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PROGRESSIV'E EXERCISES.

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AN 'ALYSIS AND PARSING
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CONTAINING

Vi.ITH DIRECTIONS AND NOT

A.D.APTRD TO

BULLIONS' ENGLISH GRAMMARS.

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BY REV. P. BULLIONS, D. D.,
OF THE SERIES .OF

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G~:~;~~~~T-:.~:~ XN~LISH1
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ON THE SAME PLAN.

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NEW' YORK :

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PREFACE.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by .
PETER BULLIONS,

In the Cl erk's Office of the District Court of the United
States for the Northern District of New-York.

This little work has been prepared with a view to
furni sh, in a convenient form, and at small expense,
selections, both in prose and poetry, from some of the
most approved writers, and these in sufficient variety;
as Exercises in Analysis and Parsing. Exercises of a.
simpler character are to be found interspersed in the
Grammars themselves. In the order of study, this work
is intended to follow the grammar, and to furnish the
means of npplying the knowledge acquired, to the ;\nalysis, both logical and grammatical, of some of the best
models of composition in the English language. It is by
a process of this kind, advancing pari passu with exercises in com position, that the student acquires a thorough
practical and critical knowledge of the English language,
and facility in expressing his own ideas with correctness
and elegance. .
·
Directions for the analysis of sentences, and models of
parsing, taken from the "Analytical and Practical Grammar," are prefixed, pp. 5-29, and such assistance as
was thought necessary, only iu.more difficult or uncommon constructions, is given by references, at the foot of
the page, to those parts of both Grammars in which the
constructions are explained.. The references to the
" Principles of English Grammar" are to the revised edi.:.
tion, in which, for greater convenience, besides the former
division, each paragraph is numbered, as in the "Analytical and Practical Grammar."
TROY, May 6, 1851.

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. . .rf.':.

ABBREVIA'nON : IN THE NOT~.s.:5_

--4,_n. Analytical ii.nd Practical Grammar.
Pr. Principles of English Grammar.
E:c · Exercises in Analysis, &c., at .the beginning of the
j book; numbered from l to 76.
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EXERCISES
IN

AN A L Y S I S A.N D PAR S I N G.
ANALYSIS OF SENTENCES.
SIMPLE SENTENCES.
1. A SIMPLE sentence or proposition consists of Jwo
parts-the subject and the predicate.
The subfect is that of which something is affirmed.
3. The predicate is that which is ~ffirmed· of the subj ect.

2.

4. The word affirm here is to be underetood as applying to all kinds of
sentences-declarat ory, whether affirmative or negative, interrogatory,
imperative, or exclamatory.
5. 'fhe no me of the person or thing addressed forma no part of the sentenc ~; ns, " L a:anu 1 come- for~h . ,,
6. The subject is commonly, but not always, a noun or pronoun (24).
In imperative sentences, it is always thou, or YOJ'i or ye, and is ofte~
und e r~ tood; as, "Come [th ou] forth."
7. Th e predicate properly consistv of two parts-the attribltte atlim1ed
of the subject, aud the copula, by which the affirmation is made.
Thus, in th e seutence, "God is 1Qve," God is the subjcc\. and U loo• is
the predicate-in which love is th~;·a\tribute, and u, the copula.
8. The attribute and copulri. are 'often expressed by one word, which in
that case must alwa}r1 be a tverb r. WJ, " The fire hnu"-".The fire ii
burning." Hence-

9 . .The predicate may be a noun or pronoun,. an adjecti~e, sometimes a preposition with its case ; or an
adverb--also an infinitive; or clause of a sentence, con-

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ANALYSIS AND. PARSING.

EXERCISES IN

ne'cted with the subject by a copula (31). Odt may be·
a verb, which includes in itself both attribute and copula
(8).
JO. 'Vhen a verb does not complete the prt>.dicate , but is mJecl as a copula
only, it is called a copulative verb; when it includes both attribute and
copul~, it h= called o.n attributi·ve verb.
11. The copulative verh!J are such as to be 1 to bec(}ffle, to seem, to ap..
pear; and the passives of deem, style, call, name, consfdcr 1 &c.
12. The verbs to be, to appear, are sometimes also u~ed as attributives ;
as 1 " 1 1 here are lions in Afr ica."- n The stars appear." When so used,
nn rl th~ subject is placed ufler the verb, the sentence is imro<luced by the
.wor<l there, as in the first e~umple.
EXERCISES.
1. In the following, point out which are sentences, and why-which are
phrases, and why.
2. In the sentences, which is the !Ubject, and wby ?-which is the predicate, aud why? Also, which predicates are made by copulative verbs;
and which by attributives.1 In both, what is the attribute .1

Snow is white. Ice is cold. Birds fly. Rose~ blossom. The tree is tall. The fields are green. Grass
grows. To say nothing. · Man is mortal. · God is immortal. Home is sweet. Sweet is home.

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EXERCISES.

1. In ench of tho following sentence~, point out th_e grammaticaJI and
the logical subject.
2. Analyze the sentences by pointing out the subject·e.nd the predicate
in each.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom 's ways are pleasantness: all her paths are peace.
The love of money is the root of all evil. All things
that are durable are slow in growth. Human k~owledgo
is progressive.
· 17.-II. 'fhe subject of 11 proposition is either simple
o.r compound.
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18. A simple subject consists of one subject of thought,
either unlimited, or modified as in the preceding exercises. It may be a noun or pronoun, an infinitive mood,
a participial noun, or a clause of a sentence.
19. A compound subject consists of two or- more silnple subjects, to which belongs but one predicate; as,
"James and John are brothers.;'-" You and I are
friends ."-" Two and three are five."-'.' Good men and
bad men are found in all countries."•

THE SUBJECT.

EXERCISES.

13. I. The subject of a proposition is either grammatic al or logical.
14. The grammatical subject is the person or thing
spoken of, unlimited by other words.
15. The logical subject is the person or thing spoken
of, together with all the words or phr,ases by which it
is limited or defined. Thus-·

1. In the following sentences, state what are the subjects-what are
the predicates.
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2. State whether the euhjects are .-impk or compound; limited or.-.
limited. In each simple subject, point out the graJnmatical subject~the
logical subject-and say what each means:-

In the sentence 1 ' ' ~~rery man at his best state is vri.nity,' ' the grarpma.
ticnl subject is man; the logical is, u Evt.ry man at hia best state." ·
16. V\'hen the gram matical subject has no limiting word::1 co~nected
with iL then the grammatical and the logical subject are the same; as,

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" Gon is good."

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Paul and Silas sang praises unto God. ' P eter and
John went up into the teqiple. GoJd and silver are pre-

~The Euliject is here considered as compound,-wlte1her the predicate
can be affirmed of each simple predicate or not. Thus we can say,
u Good men are fnuud in all countries, and bad men are found in all
countries. .i " hut we can not say, "Two are five, and three nre five."
Still, the ·preceding ex..imples-good mm and b(Jd men, and two and thru
-are equally conside red as con1pound 1ub)ects, because they en('.h con"
aisl of n~?re than one object.

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cious metals. His food was locusts and wild honey. ·
Socrates and Plato were Grecian philosophers. In unity
consist the welfare and. security of society.
MODIFICATIONS OF THE SUBJECT.

20. A grammatical subject may be modified, limited,
or described, in various ways; as1. Br a noun in apposition--that is, n noun added in the same case, for
the sake of explanation; a.s, "Milton the poet was blind."
2. By a noun in the possessive case; as," .Aaron's rod budded."
3. By an adjunct j as, "The works of Nature are beautiful."
4. By an n<ljective word (that is, au article, adjective, adjt:ctiv~ pro
noun, or participle); as," A good name is betler than riches'
-"Your time is precious."-'" Loat time can not be. recovered."
5. By a relative pronoun and its clause; as, "He who does no good, '
does harm."
6. By an i1ifiuitive mood; as," A desire to learn is praiseworthy."
7. By clause of a sentence j as, "The fact that he Wal a scholar was
manifest."
8. Each grammatical subject may have several modifications ; ai
"Severlil stars of less magnitude, which we had not observed
before, now appeared .,,
21. Though the ar1i cle js not properly a limiling word, yet, as it shows
t11at the word is limited or modified in some way, it is here ranked
amo11g the modifiers (20-4).

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EXERCISES.
In the followJng propositions, point out the grammatical subject-the
logical-and state how the grammat}cul subject i~ modified:-

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ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

EXERCISES IN

All men are not wise. Tall oaks from little acorns
grow. :Milton's "Paradise Lost" is a work of great
merit. Wisdom's ways are pleasantness. The love of
money is the root of all evil. Evil communications corrupt good manners. The dispositio-n ~o do good should
be cherished.
MODIFICATION OF THE MODIFYING WORDS.

22. Modifying or limiting words may themselves be'
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modified:-

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1. A noun, modifying another, may itself be modified in all the ways
in which a noun es a grammlltical subject is mOdified (20). '
2. An adje<:tive, qualifying-a noun, may itself be modified:1. By an adjunct; as," Be not weary in to.ell-doing."
2. By an adverb; as, " Truly vir'tuous men often endure reproach.',
3. By an infinitive; ns, "Be swift 'to hear, and slow to Bpeak.,,
:J. Again~ an adverb may be modified:1. By nn adjunct j as 1 "Agreeably to Nature ."
2. By another adverb; ns, "Yours vtry sincerely."
23. A modified grammatical subject, regarded as a complex ideai may
itself be modified; as, ''The old black horse is dead."-" The first two
lines are good, the two Inst are bad." Here, old, fir1t, two, each modify
already modified subjecta, viz., black hor1<, two !in.,, last (lines) .
EXERCISES.

Jn the following sentences, by what words are the modifying nouns
modified ?-the adjectives?-the adverbs?

Solomon, the son of David, built the temple at'. Jei:_usalem. Josephus, the Jewish historian, relat~/'the
destruction of the temple. That picture is a tolerably
good copy of the originn.1. Pride, that never-failing vice
of fools, is not easily defined. The author of Junius's
letters is still unknown.
THE SUBJECT AN INFINITIVE, OR CLAUSE, ETC.

24. The infinitive mood, with or without a subject, a
participial noun, or a clause of a sentence,· may be the
subject of a verb; as, "To lie is base."-" For us to'·
lie is base."-" Lying is base."-" That man should
lie is base."
25. When the infinitive, with a subject in the olijective case is
used as the subject or a proposition, if. is introduced by the particle for,
as in the second example. _
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. 26. When a clause of a eelitence, consisting of a finite verb and it&
subject, is used as the eubject .. of a p_roposition, it is introduced by the
conjunctive that, ns in the last example.
a sentence, as the subject, fol.
27. When the infinitive, or a claus~
lows th~ Vfrb, .the pronoun it precedes lt, ' reforring to that subject, a•, -

or

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EXERCISES IN

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

" It is base that men should lie."-" It is base to lie.>'-" It is base/or
u.s to lie."

Greeks took Troy by stratagem."-" Took,, is the grammatical, and
" took Troy by stratagem 11 . is the logical predicate.

28. T he infinitive mood, the participle used as a 110un, the infinitive
with its subjec t in th e objective case, introduced by for , or the cla use of
a sentence in troduced by that, without modifying terms, may be considereU as the grammatical subject. The same, modified like !he verb in
the prcdicute (40), may he coi.sidered as th e logical sulJject. V/hen
there are no modifications 1 the grammatical and the logical subject are
the same.

34. When the grammatical predicate has no modifying terms connected with it, the grammatical and the
logical predicate are the same ; as, "Life is short."" The fire burns ."

EXERCISES.
In the folJowing sentences, point out the subject and th e predicate. In
modified subjecu, distinguish the grammatical and logical:-

To be good is to be happy. To create creatures liable
to wants, is to render them susceptible of enjoyment.
To hear patiently, and to answe·r precisely, are the great
perfections of conversation. To speak the _truth is but
a small part of our duty. It is a difficult thing to be
idle. It is a wise provision of Providence that inferior
animals have not the gift of speech.
TH E PREDICATE.

29.-I. The predicate, like the subj ect, is either gram-matical or logical.
30. The grammatical predicate consists of.the attribute
and copula (7), not modified by other . words.
31. The atl ribute, w hic h, toge ther with th e copuln 1 fo rms the predicate,-may be exp ressed by a noun or pronOun, an adjectivi:, a participle,
a prepoEitinn with its regi men, and sometimes an adverb j ad, " J ames
is a!cholar,,- " Jnm es is /u" - " Jame& is diligent"- " James is learned"-James is in henllh 11 - " J ohn is no t so."
32. The att ribute is ulso expressed by on infinitive, or a dependent
clause; as," To obey is to ~:njoy.',-The duy is to be cek brated."- " 'l'ho .
orde r is, that uic muat c.o.,,

33. The logical predicate is the grammatical, with all
the words or phrases that modify it. Thus" Nero was cru el to his subjects."-" ~7 as cruel" is th e grammatical,
and "was cruel to his subjects," lhe logical. predicate. Agaip: "Tho

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EXERCISES.
In the following sentences, n ame the subject and predicate. In each,
tell w hat is the grammatical predicate, and what is the logical predicate:·

Time flies . The summer is past. The fields are
covered v.:.i th grain. Great is truth. Columbus discovered America. America was discovered by Columbus.
A free press is the beginning of a. free government. All
governments should be fou;11d<!d on lqve. It is religion
that gives order and liberty to the world.
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35.-II. The predicate, like the subject, is either simple or compound.
36. A simple predicate ascribes to its s~bject but one
attribute : as, "Life is short."-" Time fli es."
37. A compound predicate consists of two or mor~
simple predica tes, affirmed of one subject; a.s, "Cresa.r
cam p, and saw, and conquered."-" Truth is great and
will prevail."
EXERCISES.
In the fol\o ...ving sr.ntence.s, name the subject and predicate. State
whether the predicate is simpk or compound. Distinguish the grti.mmati.
cal and logical ,_
·

Man is mortal. Wisdom is. the principal thing. God
is good and merciful. Honesty is praised and neglected.
The heart is the best and the _worst part of man. The .
use of travel is to widen the sphere of observation, and
to enable u s to examine and judge of things for ourselves.
Avarice is a mean and cowardly vice.

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EXERCISES IN

ANALYSIS AND PARSING,

M6DIFICATIONS OF THE PREDICATE.

In the above,_show in which sentenCes, and by what words, the modi.
fiers of the predicate are themaelvesmodified-in which the predicate has
more than one modifier.

38. A grammatical predicate may be modified or limited in different
wuys.
39. When the attribute. in the grammatical predicate is a noun, it is
modified:1. By a noun or pronoun, limiting or describing the attribute; as, "He
is John the Baptist."-" He iS my friend ."-'' He is my father'•
friend."
2. Dy an adjec tive or participle, limiting the attribute; as," Solomon
was a wise king." - 1 ' It is a bird ainging."
40. 'Vhen the giammatical predicate is au attributive verb, it is modi ..
fied:1. Br a noun or pronoun in the objective case, as the object of Lhe
uttribulive verb i as, "John read.s Homer."-H I )lave heard
!Lim.''
2. By an adverb; as, "John reads well."
3. By an adjunct j as, " They live in London."
4. By an infinitive; as, ''Boys love to play."
5. By a dependent clnuse; as, "Plato taught that t!J.e soul i3 immortal.a
41. An infi.11itive or participle may be modified in all respects as the
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verb in the predicate (40).
42. A modifying clause, if n dependent proposition, may be modified
in both its subject and pre<licate as other propositions,
43. All other modifying words may themselves be modified, as similar
wor<l.::; are when modifying ~he subject (20).
44. Several mod ifications are sometimes connected with the same
predicate .
EXERCISES.
In the following sentenceg 1 name the subject and predicate-distinguish the grammatical aud logical predicate-show in what way lhe
grammatical subject is modified in the logical.

According .to , some ancient philosophers, the !:?Un
quenches his flames in the ocean. Sincerity and truth
form the basis of. every virtue. The atrocious crime of
being a young man I shall attempt neither to palliate nor
deny. Trusting in God implies a belief in him. Time
flies rapidly. I confess that I am in fault. William has
determined to go. I wish that he may succeed in his
enterprise. They said, "Thou hast saved our li::es."

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COMPOUND SENTENCES.

45. A COMPOUND sentence con"iists of two or more
simp'l'e sen:ence~ or propositions connected togeth~r;
as,
If time is · money, wasting it must be prodi·
gality."
46. The propositions which make up a compound sen·
tence are called members, or clauses. In the preceding
com~~und ~ent~nce, the members are, "Time is money,"
and wastmg it must be prodigality."
INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT CLAUSES.

47. The clauses of a compound sentence arn either in-dependent or dependent; sometimes called co-ordi#ate
and subordinate.
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48. An independent clause is one that makes complete
sense by itself.
49. A dependent clause is one that makes complete
sense only in connexion with another clause.
'fhlls, ~''Ve left when the sun set;" "We left," is an independ~nt
clause; ~t makes sense by itsdf; "when the gun set," is a dependent
clause; It does noL make complete sense unless joined with thu Other
clause .
50. The dependent clause .may often stand first; ns, " When the sun
set, we left."
51. .All the cl~uses of a sentence may be independent; one of them
always must be rndependent.
, 52. 'J'he clause 01~ which another depends is called the l•adinlf clause i
Its sub~ect, th.e leading subject; and it• predfoate, the le"adi""K predicate.
But ,this lendmg clause itself may be dep~ndent on another, which is a
leadmg clause to it.

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EXERCISES.

In the following sentences, t=tate which are aimple, and which are
compovnd. In the compound •entences point out the members or
clauses:-

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EXERCISES IN

Ignorance move~ our pity, and that modifies our aver- ·
sion. If we have not always time to read, we have
always time to reflect. The poor is hated even of his
own neighbor, but the rich hath many friends. The
eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil
and the good. Pride goeth before destruction, and a .
haughty spirit before a fall.
In the preceding simple sentences Rnd members, point out the subject
and predicale, with th eir respective modifications- state what clauses are
iu<lepe11dent, what <lepen<lent.

CONNECTION OF CLAUSES.

53. Clauses of the same kind, that is, independent or
dependent, are connected by such conjunctions as and,
or, nor, frut, yet, and the like; as," The harvest is past,
the summer is ended, and we are not saved."
·
54 . Jn such sentences the co1111ective is often omitted, and generally
wh en .the ~e11 te nce co nsist::; of more tli un two members, it is omittt:tl in all

except th e lo6t. as in the above example.

55 . The members of a compound sentence, containing
one or more dependent clauses, are usually connected by
r elatives, conjunctions, or adverbs; thus,
R elat ive- " That wmcH can not be cured, must be
endured."
Conjunction.-" The miser lives poor, THAT he inay
die rich."
Adverb.-" We shall go WHEN the cars ~o."
Jn tl 1e fi rst sentc11ce 1 th e relative 11ot only stands 9.~ the subject of" can

not be cured," but nlso connects its clause with the l eading chrnse; that
conn ects \he <:lauses in the s~cmu.l example i nnd when) in the th ird .
56. 'Vhcn a clau3e connected by that cnn be regarded either ns the
su bjec t or the ohJCCt of the \:erb in th e \ending clause, it is in COn ..;;tructi on equivalent to a substantive, and th e whole may Le, regarded as a
simple senlence, though in form really compound. Thus, in the sentence . u 7'h.at men should lit ia bast:" th~re are two clans.es connected
hy th~t, constituting, of ~ourse, n compound sentent'e 1 and ~et the de-

ANALYSIS AND P.ARSING.

15

pendent clause, " That mtn •hould' lie," is really the subje:ct ofi•, o.nd
equival ent to a noun. .Thus viewed, the whole ·may be r~gnrded as a
simple sen tence. So also, when the d~pendent clause is the object of
the lead ing verb; ad, '" I •aid that ye· are voda;" and also when either
subject or predicate is 'modified by a relative clause.
51. The connecting word is sometimes omitted; as," This ia the hook
I lost; I suppose you found it," for, "Thi• is the book 111hicl& I lost; I
suppo•e that yo u found iL."

EXERCISES.
"\

In the following compound sentences, state which contain only jndependL•n t clauses, lind which conta in dependent ones-point out the dependeut clauses, and show on what lending clauses they depeud-name
the con nectiug wonls-slale which may also be regarded us simple sentences (56).

The weather was fine and ·the roads were excellent,
but we were unfortunate in our companions . It.. is said
that the Atlantic is three thousand miles broad. While
the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered. As a bird
thn,t wandereth from .her nest, so is a man that wander·
eth from his place. Ben,uty attracts n,dmiration, as honor
[attracts] applause. Talent is cnvi.roned with many
perils, n,nd beauty [is environed] with many weaknesses.
I will come again and receive you to myself, that where
I am there ye may be also.
In the following sentences, what connecting wor<ls are omitted?

r

Pay me that thou owest. It is said h.e can not pay
his debts. There is no doubt he is .a man of integrity.
I am sure we· can never accomplish this without assistance. That is all you know. All you can find is yours.
Could we have foreseen this, difficulty, we might have
avoided it. I soon perceived I had still the power of
motion. The authol' dreads the c(itic; the miser, the
thief; the criminal, the judge.

16

EXERCISES IN
ABRIDGED PROPOSITIONS.

58. A compound sentence may sometimes be converted
into a simple one, by abridging its dependent clause.
59. A dependent clause is frequently abridged by
omitting the connecting word, and changing the verb of
the predicate into a participle or infinitive.
60. The participle in the ab rid.ged clause will then stand either with
its substantive in th e case absolute, or as a modifier of the leading
1
suhject. Thus, Absolute- '" ' Vhen the boys have finished their lessons,
we will play;" abridged,'' The boys having finished their leS50ns, we
will play." .AJ a modifitr- " \Vhen we have fini shed our le ~o ns we
will play i abridged, "Having finished our lessons we will play."
Pa3sivtly and a/Jsoluttly- " VVhen our work is finished we will play;"
abridged," Our work being finished , we will play.>'
61. \Vh en the auribute, in the dependent cluuse, consists of a noun or
pronoun in th e nominative case after a verb as a copula, it remains in the
sam~ case in .the abridged form j thus, " That he is ajudge is of no consequ e nce;" abr idged,'" His being a judge is of no const'quence."- " I
w as not aware that he was a judge;,, abridged, " I was not aware of
his being a judge.,,
62. The d i fl~rc n ce between these two mod es of expreision is this: In
the Cull fo rm . th e idea contained in the de'pendent clause is affirmed; in
the nb r idged for m, it is Msumtd.
63. VVh en the dependent clause is th e objec t of the verb in the leading
clause, it may ofte n be changed for the infinitive with a subject ; as, "I
know that he is a scholar;" abridged, "I know him to be a scholar ."
64. V\Th e n, in such cases, th e suLject of th e depe nd~n: claus~ is the
same as the subject of the principal, it is omiu ed in the abridged form;
as,'~ I wished that I might go;" ahridged, "I wished to go.".
65. 'Vhen the subject Of the dependent clause, conn ec ted by toha.t,
'IDltich, whom, whe• 1 iohere, how, and the like, and rel ating to something
yet future , is the same as that of the independent one, il is sometimes
abr idged by r~tai ning the conne.c ting w ord, nnd omitting the subject be·
fore th e infin itive; us, " I know not wh a t 1 1hal/. do;" abridged, "I
know not whn..t to do." ln this way are to be analyzt>d and explained
su ch phrases as, " Wh~re to go,"" when to read," "how to do,,, H tphom
•
.
to auid," &c.
66. A dependen t clause may often be abridged by substituting .an
equivalent quu.lifyiug word, or an adjunct; as, "The man who i1 hoaeat

17

ANALYSIS ·AND 'PARSING,

. will be respected; " abridged, '.' 'rhe honut man will be re,pected."" Whe1i tlte aun set we returned;" abridged, ".At·IUnlet we returned.,,
67. Seve rul depe11<lent cluu:iies may be variously c:olmecied with the
same lettding clause, and abridged in the same mau11er n.s above; as,
" 'Vh e u th ey arrived at the l'tation, they were informed t hat the cara
hud passed, an hour Uefore t" abri1Jged 1 '' Having arrived [or, on arriv.
iug] a t the station, they :w ere inforined of the cars havius-' pa..saed an hour
before." ·
EXERCISES.
I . Abridge such p~opo.sitions in the prece<ling exercises as can be
abrid ged .
2. Exlend the fo llowing nbrirlge<l simple sentences iuto compoun<l senltmces.

Having doubled Cape Horn, we sailed in a direct
course for California. What to do I know not. No
one can tell us where to go, or how to do. The war be·
ing at an end, the troops were disbanded. At the close
of navigation, many will be at a loss where to go. The
industrious and capable J:!eed fear no want. A good
name is the richest possession we have while livin"' and
the best legacy we leave behind us when dead.
his
h aving been successful, we have full assurance. Of his
being successful now, there is reason to doubt. 1Ve
h old these principles to be self-evident.

Of

68.

DIRECTIONS FOR ANALYSIS.

State whether the sentence is simple or compound. ~
If simple, name the logical subject and the logical pre
dicate.
Name the grammatical subject.
Show by what words or phrases, if any, it is modified in the logical.
Show by what modifying words, if any, each modify'ing word is modified:"
Name the grammatical predi:c,ate.
·2 ',

,,,.

18

19

EXERCISES IN

ANALYSIS . AND PARSING.

Show by hat words or phrases, if any, it is modified
in the logical.
Show by\vhat modifying words or phrases, if any,
each modifying word is modified.
If compound, mention the members or clauses.
State whether they are independent or dependent.
Show how the members are connected.
Analyze each member as a simple sentence, by showing its subj ect, predicate, &c., as above.

This is a simple sentence.
The logical •ubject is 1'hef<ar of the Lord
The logical wedicate is ii the bcjfinning of IDildom.
The grammatical subject isfear . It is limited by the adjunct, of the
Lord, nud shown to be limited by the article the (21),
The grammatical predicate is U beginning, in which ia ia the verb or
copula, and beginning the attriliute. It is limited by the adjunct, of
wisdom, und shown to be limited by the.

'f

Iu analyzing ::ientences, it will be necessary always to suppl y words
left out by ellip~is , uu<l to suppl y the aiuecede.nt to th e relntive what , and
th e com po und relativ es., whoever, whosoever, wliatevcr, whatsoever;
making also the chnnge whid1 is necessary in the relatives them.selves,
wiien the antecedent is supplied.

69. MODELS
1. " God is good."

OFcANALYSIS.

Th is is: a simple St>lltence, because it .con ta.ins a subject nncl a predicate.
God is the logical subject, because it is that of which the quality is
uffirmed.
Is good is the log ical predicate, because it affirms a quality or its subject. ls is the verb or copula, and good is the attribute.
In th is se 11tence : th e grammatical suliject and predicnte are the same
ns the logical, because 1hey are not modified by 01her words (16 and
34.)

Or more briefly thus;Th e logical rn bject is God.· ·· ·
Th e logical pred icR te is is good, in w hich is is the verb or copula, nnd
good the attribute.
The grammatical subject and predicate are the same as the logical. ,

2. " The sun and moon stood still."
Th is is a simple sentenc e, with a compound subject.
The log ical subject is 7'he .un and moon.
The logical predicate is stood still.
The gram matical subject is 1un and moon , compound, and connect.ed
by and, both shewn 10 be definite by thc.(21).
T he gmmmnticnl predicate is it.ood, modified by 1till, an ndve'r b, ex...
pressing manner.

3. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.)'

4. "A good man does what [=that which] is right,
from principle."
This jg a compound sentence, containing one leading, and one depend ...
ellt clause, connecte<l by "ID/Lich.
The ii1dept>.11dent clause is ...4. good man doea that from principle.
The dependent clause is whick U right, and i1 restrictive of that in the
leading clause 1 the antt::cedent to ~hick , the connec ting word.
In the first or lendi ng clauseThe logical suhj ec t is ..A good man.
The lngicnl predicate is does that from principle:
The gramma1ical predicnte is ma.H, qualified by good, and· shown to bo
unlimited by a.
The gra mmati<'al predicate i8 doea, modi°fied by its object, that, and the
adjunct from principle; that is modified by the relative clause.
In the secoud, or dependent cluuseThe logical subject is-which. It also connects its clause with the ante ...
cedt:"nt that, nnd restri cts it.
The logical predicate is U right, in which U is the verb or copula, and
rig/it is the att ribute.
The grammatical subject and predicate are the same a• the logical.

-e;.a;

5. "The minutest plant or animal, if attentively
mined, afford s a thousand wonders, and obliges us to
admire and adore the .O mnipotent h~nd by which it was
created."
This is a compound sentence, consia1i?g of one independent clause, and
.
two dependent clauses.
/
The independent clause is The minutest plant·'l!f" animal a.jforda a thou ...
land wonUrs, aud obliges u.s to admire and adure the OmnipOteJa.t haN.d
The firsl dependent clause is [it ~l att~nti?Jely examined, connected al
n condition by if.to the leading verbs a.ff~rd. and oblig<1. .

i..

20

EXERCISES IN -

'.fhc second dependeut clause is by which it WfLS creattd, connected also
by which to hand iu or<ler 10 describe it.
In the independent clnuseThe logi cal subjec t is 'J'he minutest plant or animal.
Th e k•gical predicate is affords a thou.sa1,d wondera, and obliges us to
admire and adore the Omnipotent hand.
The grammatical subject is plant and animal, compound; its parts are
connected by or as alternates and both modified by minutest.
The grammatical predicate is affords aa<l obliges, compound; its parts
are connected by and. .il..fiOrds is modified by its object, wonders,
which is limited by a th,pusand. Obliges is modified' by its object,
us 1 th e infinitives to admire and to adore, of which us is also the sub ..
ject, and these infiuilives are modified by their obje<:t, ltand, which
is qualified aud descriLed Ly Om~iiputent, and the relative clause by
wh-ich it was created. The vcrLs a.fi'ords and obligea are modified also
by the conditional clause if [it is] attentively examined.
~
In the first cJepc11deut clauseThe logical suhjc:ct is it, referring to plant or animal.
The logical predicate is U attentively examined.
The grammatical suhject is it.
The grammatiC"al pre<licat~ is is examim:d. It is modified by the adverb
of manner, attentively.
In the second dependenl clauseThe log ical subject is it, re forri 11g to plant or animal.
The logical predicate is was created by whiclt.
The grammatical subjec t is the same u3 lhe logical.
The grammatical pr~dicate is was created. It is modified by the ad ..
juuct 1 by whicli, referring to hand, its antecedent.

The preceding process of analysis, which takes up so
much room on paper, may be accomplished orally with
great rapidity. Let this be done in the following-

.ANALYSIS .AND ' PARSING,

21

Praise is more acceptableto-.the heart than profitable
to the mind.
He who is first to condemn, will often be the last to
forgive.
True religion gives order and beauty to the world,
and, after life, a better existence.
A little philosophy carries us away from- truth, while
a greater brings us back to it again.
What we know is nothing, but what we are ignorant
of is immense.
Cold water is a warm friend, and strong water is a
powerful enemy to mankind.
Many men have been obscure in their origin and birth,
but great and glorious in life and death.
To hear patiently, and to answer precisely, are the
great perfections of conversation.
Books which save the trouble of thinking, and inventions which save the labor of working, are in universal
demand. ·
Solon compared the people to the sea, and orators and
counsellors to the winds; for (he said) that the sea
would be calm and quiet, if the winds did not trouble it.
Some cultivate philosophy in theory, who are imperfect philosophers in practice-as others advocate religion,
who are nevertheless, indifferently religious.
r ~·

EXERCISES.
In th e same way, analyze the following sentences :

Knowledge is power. Truth is the basis of honor-it
is the beginning of virtue-it liveth and conqµereth forever. Time is a gift bestowed on us by the bounty of
Heaven. The heart and the tongue are the best and the
worst parts of man.
Proficiency in language is a rare accomplishment.

PARSIN9-.
70. PARSING is the resolvin{ of a sentence into its
elements or parts of SP.eech. ·
71. Words may be parsed ,in two ways: Etymoldgi- ,
\ __
cally, and Syntactically.
1. Etymological parsing consists in stating the parts :·

I

22

2,3

EXERCISES IN

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

of speech to which each woql. in a sentence belongs, its
uses and accidents, its inflection, and changes, and derivation.
'
2. Syntactical parsing adds to the above a statement
of the relation in'which the words stand to each other,
and the rules according to which they are combined in
·
phrases and sentences.

to admire and adore the 01pnipotent Hand by which it
was created.""'

ETYMOLOGICAL PARS-ING .
72. The following general principle6 should be remembered, and
steadily kept in view iu parsing every semence, viz:-

1. Every adjective qualifies · or limits a noun or pronoun, expressed or understood.
2. The subject of a verb, that is, the person or thing /
spoken nf, is always in the nominative (except when the
verb is in the infinitive), and is said to be the nominative to the verb.
3. Every verb in the indicative, potential, subjunctive,
or imperative mood, has a nominative or subject, expressed or understood.
4. Every verb in the active voice used transitively,
and every preposition, is followed by a noun or pronoun
ill the objective case, or by an infinitive mood or clause
of a sentence equivalent to it; the objective case, with
few exceptions, is governed by an active transitive verb,
or preposition.
5. The infinitive mood, for the most part, depends on,
or is governed by, a verb, a noun, or an adject!ve.

73.

MODEL OF ETYMOLOGICAL PARSING.

•,. • Though it is taken for grantc<l that pupils have been exercised in
Etymological parsing 'before taking up this book 1 the following example
from the Analytical and practical Grammar,.is inserted aa a earl of model
1hould it be deemed prc)per to resume this exercise here.

"The minutest plant or animal, if [it is] attentively.
examined, affords a thousand wonders, and obliges°' us

Previous to pursing this sentence, the P.upil may be led to und~rstand
il better and pe rceive its pnrtd more distinctlr, by attending to such
qtiestiuns as the following: Wha°i . . i.:s spoke11 of in this sentence? How
are plant and a;iimal qualified? '\rVhat is said of tht:ro thus qualified?
How id wonders limited? What else is said of them? Whom do they
oblige? What do they o!ilige '"to do? How is hu.nd qualified? What
lunui J &.c .

\

74. These words may be.parsed fully, thus:
The . ......•• DEFINITE ARTICLB1 showing tha~ pl.ant and animal a.re
defined.
minuteat .. • .. AN ADJECTIVF., because it qualifies a noun, plant, &c.
compared by er and eat, or by prefixing more and most.
mperlative <li!gree-expresses the greatest degree of ·mi ..
HUtelleS3 compared with others.
plant .. ..•• ,. A ?\OUN-the name of an object.
neuter-is without sex.
nominative, hecause the subject of affor~ and oblig1:1.
.singular-it denot~s but one; Jtlural, plW·
or . •..• , ..... A DISJUNCTIVE CONJU~CTION---connectl'Jlant and animal
as alteruates.
animal ... ,,. A NOUN-the uame... ofe.n object.
neuter-considered without se:x.
nominative. •ingular, for reasona al,ove.

• In parsing· nouns, pronouM1~ and verhfl, it i~ quite unnecessary 10 repeat the word;! gender, number, cue 1 tense , tu.ood, voice. · Thus," Father
is.a noun. musculine ge.ndeT;,, in the nominative caae 1 singular siumber." It is enough, a11d is both neuler nndJ..1riefer 1 to say, "A noun masculine,
in the nominative aingular." So with the verb i insLead of aaying, '
"Loves is a verb," &c., 11 in the present tense. ind1cn.tive mood. ~ activo
voice : third per~on. sinfrular number," it is sufficient and better. to say,
"In the pre~e11t indicati\•e, activt", 1hird person E-ingular".'" Th t: conju ..
gating of regul ar verbs also 1 without any detriment, may he omitted, the
form of the principal pani being sufficieutly !iSc.ertained when I hey are
said tCI b~ regular. All this saves much time, and isjust as explicit as the
full form often used. Also the wordA proper and common. as applied to
nouns, may he omi11ed ; because, whe1her'a nnw1 is proper or common,
makes no difference in the construction of a semenr.c; no use is made of
it 1 nothing dP.pe1JC.ls 011 it. Jn lik.e m.inner;:the designation o( person, asapplied to 11ou11s, may be omitted, except, when they ure of the first or second, if it be understood that they art/ always of the third person when
not otherwise mentioned. This plnn is here adopted nnd recommended.
Still, it is e.xpec1ed that every teac.her,·will adopt that metht>d. which he
thinks best In parsing, econC\my ofti{!le, without loss of advantage, is
an object of much impor~nnce.
-·
.
.

I

24

a •••• •• ••••••

that " thovaand 1Dtmderi"
is put indefinitely as one whole, that is, one th.ovaaxd

IrrnxFINI T E ARTICLit-S.howjng

thou1and • , , • An ADJECTIVE-qual ifie s wondtra.
numeral-denotes number.
card-foal-denotes how many j not compared.
10ondcra,,, ••• A NOUN-the name of an object.
neuter-without sex.
ol?jectiv e-the object of ajfurd>.
plural-denotes more than one.

the succeeding sentence as an addition to the preceding.
•bligt1.. • • • • Same 118 afford>.

and •••• ..

ANALYSIS A'ND PARSING.

EXERCISES IN

if., ..• , ••••• A co NJUNCTioM-connects the sentence, " [it ii] atten.
tentively examined,'' as a condition, to the sentence,
" affords~" &.c.
it . , , , , , , . , , , A Pf.iONoON-StWlds instead of a noun, plant or animal.
neuter-it denotes neither male nor female.
·
peraonal-its fo rm indirateiJ its person.
third peraon-it is spoken of.
1ingular-it denotes but one.
ii e:iamined . • A VERB-expresses nn a.ct.
transitive-expreases an act done to plant, &c., represent..
ed by it.
regular-its past tense and past participle entl in ed.
preaeut-expresses a present act.
indicative-used subjunctively, nnd expresses o. condition.
pauive-represents the subject os acted upon.
third puson-affirms of its subjec t spoken of.
.ingular-affirms of but one.
fl.ttentively . •. AN ADVERB-modifies examined; formed from the ndject~
ive att.enlive l>y adding ly; compared ~y prefixing more
and moJt.
afford.I .••• • A .t ERB-it expresses an act of its subject, plant or animal.
trdLitive-expr~sses what the subject does to its object,
wonder.s.
reg11lar-its past tense and past participle end in ed.
prnent-exprtSSt!S a present act.
indicative-declares simply.
active-represents its subject. as acting.
third per.son-affirms of its subject spoken of.
.ingular-affirms of but one:.

COPVLATJVE CONJUNCTION-COnnects

'"·.' ••...... A

25

PRONOUN-the substitute of the speaker and
others, nnd consequently first person.
masculine or feminine-may denote males or females.
oldective-the object of obligc1.
plural--d.enotes more than one.
P ERSONAL

to admire •.• , A VERB-expresses an net.
tran.aitive-has un object, hand.
regular-its past tense and past participle end in ed.
prcae1it-expresses an act pre~ent at the lime re"rerred to in
th e preceding verb, oblige1.
irifinitive-without limitation of person or number.
active-represents the subject referred to as acting. It is
th e att ribute of ua, or hn.s us for its subject .
·and .. •• . • .. .

COPULATIVE CO~JVNCTION-connects

to adore as an addi.

tlon to to admire.
adore. •.•.. .. Same as admir_<, by ellipsis without the sig n [to.]
the .••••..... DEFINITE AilTICLE-showing that hand .is limited.
Omnipotent .. An AD JEC TIVE-qualifies hand; not compared, because it
d oes not admi t of increase.

hand ..... . .. ·A NOUN-the name or an object.
neuter-without sex.
objective-is th ~ object of admire and adore.
singular-denotes but one, plural, hands.

•

by , , • , , • . . . • A

PREPOSITION-shows

the relat ion bet"\een tcu created

and which.

VJkiclt . .. . • •.

PRONOUN-neuter, in ,the objective singular, and
r efers to hand as its nntece<lent, and is governed by by .
aingular-m eaus but one.

R ELATIVE

it,,.,., . . , , . A

PERSONAL PRONOUN-stands

for plant or animal,

same

as before.
'"'' created • . A vxan-express~s an act done by Tumd, represented by
which.
.
-

transitive-expresses au net done by one person or thing.
to another.
·
reg·ular-its past t ense and post participle end in ed.
past-expresses an act now pust.
indicative--<leclares simply.
passive-represents i\s subject as acttd upon.
tliirdperaon-its subject i&spoken of.
aingular-nfficm.s of ~ue.

I

/

26

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

EXERCISES IN
.ABBREVIATED MODEL.

75. The length of time necessary to parse even a few ·
words in this way, renders it impracticable to do it
often, though occasionally it may be profitable. The following brief method will answer every purpose:7'/tc . . , . . .. , . Defirnte a rticle, belonging to plant and am.mal, and show..
ing them to be limited.
u1 il. ut esl. ... . Adjcf:tive, superlutive degree, qu alifying plant 1 &c.
7tl1m t . . . ... . . A noun, neuter, in the uomillative singular, subject of
affords.
ur .. .. ...... A disjuuctive coujunction, connec~ing plant nnd at1imal as
alternates.
animal . ..... A noun 1 neuter, in the nominative singular, sU:bject of
affords.
if. ....... . . . A coujunction, connecting the sentences.
it . ..... .. . . . Third personal pronoun, neuter, in the nominative singular,
standing for plant or animal, and subject of is examined.
is ci:ami'i:ed. A verb trnnsili ve , r egular, in lhe present indicative, paS.e, expre::sing what is done to its subjt!Ct~ it, used fol'
plant or animal.
atl c 11t iv c ~y .. An adverb, modifymg examined; compared by more nnd
m ost.
njfords . .... , A verb transitive, regular, in the present indicative, active·,
third person sing-ular, and affirms of plant or animal.
a . .. .. .... . . Indefinite article showing thou1and to be indefinite.
thousand . . . . A numeral adjective, used to qualify wonders.
JD01lders , ... A noun, neuter, in the objecth'e plural, object of ajforda.
and . ..... . ... A copulative conjunction j conueclS th e predicates ajforda~
&c , aud obliges.
oblig es . . . . .. A verb transitive, re gular, in the present indicative, active,
third person ~ i ngul a r , and affirms of plant or animal,

us .. , .. , . ..•. First personal pronoun, masculine or feminine. iu the objective plural, object of obligei, and subject of to
admire, &c .
t o adm ire . ... A verb transitive, regulnr 1 in the present infinitive, active,
attribute of U l 1 or object of oblige1.
and . .... , . .. A copulative conjuuct ion; connects to admire and toador'e.
to adore .... A verb tr;rnsiti ve, r egular, in the present infinitive, activet
predicate of us, or olJjoct of oblig.,,

"'

27

the . . • . • . . . . Definite Hrticle, showing hand to be limited.

Omnipotent . An adjective, qualifying hand; not compared.
hand .. • .•.•• A noun, neuter, in the objective singular, object of adore ,
by .•••• . •, ••• A preposition, which sh~ws the relatiori between u;aa created and w/,ich.
toll.iclJ. .••••• • A relative pronoun, related to hand as its antece<lent, objective, aud governea by by.
it . ..... •. , , . Third personal pronoun, same n..s before j subject of uaa
created.
.
IDU

created .. A verb transitive, regular, in the p8.9t indicative, passive,
third person singular, and affirms of it.

SYNTACTICAL PARSING.

76 .' Syntactical parsing includes etymolDgical, and
adds to it a statement_of the relation in which words
stand to each other, and the rules according, to which
they are combined in phrases and sentences.
Before parsing a sentence syntactically, it should first ,
be analyzed, as directed (68), and exemwified ( 69.)
MODEL OF SYNTACTICAL PARSING.

"The minutest plant or animal, if attentively · examined, affords a thousand wonders, and obliges us to
admire and adore the Omnipotent hand by which it was
created."
This sentence contains nil the parts of speech except the int.erjection.
It is parsed etymologically (74 and 75,) and analyzed, (69-5,) ~bicb
see. It may now be parsed sy111actically 1 _ as foll~ws.:

The •..•••••• is the DEFINITE ARTICLE i it belongs tb plant or animal;
and shows 1hese words to be 1imited.-RULE. "The
article the is put,'" &c.
minutest • ••• • is an ADJR<'TIVE. compared here hy er ~nd eat, superlative..._
and qualifies plant or animal.-RULR. "An ndjec tive or .
participle, 11 &c.
plant . ..••••. is a NOUN, neuter, in the nominnth·e singular, the subject
or affords and oblige..:_RuLJi:. "The subject of a.finite
verli," &c.

28

29

EXERCISES IN

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

er. ••••• .. . . . is a DISJUNCTIVE CONJUNCTION', connecting as alternates

and .•••• •. ... is a COPULATIVE CONJU!'l'CTION j it connects to admire and
to adore.-RULE. ''Conjunctions co1111ect," &c.
to adiJre . ..... is the so.me in parsing and constructiou as to admire.
titc .......... i.s the DEFIN IT1': ARTICI..E j it belongs to hand 1 a11d show.s it

plant aud animal.-RULE· "Conjunctions conuect 1 "
&c.
animal ...• •• is n NOUN, neut er, in the nominative singular-same a.s:
plant-and connected with it by or.-RULE as above.
if.. .... .. ... . is a CONJUNCTION i it connects its clnuse with the preceding
as a comlilion.-R uLE. "Conjunctions connect," &c.
it ...... ..... . (ulld e rstnod) is ll third PERSONAL PRONOUN, neuter, in the
nominative singular i it sta11ds for plant or an~mal.­
RU LE. ''\\"hen a pronoun refers:" &c . .; and j5 th e sub.
ject of is examined.-RULE. " 'fhe subject of a finite
verb ." &c .
ii examined .. is a VERB~ transitive, regular,• in the pre!ent indicative,
passive, expressing an net done to its ~uhject it, with
which it agrees.-RULE. "A verb agrees," &c.attenlivt.ly ... is an ADVERB, de rived from attentive , and compared by
more nnd most; il modifies is examined.-RULE. "Ad.
verbs modify, " &c.
affords . •••... is a VERB, transi ti ve, re gulnr; in the present indicative,
active, th irtl person singular; agrees wW1, nnd affirms
of plant or animal.-RULE 3 under RULE-" Two or
m~r f': substan ti ves singular," &c.
a ••••• • .•••.• jg the IN DEFINITE ARTICLE, and belongs to thousand. It
shows that the number is regarded as one agpelfate.RULE. " The ar ti cle a or an,:' &c.
thousa1ld ..... is a NUMERAL ADJECTIVE, cardinal, quqlifying wondera.RuLE. "An adjective or pnrticiple," he.
ZDondtrs ...... is u NOUN, neuter, in the objective plural, the object
nnd
governed by, a.ffords.-Ru1.E. " A transitive verh," &c.
and .•.. • • •... is a COPULATIVE CONJUNCTION; it connects ajfor<U and
obliges.-RULE. "Conjunctious connec t," &c .
obliges ......• is the same as affords. See a bove .
ta .•.•• ••••.. is a PERSONAL PRONoUN 1 first person, masculin~ or femi.
nine, in lhe objective plural, the object of, and gove rned
by, obliges.-RULE. "A transitive verb." &c. It is at
th e same time the subject of to admire ~m) to acforc.RuLE· ':The infinitive ns the subject," &c.
to admire., ••. is a VERB, trans.jtive, regular, in the present infiuitive,
nc1ive, governed by obliges.-RULE. "'.fhe infinitive
mood is governed," &c.

lo be

limited.-RULE.

"The article. the," &c.

011mipvteni .. is au ADJECTIVE~ not compared, becau.:;e it doed uot admit
of iucrea.se. 1t qualifies hand.-R~L &. u An adjective

or participle, " &c.
hand . ..•••• . is a NouN, neuter, in the objecth•e singular, governed by to
admire nnd tu adore.-RULE. "A transitive verb," &.c.
by ...... .... .. is a PUEPOSITION; it shows the relation betwct:n
ere.
al-ed and whic1'.
which ...... .. is a RELATIVK PRnNOUN, neuter, in the objecti,~e singular;
refer.:; to, and agrees with, hand as its autecedcnt.-RULE·
"The relative ngrees," &c . ; aud i$ governed by by.11
RULE.
A preposition goveruS," &c. It connect.. its
clause with hand, and describes it.
it ..... .... .. is a PRONOUN, same as before i i.:; the subject of wa.s created.
-R ULE. "The subject of a finite verb," &c.
soas created .. is a VERB, transitive, regular, in the past ind ica.th•e, passive,:
th ird pe rson singular; affi rms of, and agrees with it.RULE VIII. "A verb agrees," &c.
In the same maimer, parse the other s1::ntences an alyzed (69.)

.was

or,

• Conj~gation !s here om ilted for brevity, it berng unnece!snry, becausa
the verb is menlloned us regular.

I

I.)

PART I.
SELECTIONS IN PROSE.

SECTION I.
S elect S entences.
•-.•Jn th ~ fo\l ow i n~ anal yz e eac h se 11tence us U. irecte<l {69) , nncl parse
according to model l 75 )i if thought proper, a1!<l th en syntnc ticall y as
di re c ted \ 7G) .

1. The great business of man is lto improve his mind
and govern his manners .
The whole univer se is his library ; conversation, his living studies ; and r emarks upon them are his best tutors.
Learning is the t emperance of youth, the comfort of
old age, and the only sure guide to honor and preferment.
2. Aristotle says,2 that to become an able man in any
profession whatever, three things are necessary-which
are, nature , study, and practice.
To endure present evils with patience, and wait for
expect ed good with long suffering, is equally the part of
the Christian and the h ero .
3. Adversity overcome, is the highest glor y ; and willingly undergone, the greatest vir tue : sufferings are but
the trials of gallant spirits.
.
Never employ yourself to cliscern1 the faults of others;
but be careful t o amend and prevent your own .
l. An. 798, Pr. 265 .
2. An . 802, Pr. 286.

3. An . 882 1 Pr. 385.

A N ALYSIS AND PARSI NG.

31

4. There is an odious spirit in many persons, who are
better pieascd to detect a fault than to commend a virtue.
The worthiest people are most injured by slande rers~
as we usually find that to be the best fruit , whi ch the
birds have Leen picking at.
5. When a 1!1an loses his integrity, he loses the foundation of his virtue.
A contented mind is a continual fe ast; and the pleasure of .the banquet is greatly augmented, by knowing
that each man may become his own entertainer .
. 6. Man is born for society, without which virtue
wonld have no foll owers, the w orld would be lwithout
allurements, and life w ithout pleasures .
It 2is natural fo r us t o contract the passions as well as
the habits of those with whom we are familiar; to follow their vices, as w ell as to imitate their virtues.
7. Be sincere in all your words, prudent in all your
actions, and obliging in all your manners .
H e who begins an affair without judgment, ought not
to be sur prised if it encl without success .
If justi ce direct you in the pursuit of gain, tranquility
will attend yo u in the enjoyment of it.
8. ' Vc arc more indebted to our parents than to all the
world besides . To other persons we may owe much,
btJt to them w e owe ourselves . If ingratitude to others,
therefor e, is hat eful, that which is shown to parents is
most horrid and detestable.
l\fakc a proper use of your time, and r emember that
wheri it is once gone it can never be r ecalled.
9. Attend diligently to thy business; it will keep thee
from wickedness, from poverty, and from shame.
1. An. 621, Pr. 265 .

2. An . 246-4, Ex. 27.

EXERCISES IN

LSEC.

He who harbors malice in his heart will fh~d, to his
sorrow' !that a viper has been nourished in his .bosom.
:Men make themselves ridiculous, not RO much by the
qualities [ which2) they have, as by the affectation of those
they have not.
10. To say little and perform much, is the characteristic of a great mind.
No preacher is so successful as time. It gives a turn
to thought to the aged, which it was impossiLleto inspire
while they were young.
The injuries 2we do, and those we suffer, are seldom
weighed in the same balance.

SECTION II.

Select Paragraphs.

1. That3 every day has its pains and sorrows is universally experienced, and almost universally confessed.
But k t us not attend only to mournful truths: if we
look impartially about us, we shall find, that every day
has likewise its pleasures and its joys.
2. vYc should4 cherish sentiments of charity towa rds
all men . 'l'he Author of all good, nourishes much piety.
and virtue in hearts that are unknown to us ; and beholds re pentan~e ready to spring up among m::my whom
we consider as reprobates.
'
3. No one ought5 to consider himself as insignificant in
the sin-ht of his Creator. In our several stations w~ are
all sc~t forth Gto be ~aborer15 in the vineyard of our heav1. An. 802, Pr, 286,
2. " 75 1, " 353 ,
3, Ex. 26.

4. An . 363, Pr. 172.
. 5. " . 515 . " 220.
6. " 882, " 385.

11.]

ANALYSIS AND PARSING .

33'

enly Father. Every man has his work allotted, his
talent committed .to him; by· the due improvement of
which he may, in one way or other, serve God, promote
1
virtue, and be useful in the world.
4. 'l'he love of praise should be preserved under proper
subordination to the principle of duty. In, itself, it is a
useful motive to action; but when allowed to extend its
influence too far, it corrupts the whole character, and
produces guilt, disgrace, and misery. ITo be entirely
destitute of it, is a defect. To be governed by it, is depravity. The proper adjustinent of the several principles of action in human nature is a matter that deserves
our highest attention. For when any one of them
becomes either too weak or too strong, it endangers'both
our virtue and our happiness. ·
5. The desires and passions of a vicious man, having
once obtained . an unlimited sway, trample him under
their feet. They mak!l him feel that he is subject to
various contradictory and imperious masters, who often
pull him different ways. His soul is r~ndered2 the receptacle of many repugnant and jarring· dispositions; and
resembles some barbarous country, cantoned out into
different principalities, 'which are continuaily waging
war on one1 another.
,,.
6. Diseases, poverty, disappointment, and shame, are
. far from being, in every instance, the unavoidable doom4
of man . They are much more frequently the offspring
of his own misguided choice. Intemperance engenders
disease, sloth produces poverty, pride creates disappointments, and dishonesty exposes5 to shame. The ungov-·
1. An. 869 , Pr. 383 1 Ex. 24 .
2 . " 796 and 797, Pr. 361.
3. " 673, Pr. 358.

4. An . 799, Pr. 362 .
5. Pr. 292.

3

/
/

3!

EXERCISES IN

erned· passions of men betray them into a thousand
follies; their follies I into crimes; and their crimes into
misfortunes .
7. IV-hen we reflect on the many distresses which
abound in human life; on the scanty proportion of happiness which any man is here 11llowed to enjoy; on the
small difference which the diversity of fortune m11kes on
that scanty proportion; it2 is surprising, that envy should
ever have been a prevalent passion among men, much
more that it should have prevailed among Christians.
Where so much is suffered in common, little room is left
for envy . There is more occasion for pity and sympathy, and au inclination to assist each3 other.
8. At our first setting out in life, whcn4 yet unacquainted with the world and it8 snares, when every
pleasure enchants with its smile, and every obj ect shi ~es
with the gloss of novelty, let us beware5 of the seducmg
appearances which surround us, and r ecollect what
others have suffered from the power of headstrong desire. If we allow any passion, even though it be esteemed innocent, to acquire an absolute ascendant, our
inward peace will be impaired. But if any ~'V hich has
the ta int of guilt, take early possession of our mind, we
may date, from that moment, the ruin of our tranquility.
9. Every man has some darling passion, which generally affords the first introduction to vice. The irregular gratifications into which it occasionally seduces him,
appear under the form of venial weaknesses; and are
indulged in the beginning, with scrupulousness and reJ. An. 978-6 . Pr. 450.
2. " 246-4, Ex. 27 and 26.
3. " 673,
Pr. 358.

III.]

[SEO.

4. Supplv " we are ."
5. An. 468 , Pr. 182-3.

ANALYSIS •AND PARSING.

35

serve. But, by longer practice, these restraints weaken;
and the power of habit grows. One vice brings in another to its aid. By a sort of natural .affinity, they con- .
nect and entwine themselves together; till their roots
come to be spread widel and deep over·all the soul.
1

SECTION III.

Moral Reflections.
1. ·whence arises the misery of this present world?It is not owing to our cloudy atmosphere, our changing ,
seasons, and inclement skies. It is not owing to the
debility of our bodies; or to the unequal disti:ibution of
the goods of fortune. Amidst all • disadvantages of this
kind, a pu~e, a steadfast, and enlight.ened mind, possessed of strong virtue, could enjoy itself in Jleace, and
smile2 at the impotent assaults of fortune and the elements. It is within ourselves that misery has fixed its·
scat. Our disordered hearts, our guilty passions, our
violent prejudices, and misplaced desires, are the instruments of the trouble which we endure. These sharpen
the darts which adversity would otherwise point in vain
against us.
2. While the vain3 and. the licentious are revelling in
the midst <if extravaganc~ and riot, how little do they
.think of those scenes of sore distress which are passing,
at that moment, throughout the world; · multitudes4
struggling for. a poor subsistence, to support the wife
1. An. 685, Pr. 363.
3. An. 201, Pr. 102.
2. " 958, Pr. § 40, R. 18.
4. The object of',' think of," in the preceding clause i so

also, "multitudes," "many," '.' families," in 'the following.

36

EXERCISES IN

[sEC.

and children whom they l~ve, and who look up to them
with eager eyes for that bread which they can hardly
procure; multitudes groaning under sickness in desolate
cottages, untended and unmourned; many, apparently
in a better situation of life, pining away in secret with
concealed griefs; families weeping over the beloved
friends whom they have lost, or, in all the bitterness of
anguish, bidding those who are just expiring the last
adieu.
3. Never adventure on too near an approach to what
·is evil. Familiarize not yourselves with it, in the slightest instances, without fear. Listen with reverence to
every reprehension of conscience; and preserve the most
quick and accurate sensibility to right and wrong. If
ever your moral impressions begin to decay, and
your natural abhorrence of guilt lto lessen, you have
ground to· dread that the ruin .of virtue is fast approaching.
4. By disappointments and trials, the violence of our
passions is tamed; and our minds are formed to sobriety
and rciiection. In the varieties of life, occasioned by the
vicissitudes of worldly fortune, we are inured to habits
both of the a_ctive and of the suffering virtues. How much
soever we complain of the vanity of the· world, facts
plainly show, that if its vanity2were less, it could i:ot
answer the purpose of salutary discipline. Unsatisfactory as it is, its pleasures are still too apt to corrupt our
hearts. How fatal, then, must the consequences have
been, 3had it yielded us more complete enjoyment! If,
with all its troubles, we are in danger of being too much
attached to i~, how entirely would it have seduced our
1. An. 978-6. Pr. 450.

2. "

439-2, " § 24, vii.

3. An. 389. Pr. App. xviii.

ANALYSIS ANp· P,ARSINu.

UL]

37

dfections, if no troubles had been ·mingled with its pleasures?
5. In seasons of distress or difficulty, to abandon ourselves to dejection, carries no mark of a great or a
worthy mind. Instead of sinking under trouble, and
declaring "that his soul is weary of life," itl becomes a
wise and a good man, in the evil day, with firmness to
maintain his post-to bear up against the storm-to have
recourse to those advantages which, in the worst of
times, are always left to integrity and virtue-and never
to give up the hope that better days may yet arise.
6. How many young persons have at first set out in
the\ vorld with excellent dispositions of heart; generous,
charitable, and humane: kind to their friends, and amiable among all with whom they had intercourse!-and ,
yet how often have we seen all those fine appearances
unhappily blasted in the progress of life, merely through
the influence of loose and corrupting pleasures, and those
very persons wh,o promised once to be blessings2 to the
world, sunk down, in the end, [so as] 3to be the burden
and nuisance of society.
The most common propensity of ma'nkind, is to store
futurity with whatever is agreeable to them; especi:i.lly
in those periods of life when imagination is lively, and
hope is ardent. Looking forward to the year now beginning, they arc ready to promise themselves much from
the foundations of prosperity which they have laid, from
the friendships and connexions which they have secured,
and fro:n the plans of conduct which they have formed.
Alas! how deceitful do4 all these dreams ' of happiness
1. An. 246-4, Ex. 27.

2.

"

799, Pr . 362.

3. An. 884, Pr. 386.
4.. " 502, " 210.

/
/"

38

EXERCISES IN

(SEC.

IV.]

often prove! "'While many are saying in secret to their
hearts), "To-morrow shall .be as this day, and mor~
abundant," we are obliged in turn to say to them,
"Boast not yourselves of to-morrow, for you know not
what a day may bring forth."

SECTION IV.

The Hill of Science.-[ AIKIN.]
1. In that season of the year, when the serenity of the
sky, the various fruits which cover tqe ground, the ~is­
colored foliage of the trees, and all the sweet, but fading
graces of inspiring autumn, open the mind to benevolence, and dispose it fo~· contemplation, I was wandering
in a beautiful and romantic country, till curiosity began
to give way to weariness, and I sat down on the fragment
of a rock, overgrown with moss, where the rustling of the
fallino- leaves the dashinoo0 of waters, and the hum of the
dista1~t city, ~oothed my mind into a mostl perfect tranquility, and sleep insensibly stole upon me, as I was
indulging the agreeable reveries which the objects around
me naturally inspired.
2. I immediately found myself in a vast, extended
pkin, in the middle of which arose a mountain, higher
than [that which] I had before any eonc.e ption of. It
was covered with a multitude of people, chiefly youth,
many of whom pressed forward with the liveliest expres··
sion of ardor in their countenance, though the way was
in many places steep nnd difficult.
3. I observed those who had but just begun to climb

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

39

the hill, thought themselves not far from the top; but as
they proceeded, new hills were continually rising to _their
view, and the summit of the highest they could before
discern seemed but the foot of another, till the moun. ta.in ~t length appeared to lose itself in the clouds.
4. As I was gazing on these things with astonishment,
a friendly instructor suddenly appeared: "The mountain before thee," said he, "is the Hill of Science. On
the top is the temple of truth, whose. head is above the
clouds, and a veil of pure light covers lher face. Observe
the progress of her votaries;. be silent and attentive."
·5 . After I had noticed a variety of objects, •I turned
my eyes towards the multitudes who were climbing the
steep ascent, and observed amongst them a youth of ·a.
lively look, a piercing eye, and 2something fiery and irregular in all his motions. His nfi:me was Genius. He
darted like an 3eagle up the mountain, and left his companions gazing after him with envy and admiration; but
his progress was unequal, and interrupted by a thousand
caprices.
6. When lPleasurewarbled in the valley, he mingled
in her train; when Pride beckoned towards the precipice, he ventured to the tottering edge. He delighted in
devious and untried paths, and made so many· excursions from the road that his feebler companions often
outstripped him. I observed 4that the Muses beheld him
with partiality, but truth often frowned and turned
aside her face ."
7. While Genius was thus wasting his strength in eccentric flights, I saw a person of very different appearl . An. 1046-1, Pr. 552-1.

1. An. 224, Pr. 405 1 Obs.

2. Something-, adv.=in some degree-not elegant.

. \.

3. An . 1323- 3, Pr. 236-3.

r

4. An . 802 1 Pr. 286.

:·'

40

EXERCISES IN

[SEC.

ance, named !Application. He crept along with a slow
and unremitting pace, his 2eyes fixed on the top of- the
mountain, patiently removing every stone that obstructed
his way; till he saw most of those below him, who had
at first derided his slow and toilsome progress.
8. Indeed, there were few who ascended the hill with
equal and uninterrupted steadiness; for, besides the difficulties of the way, they were continua.lly solicited to
turn aside, by a numerous crowd of Appetites, Passions,
and Pleasures, whose .importunity, when once 3complied,
with, they became less and less able to r esist; and
though they often 'returned to the path, the asperities of
the road were more severely felt; the hill appeared more
steep and rugged; the fruits,- which were wholesome and
r efreshing, seemed harsh and,ill tast ed; their ~ight grew
dim, and their feet tripped at every little obstruction.
9. I saw, with some surprise, that the Muses, whose
business was 4to cheer and encourage those who were
toiling up the ascent, would often sing in the bowers
of Pleasure, and accompany those who were enticed
away at the call of the Passions. They accompanied
them, however, but a little 5way, and always forsook them when they lost sight of the hill. The tyrants
then doubled their chains upon the unhappy captives,
and led them away, without resis tance, to the cells of
Ignorance, or the mansions of Misery.
·
10. Amongst the innumerable seducers who were endeavoring to draw away the votaries of Truth from the
path of Science, 6there was one, so little formid~ lJle in
her appearance, and so gentle and languid in her at-

IV.]

2.
3.

"
"

4. An . 622, Ex. 32
5. " 82'l, Pr. 307.
6. " 529. " 230- 8.

41

tempts, that I should scarcely ha.v~ taken notice of her,
but for the numbers she had imperceptibly loa..ded with
her cha.ins.
11. Indolence (for so she was called), far from proceeding t o open hostilities, did not attempt to turn their
feet out of the path, but contented herself with retarding their progress; and the purpose lshe could not force
them to abandon, she persuaded them to delay. Her
to~ch had a power like that of the torpedo, which
withered the strength of those who came within its influence. Her . unhappy captives still turned their faces
towards the teipple, and always hoped to arrive there;
but the ground seemed to slide 2from beneath their feet
and they found th emsel ves . a.t the bottom, before the;
. suspected they had changed their place.
12. The pbcid serenity which at first appeared in
their countenance, changed by degrees into a melancholy
languor, which was tinged with deeper and deeper gloorp,
as they glided clown the stream of Insignificance-a dark
and sluggish water, which is curled by no breeze, and
enlivened by no murmur, till it falls into a dead sea
where startled passengers are a.wakened by the shock:
and the next moment buried in the gulf of Oblivion.
13. Of all the unhappy deserters from the paths of
Science, none seemed less able to return than the 3followers of Indolence. 'l'he captives of Appetite and Passion
4would often seize the moment when their. tyrants wer~
languid or asleep, 5to escape fro111 their ench11ontment; but
the dominion of Indolence was constant and unremitted .
and seldom r esisted, till r esistance was in vain.
.
l.

Pr. 360.
769,
" 442.
.321-2, " 153-1.

1. An. 796,

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

An. 751,

2.

"

3,

"

P:-. 3-53.

547.
978-5.

' 4. An. 360, Pr. 162-3.
5. " 882, " 385.

42

EXElWISES IN"

[SEC.

14. After contemplating these things, I turned my
eyes tow ards the top of the mountain, "·here the air
was always pure and exhilirating, the path lshadcd with
laurels and evergreens, and the effulgence which be:imed
from the face of Science seemed to shed a glory round
her votaries. Happy, said I, are they who are permitted
to ascend the moumain! But while I was pronouncing
this exclamation, with uncommon ardor, I saw standing
beside me a form of diviner features, and a more benign
radiance.
15. "Happier," said she, "are they whom virtue
conducts to lhe Mansions of Content!" 2" What," said
I, "does Virtue, then, reside in the vale?" " I ~.m
found," said she, "in the vale, and I illuminate the
mountain; I cheer the cottager at his toil, and inspire
the sage at his meditation; I mingle in the crowd of
cities, and bless the hermit in his cell; I have a temple
in every h~ art that owns my influence, and to him that
wishes for me, I am already present. Science may raise
thee to eminence, b~t I alone can guide thee to felicity!"
16. While Virtue was thus speaking, I s~retched out
my arms towards her, with a vehemence which broke
my blumbcr. The chill dews were falling around me,
and the shades of evening 3stretched over the landscape.
I hn,stcned homeward, and resigned the night to silence
and meditation.
SECTION V.
The Importance of a Guod E du.cation.- ADDISON.

1. I consider a human soul, without education, like
marble in the quarry; which shows .n one. of its inherent
1. An. 958, Pr. § 40, R~18.
2. " 558, " 239- 1.

3. An. 323, Pr. 155.

v.J

ANALYSIS ' AND PARSING.

beauties, until the skill of the polishe! fetches out the
colors, makes the surface !shine, and discoverli every< ornamental cloud, spot, and vein that runs through the
body of it. Education, after the same manner, when it
works upon a noble mind, draws out to view every latent
virtue and perfection, .which, without such helps, nre
never able to make their appearance.
2, Ifmy reader will give me leave to change the allusion so soon upon him, I shall mnke use of the same
inst:ince 2to illustrate the force of education, which Aristotle has brought to explain his doctrine of substantial
forms, when he tells us that a statue lies hid in a block
of marble, n,nd that the art of the statu;ry only clears
away the superfluous matter, nnd removes the rubbish.
The figure is in the stone, and the scu,lptor only finds it.
3. ·what sculpture is to a block 9f marble, education
is to a human soul. The . philosopher, the saint, or the
hero; the wise, the good, or the great man, very often
lies hid and concealed in a plebeian, 3v:-hich o. proper education ~ight have disinterred, and have brought to light.
I ;im therefore much delighted with reading the accounts
of savage nations; and with contemplating those virtues
which are wild and uncultivated; to see courage exerting itself in fierceness, resolution in obstinacy, wisdom
in cunning, patience in sullenness and despair.
4. Men's passions operate variously, and appear in
different kinds of actions, 4according as they are more or
less rectified and .swayed by reason. ·when one hears
of negroes, who, upon the death of their masters, or
upon changing their ~ervice, hang themselves upon the
1. An. 877, Pr . 387,
2. " 882, " 385 .

3. An. 747.
4, " 524, Pr. 230-1.

44

EXERCISES IN

[SEC.

next tree, as it sometimes happens in our .American
plantations, who can forbear admiring their fidelity,
though it expresses itself in so dreadful a manner?
5. llt is therefore an unspeakaLle blessing, to be born
in tho,;c parts of the world where wisdom and know
ledge fl ourish; though, it must .be confessed, there are,
oven in these parts, several poor uninstructed persons,
who are but little above the inhabitants of those nations of which I have been here speaking; as those who
have had the advantages of a more li beral education, rise
above one another by several different degrees of perfec tion.
6. For, 2to return to our statue in the block of marble,
we see it soml'timcs only begun to be chipped, sometimes
roun-h hew n and 1utjust sketched into a human figure;
son~etimes ,~·e see the man appearing distinctly in all his
limbs and features; sometimes we find the fi gure wrought
up to great elcgancy; hut seldom meet with any to
which the hand of a 3Phidias or a Praxiteles could not
give several nice touches and finishings.
'

SECTION YI.

On the Imp ortance o.f Order in the Distribution of our
Time.-BLAIR.
1. 'rime we ought to consider as a sacred trust, commi tted to us by God; of which we are now the depositories , and arc 4to render an account at the last. That
portion of it which he has allotted to us, is intended
partly for the concerns of this world, partly for those
1. An. 246-4, Ex.

2.

"

886.

27.
Pr. 339.

3. An. 105, Pr. 60-1.
4. " 43~,

VI.]

ANALYSIS .AND PARSING.

45

of the next. · Let each of these occupy, in the distribution of our time, that space which properly belongs to it.
2. Let not 'the hours of hospitality and pleasure interfere ·With the discharge of our .necessary affairs j and let
not what we call necessary affairs, encroach upon the
time which is due to devotion. 'l'o everything there is a
season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven.
Ifwe delay till to-morrow what ought to be done today, we overcharge th!l morrow with a burden which
belongs not to it. We load the wheels of time, and pre
vent them fr om carrying us along smoothly.
3. Ile who every lmorning plans the transactions of
the day, and follows out that plan, carries on a thread
which will guide him through the labyrinth of the most
busy life. The orderly arrangement of his time, is like
a ray of light, which darts itself through all his affairs.
But where no pl:i.n is laid, where the disposal of time is
surrender ed merely to' the chance of incidents, all things
lie huddled t ogether in one chaos, which admits neither
of distribution nor review.
4. 'fhe first requisite for introducing order into the
management of time, is, to be impressed with a ju.s t sense
of its value. 2Let us consider well how much depends
upon it, and how fast it flies away. The bulk of men
are in nothing more capricious and inconsistent, than in
their appreciation of time. When they think of it, as
the measure of their continuance on earth, they highly
prize it, and with the greatest anxiety, seek to lengthen
it out.
~- But when they view it in separate 'parcels, they
appear to. hold_ it in contempt, and squander it with in1. An. 828, Pr. 307,

2. A n. 468; Pr. 182-3.

vu.]

46

EXERCISES IN

considerate profusion. While they complain that life is
;;hort, they are often wishing its difI;erent periods lat an
end. Covetous of every other possession, 'o f time only
they are prodigal. .They allow every idle man to be
master of this property, and make every frivolous· occupation welcome that can help them to consume it.
6. Among those who are so careless of time, it is not
to be expected that .order should be observed in its dis~
tribution. But by this fatal neglect, how many materials of severe and lasting regret are they laying up in
store for themselves! The time which they suffer to
pass away in the midst of confusion, ,bitter repentance.
seeks afterwards in vain to r ecall. What was omitted to
be done at its proper moment, arises to be the torment
of some future season.
7. Manhood is tlisgrnced by the consequences of neglected youth. Old age, oppressed by cares that belonged
to a former period, labors under a burden not its own.
At Hie close of life, the dying ·man ·beholds with anguish
that his d(lys are 2finishing, when his preparation for
eternity is' hardly commenced. Such arc the effects of a
disorderly waste of time, through not attending to its
value. Everything in the life of such persons is misplaced . Nothing is performed aright, from 3not being
performed in due season .
8. But he who is orderly in the distribution of his
time, takes the proper method of escaping.those manifold evils. He is justly said to redeem the time.
By proper management he prolongs it. He lives much
in little space; more in a few years, than others ·do in
many. He can live to God and his own soul, and at the
1. An. 887.

2.

" 457, Pr. 190.

3. An. 819,Pr. 301.

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

(SEO.

47

same time attend to all the lawful interests of the present
world. He looks back on 't he past, and provides· for t.he
future.
9. He catches and arrests the hours as.they fly. They
are marked down for useful purposes, and their memory
remains . V'thereas those hours fleet by the nian of confusion, like a shadow. His days and y~ars are either
blanks, of which he has no remembrance, or they are
filled up with so confused and irregular a succession of
unfinished transactions, tha,t though he r emembers he
has been .busy, yet he can give·no account of the business
which has employed him.

SECTION VII.

On the Pleasure of Acquiring Knowledge.

1. In every period of life, the acquisition of knowledge
is one of the most pleasing employments of the human
mind. But in youth, there are circumstances which
make it productive of higher enjoyment. llt is then that
everything has the charm of novelty; that curioj)ity and.
fancy are awake; and that the heart swells with the
anticipations of future eminence and utility. Even in
. tho'se lower branches of instrnction which we call mere
2nccomplishments, there is something always pleasing to
the young in their acquisition.
2. They seem 3to become every well educated person;
they adorn, if they do not dignify humanity; and what
is far more, while they give an elegant employment to
hours of leisure and relaxation, they afford a 4means of
1. An. 246-4, Ex. 27,&26. 3. An. 621,

2.

" 810-,

Pr. 288.

4. "

~59~2 1

Ex. 31.
Pr. 78.,-5. Note.

4.S

EXERCISES IN

(sEC,

contributing to the purity and innocence of domestic life.
But in the acquisition of knowledge of the higher kind ,
-in the hours whe_n the young gradually begin the study
of the laws of nature, and of the faculties of the human
mind, or of the magnificent revelations of the Gospel ,1there is a pleasure of a sublimer nature.
3. '!'he cloud, which in their infant years seemed to
cover rn1ture from their view, begins gradually to resolve. The world in which they are placed, opens with
all its wonders upon their eye; their powers of attention
and observation seem to expand with the scene before
them; and while they see, for the first time, the immensity of the universe of God, and mark the majestic simplicity of th~se laws by which its operations are con·
ducted, they feel as if they were awakened to a higher
species of bei ng, and admitted into nearer intercourse
with the Author of Nature.
4. It is this period, accordingly, more than all ?thers,
that determines our hopes or fears of the future fate of
the young. To feel no joy in such pursuits,-to listeH
car elessly to the voice which brings such magnificent
instruction,-to see the veil raised which conce11ls the
counsels of the D~ity, and to show no emotion at the
discovery, -~are symptoms of a weak and torpid spirit-of a mind unworthy of the advantages it possesses,
and fitted only for the humili ty of sensual and ignoble
pleasure.
5. Of those, on the contrary, who distinguish themselves by the love of knowledge,-who follow with ardor
the career that is open to them,-we are apt to form the
most honorable presages. It is the character which is .
natur al to youth, and which, t herefore, promises well of
1. An. 529, Pr. 238-8.

2. An. 778, Pr. 308.

VIL]

.A.NA~YSIS .

AND PARSING.

49

their maturi.ty. We foresee for them, at ·least, a life of
pure and virtuous enjoyment: and we are willing to an- .
ticipate no common share of future usefulness and splendor.
''
6. In the second place, the pursuits of knowledge lead
not only to happiness, but to honor, "Length of days
is in her right hand, and in her left are riches 11nd honor." llt is honorable to excel, ·even in the most trifling
species of knowledge-in those which can·amuse only the
passing ho~r. It is more honorable to excel in those different .branches of science, which are connected with the
liber al professions oflife, and which t end so much to the
dignity and well-being of humanity.
7. It is the means of raising the most obscure to
esteem and attention ; it opens to the just ambition of
youth, some of the most distinguished and respected situations in society; and it places them ther e, with the
consoling reflectiol}, that it is to their own industry and
labor, in the providence of God, that they are alone indebted for them. But, to excel in the higher attainments
of knowledge,-to be distinguished in those greater pur suits -ivhich haye commanded the attention, and exhausted the abilities of the wise in every former age,- is, perhaps, of all the distinctions of human understan~ing , the
most honorable and grateful.
'
. 8. '\Vben we look back upon the great men who ljave
gone before us in every path of g1ory 1 we feel our eye
turned fr om the career of war and of ambition, and involuntarily rest upon those who have dis.Played the gre~t
truths of rcligion,-who have investigated the laws of
social w elfare, or extended· the sphere of human knowledge. These are honors, we feel, which have been
1. An. 246-4 1 Ex. 27.

4

50

EXERCISES IN

[SEC.

gained without a crime, :.nd which can be enjoyed
without remorse. They are honors also which can never
die,--which can shed lustre even upon the humblest
head ,-and to which the young of every succeeding ago
will 'look up, us their brightest incentive to the pursuit
of virtuous fame.

SECTION VIII.
On the uses of knowledge.
l. The first end to which nll wisdom or knowledge
ought to be employed_, is, to illustrate the wisdom or
goodness of the Father of Nature. Every science that is
cultivated by men leads naturnlly to religious thoughtfrom the study of the pln,nt that grows beneath our feet, ,
to thnt of the Host of Heaven above us, which perform
their stated reYolutions in mujestic silence, amid the expa1;se of infinity .•:When in the youth of l\foses, "The
Lord appeared to him in Horeb," a voice was heard,
saying, "draw nigh hither, and put off thy shoes from
thy feet; for the place where thou standest is ltoly
ground."
2. It is with such reverential awe thnt every great or
eievated min~ will npproach the study of nature; and
with such feelings of adoration and gratitude, that he
will receive the illumination that gradually opens upon
his soul. It is not the lifeless mass of mntter, he will
then feel, that he is examining; it is the mighty machine
of Eternal "\Yisdorn,-the ,1·orkmnnship of Him "in
whom every thing lives, and moves, and has its being."
3. Under au aspect of this kind, it is impossible to

AN.'1.LYSIS AND" PARSING.

VIII.]

51

pursue knowledge without I mingling with it the most elevated sentiments of devotion; it is impossi1Jle to perceive the laws of nature, without perceiving, at the same
time, the presence and the Providence of the La.wgiv~r;
and thus it is, that in every age, tho evidences of religion
have advanced with the progress of true philosophy; and
that science, in erecting a monumeht to herself, has· n.t
the same time, erected an altar to the Deity.
4. Tho knowledge of nature is not exhausted . There
arc many great discoveries yet awaiting the labors of
science ; and with them 2there arc also awaiting to humanity, many additionnl proofs of tho wisdom and benevolence" of Him that made us." To the hope of these
great discoYeries, few indeed can pretend; yet let it be
ever remembered, that ho w~o can trace any one new
fact, or can exemplify any one new instance of divine
· wisdom or benevolence in the system of nature, has not
lived in vain,-that he has n,ddcd to the sum of humn,n
, knowledge,-and, what is far mo1'e, that he !ms added to
the evidence of those greater truths, upon which the happiness of time and etemity depends .
5. The second great end to which all kno ~vfodge_ ought
to be employed, is, the welfare of humanity. Every
science is the foundation of ,some art, beneficial to men;
and while the study of it leads us to see the beneficence
of the laws of nature, it enlls upon us also to follow the
great end of the Father of Natu_re, in their employment
and applicn,tion. I need not say what n, fielri is thus
opened to the benevolence of knowledge: I need not tell
you that in every department oflenrning there is good ~to
1. An. 819, Pr . 301'.

2.

"

529' "

230-8.

3 . An . 865, Pr. 382.

52

EXERCISES IN

( SEC.

be done to mankind; I need not r emind you, that the
age in which we live has given lus the noblest examples
of this kind, and that science now finds its highest glory
in improving the condition, or in allaying the miseries of
humanity.
•
G. But there 1s one thing of which it is proper ever to
remind you-because the modesty of knowlege often leads
2us to forget it-and that is, the power of scientific benevolence is far greater than that of all others to the
welfare of society. The benevolence of the opulent, however eminent it may be, perishes with themselves. The
benevolence even of sovereigns, is limited to the narrow
boundary of human life; and not unfrequently is sue~
ceedc:d by different and discordant counsels. · But the benevolence of knowledge is of a kind as extensive as the race
of man, and as permanent as the existence of society.
7. He, in whatever situation he may be, who in the
study of science has discovered a new means. of allevi-·
ating pain, or of remedying disease,-who has described
a wiser method of3preventing poverty, or of shielding
misfortune,-who has suggested additional means of increasi ng or improving the beneficent productions of nature,-has left a memorial of himself which can never be
forgottcn,-which will communicate happiness to ages
yet unborn,-and which, in the emphatic . language of
scripture, renders him a "fellow-worker" with God.himself, in the improvement of his Cr~ation.
8. The thfrd great end of all knowledge is the improvement and exaltation of our own minds. It was the voice
of the apostle,-" What manner of men ought ye to be,
1. An . 823- 2, Pr : 306.
2. " 872,
" 388.

3. An. 819, Pr. 301.

. ': tx.]

1lt

to whom the truths of the Gospel have come?"__:
is
the voice of nnture also,-" ·what manner of men ought
ye to be, to whom the treasures of wisdom are opened?"
Of · all the spectacles, indeed, which life can offer us,
there is none more p·ainful, or unnatural, than that of
the union of vice with knowledge. It counteracts the
great designs of God in the distribution of wisdom; and
it assimilates men, not to the usual character of human
frailty, but to those dark and malignant spirits who fell
from heaven and who excel in knowledge, only that they
mny employ' it in m'alevolence.
9. 'l'o the wise and .virtuous man, on the contrary,-to
him whose moral attainments have kept pace with his intellectual, nnd who has employed the great talent with
which he is intruste<l, to the glory of God, and to the
good of humanity ,-is presented the sulilimest prospect
that mortality can know. "In my father's house," says
our Saviour, ":ire many mansions, "-mnnsions, w.e may
dare 2intcrprct, fitted to the different powers that life has ·
acquired, and to the uses to which they have been applied.

SECTION IX.

The Creator's works attest his Greatness.-BLAIR.

1. vVe find ourselves in an imm~ns~ universe, where
it is impossible for us; without :istonishment and awe,
to contemplate the glory and the power of Him who
crented it. From the greatest to the least object that
we behold;--from the star thnt glitters in t~e henvens,
to the insect that creeps upon the ground;-from the
1. An. 246-2, Pr. 114-5 .

.

;'

53

ANALYSIS AND PARSING •

2. An. 877,." Pr. 387.

'
54

EXERCISES IN

thunder that r olls in the skies, to the flower thitt blossoms in the fi elds ;-all things testify a profound and
mysterio us Wisdom,-a mighty and all powerful Hand,
before w'hich we must tremble and adore.
2. Neither the causes nor the issues of the events
which we behold, is it in our power to trace; neither lhow
we came into this world, nor whither we go lwhcn we
r etire from it, are we able of ourselves t o tell; but, in
t he meantime, we find ourselves surrounded with astonishing magnificence on every hand . \Ve walk through the
ea rth as through the apartments of a vnst palace, which
fill every attentive spectator with wonder. All the
works which our power can erect,-all the ornaments
which our art can contrive,-are feeble n~d triflin" in
comparison with those glories, which nature everywhere
presents t o our view.
·
3. The immense arch of the heavens, the splendor of
the sun in his meridian brightness, or the beauty of his
ri sing and setting hours,-thc rich landscape of the
fields, and the boundless expanse of the ocean,- are
scenes which mock every rival attempt of hnman skill
or labor . Nor is it only in the splendid appearances of
nature, but nmid its rudc>;t forms that we t race the hand
of the Divinity. In the solitary desert and the high
mountain,-in the ha.nging precipice, the roaring torrent,
and the aged forest,-though there 2he nothing to cheer,
th ere i ~ much to strike the mind with awe, t o give rise
t o those solemn and sublime sensations, which elevate
the hear t to an Almighty, All-creating .Power.

1. An. 645, Ex. 55.

2. An. 859, .Pr. 391.

x.1

(SEC.

55

ANALYSIS AND" PARSING .

SECTION X.

•

Character of Washingt<?n.-Ai.rns.

r'

1. The best evidence of rc.p utation is a ma;i's whole
life. We have now, alas! all WASHINGTON'S before us.
There has scarcely appeared a really great ~an, ;hose
character has been JUOre admired in his life time, or less
correctly understood by his admirers. When it is comprehended, it is no easy task to delineate its excellencies
in such a manner, as to give to the portrait both interest
11nd resemblance; for lit requires thought and study to
understand the true ground of the superiority of his
charact er, over many others whom he r esembled in the
principles of action, and even in the manner of ·acting ..
2. But p_e rhaps he excels all the great men that ever
lived, in the steadin~ss of his adherence to his maxims
of life, and in the conformity o.f all his conduct to the
same maxims. These maxim~, though wise, were yet
not so r ema r).rnble for their wisd0m, as for their authority over his life; for if there were any errors in his
judgment, we know of no blemishes in his virtue. He
l was the patriot without reproach; he loved his country
well enough to hold his suceess in serving it as an ample
recompense.
3. Thus far, self-love and love of country coincided;
but when his country nP.eded sacrifices that no other
man could, or pP.rhap s would be .willing to make, he did
not even hesitate. 'l'his was virtue in its most exalted
character. More than once he put his fame a.t hazard,
, when he hrid reason to think 2it would be sacrificed, at
least in this age.
'
1. An. 246-4, Ex. 27.

2. An. 647. Ex. 57.

'

5G

XI.]
EXEUCISES IN

4. It is no Jess difficult to speak of his talents. They
were adapted to lead, without dazzling mankind; and
to draw fort11 and employ the talents of others, without
Leing misled by them. In this he was certainly superior, that he neither mistook nor misapplied his own.
His great modesty and re3erve would have concealed
them, if great occasions had not called them forth; and
then, as he never spoke from the affectation to I shine, nor
acted from any sinister motives, it is from their effects
only that we arc to judge of their greatness and extent.
5. His prud~ncc was consummate, and seemed to take
the direction of his powers and passions; for, as a soldier he was more solicitous to aYoid mistakes that would
Le fat.al, than to perform ex ploits that were brilliant;
and, as a statesman, to adhere to just principles, howeYer old, th:m to pursue no ml ties ; 'and therefore in both
characters his qualities were singularly adapted to the
intcrc,t , and were tried in the greatest perils of the
country. His haLits of inquiry were so far remarkable,
that he was n:~ver satisfied with investigating, nor desisted from it, so long as he had less [light] than all the
light he could obtain upon a subject; and then he made
his decision without bius.
6. 1f he loved fomc he never made improper compliances for what is called popularity. The fame he enj oyed is of the kind that will last forever; yet it was
rather the effect, thnn the motive of his conduct. Some
futrn c Plutarch will search for a parallel to his character. Epaminondas is, perhaps, the brighte?t name of all
anti quity. Our WASTIINGTON resembles him in the purity and ardor of his patriotism; and, like 2him, he first
exalted the glory of his country .
1. An. 865, Pr. 332.

ANALYSIS AND FARSING.

[SEC.

2. An. 823-3, Pr. 306.

57

SECTION XI.

The Grav~ of Jefferson.

1. I ascended the winding road , which leads from
Charlottesville to :Monticello, up the miniature mountain
to the farm and the grave of Jefferson. On entering the
gate which opens into the enclosure, numerous paths
diverge in various directions, winding through beautiful
groves to the summit of the hill . . From the peak on
which the house stands, a grand and nearly unlimited
view opens to the thickly wooded hills and fertile valleys which stretch out on leither side. The University;
with its dome, porticos, and colonnade, looks like a fair
city in the plain: Charlottesville seems to be directly
beneath.
2. No spot can be imagined as combining greater adyantages of grandeur, healthfuiness, and seclusion.
'£he house is noble in its appearance; two large columns
support a portico, which extends from the wings, and.into it the front door opens. The apartments are neatly
furnished, and embellished with statues, busts, portraits, and natural curiosities. The grounds and outhouses have been neglected; Mr. Jefferson's 2tittention
having been absorbed from such personal concerns, by
the cares attendant on the superintendence of the University.
3. At a short distance behind the mansion, in a quiet,
shaded spot, the visitor sees a square enclosure, surrounded by a low, mi.mortared stone wall, which he
enters by a neat wooden gate. This is the family burial
ground, containing ten or fifteen graves, none of them
1. An. 299.

2. An. 769, Pr. 442.

,, l
I
'j

'r,
I

i

~ '

a

I

.

'
EXERCISES IN _

[SJ\!C.

marked by epitaphs, and only a few distinguished by
any memorial. On one s,ide of this simple cemetery, is
the resting place of the patriot and philosopher. When
I sa'V- it, the vault had just been arched and in readiness
fort.he plain stone which was Ito cover·it.
4. May it ever continue, like Washington's: without
any adventitious attractions or conspicuousness; for
wi1en we or our posterity need any other memento of our
debt of honor to those names, than their simple inscription on paper, gorgeous tombs would be a mockery to
their memories. When gratitude shall cease to concentrate their remembrance in the hearts of our citizens, no
cenotaph will inspire the reverence we owe to them.

SECTION XII.

Passage of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers
through the Blue Ridge.-JEFFERSON.

1. The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge,
is, perhaps, one of the most stupendous scenes in nature.
y OU stand on a very high point of land. On your right
comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot
of the mountain a hundred 2milcs to seek a vent. On your
left approaches the Potomac, in quest of a passage also.
In the moment of their junctfon they rush together against
the mountain, rend it asunder, and pass off to the sea.
2. The first glance of this scene hurries the senses into
the opinion, 3that this earth has been created in time;
that the mountains were formed first; that the rivers
began to flow afterwards; that, in this place particularly, they have been dammed up by the Blue Ridge of
l. An. 448.

2. An. 828, Pr. 307.

3. An. 670.

XII.]

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

59

mountains, and have formed an ocean which filled the
whole valley; that continuing to rise, they have at length
broken over at this spot, and have torn the mountain
·ldown from its summit to its base. The piles of rock on
each hand, particularly the Shenandoah,-the evident
marks of their disrupture and avulsion from their beds,
by the most powe~ful agents of nature, corroborate this
impression.
3. But the distant finishing which nature has given to
the picture, is of a very different character. It is a true
contrast to the foreground. ·2That is as placid an<;l delightful, as this is wild and tremendoµs. The moun~
taip being cloven asunder, presents to your eye, through
the cleft, a small catch of smooth, blue horizon, at an infinite distance in the plain country, inviting you, as it
were, from the riot and tumult roarfo.g round, to pass
through the breach, and participate of the calm below.
4. Here the eye ultimately composes itself; and [in] that
way, too, the road happens actually to lead. You cross
the Potomac above the junction, pass along its side
through the base of the mountain for three miles,-'--its
terrible precipices hanging in fragments over you. This
scene is worth a 3voyage across the Atlantic; yet here, as
in the_neighborhood of the Natural Bridge, are people
who have passed their lives within half a dozen , miles,
and have never been 4to survey these monuments of a war
between rivers and mountains, which must have shaken
the earth itself to its centre.

1. An. 550, Pr. 236-1,
2. " 692, " 334.

3. An. 828, P~. 307.
4. " 882, ' '- 385.

'
60

EXERCISES IN

(sEC.

SECTION XIII.
The Blind Preacher.-WmT.

1. It was one Sunday, as I traveled through the
county of Orange, in Virginia, that my eye was caught
by a cluster of horses, tied near a ruinous, old, wooden
house, in the forest, not far from the road side. Having
frequently seen such objects before, in traveling through
these states, I had no difficulty in understanding that
this was a place of religious worship.
2. Devotion alone should have stopped me, to join in
the duties of the congregation; but I must confess, that
curiosity to hear tlw preacher of such a wilderness, was ·
not the least of my motives. On eI}tering the house, 1
was struck with his preternatural appearnnce. He was
a. tall a.nd very spare old man,-his head, which was
covered with a white linen cap, his shriveled hands, and
his voice; were all shaking under the influence of a palsy ;
and a few moments ascertained to me that he was perfectly blind.
3. The first emotions which touched my breast, were
those of mingled pity and veneration. But how soon
were nll my feelings changed! The lips of Plato were
never more worthy of a prognostic swarm of bees, than
were the lips of this holy man! It was a day of the
administration of the sacrament; and his subject, of
course, was the passion of our Savior. I had heard the
subject handled a thousand times: I had thought it lexhausted long ago. Little did I suppose, that in the wild·
wocds of j\.merica, I was 2to me.e t with a man, whoso
I. An. 887, Pr. 450,

2~

An. 448.

:XIII.]

ANALYSIS. AND . PARSING,

61

eloquence would give to this topic, a new and more suh.lime ·pathos than [any that] I hadevel'. before witnessed.
4. As he descended from 'the pulpit, to distribute the
mystic symbols, there was ii. peculiar-a [solemnity] more
than human solemnity in his air all'd manner, which made
my blood run lcold, and my whole frame shiver. He then
drew a picture of the sufferings of our Savior,-his trial
before Pilate.,-his ascent up Calvary,-his crucifixion,
and his death. I knew the whole history; but never,
until then, had I heard the circumstances so selected, so.
arranged, so colored! It was all new; and I seemed to
have heard it for the first time in my life.
5. His enunciation was so deliberate that his voice
trembled on every syllable; and every heart in the as~
sembly trembled in unison. His peculiar phrases had
such a force of description, that the original scene appeared
to be.at that moment acting before our eyes. We saw
the very faces of the Jews-the staring, frightful distortions of malice and rage. We saw the buffet: my soul
kindled with a flame of indignation; and my hands were
involuntarily and convulsively clinch~d.
6. But when he came to touch on the patience, the
forgiving meekne~s of our Savior; when he drew, to the
life,-his blessed eyes streaming in tears to heaven,-his ·
voice breat_hing to God a soft and gentle prayer for ·pardon on his enemies,-" Father, forgivii them, for they
know not what they do ;"-the voice of the preacher
which had all along faltered, grew fainter and fainter,
until, his 2utterance being entirely obstructed by the force
of his feelings, he r aised his handkerchief to his eyes, and
burst into a loud and irrepressible flood of grief. The
1. An. 685, Pr 363.

2. An. 769, Pr. 442.

62

EXERCISES IN

[SEC.

effect was inconceivable. 'l'he whole h ouse resounded
with the mingled groans, and sobs, and shrieks of the
congregation.

l

7. It was some time before the tumult' had subsided, so
far as lto permit him to proceed. Indeed, judging by the
usual, but fallaoious standard of my own weakness, I
began to be very uneasy for the situation of the preacher.
For I could not conceive how he would be able to let his
audience 2down from the height to which he had wound
them, without impairing the solcumity and dignity of his
sul1ject, or perhaps shocking them by the abrnptncss of
the fall. But-no: the descent was as beautiful and
suulimc, as the elevation had been rapid and enthusiastic.
8. The first sentence with which he broke the awful
silence, was a quotation from Rousseau,-" Socrates died
like a philosopher, but J esus Christ like a God!" I
despair of giving you any ide:i of the effect produced by
this short sen tence, unless 'you could perfectly conceive
the whole manner of the man, as well as the peculiar crisis in the discourse. Never before did I cornplrtcly understa.nd what Demosthenes meant, by la yin;; such stress
on delivery
!J. You arc 3to bring before you the venerable figure of
the prcacher,-his bli n<lncss constantly recalling to your
r ccoll rction old Homer, Ossian, and ~Iilton, and 3associate
with his performance the melancholy grandeur of th eir
geninses,-you are to imagine that you hear his slow,
solemn, "·ell-accented enunciat:on, and his voice of affecting, tremhling melody-you arc to remember the pitch
of passion and enthusiasm to which the congregation
1. An. 884, Pr . 386.

2.

"

550,

" 236-l.

3. An. 876-3.

:X:HI.]

ANALYSIS ANII PARSING.

63

were raised,-and then, the fow· minutes of portentous
death-like silence which reigned throughout the house___:.
'- t o sec the 1preacher, removing his white handkerchief
'
from his aged fa ce, .even yet wet from the recent tonc1it
of his ten rs, and slowly stretching forth the palsied hand
which holds it, I begin the sentence-" Socrates died like
a phi.losophcr "-then pausing,. raising his other haud,
' pressmg them both, clasped together, with warmth
and energy to his breast, lifting his sightless balls to
Heaven, and pouring his whole soul into his tremulous
voice-" but Jesus Christ, like a God!" Ifhc had been
indeed and iu truth an angel of light, the effect could
scarcely have been more divine.
10. Whatever I had been able to conceive of the sublimity of Massillon, or the force of Bourdaloue, had fallen
fa~ sh.ort of the power which I felt, from the delivery of
this simple sentence. The blood, which just before had
ru shed in a hurricane upon my brain, and, in theviolence
and agony of my feelings, had held my whole system in
suspense, now ran back into my heart, with a sensation
which I cannot describe-a kind of shuddering, delicious
horror! The paroxysm of blended pity and indi,,.nation
to which I had been transported, subsided into the deepest self-abasement, humility, a!1d adoration. I had just
been lacerated and dissolved by sympathy for our Savior,
as a fellow 2creaturc; but now, with fear and tremblin"'0
'
I adore him as-" a 2God!"
11. If this description gives you the impression that
this i?comparable minister had any thing of sh~llow
t~eatrical trick in his manner, it docs him great injus~
tice. I have never seen · in any other orator, such a
u~on of simplicity and majesty. He has not a gesture,

l. An. 872 1 Pr. 388,

2. An. 674°

Ii

64

XIV,)

EXERCISES IN

an attitude, or an accent, to which he does not seem
is expressing. His
lforced by the sentiment which
mind is too serious, too earnest, t oo solicitous, nnd, at
the same time, too digni fied, 2to stoop to artifice. Al:
though as far removed from ostentation ns a mnn can be,
yet it is clcnr, from the train, the style nnd substance of.his thoughts, that he is not only a very polite scholar'
but a man of very extensive and profound erudition.
12. This man has been before my imagination almost ·
ever since . A thousand times as I rode nlong, I dropped
the reins of my bridle, stretched forth my hand, and ·
tried to imitate his quotation from Rou~seau; a tliousanci,
times I abandoned the attempt in despair, and felt per ·
suaded that his peculiar manner and power arose from
an energy of soul which nature could giYe, but which no
human being could justly copy.

he

SECTION XIV.

The Sultan and Mr. Howard, the
~
Mns. IN1,;llBALD.

Philant hropist.- ~!

ri

~·-

Sultan. 3Englishman, you were invited hither 4to{
receive public thanks, for our troops r estored to health\'.
by your prescription. Ask a reward adequate to your ;
services.
' ·
Howard. Sultan, the reward I ask, is leave to pre- .
serve more of your people still.
Sultan. How [are you to preserve] more?
jects are in health; no contagion visits them.
1. An. 887, Pr. 450.
2. " 884, " 386.

3 . An. 773, Pr . 443.
4. " 882, " 385.

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

65

Howard. The prisoner is your subject. There, misery, more contagious than disease,1· preys on the lives of
hundreds ; sentenced but to confinement, their doom is
death. Immured in damp and dreary vaults, they daily
. perish; and who can tell but that, among the many
\, hapless sufferers, there may be hearts bent down with
i penitence, to heaven and _you, for every slight offence,, there may be some, among the wretched multitude, even
innocent victims. Let me seek them out; let me save
_them and you.
. Sultan. 2Amazement! r etract your application; curb
,;_ lhis weak-pity, and accept our thanks .
._ Howard. Restrain my pity !-and what can I receive
~ in recomp cns~ for that soft bond which links me to the
wretched? and, while it soothes their sorrow, repays me
more than all the gifts an empire can bestow! But if it
be a virtue repugnant to your plan of government, I apply not in the name of Pity, but of Justice.
Sultan. Justice !
Howard. The justice that forbids all, but the worst
, of criminals, to be de~ied that wholesome 3air the very
', ·: brute creation freely takes.
· ·'.. Sultan . . Consider fo r whom you plead-for men (if
t not base culprits) so misled, so depraved, [that] the:Y are
dangerous to our state, and deserve none of its blessings.
· I-lo ward. If not upon the undeserving,-if not upon
the wretched wanderer from the paths of rectitude,where shall the sun diffme his light, or the clouds 4distil their dews? Where shall spring breathe fragrance, or
autumn 4pour its plenty?
Sultan. S.ir, your sentiments, still more your char-

1

1. An. 978-5, Pr. 450.

2.

"

553'

"

3. An. 813, Pr. 299.
4. " 958, " 450.

239-1

5

66

EXERCISES IN

acter, excite my curiosity. They tell me that
camps- you visited each sick man's bed,-administered
yourself the healing draught,--encouraged our savages
with the hope of life, or pointed out their better hope in ,. ,
death. The widow speaks your charities, the orphan .'"
lisps your bounties, and the rough Indian melts in tears
to bless you. I wish to ask why you have done ' all this?
-what is it that prompts !you thus to befriend the miserable and forlorn?
Jiuward. It is in vain to explain; the time it would
take to reveal to you-Sultan. Satisfy my curiosity in writing then.
Howard . Nay, if you will read, I'll send a· book in
which is already written why I act thus.
Sultan. What book [is it] ? what,is it called?
Howard. "The Christian 2Doctrine." Ther~ y9u '.
will find all I have done was but my duty.
i
Sultan. Your words recall reflections that distract '
me; nor can I bear the pressure on my own mind, without confessing-/ am a Christian.!

SECTION XV.

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

67

and the importance of the subject, for a while, superseded
by the admiration of his talents.
2. With I what strength of argument, with wha,t powers of fancy, with what emotions of the heart; does he
assault and subjugate the whole, man; and at once captivate his reason, his imagination, and his passions! To
· effect this, must be the utmost effort of the most improved state of human nature. [There is] Not a faculty that
he possesses, but [it] is here exerted to its highest pitch.
All his internal powers are at work; all his external
testify their energies.
3 . .Within-the memory, the fancy, the judgment, the
passions, are all busy; without-every muscle, every
nerve is exerted,_..:.not a feature, not a limb, but speaks.
'.L'he organs of the body, attuned to the exertions of the
mind, through the kindred organs of the hea'!"ers, instantaneously 2vibrate those energies from soul to soul: Notwithstanding the diversity of minds in such a multitude.,
by the lightning of eloquence they are melted into one
mass;-the whole assembly,_ actuated in one and the
same way, become, as it were, but one man, and have .
but one voice. The universal cry is-Let us march
against Philip, let us fight for our liberties-let us
conquer or die !

The Perfect Orator.-SIJERIDAN
l. Imagine to yourselves a Demosthenes, addressing
the most illustrious assembly in the world, upon a point
whereon the fate of the most illustrious of nations depended. How awful such a meeting !-how vast the
subject! By the power of his eloquence-the augustness of the assembly is lost in the dignity of the orator;
1. An. 872, Pr. ll8B.

2. Pr. 359.

SECTION XVI.

Panegyric on the eloquence of Mr. Sheridan.-BURKE.
l. Mr. Sheridan has this day surprised the thousands
who hung with rapture on his accents, by such u,n array
of talents, such an exhibition of capacity, such a display
1. An. 284, Pr. 122-4.

2. An. 806, Pr. 153-3.

I '
I
'

68

EXERCISES IN

of powers, as are unparalleled in the annals of oratory;
a display that reflected .t he highest honor on himselfl ustre upon letters-renown upon parliament-glory
upon the country.
2. Of all lspecies ofrhetoric, of every kind of eloquence,
that has been witnessed or recorded, either in ancient or
modern times ; whntever the acuteness o_f the bar, thi;
dignity of the senate, the solidity of the judgment-seat,
and the sacred morality of the pulpits have hitherto fur
nished; nothing has equaled what we have this daf heard
in Westminster Hall.
3. No holy seer of religion, no st atesman, no orator,
no man of any literary description whatever,. 2has come
up, in the one instance, to the pure sentiments of mo- .
rali ty, or in the other, to that variety of knowledge, ·
for ce of imagination, 3propriety and vivacity of allusion,
beauty and elegance of diction, strength and copiousness
of style, pn,thos and sublimity of conception, to which
we this day listened with ardor and admiration. From
poetry up to eloquence there is not a species of composition, of which a complete and perfect specimen might not,
from that single speech, be culled and collected.

SECTION

~VII.

Description of a Thund er Storm on the Highlands of . · .
the Hudson .-lRVING .
1. It was the latter part of a calm, sultry day, that ·
we floated gently with the tide, between those stern
mountains, the highlands of the Hudson. There was
1. An. 157 , Pr. 78-4.

2.

"

782.

3 . An. 978-11, Pr. 450.

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

69

that perfect quiet which prevails over nature in the languor of summer heat; the turning of a plank, or the
accidental falling of an oar on deck, "ivas echoed from the
mountain side, and reverberated along the shores; and
if by chance the captain gave a shout of command, there
were airy tongues that mock ed it from every cliff.
2. I gazed about me in mute delight and wonder, ai
these scenes of nature's magnificence. 'fo the left, thE
Dunderberg reared its woody p~ecipices, h:ight over
height, forest over forest, away into the deep summer
sky. To the right, strutted forth the bold promontory
of Anthony's Nose, with a solitary. eagle wheeling about
it; while beyond, mountain succeeded to mountain, until
they seemed to lock their arms together, and confine
this mighty river in their embraces. There was a feeling
of quiet luxury in gazing at the broad, green bosoms,
here and there scooped out among the precipices ; or at
woodlands high in air, nodding over the edge or· some·
beetling bluff, and [with] their foliage all transparent in
· the yellow sunshine.
.
'
3. In the midst of my admiration, I remarked a pile of
bright snowy cI,ouds peering above the western heights.
It was succeeded by another , and another,_eachseemingly pushing onward its predecessor, and towering, with
dazzling brilliancy, in the deep blue atmosphere; and
now, muttering peals of thunder were faintly he:i.rd, rolling behind the mountains. The river, hitherto still and '
glassy, reflecting picture~ of the sky and land, now
showed a dark ripple at a distance, i:s the breeze came
creeping up it . The fish-hawks wheeled and screamed,
and sought their nests on the high dry trees; the crows
flew clamorously to the crevices of the rocks, and all
nature seemed conscious of the approaching thundergust.

70

EXERCISES IN ETC.

4. The clouds now rolled in volumes over the mountain tops; their summit I still bright and snowy, but the
lower parts Iof an inky blackness. '.l'hc rain began to
patter down in broad and scattered drops; the wind
freshened and curled on the waves; at length it seemed· ,
as if the bellying clouds were torn open by the mo.untain tops, and complete torrents of r ain came r attling
down. 'l'he lightning leaped from cloud to cloud,
and streamed quivering against the r ocks, splitting and
rending the stoutest forest trees. The thunder burst in
tremendous explosions; the peals were echo\?d from
mountain to mountain; they crashed upon Duriderbcrg,
and rolled up the long defile of the highlands, each headland making a new echo, until old Bull Hill seemed to
bellow back the storm.
5. For a time the scudding rack and mist, and the
sheeted rnin, almost hid the landscape from the sight.
'!'here was a fearful gloom, illumined still more fearfully
by the streams of lightning which glittered among the
rain drops. Never had I beheld such an absolute warring of the clements ; it seemed as if .the storm was tearing and rending ·its way through this mountain defile,
and had brought all the artillery of heaven into action.

PART II.
SELECTIONS IN POETRY.

'l'R ....NSPOSITION.

As the style is usually much more inverted in Poetry
than in Prose, it will sometimes be proper, ber· fore analy sing or parsing a sentence, to reduce it to the
prose order, and to supply ellipses , that the grammatical
dependence and construction of the several parts, as well
. as the meaning of the author, may be more clearly
perceived.
EXAMPLES.

1. Love, and his sister fair, the soul,
Twin-born, from heaven together came.
TR ANSPOSED THUS,

.

Love and his fair sister, the soul, twin-born, came
from heaven.

2. Here r est s his head upon the lap of earth,
A youth to fortune, and to fame unknown.
TRANSPOSED THUS,

A youth unknown to fortune and to fame, here rests
· his head u pon the lap of earth.

3. ·who lives to nature r arely can be poor,
Who lives to fancy never can be r ich.
1. An. 771, Pr. 450.

TRANl'jPOSED THUS ,

[He] who lives [according] to nature, can rarely·

0

72

EXERCISES IN

[SEC.

poor; [He] who lives [according] to fancy, can never be rich.
It will also be a profitable exercise to point out the
different kinds of verse, to scan the lines by dividing
each into its appropriate feet, and mention such figures
of~peech as may occur.

SECTION I.

Charity.
l. Soft peace she brings wherever she arrives,
She builds our quiet as she forms our lives;
Lays the rough path of peevish nature 'even,
And opens in each breast a little heaven.

Love of Praise.
2. The love of praise, howe'er conceal'd by art,
Reigns more or les·s , and glows in every heart;
The proud to gain it, toils on toils endure,
The modest shun it-but 2to make it sure.

..~~!~

Man a-nd ~Voman.
4. Man is 3the rugged lofty pine,
That frowns o'er many a wave~beat shore;
1. An. 547, Pr. 236-1.

2.

"

882,

"

385.

ANALYSIS AND PARSING.

73

Woman's the slender, graceful vine,
Whose curling tendrils round it twine,
And deck its rough bark sweetly o'er.

·Virtuous ..l/ctivity.
5. Seize, mortals! seize the transient hour;
Improve each mome_nt as it flies:
Life's a short summer-man a flower;
He dies-Alas !-how ·soon he dies!
The Source of Happiness.
6. Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense,
Lie in three words; health, peace, and competence.
But health consists with temperance alone;
And peace, 0, virtue! peace is aU thy own.

SELECT SENTENCES.

Beauty of Expression.
3. Thy words had such a melting flow,
And spoke of truth so sweetly well,
They dropped like heaven's serenest snow,
And all was brightness where ~hey fell.

I.]

3. An. 1046-3, Pr. 552-3.

Bliss of Celestial Origin.
7. Restless mortals toil for naught;
Bliss in vain from earth is sought;
Bliss, a native of the sky,
Never wanders. Mortals, try;
There you cannot seek in vain;
For lto seek her, is to gain.
The Passions.
8. The passions are a num'rous crowd,
Imperious, positive, and loud,
Curb these licentious sons of strife;
Hence chiefly rise the storms oflife;
If they grow mutinous, and rave,
They are thy masters, thou their slave.
Epitaph.
9. How lov'd, how valu'd oi;i.ce, avails thee not:
To whom ~related, or by whom begot; '
1. An. 869, Pr. 383.

2. Supply " thou art.''

