Criminals are observed to grow more anxious as their trial approaches. Knowledge is not to be received inertly like the influences of the atmosphere, by a mere residence at the place of instruc tion. The great purpose of poetry is to carry the mind above and beyond the beaten, dusty, weary walks of ordinary life; to lift it into a purer element; and to breathe into it more profound and generous emotions. He seems to have made an injudicious choice, though he is esteemed a sensible man. life. Integrity is of the greatest importance in every situation of To be useful in some degree, is within the means of every one. To discover the true nature of comets, has hitherto proved beyond the power of science. His conduct was, under the circumstances, in very bad taste. The merchant was to have sailed for Europe last week. EXERCISE IV.-THE ADJECTIVE PHRASE. EXAMPLE ANALYZED. "Leaning my head upon my hand, I began to figure to my self the miseries of confinement." ANALYSIS.-This is a simple declarative sentence. The subject is I; the predicate is began; the object is the complex infinitive phrase, to figure to myself the miseries of confinement. The principal part of the phrase is to figure, the adjuncts of which are the simple adverbial phrase, to myself, and the object miseries, which is modified by the and the simple adjective phrase, of confinement. The adjunct of the subject is the complex adjective phrase leaning my head upon my hand, the principal part of which is leaning, and its adjuncts, the object head modified by my, and the simple adverbial phrase, upon my hand, the principal part of which is hand, and its adjunct, my. Life bears us on like the stream of a mighty river. Augustus had no lawful authority to make a change in the Roman constitution. A habit of sincerity in acknowledging faults, is a guard against committing them. The atrocious crime of being a young man, I shall attempt neither to palliate nor deny. Envy, surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another's prosperity, like the scorpion, confined within the circle of fire, stings itself to death. The requisites for a first-rate actor demand a combination of talents and accomplishments, not easily to be found. The conflicts of the world were not to take place altogether* on the tented field; but ideas, leaping from the world's awakened intellect, and burning all over with indestructible life, were to be marshalled against principalities and powers. EXERCISE V.—THE ADVERBIAL PHRASE. EXAMPLE ANALYZED. "We live in the past by a knowledge of its history, and in the future by hope and anticipation." ANALYSIS. This is a compound declarative sentence, abbreviated in form, and consisting of the two coordinate clauses, We live in the past by a knowledge of its history, and (we live) in the future by hope and anticipation, connected by and. The subject of either clause is we; and the predicate is live. Neither of the subjects is modified. The adjuncts of the first predicate are the simple adverbial phrase, in the past, and the complex adverbial phrase, by a knowledge of its history; the principal part is knowledge, and its adjuncts are a and the simple adjective phrase, of its history. [The adjuncts of the second predicate are of the same character, and may be analyzed in the same manner. At that hour, O how vain was all sublunary happiness! Abstain from injuring others, if you wish to be in safety. The public are often deceived by false appearances and extravagant pretensions. Day and night yield us contrary blessings; and, at the same time, assist each other, by giving fresh lustre to the delights of both. Man's happiness or misery is, in a great measure, put into his own hands. led Has not sloth, or pride, or ill temper, or sinful passion, misyou from the path of sound and wise conduct? Man was created to search for truth, to love the beautiful, to desire the good, and to do the best. Representation and taxation should always go hand in hand. The statement which he made at first, he reiterated, again and again, without the least variation. Jacob loved all his sons, but he loved Joseph the best. There is very often more happiness in the cottage of the peasant than in the palace of the king. Aitogether is here an adverb relating to the adverbial phrase, on the tented field See Obs. 2, page 112. EXERCISE VI.-THE EXPLANATORY PHRASE. EXAMPLE ANALYZED. "It is useless to expatiate upon the beauties of nature to one who is blind." ANALYSIS.—This a complex declarative sentence. The principal clause is, It is useless to expatiate upon the beauties of nature to one, and the dependent clause is, who is blind. The connective is who. The subject of the principal clause is it; the predicate is is; and the attribute is useless. The adjunct of the subject is the complex explanatory phrase, to expatiate upon the beauties of nature to one. The principal part of the phrase is to expatiate, the adjuncts of which are the complex adverbial phrase upon the beauties of nature, and the simple adverbial phrase to one. The principal part of the former is beauties, and its adjuncts are the and the simple adjective phrase of nature; the principal part of the latter is one, and its adjunct is the dependent adjective clause who is blind. The subject of the dependent clause is who; the predicate, is; and the attribute, blind; each without adjuncts. It is always profitable to know our own faults and infirmities. It is the characteristic of a pedant to make an idle display of his learning. If what I say be not true, it is easy to convict me of falsehood. It is very often impossible to estimate the extent of injury which a careless word will produce. How happy had it been for him to have died in that sickness, when all Italy was putting up vows and prayers for his safety! It is certainly in the power of a sensible and well-educated mother to inspire such tastes and propensities in her son as shall nearly decide the destiny of the future man. It is impossible to read a page in Plato, Tully, or any of the other eminent moralists of antiquity, without being a greater and better man for it. If we would improve our minds by conversation, it is a great happiness to be acquainted with persons wiser than ourselves. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. It is a miserable state of mind to have few things to desire, and many things to fear. Death! Great proprietor of all! 'tis thine To tread out empire, and to quench the stars. Through worlds unnumber'd though the God be known, 'Tis ours to trace him only in our own. EXERCISE VII.-THE INDEPENDENT PHRASE. EXAMPLE ANALYZED. "This proposition being admitted, I now state my argument." ANALYSIS.-This is a simple declarative sentence. The subject is I; the predicate is state; the object is argument. The subject has no adjuncts; the adjunct of the predicate is now; the adjunct of the object is my. This proposition being admitted is an independent phrase; the principal part is proposition, and its adjuncts are this and being admitted. EXAMPLE II. "One day, I was guilty of an action which, to say the least, was in very bad taste." ANALYSIS.-This is a complex declarative sentence. The principal clause is, One day I was guilty of an action; and the dependent clause is, which, to say the least, was in very bad taste. The connective is which. The subject of the principal clause is I; the predicate is was; and the attribute is guilty. The subject has no adjuncts; the adjunct of the predicate is the adverbial phrase (prepositional in form), (on) one day; the adjunct of the attribute is the adverbial phrase of an action. Of the latter phrase action is the principal part, and its adjuncts are an and the dependent clause. The subject of the dependent clause is which; the predicate is was; and the attribute, the adjective phrase in very bad taste. Neither has any adjuncts; the principal part of the attribute phrase is taste; bad being its primary, and very its secondary adjunct. Το say the least is an independent phrase of the infinitive form. The principal part is to say, and its adjunct, the object least, modified by the. They being absent, we cannot come to a determination. There being much obscurity in the case, he refuses to decide upon it. To be plain with you, your conduct is very much to be censured. Fathers! Senators of Rome! the arbiters of nations! to you I fly for refuge. The baptism of John; was it from heaven, or of men? Generally speaking, the life of all truly great men has been a life of intense and incessant labor. To give one instance more, and then I will have done with this rambling discourse.-Hazlitt. The great utility of knowledge and religion being thus apparent, it is highly incumbent upon us to pay a studious attention to them in our youth. A shoe coming loose from the fore-foot of the thill-horsë, at the beginning of the ascent of Mount Taurina, the postillion dismounted, twisted the shoe off, and put it in his pocket.Sterne. Want, and incurable disease, (fell pair!) Soldier, rest! thy warfare o'er, Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking: Days of danger, nights of waking. EXERCISE VIII.-THE SUBJECT CLAUSE EXAMPLE ANALYZED. "That it is our duty to obey the laws of the country in which we live, does not admit of question." ANALYSIS.-This is a complex declarative sentence. The subject is the dependent clause, That it is our duty to obey the laws of the country in which we live; the predicate is does admit. That is the connective. The adjuncts of the predicate are not and the phrase of question. The subject of the dependent clause is it; the predicate is is; and the attribute is duty. The adjunct of the subject is the complex explanatory phrase, to obey the laws of the country in which we live, the adjunct of the attribute is our. The principal part of the explanatory phrase is to obey, which is modified by the object laws, the adjuncts of which are the and the complex phrase, of the country in which we live. The principal part of this phrase is country, and its adjuncts are the and the Simple adjective clause, in which we live. The subject of the clause is we; the predicate is live, which is modified by the simple adverbial phrase in which. OBS.-It will be perceived from the example given in this exercise, that a complex sentence may be analyzed by treating it as a whole, pointing out the subject, predicate, etc., and analyzing the dependent clause in its proper place, as one of the principal parts, or an adjunct to either; instead of dividing the sentence immediately into the principal and dependent clauses, explaining their connection, and then analyzing them separately, as in the previous exercises. The latter method is preferable for beginners, but for advanced scholars should give place to the other, which is more logical, and casier for intricate sentences. That the government of our desires is essential to the enjoy. ment of true liberty, is a truth never to be forgotten. That it is glorious to die for one's country, is a sentiment uniformly cherished by all good men. At what period the poems of Homer were composed, has not been positively ascertained. Who was the author of the Letters of Phalaris, has been the subject of very ingenious and learned discussion. That an author's work is the mirror of his mind, is a position that has led to very false conclusions. |