* * * * *
PREPOSITIONS have a Government of Cases; and in English they always
require the Objective Case after them: as, “_with him_; _from her_; _to
me_.”[63]
The Preposition is often separated from the Relative which it governs,
and joined to the Verb at the end of the Sentence, or of some member
of it: as, “Horace is an author, _whom_ I am much delighted _with_.”
“The[64] world is too well bred to shock authors with a truth, _which_
generally their booksellers are the first that inform them _of_.” This
is an Idiom which our language is strongly inclined to; it prevails in
common conversation, and suits very well with the familiar style in
writing; but the placing of the Preposition before the Relative is more
graceful, as well as more perspicuous; and agrees much better with the
solemn and elevated Style.
Verbs are often compounded of a Verb and a Preposition; as, _to uphold_,
_to outweigh_, _to overlook_: and this composition sometimes gives a new
sense to the Verb; as, _to understand_, _to withdraw_, _to forgive_[65].
But in English the Preposition is more frequently placed after the Verb,
and separate from it, like an Adverb; in which situation it is no less
apt to affect the sense of it, and to give it a new meaning; and may
still be considered as belonging to the Verb, and a part of it. As,
_to cast_ is to throw; but _to cast up_, or to compute, _an account_,
is quite a different thing: thus, _to fall on_, _to bear out_, _to give
over_; &c. So that the meaning of the Verb, and the propriety of the
phrase, depend on the Preposition subjoined[66].
As the Preposition subjoined to the Verb hath the construction and
nature of an Adverb, so the Adverbs _here_, _there_, _where_, with a
Preposition subjoined, as _hereof_, _therewith_, _whereupon_[67], have
the construction and nature of Pronouns.
The Prepositions _to_ and _for_ are often understood; as, “give me the
book; get me some paper;” that is, _to me_, _for me_[68].
* * * * *
Two or more Simple Sentences, joined together by one or more CONNECTIVE
WORDS, become a Compounded Sentence.
There are two sorts of words which connect Sentences: 1. Relatives; 2.
Conjunctions.
Examples: 1. “Blessed is the man, _who_ feareth the Lord.” 2. “Life is
short, _and_ art is long.” 1. and 2. “Blessed is the Man, _who_ feareth
the Lord, _and_ keepeth his commandments.”
* * * * *
The RELATIVES _who_, _which_, _that_, having no variation of gender or
number, cannot but agree with their Antecedents. _Who_ is appropriated
to persons; and so may be accounted Masculine and Feminine only: _which_
is used of things only; and so may be accounted Neuter. But formerly
they were both indifferently used of persons: “Our Father, _which_ art
in heaven.” _That_ is used indifferently both of persons and things: but
perhaps would be more properly confined to the latter. _What_ includes
both the Antecedent and the Relative: as, “This was _what_ he wanted;”
that is, “_the thing which_ he wanted[69].”
The Relative is the Nominative Case to the Verb, when no other Nominative
comes between it and the Verb: but when another Nominative comes between
it and the Verb, the Relative is governed by some word in its own member
of the Sentence: as, “The God _who_ preserveth me; _whose_ I am, and
_whom_ I serve[70].”
Every Relative must have an Antecedent to which it refers, either
expressed, or understood: as, “_Who_ steals my purse, steals trash:” that
is, _the man, who_ ⸺.
The Relative is of the same person with the Antecedent; and the Verb
agrees with it accordingly: as, “Who is _this, that cometh_ from Edom;
_this that is_ glorious in his apparel?⸺_I that speak_ in righteousness.”
Isaiah lxiii. 1. “O Shepherd of Israel, _Thou that leadest_ Joseph like
a flock; _Thou that dwellest_ between the Cherubims.” Ps. lxxx. 1.[71]
The Relative is often understood, or omitted: as, “The man I love;” that
is, “_whom_ I love[72].”
The accuracy and clearness of the Sentence depend very much upon the
proper and determinate use of the Relative, so that it may readily
present its Antecedent to the mind of the hearer or reader without any
obscurity or ambiguity. The same may be observed of the Pronoun and the
Noun, which by some are called also the Relative and the Antecedent[73].
* * * * *
CONJUNCTIONS have sometimes a Government of Modes. Some Conjunctions
require the Indicative, some the Subjunctive Mode after them: others
have no influence at all on the Mode.
Hypothetical, Conditional, Concessive, and Exceptive Conjunctions seem
to require properly the Subjunctive Mode after them: as, _if_, _tho’_,
_unless_, _except_, _whether—or_, &c. but by use they often admit of
the Indicative. Examples: “_If_ thou _be_ the Son of God.” Matt. iv.
3. “_Tho’_ he _slay_ me, yet will I put my trust in him.” Job xiii. 15.
“_Unless_ he _wash_ his flesh.” Lev. xxii. 6. “No power, _except_ it
_were_ given from above.” John xix. 11. “_Whether_ it _were_ I _or_ they,
so we preach.” 1 Cor. xv. 11. The Subjunctive in these instances implies
something contingent or doubtful; the Indicative would express a more
absolute and determinate sense.
_That_ expressing the motive or end has the Subjunctive Mode, with _may_,
_might_, _should_, after it.
_Lest_; and _that_ with a Negative following it; and _if_ with _but_
following it; necessarily require the Subjunctive Mode: Examples; “Let
him that standeth, take heed, _lest_ he _fall_.” 1 Cor. x. 12. “Take
heed, _that_ thou _speak not_ to Jacob.” Gen. xxxi. 24. “_If_ he _do
but_ touch the hills, they shall smoke.” Ps. civ. 32.[74]
Other Conjunctions, expressing a Continuation, an Addition, an Inference,
&c. being of a positive and absolute nature, require the Indicative Mode;
or rather leave the Mode to be determined by the other circumstances and
conditions of the Sentence.
When the Qualities of different things are compared, the latter Noun is
governed, not by the Conjunction _than_, or _as_, (for a Conjunction has
no Government of Cases,) but by the Verb or the Preposition, expressed,
or understood. As, “Thou art wiser than _I_ [am.]” “You are not so tall
as _I_ [am.]” “You think him handsomer than [you think] _me_; and you
love him more than [you love] _me_.” In all other instances, if you
complete the Sentence in like manner, by supplying the part which is
understood, the Case of the latter Noun will be determined. Thus, “Plato
observes, that God geometrizes; and the same thing was observed before by
a wiser man than _he_:” that is, than _he was_. “It was well expressed
by Plato; but more elegantly by Solomon than _him_:” that is, than _by
him_[75].
The Conjunction _that_ is often omitted and understood: as, “I beg you
would come to me:” “See, thou do it not:” that is, “_that_ you would;”
“_that_ thou do[76].”
The Nominative Case following the Auxiliary, or the Verb itself,
sometimes supplies the place of the Conjunctions _if_ and _tho’_: as,
“Had he done this, he had escaped:” “Charm he never so[77] wisely:” that
is, “_if_ he had done this;” “_tho’_ he charm.”
Some Conjunctions have their Correspondent Conjunctions belonging to
them; so that in the subsequent Member of the Sentence the latter answers
to the former: as, _although_ ⸺, _yet_, or _nevertheless_; _whether_ ⸺,
_or_; _either_ ⸺, _or_; _neither_ ⸺, _nor_; _as_ ⸺, _as_; expressing a
Comparison of equality; “_as_ white _as_ snow:” _as_ ⸺, _so_; expressing
a Comparison sometimes of equality; “_as_ the stars, _so_ shall thy seed
be;” that is, equal in number: but most commonly a Comparison in respect
of quality; “and it shall be, _as_ with the people, _so_ with the priest;
_as_ with the servant, _so_ with his master:” “_as_ is the good, _so_ is
the sinner; _as_ the one dieth, _so_ dieth the other:” that is, in like
manner: _so_ ⸺, _as_; with a Verb expressing a Comparison of quality;
“To see thy glory, _so as_ I have seen thee in the sanctuary:” but with
a Negative and an Adjective, a Comparison in respect of quantity; as,
“Pompey had eminent abilities: but he was not either _so_ eloquent and
politic a statesman, or _so_ brave and skilful a general; nor was he upon
the whole _so_ great a man, _as_ Cæsar:” _so_ ⸺, _that_; expressing a
Consequence: &c.[78]
* * * * *
INTERJECTIONS in English have no Government.
Though they are usually attended with Nouns in the Nominative Case[79],
and Verbs in the Indicative Mode, yet the Case and Mode is not
influenced by them, but determined by the nature of the sentence.