Page images
PDF
EPUB

placed the highest value upon the oral exercises, it has been thought best to divide the work into two books-the first containing an introductory course of Oral Lessons, with enough of the principles of grammar to make it a suitable book for beginners,the second containing a full course of study in English Grammar. The "Introduction to the Study of English Grammar" was issued in 1856, and has been found to meet an important want in our schools. It contains an easy and gradual opening of the subject, and suggests a ready way of teaching the parts of speech, as well as the construction and analysis of sentences, without the disgust and discouragement usually attendant upon the commencement of the study. Indeed, in the hands of a skilful teacher, who could readily supply such matter as must necessarily be excluded from a merely elementary book, it will be found sufficient for ordinary school purposes.

The following work contains a full discussion of the principles. of English Grammar. It is the result of an earnest endeavor to prepare a text book, in itself complete, and, at the same time, suitable for the school-room.

To render it complete, it has been necessary to discuss many topics belonging only to an advanced course; and to adapt it to the wants of the school-room, much of this matter is exhibited in smaller type, to distinguish between that which is of universal, and that which is only of occasional application-that which is to be learned, and that which is to be only carefully read over. One can scarcely analyze a single paragraph, even of easy composition, without falling upon some idiomatic or rare construction not explained in the general rules. It is believed that most of these cases have been provided for in the following pages. Whenever it has been possible to refer such examples to some modification of a general analogy, it has been done; and its relation to the regular construction has been indicated.

As a guide to the learner, constant references to topics related to each other are kept up, particularly in the Syntax. An outline of the subjects discussed on each page may be found at the bottom. In addition to these, a copious table of contents will enable one to find any topic at pleasure. To aid the learner in acquiring correct habits of analysis and parsing, numerous models, embracing all the varieties of construction and parts of speech,

will be found in the different parts of the book, accompanied with Exercises for practice. In cases where the learner is in danger of adopting ungrammatical constructions, he is furnished with the necessary Cautions, which also serve as guides in correcting false Syntax. A system of Punctuation, growing directly from the analysis of sentences, is appended to the Syntax, and will be found easy of application to any one who has thoroughly studied the discussion of Elements in 153-186 inclusive.

The fundamental principle upon which the subject has been developed is, that no theory of grammar is true or reliable, that cannot be abundantly verified by direct appeals to the usage of standard authors. The grammar of a language should be derived from the language itself. It is not the province of the grammarian to legislate in matters of language, but to classify and arrange its forms and principles by a careful study of its analogies as seen in the usage of the best writers. He does not make the rules and definitions which express these analogies; they had already existed, and were obeyed,-unconsciously, it is true,-long before he formed them into words and published them. Nor are they authoritative because he has uttered them, but simply because they are just and faithful interpretations of the already existing laws which underlie and pervade the language itself. He is a discoverer-not an inventor, not a dictator; but is true to his task just so far as he investigates and reinvestigates original sources found in the language itself,—not, of course, rejecting the light which cotemporary or previous labor has shed upon his pathway.

In the following classification of the principles of Grammar, greater prominence has been given to ideas than to mere forms. The complete sentence is at first regarded as a unit—an expression of a single thought, and that too whatever may be the number of propositions combined in it, or whatever may be the characteristic of the thought, as a statement, a command, an inquiry, or an exclamation. The thought determines the sentence. The classification of the sentence depends upon its specific peculiarities. Again, in separating the sentence into its parts, the element is taken as the unit, an expression of a single idea of the full thought and that too whether it be a single word, or a group of words, or whatever may be its form, structure, rank, or

office. Here, again, the idea determines the element, while the classification depends upon some peculiarity of the element itself. Again, an element of the sentence may itself contain elements which may all conspire to express one of the chief ideas of the whole sentence. These, in like manner, are determined and classified. Finally, each single element is itself a word, or may be separated into the words which form it. Thus, it will be seen that the sentence is not, as is usual, regarded at once as an assemblage of words, but as an assemblage of elements variously expressed; and in the final analysis, these elements are reduced to words. It is this peculiarity that brings the learner into sympathy with the thought itself—the vital power which determines all the forms of the sentence. It gives him an interior view of its structure, and enables him to sit in judgment with the writer in his choice of forms.

The Grammar of the English Language will be found to contain nearly all the principles embodied in the Analysis, and in all that pertains to the classification, modification, and construction of words, it is believed, is sufficiently full. It is intended to follow the Introduction, and to precede the Analysis, which is adapted to advanced pupils.

Although each book may be used independently of the others, the order in which they stand is:

I. The Introduction.

II. The Grammar of the English Language. III. The Analysis of Sentences.

The author acknowledges his indebtedness to many friends for a great variety of suggestions which he has noted, and embodied in some form or other in these pages. Many changes have been made in the arrangement of the matter, and slight modifications will be found in the matter itself. As a whole, it is hoped, the work will be found both complete and convenient as a text book of English Grammar.

PROVIDENCE, May, 1860.

S. S. GREENE.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »