An English Grammar Part 84

9. We see the n.o.ble afar off, and they repel us; why should we intrude?

10. We go to Europe, or we pursue persons, or we read books, in the instinctive faith that these will call it out and reveal us to ourselves.

11. A gay and pleasant sound is the whetting of the scythe in the mornings of June, yet what is more lonesome and sad than the sound of a whetstone or mower's rifle when it is too late in the season to make hay?

12. "Strike," says the smith, "the iron is white;" "keep the rake,"

says the haymaker, "as nigh the scythe as you can, and the cart as nigh the rake."

13. Trust men, and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great, though they make an exception in your favor to all their rules of trade.

14. On the most profitable lie the course of events presently lays a destructive tax; whilst frankness invites frankness, puts the parties on a convenient footing, and makes their business a friends.h.i.+p.

15. The st.u.r.diest offender of your peace and of the neighborhood, if you rip up his claims, is as thin and timid as any; and the peace of society is often kept, because, as children, one is afraid, and the other dares not.

16. They will shuffle and crow, crook and hide, feign to confess here, only that they may brag and conquer there, and not a thought has enriched either party, and not an emotion of bravery, modesty, or hope.

17. The magic they used was the ideal tendencies, which always make the Actual ridiculous; but the tough world had its revenge the moment they put their horses of the sun to plow in its furrow.

18. Come into port greatly, or sail with G.o.d the seas.

19. When you have chosen your part, abide by it, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world.

20. Times of heroism are generally times of terror, but the day never s.h.i.+nes in which this element may not work.

21. Life is a train of moods like a string of beads, and as we pa.s.s through them they prove to be many-colored lenses which paint the world their own hue, and each shows only what lies at its focus.

22. We see young men who owe us a new world, so readily and lavishly they promise, but they never acquit the debt; they die young, and dodge the account; or, if they live, they lose themselves in the crowd.

23. So does culture with us; it ends in headache.

24. Do not craze yourself with thinking, but go about your business anywhere.

25. Thus journeys the mighty Ideal before us; it never was known to fall into the rear.

PART III.

_SYNTAX_.

INTRODUCTORY.

[Sidenote: _By way of introduction._]

388. Syntax is from a Greek word meaning _order_ or _arrangement_.

Syntax deals with the relation of words to each other as component parts of a sentence, and with their proper arrangement to express clearly the intended meaning.

[Sidenote: _Ground covered by syntax._]

380. Following the Latin method, writers on English grammar usually divide syntax into the two general heads,--agreement and government.

Agreement is concerned with the following relations of words: words in apposition, verb and subject, p.r.o.noun and antecedent, adjective and noun.

Government has to do with verbs and prepositions, both of which are said to govern words by having them in the objective case.

390. Considering the scarcity of inflections in English, it is clear that if we merely follow the Latin treatment, the department of syntax will be a small affair. But there is a good deal else to watch in addition to the few forms; for there is an important and marked difference between Latin and English syntax. It is this:--

Latin syntax depends upon fixed rules governing the use of inflected forms: hence the _position_ of words in a sentence is of little grammatical importance.

[Sidenote: _Essential point in English syntax._]

English syntax follows the Latin to a limited extent; but its leading characteristic is, that English syntax is founded upon _the meaning_ and _the logical connection_ of words rather than upon their form: consequently it is quite as necessary to place words properly, and to think clearly of the meaning of words, as to study inflected forms.

For example, the sentence, "The savage here the settler slew," is ambiguous. _Savage_ may be the subject, following the regular order of subject; or _settler_ may be the subject, the order being inverted. In Latin, distinct forms would be used, and it would not matter which one stood first.

[Sidenote: _Why study syntax?_]

391. There is, then, a double reason for not omitting syntax as a department of grammar,--

_First_, To study the rules regarding the use of inflected forms, some of which conform to cla.s.sical grammar, while some are idiomatic (peculiar to our own language).

_Second_, To find out the _logical methods_ which control us in the arrangement of words; and particularly when the grammatical and the logical conception of a sentence do not agree, or when they exist side by side in good usage.

As an ill.u.s.tration of the last remark, take the sentence, "Besides these famous books of Scott's and Johnson's, there is a copious 'Life'

by Sheridan." In this there is a possessive form, and added to it the preposition _of_, also expressing a possessive relation. This is not logical; it is not consistent with the general rules of grammar: but none the less it is good English.

Also in the sentence, "None remained but he," grammatical rules would require _him_ instead of _he_ after the preposition; yet the expression is sustained by good authority.

[Sidenote: _Some rules not rigid._]

392. In some cases, authorities--that is, standard writers--differ as to which of two constructions should be used, or the same writer will use both indifferently. Instances will be found in treating of the p.r.o.noun or noun with a gerund, p.r.o.noun and antecedent, sometimes verb and subject, etc.

When usage varies as to a given construction, both forms will be given in the following pages.

[Sidenote: _The basis of syntax._]

393. Our treatment of syntax will be an endeavor to record the best usage of the present time on important points; and nothing but important points will be considered, for it is easy to confuse a student with too many obtrusive _don'ts_.