An English Grammar Part 27

27. And will your mother pity me, Who am a maiden most forlorn?

28. They know not I knew thee, Who knew thee too well.

29. I did remind thee of our own dear Lake, By the old Hall which may be mine no more.

30. He sate him down, and seized a pen, and traced Words which I could not guess of.

31. Time writes no wrinkle on thine azure brow: Such as creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now.

32. Wild Spirit which art moving everywhere; Destroyer and preserver; hear, oh, hear!

33. A smile of hers was like an act of grace.

34. No man can learn what he has not preparation for learning.

35. What can we see or acquire but what we are?

36. He teaches who gives, and he learns who receives.

37. We are by nature observers; that is our permanent state.

38. He knew not what to do, and so he read.

39. Who hears me, who understands me, becomes mine.

40. The men who carry their points do not need to inquire of their const.i.tuents what they should say.

41. Higher natures overpower lower ones by affecting them with a certain sleep.

42. Those who live to the future must always appear selfish to those who live to the present.

43. I am sorry when my independence is invaded or when a gift comes from such as do not know my spirit.

44. Here I began to howl and scream abominably, which was no bad step towards my liberation.

45. The only aim of the war is to see which is the stronger of the two--which is the master.

ADJECTIVES.

[Sidenote: _Office of Adjectives._]

139. Nouns are seldom used as names of objects without additional words joined to them to add to their meaning. For example, if we wish to speak of a friend's house, we cannot guide one to it by merely calling it _a house_. We need to add some words to tell its color, size, position, etc., if we are at a distance; and if we are near, we need some word to point out the house we speak of, so that no other will be mistaken for it. So with any object, or with persons.

As to the kind of words used, we may begin with the common adjectives telling the _characteristics_ of an object. If a chemist discovers a new substance, he cannot describe it to others without telling its qualities: he will say it is _solid_, or _liquid_, or _gaseous_; _heavy_ or _light_; _brittle_ or _tough_; _white_ or _red_; etc.

Again, in _pointing out_ an object, adjectives are used; such as in the expressions "_this_ man," "_that_ house," "_yonder_ hill," etc.

Instead of using nouns indefinitely, the _number_ is limited by adjectives; as, "_one_ hat," "_some_ cities," "_a hundred_ men."

The office of an adjective, then, is to narrow down or limit the application of a noun. It may have this office alone, or it may at the same time add to the meaning of the noun.

[Sidenote: _Substantives._]

140. Nouns are not, however, the only words limited by adjectives: p.r.o.nouns and other words and expressions also have adjectives joined to them. Any word or word group that performs the same office as a noun may be modified by adjectives.

To make this clear, notice the following sentences:--

[Sidenote: _p.r.o.noun._]

If _he_ be _thankful_ for small benefits, it shows that he weighs men's minds, and their trash.--BACON.

[Sidenote: _Infinitives._]

_To err_ is _human_; _to forgive, divine_.--POPE.

With exception of the "and then," the "and there," and the still less _significant_ "_and so_," they const.i.tute all his connections.--COLERIDGE.

[Sidenote: _Definition._]

141. An adjective is a word joined to a noun or other substantive word or expression, to describe it or to limit its application.

[Sidenote: _Cla.s.ses of adjectives._]

142. Adjectives are divided into four cla.s.ses:--

(1) Descriptive adjectives, which describe by expressing qualities or attributes of a substantive.

(2) Adjectives of quant.i.ty, used to tell how many things are spoken of, or how much of a thing.

(3) Demonstrative adjectives, pointing out particular things.

(4) p.r.o.nominal adjectives, words primarily p.r.o.nouns, but used adjectively sometimes in modifying nouns instead of standing for them.

They include relative and interrogative words.

DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES.

143. This large cla.s.s includes several kinds of words:--