The treasury of knowledge and library of reference / [Samuel Maunder].

  • Maunder, Samuel, 1785-1849
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The treasury of knowledge and library of reference / [Samuel Maunder]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    HE CAME UP, AND DESIHKD THE INFANT TO »B GIVEN TO HIM IMMEDIATELY EX. — HIS CHIEF OCCUPATION AND ENJOYMENT WAS CONTROVERSY. ! ^ (grammar. 25 ' dropped into the crave before their eyes, stiU, from the duchess to the housemaid, the si/mmetnj of theirybr»»s continue to be preferred, to the preservation of modesty, health, and even life itself.” “ Although there were no fewer than five persons in the room at.tlre time, not one of them were lution.” Correct thus : “ the symmetry gular number, connected by the copulative conjimction and, expressed or understood, fame, honour, beauty, state, train, blood, and birth, A)-e but the fading blossoms of the earth.” “ And now ahide faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” 1. Notwithstanding the intervention of ami, if, through a disuniting word, the predicate be, in sense, applicable to only one of the nominatives, or to both of them taken separately, the verb must be singular if the noun is singular ; thus, “ Wisdom, [and] not years, is the gray hair to man. 2. A verb between two nouns in the sin- gular number, joined by a copulative conjunction, must necessarily be in the singular number, being applicable to them both singly, though expressed only to the former: thus, “ The world passeth away, and the lust thereof.” 3. It was customary with the writers of antiquity, when the nouns were nearly synonymous, to employ a verb singular ; M, ‘understanding, reason, and prudence M in old men.’ In similar instances, some English authors have employed a verb sin- gular. [‘ I hate the cruel pride and arrogance that makes men boast over a conquered foe.’] I concur, however, with L. Xlurray, in disapproving this phraseo- logy; foreitherthe terms are synonymous, or they are not. If they are, onlv one term should be retained, and a vero sin- gular joined with it; if not, there arc ns many distinct ideas as terms, and a plural verbsliould be used.”—Crombie. 4. “ In such expressions as the following, it nos l)ccn doubted whether the verb should be in the singular or in the plural number : _ ‘ Every officer and soldier claim a superiority in regard to other in- dividuals.’ Here, I conceive, the phraseo- lojty is correct. The expression, ‘ Every officer and soldier claims,' might signify [ one individual under two different ilesig- , nations. Wlictlierwc should say, ‘ Every 1 ijlficer and every soldier claim,’ is n point more particularly (luestioned. We often hear correct sjieakcrs say in common con- physician, is liy education a gciitlcmaii ; ’ and tiicre seems to lie more ease, os well as inorc precision, in this than in the other nvsie of expression. It is uiiqiiestioiinhly, 1 however, more agreeable to anaiogy to j^say, ‘arc gentlemen.’_f>om4ic. RULE IV. Two or more nominatives in the sin- gnlar number connected by the disjunctive conjunction or or nor, expressed or under- stood ; or the phrase as well as; require a singular verb : tlius, ‘‘ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it wdth thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor know- ledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thon goest.” ‘‘ The quantity as well as the quality of what he ate or drank, was RULE V. Two or more nominatives of different a disjunctive conjunction, require verbs and auxiliaries to agree ivith the nearer i nominative j as, ‘‘ Some countries are so cold, that neither the trees nor the earth produces fruits that will nourish man.” RULE VI. When two nominatives of different num- bers are joined by a disjunctive conjimc- tion, the latter of them explanatory of the former, the verb must agree with the former; as, The Decalogue, or Ten Com- mandments, is in tivo parts.” “ The Au- rora Borealis, or Northern Lights, was first observed in March, 1713-16.” RULE VII. Every nominative having a plural sig- nification, though not a plural form, if conveying the idea of number, must have a plural verb or pronoun agreeing with it; os, ‘‘ In youth, the multitude pursue plea- | sure as their chief good.” If conveying I the idea of an aggregate body, it must have a verb or a pronoun agreeing with it in the singular number: ns ‘‘ The youthful party was quite delighted.” “ On many occasions, where a noun of number is used, it is very difficult to de- cide, whether the verb should be in the singular or in the plural number: and this difficulty has induced some gramma- rians to cut the knot at once, by asserting that every noun of number, as it con- stitutes one aggregate of many particulars, must always be considered as conveying the idea of unity ; and that, consequently, i the verb and pronoun connected with it, cannot-propcrly be ever used in the plural number. This opinion is contrary to the practice of the best writers, and against ' the rules of the most respectable gram- I marians. Some nouns of number certiiiiily convey to the mind an idea of plurality, 08 nobility, gentry, clergy,commonalty,pea- santry, soldiery, ancestry; others, that of a whole ns one tiling, ns court, army, meet- ing, congregation, parliament, party; ami others again, sumetimes that of unity, and sometimes that of i)lurality,as, committee, council, enemy, people, public, senate; and on this ground it is warrantahlc, and con- to the one class, and a singular verb and pronoun to the other. The impropriety of the following eonstnictions must lie immediately perceived: ‘ The nobility, ex- clusive of i7s capacity ns hereditary eoioi- sellor of the crown, forms the pillar to KEY HIS CHIEP OCCUPATION AND ENJOYMENT WEEK CONTllOVnUSY HE CAME UP, AND DESIRED THE INFANT MIGHT BE GIVEN TO HIM IMMEDIATELY