Adjectives may be derived likewife from Proper Names either of perfons or countries; as, from Newton, Newtonian; America, American;

India, Indian; Paris, Parifian, &c.

The termination ly, being a contraction of like, expreffes fimilitude or manner; and being added to Nouns, forms Adjectives, as, from Heaven, heavenly; and added to Adjectives form Adverbs, as, from beautiful, beautifully.

Monofy Hables are generally compared by er and eft; words of more than two fyllables hardly ever admit of thefe terminations. Thus we fay, "the most beautiful flower, not the beautifulleft flower."

Every ADJECTIVE has relation to fome Subftantive, either expreffed or implied; as, the twelve, i. e. Apoftles; the gay (world); the young; the old (men); the lame, the crooked, the blind, the active, the idle, the good, the wicked (perfons).

This manner of ufing Adjectives fubftantively, adds variety and beauty to the language; as, "Good may be done by the bad,

"But the good alone can be good."

In fome inftances, the Adjective becomes a Subftantive, and has an Adjective joined to it; as, The chief Good; "Evil be thou my Good!" In others, the Noun Subftantive becomes an Adjective, or fupplies its place, by being joined to another Subftantive; as, Seawater, Land-tortoife, Bird-cage.

The Adjective generally goes before the Noun ; as, a great man; or, a good girl, fee page 27; but it is fometimes placed after the Noun.

Can you give me an Example?

When it is emphatical, as, "Alexander the Great." When fomething depends on the Adjective, as, "food convenient for me:"-or, For fake of greater harmony; as, "Goodness infinite !”

Of VERBS.

A VERB is a word whereby fomething is reprefented as exifting: as, I am: acting; as, I do, I play, I eat, I read: or being acted upon; as, I am taught. How many kinds of Verbs are there?

Three: Active, or Tranfitive; Neuter, or Intranfitive; and Paffive,

How do you know when a Verb is Active or Tranfitive?

A Verb Active denotes the doing of an action, and therefore supposes an Agent or perfon who acts, and an Object acted upon: Example, to esteem or to commend; I efteem, or I commend the diligent." I is the agent, or perfon who acts, and the diligent the object. To eat; as, he eats bread. To read; as, "We read the Spectators." To carry; as, They carry

a burthen.

Eat, read, and carry, exprefs the action; bread, Spectators, and burthen, particularize the fubject or object. Obferve, that by putting the Pronoun, for the Noun, you will readily discover the Cafe, as, "Alexander defeated them," i. e. the Perfians,-you would not say defeated they.

Why is a Verb Active called alfo Tranfitive? Because the action paffes over to the Object, or has an effect upon fome other thing.

The Object answers to the question whom? or what? after the Verb; as, “Alexander conquered or defeated

the Perfians."

Alexander defeated whom? Answer; the Perfians. What is a Verb Neuter or Intranfitive?

A Verb Neuter denotes being, or exifting; as, I am; and likewise the being in fome posture, fituation, or circumstance; as, “I fit, I ftand, I lie, I weep.” Why is a Verb Neuter called alfo Intranfitive?

A Verb Neuter is called Intranfitive, because it has a complete fignification in itself, and requires no Noun Subftantive after it to particularize the subject; as, "To fleep, to be, to fit, to laugh.".

By what rule may you diftinguish whether a Verb be Active, or Neuter?

By obferving if I can place a Noun, or the Neuter pronoun it, after the Verb: If I can, I know that the Verb is Active: if not, the Verb must be Neuter.

Ex. I may fay, "I eat a cake, I can eat it ;" but I could not fay "I fit or I ftand a cake.” I find, therefore, that, to eat is an Active; to fit, or to ftand, a Neuter Verb,

What is a Verb Paffive?

A Verb Paffive denotes the impreffions that perfons or things receive when acted upon; as, “I am taught, it is painted, they are conquered;" it neceffarily fuppofes an Object upon which the impreffion is made,

and

and an Agent by whom it is made; as, "The picture was painted by Rubens. The frame was made of Ebony."

Picture and Frame, are the Objects; and Rubens and Ebony, the Agents.

How is a Verb Paffive formed ?

By adding the Participle Paffive to the different Tenfes of the Auxiliary Verb, To be; fee page 50. What are the chief properties of a Verb? Mode, Tenfe, Number, and Perfon.

What do you mean by Modes, or Moods?

A Mode is the form of, or manner of using a Verb, by which the being, action, or paffion is expreffed or reprefented.

How many Modes are there?

Five; viz. Infinitive, Indicative, Imperative, Potential, Subjunctive.

What is the Infinitive Mode?

The Infinitive Mode expreffes the Action or State denoted by the Verb, in a general unlimited manner, without any reference to Number or Ferfon..

All the forms of expreffion belonging to the Infinitive Mode exprefs time relatively, but not abfolutely, for they may be applied either

to prefent time; as, "I am obliged to go to day' or paft; as, "I was obliged to go yesterday;" or future; as," I shall be obliged to go to morrow." The Infinitive is the radical form of the Verb, or the root from which the other parts are taken; and it is the Mode by which the Meaning of Verbs must be

looked for in a Dictionary; as, "to tranfcribe, to copy, to write, to read, to go.”

The Infinitive is occafionally used as a Noun. Ex. "To err, is human-to forgive, divine." It is therefore fometimes called the Noun, or name of the Verb.

This Mode is generally preceded by fome other Verb or phrase, to determine its fignification; for Ex. "I learn to read. It is a pleasure to read."

The Infinitive may be known by the fign to; as, "To write; to read; to work."

The Infinitive is fometimes used without the fign to before it: Ex. " I bade him do it.” Not to do it.

What is the Indicative Mode?

The Indicative Mode fimply declares or affirms an action, past, present, or future, without prefuppofing any phrase before it; as, "I teach, I taught, I will teach :" or asks a question; as, "Do I teach? Were you taught ›››

What is the Imperative Mode?

The Imperative Mode commands, intrcats, or defires an action to be done; as, "Come to me. Pray lend me your book." This Mode has no dif ference of Tenfes; for we always command in the prefent time, though the action is to be done in fome future time; as, "Come to fee me to-morrow.-Go

with me next year."

Does not the word Imperative imply command? Yes; the word Imperative implies command, but as a Mode of a Verb, it is used fometimes in fupplication