_Nom._ king kings
_Poss._ king's kings'
_Obj._ king. kings.
_Nom._ man men
_Poss._ man's men's
_Obj._ man. men.
Now, if you have parsed every word in the preceding examples, (except
_the, that, those_, and _his_) you may proceed with me and parse the
examples in the following exercises, in which are presented nouns and
active-intransitive verbs.
"My _flock increases_ yearly."
_Flock_ is a noun, a name denoting animals--a noun of multitude, it
signifies many in one collective body--masculine and feminine gender,
denoting both sexes--third person, spoken of--singular number, it
denotes but one flock--and in the nominative case, it is the active
agent of the verb "increases," and governs it, according to RULE 3, _The
nominative case governs the verb_. (Decline it.)
_Increases_ is a verb, a word that signifies to do--active, it expresses
action--intransitive, the action does not pass over to an object--of the
third person, singular number, because its nominative "flock" conveys
_unity_ of idea, and it agrees with "flock" agreeably to
RULE 10. _A noun of multitude conveying_ unity _of idea, must have a
verb or pronoun agreeing with it in the singular_.
"The divided _multitude_ hastily _disperse_."
_Multitude_ is a noun, a name that denotes persons--a collective noun,
or noun of multitude, it signifies many--masculine and feminine gender,
it implies both sexes--third person, spoken of--singular number, it
represents but one multitude, or collective body; (but in another sense,
it is plural, as it conveys plurality of idea, and, also, implies more
_individuals_ than one;)--and in the nominative case, it is the actor
and subject of the verb "disperse," which it governs, according to RULE
3. _The nom. case governs the verb_.--Declined.--Sing. nom. multitude,
poss. multitude's, obj. multitude--Plur. nom. multitudes, poss.
multitudes', obj. multitudes.
_Disperse_ is a verb, a word that signifies to do--active, it expresses
action--intransitive, the action does not terminate on an object--third
person, plural number, because its nominative "multitude" conveys
plurality of idea; and it agrees with "multitude" agreeably to RULE 11.
_A noun of multitude conveying plurality of idea, must have a verb or
pronoun agreeing with it in the plural._
Rules 10, and 11, rest on a sandy foundation. They appear not to be
based on the principles of the language; and, therefore, it might,
perhaps, be better to reject than to retain them. Their application is
quite limited. In many instances, they will not apply to nouns of
multitude. The existence of such a thing as "unity or plurality of
idea," as applicable to nouns of this class, is _doubtful_. It is just
as correct to say, "The _meeting was_ divided in _its_ sentiments," as
to say, "The _meeting were_ divided in _their_ sentiments." Both are
equally supported by the genius of the language, and by the power of
custom. It is correct to say, either that, "The _fleet were_ dispersed;"
"The _council were_ unanimous;" "The _council were_ divided;" or that,
"The _fleet was_ dispersed;" "The _council was_ unanimous;" "The
_council was_ divided." But, perhaps for the sake of euphony, in some
instances, custom has decided in favor of a singular, and in others, of
a plural construction, connected with words of this class. For example;
custom gives a preference to the constructions, "My _people do_ not
consider;" "The _peasantry go_ barefoot;" "The _flock is_ his object;"
instead of, "_My people doth_ not consider;" "The _peasantry goes_
barefoot;" "The _flock are_ his object." In instances like these, the
application of the foregoing rules _may_ be of some use; but the
constructions in which they do not apply, are probably more numerous
than those in which they do.