; as, "A rich old miser;" "A large bay horse."

Rem. 3.-After infinitives and participles, adjectives are frequently used which do not belong to any particular noun or pronoun; as, “To be good is to be happy," "The main secret of being sublime, is to say great things in few and plain words."

Rem. 4.—An adjective should agree in number with the noun to which it belongs; as, that kind, those kinds; one man, two men. To denote a collective number, a singular adjective may precede a plural noun; as, "One thousand dollars;" "The census is taken every ten years." To denote plurality, many a is used instead of many; as, "Many a time;" "Many a morning."

Rem. 5.-In poetry, an adjective relating to a noun or pronoun is sometimes used instead of an adverb modifying a verb or a participle; as, “Incessant still you flow;" "Swift on his downy pinions flies from woe."

Rem. 6.—Adjectives are sometimes used as nouns; as, "The rich and the poor here meet together;" "One said, 'Let us go;' another, 'No, let us remain.””

Rem. 7.—Two adjectives are frequently connected by a hyphen, forming a compound adjective; as, "A sweet-faced girl."

Rem. 8.-Numeral and pronominal adjectives precede another adjective which modifies the same noun; as, "The seven wise men;" "That old house."

1. His spirit was so bird-like and so pure. 2. Dim, cheerless, is the scene my path around. 3. This life of ours is a wild Æolian harp of many a joyous strain. 4. Every tree-top has its shadow.

H. G. 16.

5. With fleecy clouds the sky is blanched. 6. Still stands the forest primeval. 7. 'Tis impious in a good man to be sad. 8. To hope the best is pious, brave, and wise. 9. Time wasted is existence; used, is life.

10.

Thoughts shut up, want air,

And spoil, like bales unopened to the sun. 11. Tell me not in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream.

12. Pray for the living, in whose breast
The struggle between right and wrong
Is raging terrible and strong.

13. Petulant she spoke, and at herself she laughed;
A rose-bud set with little willful thorns,
And sweet as English air could make her.

14. The hills are dearest which our childish feet

Have climbed the earliest, and the streams most sweet

Are/ever those at which our young lips drank,

Stoop'd to their waters o'er the grassy bank.

15. Sometimes her narrow kitchen walls

Stretched away into stately halls.— Whittier.

209. Verbs.

Rule XIII.—A verb must agree with its subject in person and number.

Rem. 1.—When the subject is a collective noun, conveying plurality of idea, the verb should be plural; as, "In France, the peasantry go barefooted, while the middle class wear wooden shoes."

Rem. 2.—When a subject, plural in form, represents a single thing, the verb must be singular; as, "The 'Pleasures of Memory' was published in 1792;" "Politics is his trade;" "The news is confirmed."

Rem. 3.—When the subject is a mere word or sign, an infinitive, or a substantive clause, the verb should be in the third person singular; as, "They is a personal pronoun;" + is the sign of addition;" "To deceive is wrong;" "Who comes there?' was heard from within."

Rem. 4.-A verb in the imperative mode usually agrees with thou, you, or ye, expressed or understood; as, "Look [ye] to your hearths, my lords!" "Smooth [thou] thy brow."

To be corrected.

EXERCISES.

1. You and I was walking together.

2. The horses has been

fed. 3. I called, but you was not at home. 4. Thou can assist me if thou will. 5. There was mountains where I came from. 6. A committee were appointed to report resolutions. 7. The fleet were seen off Hatteras.

8. The legislature have adjourned. 9. The corporation is individually responsible. 10. The Pleasures of Hope are a fine poem. 11. The scissors is dull. 12. We are a personal pronoun. 13. The derivation of these words are uncertain. 14. The board of trustees have a meeting to-night.

To be parsed.

1. Thus many a sad to-morrow came and went. 2. Return, O beautiful days of youth! 3. I alone was solitary and idle. 4. This well deserves meditating. 5. At an early hour, arrive the diligences. 6. He waved his arm.

7. Every rational creature has all nature for his dowry and estate. 8. The present needs us. 9. The jury were not unanimous. 10. Generation after generation passes away. 11. The public are respectfully invited to attend.

Bequeathes the next for heritage,
No lazy luxury or delight.

13. There's not a beggar in the street
Makes such a sorry sight.

14. He that attends to his interior self,

That has a heart, and keeps it—has a mind
That hungers and supplies it, and who seeks
A social, not a dissipated life,

Has business.

15. Between Nose and Eyes a strange contest arose The spectacles set them unhappily wrong;

The point in dispute was, as all the world knows,

To which the said spectacles ought to belong.-Cowper.

210. Subjects Connected by "And."

Rule XIV. A verb, with two or more subjects in the singular, connected by and, must be plural.

Rem. 1.—When two or more subjects in the singular, connected by and, are but different names for the same person or thing, or, when taken together, they represent a single idea, the verb should be singular; as, "Descent and fall to us is adverse;" "A hue and cry was raised."

Rem. 2.—When two or more singular subjects are emphatically distinguished, or are preceded by each, every, or no, the verb should be singular; as, "The father, as well as the son, was in fault;" "All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy;" "Every bird and beast cowers before the wild blast."

Rem. 3.—When two or more subjects, of different numbers, are emphatically distinguished, the verb agrees with the first; as, "Diligent industry, and not mean savings, constitutes honorable competence."

Rem. 4.-Two or more singular subjects, connected by with, in company with, together with, &c., require a singular verb; as, "Mr. Brown, in company with Mr. Shriver, is opening a new coal mine;" "The general, with all his army, was captured.

To be corrected.

EXERCISES.

1. Mr. Johnson and his brother was at the meeting. 2. Time and tide waits for no man. 3. Bread and milk are good food. 4. Each man, each child, and each woman know the hour. 5. The boy's mother, but not his father, deserve great praise.

6. Patience and diligence removes mountains. 7. I, together with my sister, are intending to make you a visit. 8. The salmon, as well as the trout, have become scarce in these waters. 9. A number of horses, together with a large amount of other property, were stolen last night.

To be parsed.

1. Her beauty, and not her talents, attracts attention. 2. No wife and no mother was there to comfort him. 3. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. 4. You and I look alike.