ning today?" it is implied that the bure
run If it is said, "What thank you of tres
ning to-day?" it is intended to ask, what"

for my horse to run to-day. The de

frequently disregarded, deserves attentat, it &

oned an honest man:" "The such a place;" are preferable and "may be always." understood, after they have preference to, "These rules er they have diligently been

vious, that ambiguity may ans, free only of these phraseologies, to expres se aanp The active participle is frequently an obvious reference to any noun or pr nerally speaking, his conduct was very 2006 "Granting this to be true, what to be it?" "It is scarcely possible to act schere, risanng the frailty of human nature." In these entorn, ag is no noun expressed or implied, to vix raudo ing, and considering, can be referred. The ax construction seems to be, that a pro 25 stood: as, "We considering the fray d ture," &c.; "I granting this to be re

The word the, before the active pe lowing sentences, and in all robes daz tion, is improper, and she ma

may be more properly caled the mang writing: "The advistag,

disturbances, is unia

what is his, without is Egg ~ stealing." They should. "

paper;" "Advising or aĄ N

“Taking from another

In some of these very property be atore

“To take from anot

sed as an expletive, or as a he sense in which case it >minative noun: as, 66 There here are some thieves in the well, or better, expressed by › door;" "Some thieves are it is made use of to give a to the sentence: as, "There d, whose name was John." ict sense, it principally follows e case: as, "The man stands

nerally precedes the verb: as, He never comes at a proper y is used, it is placed indifferer this adverb: as, 66 He was

RULE XV.

ADVERBS, though they have no government of case, tense, &c. require an appropriate situation in the sentence, viz. for the most part, before adjectives, after verbs active or neuter, and frequently between the auxiliary and the verb: as, "He made a very sensible discourse; he spoke unaffectedly and forcibly; and was attentively heard by the whole assembly.”

See vol. ii. p. 117.

A FEW instances of erroneous positions of adverbs may serve to illustrate the rule. "He must not expect to find study agreeable always;" "always agreeable." "We always find them ready when we want them ;""we find them always ready," &c. "Dissertations on the prophecies which have remarkably been fulfilled;"" which have been remarkably." "Instead of looking contemptuously down on the crooked in mind or in body, we should look up thankfully to God, who hath made us better;" "instead of looking down contemptuously, &c. we should thankfully look up," &c. "If thou art blessed naturally with a good memory, continually exercise it;" "naturally blessed," &c. "exercise it continually."

Sometimes the adverb is placed with propriety before the verb, or at some distance after it; sometimes between the two auxiliaries; and sometimes after them both; as in the following examples. "Vice always creeps by degrees, and insensibly twines around us those concealed fetters, by which we are at last completely bound." "He encouraged the English Barons to carry their opposition farther." They compelled him to declare that he would abjure the realm for ever;" instead of, "to carry farther their opposition;" and "to abjure for ever the realm."

66

"He has generally been reckoned an honest man:" "The book may always be had at such a place;" are preferable to "has been generally;" and may be always." "These rules will be clearly understood, after they have been diligently studied," in preference to, "These rules will clearly be understood, after they have diligently been studied."

When adverbs are emphatical, they may introduce a sentence, and be separated from the word to which they belong as, "How completely this most amiable of human virtues, had taken possession of his soul !" This position of the adverb is most frequent in interrogative and exclamatory phrases.

From the preceding remarks and examples, it appears that no exact and determinate rule can be given for the placing of adverbs, on all occasions. The general rule may be of considerable use: but the easy flow and perspicuity of the phrase, are the things which ought to be chiefly regarded.

The adverb there is often used as an expletive, or as a word that adds nothing to the sense: in which case it precedes the verb and the nominative noun: as, "There is a person at the door;" "There are some thieves in the house;" which would be as well, or better, expressed by saying, "A person is at the door;" "Some thieves are in the house." Sometimes, it is made use of to give a small degree of emphasis to the sentence: as, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." When it is applied in its strict sense, it principally follows the verb and the nominative case: as, "The man stands there."

1. The adverb never generally precedes the verb: as, "I never was there;" "He never comes at a proper time." When an auxiliary is used, it is placed indifferently, either before or after this adverb: as, "He was

never seen (or never was seen) to laugh from that time." Never seems to be improperly used in the following passages. "Ask me never so much dowry and gift." "If I make my hands never so clean." "Charm he never so wisely." The word "ever" would be more suitable to the sense.-Ever is sometimes improperly used for never: as, I seldom or ever see him now." It should be, "I seldom or never;" the speaker intending to say, "that rarely, or rather at no time, does he see him now;" not "rarely," or, "at any time."

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2. In imitation of the French idiom, the adverb of place, where, is often used instead of the pronoun relative and a preposition. "They framed a protestation, where they repeated all their former claims;" i. e. "in which they repeated." "The king was still determined to run forwards, in the same course where he was already, by his precipitate career, too fatally advanced;" i. e. in which he was." But it would be better to avoid this mode of expression.

The adverbs hence, thence, and whence, imply a preposition; for they signify, "from this place, from that place, from what place." It seems, therefore, strictly speaking, to be improper to join a preposition with them, because it is superfluous: as, "This is the leviathan, from whence the wits of our age are said to borrow their weapons;"

an ancient author prophesies from hence." But the origin of these words is little attended to, and the preposition from is so often used in construction with them, that the omission of it, in many cases, would seem stiff, and be disagreeable.

The adverbs here, there, where, are often improperly applied to verbs signifying motion, instead of the adverbs hither, thither, whither: as, "He came here hastily;" They rode there with speed." They should be, "He came hither," "They rode thither," &c.

3. We have some examples of adverbs being used for substantives: "In 1687, he erected it into a community of regulars, since when, it has begun to increase in those countries as a religious order;" i. e. "since which time.” "They are exalted for a little while;" i. e. for "a short time." "It is worth their while;" i. e. “it deserves their time and pains." But this mode of expression rather suits familiar than grave style. The same may be said of the phrase, "To do a thing anyhow;" i. e. "in any manner;" or, "somehow;" i. e. "in some manner." "Somehow, worthy as these people are, they are under the influence of prejudice."

Such expressions as the following, though not destitute of authority, are very inelegant, and do not suit the idiom of our language:" "The then ministry," for "the ministry of that time;" "The above discourse," for "the preceding discourse."

RULE XVI.

Two negatives, in English, destroy one another, or are equivalent to an affirmative: as, "Nor did they not perceive him;" that is, "they did perceive him." "His language, though inelegant, is not ungrammatical," that is, "it is grammatical."

See vol. ii. p. 119.

Ir is better to express an affirmation, by a regular affirmative, than by two separate negatives, as in the former sentence but when one of the negatives is joined to another word, as in the latter sentence, the two negatives form a pleasing and delicate variety of expression.

Some writers have improperly employed two negatives instead of one: as in the following instances: "I never did repent of doing good, nor shall not now;" "nor shall