Such as delectat, it delighteth; decet, it becometh, &c., answer to such
English verbs as take the word _it_ before them. When we consider that
_it_ is a term of endearment used in speaking to babies, as "it's a
pretty dear," we cannot help thinking that Verbs Impersonal ought to be
_pet_ verbs. Such however, is not, as far as we know, the fact.
[Illustration: PRETTY DEAR.]
+OF A PARTICIPLE.+
A participle is a hybrid part of speech; a kind of mongrel-cross,
between a noun and a verb. It is two parts verbs, and four parts noun;
wherefore its composition may be likened unto the milk sold in and about
London, which is usually watered in the proportion of four to two. The
properties of the noun belonging to it, are, number, gender, case, and
declension; those of the verb, tense, and signification.
As a horse hath four legs, so hath a verb four participles.
_Air._-- Bonnets of Blue.
There 's one of the present,-- and then,
There 's one of the future in _rus_;
Of the tense preterperfect a third,-- and again,
A fourth of the future in _dus_.
Participles are declined like nouns adjective, as-- but no! how can we
ask our fair (blue) readers to decline _a-man's_ (amans) loving.
Now here we feel called upon to say a few words on the difference
between a man's loving and a woman's loving. It has often been a
question, whether do men or women love most _dearly_? To us the matter
does not appear to admit of a doubt. We defy any of our male readers to
be in love (when they are old and silly enough) for six months without
finding themselves most grievously out of pocket. We have a friend who
was in that unfortunate condition for about a month, and it cost him at
least seven and sixpence a week in fees to the maid servant, and that
without once being enabled to exchange a word with the object of his
affections. At last he began to think that he was paying rather too dear
for his whistle; so he gave it up. What girl would have held on so long,
and laid out so much money without a return-- not of soft affection, but
of hard cash? Women, indeed, instead of loving dearly, love, according
to our own experience, particularly cheaply. Think of what they save, by
taking their admirers "shopping" with them, in ribands, bracelets, and
the like, to say nothing of coach-hire, pastry-cooks, and the price of
admission, when they go with them to the play. And we should like to
hear of the young lady who in these days would dispose of her hand at
any thing less than a good round sum if she could help it-- no, no. To
love _dearly_ is the precious prerogative of the lords of the creation
alone.
But we are forgetting our participles.
The participle of the present tense ends in _ans_, or _ens_; as
Flagellans, whipping; Lædens, hurting.
That of the future in _rus_, signifies a likelihood, or design of doing
something, as Flagellaturus, about to whip; Læsurus, about to hurt.
That of the preterperfect tense has generally a passive signification,
and ends in _us_, as Flagellatus, whipped; Læsus, hurt.
That of the future in _dus_ has also a passive signification, as
Flagellandus, to be whipped; Lædendus, to be hurt.
_Note_ 1. All participles are declined like nouns adjective. We
recommend the above participles to be declined like _winking_.
2. There are three things that are not hurt by whipping-- a top,
a syllabub, and a cream.
+OF AN ADVERB.+
Convex and concave spectacles are contrivances used to increase or
diminish the magnitude of objects.
Adverbs are parts of speech used to increase or diminish the
signification of words.
Spectacles are joined to the bridge of the nose.
Adverbs are joined to nouns adjective, and verbs. Benè, well; multùm,
much; malè, ill, &c. are adverbs.
Cæsar _multûm_ conturbavit indigenas:
Cæsar much astonished the natives.
[Illustration: CÆSAR ASTONISHING THE NATIVES.]
+OF A CONJUNCTION.+
A conjunction is a part of speech that joineth together; wherefore it
may be likened unto many things; for instance--
To glue, to paste, to gum arabic, to mortar, (for it joins words and
sentences together _like bricks_), to Roman cement, (_Latin_
conjunctions more especially), to white of egg, to isinglass, to putty,
to adhesive plaster, to matrimony.
Conjunctions are thus used.
Ova _et_ lardum, eggs and bacon. Dimidium dimidium_que_, half-and-half.
Amor _et_ dementia, love and madness.
[Illustration: HALF-AND-HALF.]
+OF A PREPOSITION.+
A Preposition is a part of speech commonly _set before_ another word.
Words, however, do not eat each other, though men have been known to eat
words. Ab, ad, ante, &c. prepositions.
Sometimes a preposition is joined in composition with another word, as
_pro_stratus, knocked down-- floored.
Tullius ab aquario _pro_stratus est:
Tully was knocked down by a waterman.
+OF AN INTERJECTION.+
An interjection is a word expressing a sudden emotion or feeling, as
Hei! Oh dear!-- Heu! Lack-a-day!-- Hem! Brute, Hollo! Brutus.-- Euge!
Tite, Bravo! Titus.
We here find ourselves approaching the delightful subject of the three
Concords, with which we shall make short work, first, for fear of
further _Accidence_, and, secondly, because we are no fonder than boys
are of _repetitions_, which, were we to follow the Eton Grammar in the
Concords, we should be obliged to make in the Syntax.
However, there are just one or two points to be mentioned.
_Rule._ (Text-hand copy-books.) "Ask no questions."
_Exception._ When you want to find where the concord should be, ask the
following--
Who? or what?-- to find the nominative case to the verb.
Whom? or what? with the verb, for the accusative after it.
Who? or what? with the adjective, for the substantive to the adjective.
Who? or what? with the verb, for the antecedent to the relative.
But remember, that the use of the interrogatives who? and what? however
justifiable in grammar, is very impertinent in conversation. What, for
example, can be more ill-bred than to say, Who are you? Indeed, most
questions are ill mannered. We do not speak of such expressions as, Has
your mother sold her mangle? and the like, used only by persons who have
never asked themselves where they expect to go to? but of all
unnecessary demands whatever. "Sir," said the great Dr. Johnson, "it is
uncivil to be continually asking, Why is a dog's tail short, or why is a
cow's tail long."
+OF THE GENDERS OF NOUNS,+