The emphasis of the predicate might be shown by this arrangement, "Struck was James by John." This inversion would be suitable in poetry, and is sometimes unobjectionable in prose of an elevated character. But with ideas and words so commonFlace as these such an arrangement would be bombastic.

Obs. 3. Inversion.-We can often put the verb before the subject by beginning with an adverb, or otherwise changing the form of the sentence. This structure is called Inversion. Thus:

There goes a man, down the road.

Scarcely had Tom spoken, when, etc.

Then came the crisis.

Such was his fate.

Now is your time.

No sooner had we started, than.

How are the mighty fallen.
Swiftly flew the arrow.

Especially in the Subjunctive Mood, is it common to use such forms as, Were I an officer, instead of, If I were an officer.

Some writers practise this degree of inversion, which our language bears, much more than others; Lord Shaftesbury, for instance, much more than Mr. Addison; and to this sort of arrangement is owing, in a great measure, that appearance of strength, dignity, and measured harmony which Lord Shaftesbury's style possesses. This will appear from the following sentences of his "Inquiry into Virtue;" where all the words are placed, not strictly in the natural order, but with that artificial construction which may give the period most emphasis and grace. He is speaking of the misery of vice:

This, as to the complete immoral state, is what, of their own accord, men readily remark. Where there is this absolute degeneracy, this total apostasy from all candor, trust, or equity, there are few who do not see and acknowledge the misery which is consequent. Seldom is the case misconstrued, when at worst. The misfortune is, that we look not on this depravity, nor consider how it stands, in less degree. As if, to be absolutely immoral, were, indeed, the greatest misery; but, to be so in a little degree, should be no misery or harm at all. Which, to allow, is just as reasonable as to own that 'tis the greatest ill of a body to be in the utmost manner maimed or distorted; but

that, to lose the use only of one limb, or to be impaired in some single organ or member, is no ill worthy of the least notice. (ii. 82.)

Here is no violence done to the language, though there are many inversions. All is stately, and arranged with art; which is the greatest characteristic of this author's style.

We need only open any page of Mr. Addison to see quite a different order in the construction of sentences.

It fills the mind

Our sight is the most perfect, and most delightful, of all our senses. with the largest variety of ideas, converses with its objects at the greatest distance, and continues the longest in action, without being tired, or satiated with its proper enjoyments. The sense of feeling can, indeed, give us a notion of extension, shape, and all other ideas that enter at the eye, except colors; but, at the same time, it is very much strained and confined in its operations, etc.-Spectator, No. 411.

In this strain he always proceeds, following the most natural and obvious order of the language: and if, by this means, he has less pomp and majesty than Shaftesbury, he has, in return, more nature, more ease and simplicity; which are beauties of a higher order.-BLAIR.

It is not upon such changes as these that I propose to remark, but upon certain rather newfangled forms of expression which seem to me affected and not felicitons. The first of these which I shall bring up is a change in the position of the verbs be, have, and do in sentences in which the latter clause makes a comparison with something set forth in the former. For example:

Lord George also was displeased-more thoroughly displeased than had been his wife. -TROLLOPE: Popenjoy, Chapter 4.

Bankruptcy has tended, as might have been expected, to produce bankruptcy; and for all purposes of panic as well as business, New York and London are as close as were London and Manchester a few years ago.- Pall Mall Budget, June 8, 1878.

It is needless to give more instances; the writing of the day is full of them, and Mr. Trollope, the chief, and one of the earliest, if not the earliest, of offenders, is but the foremost man of a multitude. This placing of the verb directly after the conjunction or preposition is a new trick in style. It is sheer affectation, and, if I do not err, is quite unEnglish. In such sentences as those given above, the simple English construction is, "more thoroughly displeased than his wife had been,” “are as close as London and Manchester were a few years ago." The placing of the subject of the verb after it, except by poetic license, or in very elevated prose (and even there with great discretion), is not English, it is not clear, it is not natural. No good speake of English would talk in this style, even in the soberest conversation. If I remember rightly, Macaulay never uses this construction, nor Cardinal Newman, a very correct writer, whose taste is unexceptionable. The fashion came in not long ago through the desire to avoid a verb of one syllable at the end of a sentence. For example: Mary was not so beautiful as her sister was.' To end the sentence with a dissyllable instead of a monosyllable (a very weak affectation), the verb was transposed, and we had, "As was her sister." Whoever wishes to write clear, manly, and simple English will avoid this foolish fashion, which, however,

has become so prevalent that it appears with a most ridiculous incongruity even in such writing as that of the following passage from a report of a dramatic performance by "Count Joannes : "

"In the audience last night were many Yale students, who were, of course, boisterous and jolly, and led the attacks, but justice requires the remark that they did not say as many funny things as did two or three newsboys in the gallery."-R. G. WHITE.

EXERCISE II. In the following sentences, change the form so as to put the Predicate before the Subject.

NOTE II.—An inverted clause is usually set off from the rest of the sentence by a Comma. See page 293.

Examples.-The express is going; There goes the express. The tug of war is coming; Now comes the tug of war. What he said is as follows; This is what he said.

I never before saw such a show. If I had known you were sick I should have come up. I am very glad to see you again. He jumped up. The thermometer dropped down. The chair fell

over.

She was, he said, the best of mothers. The issue, my lawyer writes, is doubtful. He was not once defeated. Satan came also, last of all. They didn't care for him. He shall go.

After inversion, the usual order of subject and predicate seems awkward; as, No contemptible orator he was.BLAIR.

EXERCISE III.-Reconstruct the following sentences so as to show (1) that the emphasis is on the subject; (2) that it is on the predicate; and (3) that it is on the object.

Example.-(2) Found was the water by the crow.

Water was

found by the crow would usually answer for either (1) or (3), but if more positive emphasis is required, (1) It was the crow that found the water; (3) It was water that the crow found.

The crow found the water.

The boy threw pebbles.

Mary broke the pitcher.

The ostrich inhabits the desert.

The farmer raises corn.

Obs. 4.-When the subject is long or complicated it is well to summarize it before the verb.

For examples, see page 283.

THE OBJECT.

The Object of a simple sentence may be: (1) a Noun, (2) a Pronoun, (3) an Adjective used as a noun, (4) an Infinitive, or (5) a Participle.

Examples.-(1) Who steals my purse, steals trash. (2) We loved her, but she died. (3) His views and affections take in only the visible. (4) Learn to labor and to wait. (5) He prefers walking to riding.

EXERCISE IV.-Supply objects to the following transitive verbs.

Example.-The sun gilds the hill-top. The sun gilds-. The diligent boy deserves-. Education improves―. Fools despise. Rain refreshes-. The gardener prunes-. The boy repeats his. The king levied—. The physician prescribes-. Spring revives—. The hunter climbed-. The weary laborer reached-. Good men comfort-. Good king's love their. The bridge spans. Ducks frequent-.

Participles and Verbal Nouns differ in that a Participle retains the notion of time and agrees with the noun, while the Verbal Noun expresses only the abstract idea of the action, and is the object of the noun in the possessive.

Obs. 5.-Verbal Nouns should be avoided where verbs can be used instead, because unless immediately preceded by prepositions they may often be mistaken for participles.

EXERCISE V.-Change the following sentences by converting the verbal nouns into phrases.

Example. When Horace trembled for the life of Virgil, it was an interesting moment, etc.

Horace [Horace's] trembling for the life of Virgil is an interesting moment [episode] in the history of poetry and [of] friendship. -GIBBON.

I assure you therefore seriously, and upon my honor, that the carrying [of] this point seems essential to the success of this measure.-W. PITT.

In hot climates, the letting into a country of a mass [of] stagnant water, etc.-BENTHAM.

The ascertaining [of] a principle in metaphysical science is sometimes the clearing up of a doctrine of revelation.-W. J. Fox.

Mr. Mill will see that the point of dubiety spoken of was one which suggests not the hanging of the culprit, but the sparing [of] him.-P. P. ALEXANDER.

In approaching the practical problem, there are two parts that will need to be kept distinct-the first starting of the new system, and the keeping [of] it going after it has been started.—CAIRNS.

MODIFIERS OF THE SUBJECT AND OF THE OBJECT.

KINDS OF MODIFIERS.-The Subject or the Object may be expanded by Modifiers of the following kinds: (1) Adjectives; (2) Possessives; (3) Appositives; (4) Participles; (5) Infinitives; (6) Preposition Phrases; (7) Adverbial Phrases; (8) Clauses.

(1) Adjectives may be roughly classed as (a) Descriptive, or as simply (b) Demonstrative.

a. Descriptive Adjectives limit the noun by naming some quality belonging to it.

EXERCISE VI.-Supply appropriate adjectives in the following sentences.

Example.-A disobedient child is a grief to his parents. Achild is a grief to his parents. A-zephyr played on the surface of the lake. The elephant is a very-animal. Gold is the-of all metals. A red morning sky betokens a-day. Hindostan has a