Note. All nouns, which make the plural number by the addition of s, or es to the singular, are regular, the rest are irregular. As,

Note 1. Penny, in the singular number, inakes pence in the plural. But from several particular silver coins. which speak their own value, the word pence is made a singular number, and its plural becomes pences. Thus, in the singular number we say one six pence, one four-pence, one three-pence, and one two pence, but in the plural number, two or more six-pences, four pences, three-pences, and two-pences.

2. A penny, when spoken of a silver penny, makes pennies in the plural: thus we say in the singular number, oue silver penny, but in the plural, two or more silver pennies.

OF ADJECTIVES.

Q. What is an adjective?

A. It is a word that expresses the quality or manner of a thing; as, good, bad, great, small.

Q. Where is the adjective to be placed?

A. Before its substantive; as, a good boy. Yet sometimes when there are more adjectives than one joined together, or one adjective with other words depending on it; the adjective may be set after the substantive; as, a general, both wise and valiant: a man skilful in numbers.

Q. What do you observe of two substantives put together in composition?

A. The first takes to itself the nature of an adjective, and is commonly joined to the following substantives, by a byphen; as, a sea-fish.

Q. How are substantives and adjectives declined together? A. Thus:

Abl. From a good boy.

Plural.

Acc. The good boys.
Voc. O good boys.

Abl. From good boys.

OF THE COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.

Q. What is meant by comparison?

A. It is the variation of a word by degrees, according to the quantity of its signification.

Q. What adjectives admit of comparison?

A. All those whose signification may increase, or be diminished; none else.

Q How many degrees of comparison are there?

A Three: the positive, the comparitive and the superlative,

Q. What is the positive degree?

A. The positive degree mentioneth the thing absolutely, without any increase or dimunition; as, long, short, wise. Q. What is the comparative degree?

A. The comparative somewhat increaseth or diminisheth its positive in signification; as, longer, or more long; shorter, or more short; wiser, or more wise.

QWhat is the superlative degree?

A. The superlative increaseth or diminisheth the significa tion of its positive to the utmost degree; as longest, or most long; shortest, or most short; wisest, or most wise.

Q. Are all adjectives, that admit of any comparison, compared thus?

A. No: some adjectives are irregular; as, good, better, best; bad, worse, worst; much, more, most; little, less, least.

CHAP. IV.

OF PRONOUNS.

Q. What is a pronoun?

A. A prenoun is a part of speech, that supplieth the place of a noun.

Q How many things belong to a pronoun?

A. There belong to a pronoun, number, case, gender, person, and declension.

Q. How many kinds of pronouns are there?

A. Two: substantives and adjectives.

Q. Which are the pronouns substantive?

A. These: I, thou or you; he, she, it; and their plurals, we; ye or you; they.

I

Q. Which are the pronouns adjective?

A. My, mine, thy, thine, our, ours, your, yours, who, which, what, this, that, same, his-self, her-self, it-self, &c. Q. What is the use of these pronouns adjective?

A. By some a question is asked; as, who teacheth me What new method is this? By others we learn the true pos sessor of a thing; as, this is my book. By some we call mind something that is past; as this is the book which [book] I lent you. By others we demonstrate our meaning; as, what I said to John, the same I say to you; live well.

Note. Pronouns have no articles before them, except for distine tion, or by way of eminence; as God is the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

Q. What pronouns are of the first person?

A. I and we.

Q. What pronouns are of the second person?

A. Thou or you, and ye or you. The rest are of the third. Q. How is the pronoun I declined?

A. Thus:

From us.

Q. How is the pronoun thou or you declined?

A. Thus:

From you.

Q. How are the pronouns he, she, it, declined?

A. Thus:

Dat.

To you.

Acc.

Ye or you.

Voc.

O ye or you

Abl.

Note. His, hers, its, and theirs being pronouns possessive, are frequently used for the genitive cases of he, she, it, and they.

A. A Verb is a part of speech that betokeneth being; as, I live: doing: as, I love: or suffering; as, I am loved. Q. How many kinds of verbs are there?

A. Three: active, passive, and neuter,

Q. What is a verb active?

A. A verb active, is a verb that denoteth action; but in such a manner as to admit after it the accusative case of the thing it acts upon; as, I love him.

Q. What is a verb passive?

A. A verb passive betokeneth suffering, as, I am loved. What is a verb neuter?

A. A verb neuter signifies the state or being, and sometimes the action of a person or thing, but has no noun after it to denote the subject of action,

Q. How many different ways is a verb neuter expressed? A. Two ways: sometimes actively; as, I fight; and sometimes passively; as, 1 am sick.

161272

Q. How many things belong to a verb?
A. Four: mood, tense, number, and person.
OF THE MOODS.

Q. WHAT is a mood?

A. 'Tis the manner by which a verb shews its signification. Q. How many moods are there?

A. Six; the indicative, the imperative, the optative, the potential, the subjunctive, and the infinitive.

Q. How are these moods known?

A. 1. The indicative mood directly declareth a thing true or false; as, I read; or else asketh a question: as, do I read? 2. The imperative mood biddeth or commandeth: as, read thou.

3. The optative mood wisheth or desireth; as, I wish I could read.

4. The potential mood sheweth power or the want of it; and is known by these signs, may, can, might, would, should could, or ought; as, I can work or play just as I please: John would play, but his master will not let him.

5. The subjunctive mood is conditional, having always a conjunction joined to it; as, when I can love; or, if I may read

6. The infinitive mood affirmeth nothing, but signifieth indefinitely; having neither number nor person, nor nominative case before it; and is commonly known by this sign to before it; as, to love.

Q. Of What do moods consist?

To come,

viz.

Present Tense,

Preterimperfect Tense and
The Future Tense.

There is also another division of time after this manner: the preterperfect tense is subdivided into the preterimperfect tense, or the time not perfectly past; and the preterpluperfect tense, or the time long past.

And to these may be added, what the Greeks call a second future.

Q. How is the present tense known?

A. It is known by the signs, do, dost, does, doth, and speaketh of an action now a-doing but not finished; as, I do read, that is, I have not yet done reading.

Q. How is the preterperfect tense known?

A. It is known by these signs, have, hast, hath, and has,