and a plural subject are connected by or or nor the plural subject is placed next to the verb; as, "Neither poverty nor riches were injurious to him."

Few good writers ever use such constructions as these. It is generally better to express the verb with each subject or to change the form of expression; as, "Either thou art concerned or I am," or "One of us is concerned;" "I am to blame or thou art," or "One of us is to blame," or "The blame rests on me or thee;" "He was injured by neither poverty nor riches," etc.

16. A collective noun in the singular number takes a singular verb when the speaker thinks of the collection as one mass or body, a plural verb when he has in his mind the individual objects composing the collection.

"The crowd was immense, and it swayed hither and thither in one unbroken mass." Here the crowd is spoken of as one, and accordingly the verb was and the noun it are in the singular number. "All the world are spectators of your conduct." It is the persons composing the world that are here spoken of, and accordingly the verb are and the noun spectators are in the plural number.

"The army destroys every thing in its course;" "The army destroy every thing in their course." Which of these is the correct expression? Does the speaker think of the army as one body, or does he think of the individual soldiers? Evidently he thinks of the army as one body, and he should use the singular verb and noun.

Let the pupil ask himself similar questions with respect to "The nation is powerful" and "The nation are powerful," "The meeting was large" and "The meeting were large," "The multitude pursue pleasure as their chief good" and "The multitude pursues pleasure as its chief good," "The corporation consists of a mayor and council" and "The corporation consist of a mayor and council," "The committee was very full" and "The committee were very full." He will see that the first expression in each series is the correct one.

When a person invites the public to attend a lecture or speech should he say, "The public is invited" or "The public are invited"? In other words, does he think of the whole public as one mass, or does he think of the persons composing the public? Evidently it is of the persons composing the public that he is thinking, and he should say, "The public are invited."

17. With the second person of the imperative the subject is generally omitted; as, "Go [you] in peace." (See Rule J, Remark 3.)

18. When the subject is a relative pronoun it is sometimes omitted. I, Remark 4.)

(See Rule 19. The subject is sometimes omitted when it is the antecedent to a relative pronoun; as, "Who combats bravely is not therefore brave."-Pope. (See pp. 52, 53.) 20. "Betwixt four and five years had elapsed since they had parted on the beach of the island of Roseneath."-Scott. What is the subject of had elapsed? Not years; for that is in the objective case after the preposition betwixt. Some such word as space is implied.

The subject is omitted in such expressions as as follows, as appears; as, "The road is dangerous, as [it, the matter] appears from his statement;" "His speech was as follows;" ;" "His words were as follows." It or some other general word is

the verb agrees with the first ("I or he am in the wrong," "He or I is in the wrong, ""You or he are in the wrong,' ""He or you is in the wrong"). Every cultivated ear instinctively rejects such expressions as those presented here as models. What ear could tolerate "Either the prior or thou has made some singular alterations"? The ear tolerates expressions containing a verb which is Inconsistent with one subject but consistent with the other only when the verb is placed next to the subject with which it is consistent.

In what number must the verb be with | When is the subject omitted?

a collective noun?

Explain "as appears." "As follows."

the subject of follows, which takes the same form whether the word preceding it is singular, like speech, or plural, like words.

21. There is a construction in which by the omission of the subject but seems to be equivalent to a relative pronoun and not;* as, There is no man but knows"= "There is no man who does not know." "There was not a pretty face in the whole country but came in for a share."-Irving. "There is scarcely one of these characters but is a villain."-Thackeray. "There's not a breeze but whispers of thy name."-Proctor.

"On the house-tops was no woman

But spat towards him and hissed;
No child but screamed out curses

And shook its little fist."-Macaulay.
"There's not a string attuned to mirth

But has its chord of melancholy."-Hood.

"No sycophant or slave that dared oppose

Her sacred cause but trembled when he rose. -Cowper. "There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st

But in his motion like an angel sings."-Shakespeare.

In this construction there is probably an ellipsis of a personal pronoun; as, "I found no man but he was true to me."- Shakespeare. Or a relative may be supplied; as, "There is no man but [a man who] knows." "There's not a breeze but [a breeze that] whispers of thy name."

22. The subject is sometimes improperly omitted; as, "The whole is produced as an illusion of the first class and hopes it will be found worthy of patronage." Here hopes is connected to is produced, and the whole is represented as hoping, etc. He or some other noun should be inserted before hopes. "Any person finding the spectacles, and will return them to the Galt House, shall be liberally rewarded." Here person is the subject of shall be rewarded, and will return has no subject. Corrected, "Any person who shall find the spectacles and return them," etc. "Their master happened to stay at home that summer to finish a galley he was building to cruise with, and was then upon the stocks."-Lockhart's Don Quixote. Here the master is represented as being on the stocks. Which should be inserted before "A kind of riding with short stirrups which the Spaniards took from the Arabians, and is still used by all the African and Eastern nations."-Lockhart's Don Quixote. What is the subject of is used? Not which; for that is the object of took. Insert which before is used.

was.

23. As the relative pronoun does not vary in form for number or person, the number and person of the verb are determined by the antecedent; as, "I who am, thou who art, he who is, we who are, you who are, they who are.

"Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, head of one of the greatest houses that ever was in England."-Maginn. The antecedent to the relative that is houses, and the verb should be plural-"one of the greatest houses that ever were in England." "He was one of the most mischievous statesmen that has ever appeared in modern Europe."-Sir Jonah Barrington. Why is has in this passage incorrect? "He was the most mischievous statesman that has ever appeared in modern Europe." Is the singular has in this passage correct? Why?

*Like the Latin quin; Nemo est Explain "There is no man but knows." Give an example in which the subject is improperly omitted.

When a relative pronoun is the subject by what are the number and person of the verb determined?

quin sciat, where quin-qui non.

In "He was one of the most mischiev-
ous statesmen that has ever appeared
in modern Europe" which is the rela
tive? Which the antecedent?
Should the verb in this sentence be sin-
gular or plural?

EXERCISES.

1. Point out the verbs and subjects:

Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight.—Gray.
Lovely indeed the mimic works of Art,

But Nature's works far lovelier.-Cowper.

How noiseless is thought! No rolling of drums, no tramp of squadrons or immeasurable tumult of baggage-wagons, attends its movements.-Carlyle.

2. Correct the errors:

They was discontented. You has no book. Does you live there? You is here. You was there. You loves rain. We was delighted. Thou has been pleased. Was you present? Them's my sentiments. Circumstances alters cases. Molasses are sweet, and so are honey. His pulse are very rapid. Idle boys hates study. Fifty pounds of wheat contains forty pounds of flour. Here lies the remains of John Smith. Not one in ten of the English plays written before the time of Shakespeare have escaped destruction.-R. G. White. The derivation of the word, as well as the usage of the great majority of English writers, fix the spelling the other way.-Dean Alford.

[Remark 5.] A part of the exports consist of raw silk. Nothing but vain and foolish pursuits delight some persons. The derivation of these words are uncertain. The general with some soldiers were taken.

[Remark 6.] Idleness and ignorance produces many vices. John and James has been here. Temperance and exercise preserves health. Time and tide waits for no man. Our welfare and security consists in unity. Honor and shame from no condition rises. He and I was there. The love of virtue and devotion to pleasure is opposed to each other. His energy and industry was remarkable. What means that noise and excitement? Much does human pride and folly require correction. If his explanation and mine agrees.-Smollett.

[Remark 8.] Every leaf, every twig, every drop of water teem with life. Every sight and every sound amaze him. Each day and hour and moment are to be properly employed. No wife, no mother were there to comfort him.

[Remark 10.] The mind, and not the body, sin. Merit, and not patronage, cause his promotion. Diligent industry, and not mean savings, produce honorable competence. Cicero, as well as Demosthenes, were great orators. Books, and not pleasure, occupies his time. Our own heart, and not other men's opinions, form our true honor.

[Remark 14.] Either ability or inclination were wanting. George or William have the book. Neither Jonathan nor Joseph were there. Our happiness or misery are in a great measure put in our own hands. Neither George nor Thomas nor Richard are studying. Florence or Elizabeth favor us with their company every evening. A man is not such a machine as a clock or a watch, which move only as they are moved. One or the other of these boys must relinquish their claim. I have carefully marked the secondary evidence on whose faith a passage or a fact were reduced to depend.-Gibbon. I am one of those whom neither fear nor anxiety deprive of their ordinary appetite.-Scott. A circle, a square, a triangle, or a hexagon please the eye by their regularity.-Blair.

The traveler, he whom sea or mountain sunder

From his own country, sees things strange and new.-Rose. [Remark 16.] The British Parliament are composed of King, Lords, and Commons. The Congress of the United States consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The public is invited to attend, and we can promise it much pleasure. The council was divided in its sentiments. The committee were very full when this point was decided. The crowd I met were very large.

[Remark 22.] The calm in which he was born and lasted so long did not continue to the end of his life. He is a man whom I have known for a long time, and sustains an excellent character. Wilkes was a man whose inclinations led him to be corrupt, and had great abilities.

Will martial flames forever fire thy mind,

And never, never be to heaven resigned?-Pope.

[Remark 23.] Scott is one of those men of genius who delights in the genius of others.-C. R. Leslie. He came at last to prove one of the cruellest renegades that ever was known.-Lockhart's Don Quixote. Thackeray's "Virginians," one of the most elaborate and careful and exquisite pictures of English life a hundred years ago that has ever been painted by pen or pencil.-Harper's Magazine. One of the most peculiar cases that has ever been recorded.-Mrs. Gordon. One of the most valuable books for the improvement of young minds that has appeared in any language.-Boswell. In that short time he effected one of the most extensive, difficult, and salutary reforms that ever was accomplished by any statesman.-Macaulay. Abnormal is one of those words which has come in to supply a want in the precise statements of science.-Dean Alford.

RULE X.

The infinitive may be used as a noun, an adjunct, or a finite verb.*

NOUN-INFINITIVE.

As a noun the infinitive may be used

1. As subject of a verb; as, "To play is pleasant;" "To rule a state is a difficult art;" "I feel it to be my duty to go""I feel that to go is my duty." (See p. 161, 3, and Rem.) To go, or it, to go, subject of to be. 2. As object of a transitive verb; as, "Boys love to play;" "He refused to labor;" "He has begun to study;" George wishes to learn;" "They sought to slay him;" "She tried to run;" "I have to pay it;" "Justice ought (owes) to prevail;" "Justice should prevail;" "I can write" (see p. 82); "He may go."

66

3. As predicate-nominative; as, "To persevere is to succeed;" "The proper course is to pay the debt."

4. As object of a preposition;" as, "He is about to go."

5. As noun in apposition; as, "Delightful task! to rear the tender thought."

6. As nominative independent; as, "To die, to sleep."

7. As nominative absolute; as, "To whisper being forbidden," "It being forbidden to whisper." (See p. 150, 3, and Remark.)

8. As factitive objective; as, "I saw him fall;" "I heard him sing;" 'I feel my pulse beat."† This may be called the factitive infinitive.

*Some represent the infinitive as always having a subject. In "John loves to play" to play is regarded as having John for its subject. This is an erroneous view. To play is merely a name for the action, and with respect to a subject does not differ from an abstract noun. "John loves to play""John loves play." Both these forms imply that there is some one to play; and the infinitive to play is no more to be regarded as having a subject than is the noun play.

fAt least I do not believe that sentences like Ich sah ihn fallen, "I saw him fall," Ich hörte ihn singen, "I heard him sing," Ich hiesz ihn gehen, "I bade him go," Lasz mich gehen, let me go," analogous cases to which occur in Sanskrit, can be taken otherwise than so that the working of the operation of seeing, hearing, etc., falls directly upon the person or thing which one sees, hears, charges, etc., and then upon the action expressed by the infinitive which one in like manner sees, hears, etc. The two objects of the verb are coördinate, and stand in the relation of apposition to one another (I saw "him" and "falling," "the action of falling"). It appears, however, from the context, but is not formally expressed, that the action expressed by the second object [as "fall"] is performed by the first object ("I saw the stone fall").-Bopp's Comparative Grammar of Sanskrit, etc. 3, 1285.

It does not seem to be true that the action of seeing, hearing, etc., falls first upon the person or thing which one sees, etc., and then upon the action expressed

What is the rule for the infinitive?
Give an example in which the infinitive
is used as subject. As object of a
transitive verb. As predicate-nom-
inative.

Give an example in which the infinitive is used as object of a preposition. As noun in apposition. As nominative independent. As nominative absolute. As factitive objective.