woman's book," "the woman, his book." The compilers of the Liturgy of the Church of England are among those who have adopted this error,when they say, "for Christ his sake," instead of "for Christ's sake." Others have imagined, and with more justness, that by the addition of the 's, the substantive is changed into a possessive

By this example it is evident that the English language uses prepositions to express those connections of one noun with another, which the Latin language expresses by changes of termination. Even the nominative and accusative cases; or that case with which the verb agrees, and that which it governs, are spelt the same, and can only be distinguished by their position, except in the pronouns; and therefore it is better to call the former, the subject of the verb, and the latter, the object.

When two or more nouns, in the possessive case, come together, only the last of them takes the apostrophic s: as, "William and Mary's government;""Pompey and Cesar's rivalship." But if other words come between the nouns in the possessive case, then the s with the apostrophe must be joined to each of them: as, "The king's and the queen's authority was equally respected;" they are the Prince's, but not the Princess's children."

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When the title of any person is expressed by several nouns, only the last takes the genitive case: as, "the Lord Bishop of Durham's carriage." When a person's name is written together with his occupation, in the possessive case, the s with the apostrophe is added to the name, and not

to the occupation, or occupations: as, "She went to Flood's the haberdasher;"" he bought those books at King's the bookseller and stationer;" that is, "she went to the house of Flood the haberdasher;" "he bought those books at the shop of King the bookseller and stationer."

Sometimes two nouns in the possessive case immediately succeed each other: as, "My brother's partner's wife;" which would be more properly expressed in this manner; "the wife of my brother's partner."

The following phrases, "That is a book of my brother's;" "there is a child of my uncle's;"" you have taken a book of my tutor's;" imply two possessive cases in each: as, "That is one of the books of my brother;"" there is one of the children of uncle ;" my you have taken one of the

books of my tutor."

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SECT. 4.

Gender is the distinction of sex.

There can

be, therefore, but two genders; the masculine and the feminine. Nouns denoting males, are of the masculine gender; as man, father, son. Nouns denoting females, are of the feminine gender; as, woman, mother, daughter. All other nouns, and especially all things without life are neuters, that is, of neither gender. The English language distinguishes the sexes by three methods.

1. By using different words: as, man, woman;

father, mother; uncle, aunt; boy, girl; son, daughter; gander, goose; bull, cow.

2. By a change of termination: as, lion, lioness; poet, poetess; hero, heroine; heir, heiress; prince, princess; executor, executrix; duke, dutchess.

3. By prefixing to the noun, when it signifies either sex, some distinguishing word: as, a male child; a female child; a he-goat, a she-goat; a man-servant, a maid-servant; a cock-sparrow, a hen-sparrow.

By a figure of speech, things without life are frequently expressed by masculine or feminine terms. Thus, the sun, time, death, and many other inanimate objects, are often personified as masculine; while, the moon, the earth, a ship, a country, a town, fortune, the church, virtue; religion, &c. are represented as feminine.

The words, parent, child, cousin, teacher, friend, neighbour, servant, slave, and several others, are used to express indifferently, both sexes.

CHAP. IV.

Of Adjectives.

ADJECTIVES, are words which are added to nouns, to express some one or other of their qualities, or properties: as, a pious man; a docile child; an amiable woman; sweet fruits; fragrant flowers; swift stags; strong horses ; the red cow.

NOTE. Some grammarians have divided adjectives into two classes, namely, adjectives definitive, and adjectives ex

pressive of quality. In the former of these classes, they arrange adjectives which regard number in any way: as, a or an, the numbers themselves, one, two, three, &c. all, alone, any, both, each, every, either, few, many, more, most, neither, nor, none, other, several, some, whether, whole, &c. Adjectives of time and place; as, first, second, third, &c.; fore, foremost; early, earlier, earliest; soon, sooner, soonest; late, later, latest or last; the, this, that, some, like, such, as, so, which, what, &c. In the latter of those classes they place the adjectives of properties or qualities. But as many of the first sort are referred by most writers on grammar, to the division of pronouns, and some to that of adjectives; it is perhaps expedient to follow the commonly adopted method, though the other may, in fact, be the more accurate and simple.

In the English language, adjectives change their terminations, on account of comparison only; that is, only for the sake of expressing higher or lower degrees of the qualities they announce; and not on account of the number, case, or gender.

Three degrees, or forms, of comparison, are generally admitted as belonging to adjectives; the positive, the comparative, and the superlative.

NOTE. The greater number of writers admit these three degrees of comparison; yet some have regarded the first of them, the positive, as not being a form of comparison; because it appears to be merely the simple state of the adjective; conveying the idea of some property only, without reference to any certain degree in which that property is possessed.

1. The positive state of an adjective, barely represents the quality of the noun to which it is added: as, hard, wise, fair.