Page images
PDF
EPUB

V.-ARRANGEMENT OF SENTENCES.

THE ARRANGEMENT of words in sentences is eitner grammatical or rhetorical.

Grammatical arrangement is the order in which words are usually placed in speaking and writing.

Rhetorical arrangement is that order of the words, in which the emphatical parts of the sentence are placed first.

The rhetorical arrangement is used chiefly in poetry and impassioned prose.

The principal rules for arranging words in sentences are as follows:

I. In sentences grammatically arranged, the subject ⚫ or nominative is generally placed before the verb; as, "The birds sing;" "To obey is better than sacrifice."

In sentences rhetorically arranged, the subject or nominative is often placed after the verb; as, "Shines forth the cheerful sun;" "Great is Diana of the Ephesians."

Ру

The nominative is also placed after the verb in the following instances: 1. When the sentence is interrogative; as. "Jc riches make men hap

[ocr errors]

.

"Were it true."

2. When the sentence is imperative; as, "Go thou." 3. When a supposition is expressed by an ellipsis; as, 4. When the sentence begins with there, here, &c.; as, "There was a commotion among the people;" "Here are five loaves." 5. In such phrases as, said he, replied they, &c.

66

II. The article is always placed before the noun, whose signification it limits; as, “A table;” “ An inkstand;" "The book."

1. When the noun is qualified by an adjective, the article is placed be fore the adjective; as, "A large house."

2. The indefinite article is placed between the noun and the adjectives many and such; and also between the noun and all adjectives which are preceded by as, so, too, and how; as, "Many a man has attained independ ence by industry and perseverance;" "Such a misfortune has seldom hap pened;" "So great a multitude;" "How mighty a prince!"

3. The definite article is placed between the noun and the adjective all as, "All the people are assembled."

III. In sentences grammatically arranged, the ad jective is generally placed before the noun which qualifies; as, A beautiful tree;" ;" "A swift horse."

66

In sentences rhetorically arranged, the adjective when it is emphatic, is sometimes placed at the be

ginning of the sentence; as, "Just and true are all thy ways."

The adjective is frequently placed after the noun in the following instan

ces:

1. When it is used as a title; as, "Alexander the Great."

2. When other words depend upon it; as, "A man generous to his enemies."

[ocr errors]

3. When several adjectives belong to one noun; as, A man wise, just, and charitable."

4. When the adjective expresses dimension; as, "A wall ten feet high." 5. When it expresses the effect of an active verb; as, "Vice renders men miserable."

6. When a neuter verb comes between it and the noun or pronoun; as, "It seems strange."

IV. The pronoun of the third person is placed after that of the second; and the pronoun of the first person after those of the second and third; as, "You and I will go ;" ;" "Shall it be given to you, to him, or to me?" V. In sentences grammatically arranged, the active verb is generally placed before the word which it governs; as, "If you respect me, do not despise my friend."

In sentences rhetorically arranged, the active verb is frequently placed after the word which it governs; as, "Silver and gold have I none.

[ocr errors]

The active verb is also placed after relative pronouns; as, "He is a man whom I greatly esteem."

VI. In sentences grammatically arranged, the infinitive mood is placed after the verb which governs it; as, "He loves to learn."

In sentences rhetorically arranged, the infinitive mood, when emphatic, is placed before the word which governs it; as, "Go I must, whatever may ensue."

VII. Adverbs are generally placed immediately before or immediately after the words which they qualify; as, "Very good;"" He acted wisely.”

[ocr errors]

Adverbs, when emphatic, are sometimes placed at the beginning of a sentence; as, "How completely his passion has blinded him!"

VIII. Prepositions are generally placed before the words which they govern; as, "With me;" "To them."

In familiar language, prepositions are sometimes placed after the words which they govern, and even at a distance from them; as, "Such conduct I am at a loss to account for."

IX. Conjunctions are placed between the words or "Come and see;" clauses which they connect; as,

"Be cautious; but speak the truth."

1. Conjunctions of one syllable, with the exception of then, are always "Virtue placed first in the clauses or sentences which they connect; as, is praised by many, and doubtless would be desired also, if her worth were really known: see, then, that you do as she requires."

2. Conjunctions of more than one syllable (with the exception of whereas, which must always be the first word in the sentence or clause) may be transferred to the place where they are the most agreeable to the ear in reading; as, "Piety and holiness will make our whole life happy; whereas sinful pursuits will yield only a few scattered pleasures. Let us diligently cultivate the former, therefore, while we carefully abstain from the latter."

SECTION I.

VARIETY OF ARRANGEMENT.

Vary the arrangement of the following sentences by. transposing the members or clauses :

EXAMPLE.

I had long before now repented of my roving course of life, but I could not free my mind from the love of travel.

Of my roving course of life I had long before now repented, but from the love of travel I could not free my mind.

I could not free my mind from the love of travel, though I had long before now repented of my roving course of life.

From the love of travel I could not free my mind, though of my roving course of life I had long before now repented."

EXERCISES.

1. The Roman state evidently declined in proportion to the increase of luxury.

2. For all that you think, and speak, and do, you must at the last day

account.

3. The greatness of mind which shows itself in dangers and labors, if it wants justice, is blamable.

4. It is a fact, about which men now rarely differ, that the paper-mill and the printing-press are inventions for which we can not be too thankful.*

SECTION II.

VARIETY OF ARrangement (continued).

Change the grammatical into the rhetorical arrangement in the following passages:

EXAMPLE.

You may set my fields on fire, and give my children to the sword; you may drive myself forth a houseless, childless beggar, or load me with the fetters of slavery; but you never can conquer the hatred I feel to your op pression.

* Exercises similar to those under Sections I., II., III., IV., V., may be prescribed from the reading-lessons of a class.

My fields you may set on fire, and my children give to the sword; my self you may drive forth a houseless, childless beggar, or load with the fetters of slavery; but the hatred I feel to your oppression never can you conquer.

EXERCISES.

1. All the Jews, who knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, know my manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, that I lived a Pharisee after the straitest sect of our religion.

2. I weep for Cæsar, as he loved me; I rejoice, as he was fortunate; 1 nonor him, as he was valiant; but I slew him, as he was ambitious..

3. The noon of day is calm. The inconstant sun flies over the green hill. The stream of the mountain comes down red, through the stony vale. O Morar! thou wert tall on the hill; fair among the sons of the plain. Thy wrath was as the storm; thy sword, in battle, as lightning in the field. Thy voice was like thunder on distant hills. But how peaceful was thy brow when thou didst return from war! Thy face was like the sun after rain; calm as the breast of the lake when the loud wind is hushed into repose. Thy dwelling is narrow now the place of thine abode is dark. O thou who wast so great before! I compass thy grave with three steps.

SECTION III.

VARIETY OF ARRANGEMENT (continued).

Change passages of poetry into prose, making such alterations, both in arrangement and in structure, as the meaning and harmony of the sentences require :

EXAMPLE.

A solitary blessing few can find;

Our joys with those we love are intertwined

And he whose wakeful tenderness removes

Th' obstructing thorn which wounds the friend he loves,
Smooths not another's rugged path alone,

But scatters roses to adorn his own.

Few can find a solitary blessing; our joys are intertwined with those whom we love; and he, whose wakeful tenderness removes the thorn which wounds his friend, not only smooths the rugged path of another, but scatters roses to adorn his own.*

SECTION IV.

EXPRESSION OF IDEAS.

Let the pupil express the ideas contained the following passages, in sentences of his own construction and arrangement:

EXAMPLE.

When a man says, in conversation, that it is fine weather, does he mean to inform you of the fact? Surely not; for every one knows it as well as he does. He means to communicate his agreeable feelings.

Let EXERCISES be drawn from the poetry in the latter part of this

volume.

Almost every one whom you meet by the way begins the conversation by remarking, “It is a fine day." But when he does so, it is not because he supposes the fact known to him and not to you; he is merely giving expression to those agreeable feelings which the fineness of the weather ex. cites.

EXERCISFS may be selected by the teacher from this work.]

SECTION V.

EXPRESSION OF IDEAS.

Let the pupil write from the following hints, expressing the ideas in sentences of his own construc tion and arrangement :

EXERCISES

1. The camel: where found; the varieties of this animal found in some countries; description of countries in which found: what got from it; what its special use; how adapted for traveling; its docility; anecdotes of the camel.

2. The cotton-plant: where cultivated; how raised; what it yields, how produce gathered; how prepared, cotton-manufactures; where carried to greatest perfection; by what means; improvers of cotton-manu factures; influence upon comfort, habits, and civilization of mankind.

3. Who are our neighbors: in a literal sense; in the Scriptural sense; who taught us this; in what parable; what gave rise to it; the circumstances of the parable; the practical lessons which it teaches.

SECTION VI.

EXPRESSION OF IDEAS (continued).

Let the pupil write from memory the substance of the lessons read in the class, expressing the ideas in sentences of his own construction and arrangement

SECTION VII.

EXPRESSION OF IDEAS (continued).

Let the pupil write from memory the substance of what has been told or read by the teacher, or of lectures or sermons which he may have heard, expressing the ideas in sentences of his own construction and arrangement.†

The exercises under this and the following section are necessarily left to the teacher.

The teacher will find it of great use, in teaching his pupils fluency of expression, to make them do orally what they are required to do in writing in the two preceding sections.

« PreviousContinue »