THE ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF CAUSE
=Function.=--In our daily experience we are continually meeting new
conditions, discovering new truths. It is human nature to be curious
as to the causes of these truths and conditions, hence there is
no question perhaps which is asked oftener than the query of the
scientist, the persistent question of the child, _why?_ So common is
this question that in our speech we anticipate its coming and answer
it before it is asked. When we make statements of facts or of our
opinions, we seem to foresee that we shall be asked _why?_ or _how do
you know?_--so along with our principal statement we give a cause or
reason for it.
Sometimes we are able to tell cause or reason by means of a phrase, as,
He trembled _from fright_, The wind must be blowing _by the sound_. But
the usual way is by means of the subordinate proposition; thus, “Peter
the Great caused his heir to be tried and sentenced to death, _because
he was a sot, a liar, and a fool_.”--_Lord._
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=What the Causal Clause denotes.=--1. It may denote the natural or
physical cause of some physical effect either in nature or in man;
as, “Journeys by individuals could not be undertaken without much
risk, _for there was scarcely a moor or a forest that had not its
highwaymen_.”--_Draper._
This clause answers the question _why?_ One variety of it, often
called a clause of motive, denotes something that determines man’s
choice, something that leads him to pursue a line of action; as, “He
discouraged commerce, not _because it was in itself demoralizing,
but because it brought the Jews too much in contact with corrupt
nations_.”--_Lord._
A clause of motive answers the question _why?_ or _what made him do
it?_ It can be used only to modify a statement about a human being or
perhaps one of the higher animals--something that can act from a motive.
2. The causal clause may denote the cause of our knowledge of a fact,
the evidence from which we draw a conclusion, but not the cause of
the fact itself; as, “The other bird probably grew to maturity,
_as it disappeared from the vicinity with its parents after some
days_.”--_Burroughs._ This clause, sometimes called a clause of reason,
answers the question _how do you know?_ or _what makes you say so?_
Notice that all these causal clauses denote something that was true or
in operation before what is in the principal proposition was true or in
operation. In other words, the causal clause denotes the source from
which something proceeds; the outcome or result is found stated in the
principal proposition.
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=Connectives.=--The commonest connective of the causal clause is the
subordinating conjunction _because_, but we often find _for_, _as_, or
_since_ used in its place. Sometimes _that_ is used; as, “And we wept
_that one so lovely should have a life so brief_.”--_Bryant._ When for
or because introduces a clause, we know that the clause is causal,
but _as_, _since_, and _that_ may introduce clauses used in other
relations, so the nature of the clause in question must be determined
by its meaning.
There are several phrases that may be used as conjunctions to introduce
causal clauses. These are _seeing that_, _now that_, _considering
that_, _in that_, _inasmuch as_, _forasmuch as_. These phrases should
be considered as one word, having the function of the word _because_.
The connective is often dispensed with entirely when the relation of
cause is very plain; thus, “One man goes four thousand miles to Italy,
and does not see it, _he is so short-sighted_.”--_Curtis._
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=What the Causal Clause modifies.=--When the verb in the principal
proposition denotes action, the clause modifies the verb, or it may
modify some participle or infinitive denoting action; as, “Work is
a thing done _because it ought to be done, and with a determined
end_.”--_Ruskin._
When the verb is a copula, the clause modifies the verb and its
complement, as the verb has not in itself sufficient meaning to be
modified. In the sentence,--“To John Inglesant, who had always been
devotedly attached to his brother, this display of affection was
delightful, _cut off as he had been so long from all sympathy and
friendliness_,” the clause modifies _was delightful_. In this clause
the position of the subordinating conjunction as is usurped by _cut
off_ in order to give prominence to those words. The clause may be
transposed, however, so that _as_, meaning _because_, comes first.
* * * * *
=Position of the Causal Clause.=--Usually the causal clause follows
the principal proposition. When it comes first, being in an unusual
position it becomes more prominent and therefore more impressive, and
the principal proposition is also rendered more forcible by being
placed at the end of the sentence; for example, “_And as they still
continued to multiply_, there came forth the dreadful edict that every
male child of the Hebrews should be destroyed as soon as born.”--_Lord._
Exercise 13
Select causal clauses in the following sentences. Tell what they
denote, what they modify, and specify the connective.
1. The modern schoolmaster is expected to know a little of everything,
because his pupil is required not to be entirely ignorant of
anything.--_Lamb._
2. If we dilate in beholding the Greek energy, the Roman pride, it is
that we are already domesticating the same sentiment.--_Emerson._
3. Vulgarity is an eighth deadly sin, worse than all the others put
together, since it perils your salvation in this world.--_Lowell._
4. The top of Blomidon is not the abode of storm winds alone, for two
houses stand upon it, and the laughter of children rings cheerily
among the evergreen groves.--_Bolles._
5. But when I arose, and felt it, and knew it to be a culverin,
I was somewhat reassured thereby, inasmuch as it was not likely
that they would plant this engine except in the real and true
entrance.--_Blackmore._
6. He is certainly in correspondence with people on the continent, for
his letters have all sorts of odd stamps on them.--_Collins._
7. Because you are king of a nation, it does not follow that you are
to gather for yourself all the wealth of that nation.--_Ruskin._
9. The waters of Shirwa are brackish to the taste, and undrinkable;
but the saltness must have a peculiar charm for game, for nowhere
else in Africa did I see such splendid herds of the larger animals as
here.--_Drummond._
10. The fury of the water which surrounds us was marvelous,
considering that there were no great waves, and no storm to make
waves.--_Bolles._
11. And these, now that they had no longer anything to fear from
their great Italian adversary, commenced partisan warfare on each
other.--_Draper._
12. His black coat shines as if it had been polished; and it has been
polished on the wearer’s back, no doubt, for the arms and other points
of maximum attrition are particularly smooth and bright.--_Holmes._
13. As Cæsar found no reason for supposing that there was a life
beyond the grave, he did not pretend to expect it.--_Froude._
14. Its discovery by myself and dog probably opened the door
for ill-luck, as one day, when I peeped in upon it, it was
empty.--_Burroughs._