An English Grammar Part 32

Examples (from Carlyle) of the use of these adjectives: "revealing the _inner_ splendor to him;" "a mind that has penetrated into the _inmost_ heart of a thing;" "This of painting is one of the _outermost_ developments of a man;" "The _outer_ is of the day;"

"far-seeing as the sun, the _upper_ light of the world;" "the _innermost_ moral soul;" "their _utmost_ exertion."

[Sidenote: -Most _added to other words_.]

166. The ending _-most_ is added to some words that are not usually adjectives, or have no comparative forms.

There, on the very _topmost_ twig, sits that ridiculous but sweet-singing bobolink.--H.W. BEECHER.

Decidedly handsome, having such a skin as became a young woman of family in _northernmost_ Spain.--DE QUINCEY.

Highest and _midmost_, was descried The royal banner floating wide.--SCOTT.

[Sidenote: _List III._]

167. The adjectives in List III. are like the comparative forms in List II. in having no adjective positives. They have no superlatives, and have no comparative force, being merely descriptive.

Her bows were deep in the water, but her _after_ deck was still dry.--KINGSLEY.

Her, by the by, in _after_ years I vainly endeavored to trace.--DE QUINCEY.

The upper and the _under_ side of the medal of Jove.--EMERSON.

Have you ever considered what a deep _under_ meaning there lies in our custom of strewing flowers?--RUSKIN.

Perhaps he rose out of some _nether_ region.--HAWTHORNE.

_Over_ is rarely used separately as an adjective.

CAUTION FOR a.n.a.lYZING OR PARSING.

[Sidenote: _Think what each adjective belongs to._]

168. Some care must be taken to decide what word is modified by an adjective. In a series of adjectives in the same sentence, all may belong to the same noun, or each may modify a different word or group of words.

For example, in this sentence, "The young pastor's voice was tremulously sweet, rich, deep, and broken," it is clear that all four adjectives after _was_ modify the noun _voice_. But in this sentence, "She showed her usual prudence and her usual incomparable decision,"

_decision_ is modified by the adjective _incomparable_; _usual_ modifies _incomparable decision_, not _decision_ alone; and the p.r.o.noun _her_ limits _usual incomparable decision_.

Adjectives modifying the same noun are said to be of the _same rank_; those modifying different words or word groups are said to be adjectives of _different rank_. This distinction is valuable in a study of punctuation.

Exercise.

In the following quotations, tell what each adjective modifies:--

1. Whenever that look appeared in her wild, bright, deeply black eyes, it invested them with a strange remoteness and intangibility.--HAWTHORNE.

2. It may still be argued, that in the present divided state of Christendom a college which is positively Christian must be controlled by some religious denomination.--NOAH PORTER.

3. Every quaking leaf and fluttering shadow sent the blood backward to her heart.--MRS. STOWE.

4. This, our new government, is the first in the history of the world based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.--A.H. STEPHENS

5. May we not, therefore, look with confidence to the ultimate universal acknowledgment of the truths upon which our system rests?--_Id._

6. A few improper jests and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths.--HAWTHORNE.

7. It is well known that the announcement at any private rural entertainment that there is to be ice cream produces an immediate and profound impression.--HOLMES.

ADVERBS USED AS ADJECTIVES.

169. By a convenient brevity, adverbs are sometimes used as adjectives; as, instead of saying, "the one who was then king," in which _then_ is an adverb, we may say "the _then_ king," making _then_ an adjective. Other instances are,--

My _then_ favorite, in prose, Richard Hooker.--RUSKIN.

Our _sometime_ sister, now our queen.--SHAKESPEARE

Messrs. Bradbury and Evans, the _then_ and _still_ owners.

--TROLLOPE.

The _seldom_ use of it.--TRENCH.

For thy stomach's sake, and thine _often_ infirmities.--_Bible._

HOW TO Pa.r.s.e ADJECTIVES.

[Sidenote: _What to tell in parsing._]

170. Since adjectives have no gender, person, or case, and very few have number, the method of parsing is simple.

In parsing an adjective, tell--

(1) The cla.s.s and subcla.s.s to which it belongs.

(2) Its number, if it has number.

(3) Its degree of comparison, if it can be compared.

(4) What word or words it modifies.