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§ 356. The following words, amongst others, are

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§ 357. The following words, amongst others, are prepositions; in, on, of, at, up, by, to, for, from, till, with, through, behind.

§ 358. The following words, amongst others, are conjunctions; and, or, nor, if, because, although.

§ 359. One and the same word may be at one time an adverb, at another a preposition, and at another a conjunction.

▲. In, on, up, by, through, and several others, are adverbs or prepositions, as the case may be.

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B. Since is a preposition in the sentence, I have been here since ten o'clock; but it is a conjunction in the sentence, since you have waited here so long, I will, at once, go with you. The same is the case with the word but, and with some others.

§ 360. Words that can be either prepositions or

adverbs, adverbs or conjunctions, conjunctions or prepositions, are called convertible words.

The following are the signs by which it may be known whether a convertible word is an adverb, a preposition, or a conjunction.

§ 361. Rule 1. If a convertible word be a preposition it governs a noun; as, bring it out of the box, drive through the gate, get on the horse.

§ 362. Rule 2. If a convertible word be an adverb, no noun is governed by it, and the part of the sentence wherein it occurs is simple; ie., not capable of being expanded into two propositions; as, bring it out, drive through, get on.

§ 363. Rule 3. If a convertible word be a conjunction, it is incapable of governing a noun, whilst the part of the sentence in which it stands is capable of being expanded into two propositions.

The force of the first two of these rules is clear. In such a sentence as, I climbed up a tree, the word up is a preposition, and it is by means of that word that the tree is connected with the act of climbing. To climb is the act itself. The tree is the object affected by it.

Contrast with this such words, as, I climb up, I go in, I get on. In such case the words up, in, and on, are really portions of the verb itself; so that

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In these, and all similar examples, the effect of the verb upon any particular object is not mentioned. All

that is mentioned is the general manner in which the action takes place; and, consequently, the sense is adverbial.

The process by which we prove a word to be a conjunction is less simple: it is, however, best illustrated by the words than and but.

A. All fled but John.-If this mean all fled except John, the word but is a preposition, the word John is an objective case, and the proposition is single. If, instead of John, we had a personal pronoun, we should say, all fled but him.

All fled but John.-If this mean, all fled, but John did not fly, the word but is a conjunction, the word John is a nominative case, and the propositions are two in number. If, instead of John, we had a personal pronoun, we should say all fled but he.

B. In the following sentence it is remarkable that the word than is followed by an objective case.

You are a much greater loser than me.-SWIFT. She suffers more than me.-SWIFT.

Now, if this construction be correct, the word than is a preposition.

Nevertheless, it is far more in accordance with the practice of good writers, and the genius of the English language to consider than a conjunction. In this case each sentence would be double.

Thus,

1. You are a much greater loser

than

2. I am (a loser).

1. She suffers more than

2. I suffer.

Again, He approves of you more than I, means one thing; whereas, he approves of you more than me, means something quite different. In each case, the word than is a conjunction, and, in each case, the sentence, although apparently simple, contains two propositions. The first is equivalent to

1. He approves of you more

than

2. I approve of you.

The second means

1. He approves of you more than

2. He approves of me.

§ 364. Interjections are words like ah! oh! O! alas! pish! tush! &c. They are destitute of inflexion, and incapable of government.

QUESTIONS.

What are the concords of the Pronoun? What of the Verb? In what case is a Substantive when it is governed by a Substantive? In what when governed by an Adjective? In what when governed by a Preposition? How does a Conjunction govern a Verb? How can an Adverb be distinguished from a Preposition, when they are both spelt and sounded alike? What part of speech is than ?

What are the chief collective Substantives in English? What is the meaning of apposition, collocation, ellipsis, and pleonasm?

PART V.

PROSODY.

§ 365. THE word Prosody is derived from the Greek word Prosodia, signifying accent.

$366. The regular recurrence, at regular intervals, of an accented syllable, constitutes verse.

§ 367. In the following lines the accent recurs regularly on every second syllable:

The way was lóng, the wind was cold,
The minstrel wás infírm and 6ld;
His wither'd cheék, and trésses gréy,
Seém'd to have known a bétter day.
The harp, his sóle remaining joy,
Was carried by an orphan boy.

The last of all the bárds was hé

Who súng of ancient chívalry.-SCOTT.

§ 368. In the following lines the accent recurs regularly on every third syllable :—

At the close of the day, when the hámlet is stíll,

And the mortals the sweets of forgetfulness prove,

And when nought but the torrent is héard on the hill,
And there's noúght but the níghtingale's sóng in the grove.

BEATTIE.

§ 369. When every second syllable is accented, the number of syllables in a line is double the number of the accents.

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