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an animal is so formed that it can with ease procure the food necessary to its existence, and also the wisdom of God in adapting its different organs to its habitation and mode of life. This principle may be carried out by two plans. Either the animal or its picture may be brought before the children, and they may be called upon to observe its formation, and from considering its form and structure may be led to the consideration of its habits and mode of life; or their attention may be first directed to its habits, mode of life, food, and then to its appearance and structure. Suppose, for example, the common domestic cat be taken as the subject of the lesson: On the first plan, the children would be required to observe all the parts of the animal, as its sharp teeth, and sheathing claws, its cushioned feet and flexible limbs; and from them they would be led to a consideration of its habits and food. On the second plan, the attention of the children would be first directed to the habits of the cat, its noiseless step and bounding movements, to its destructive appetite, its food, &c., and then they would be led to observe its powerful teeth and sharp retractile claws, its elastic motion and cushioned feet, and readily perceive that these parts were given to the animal in order that it might perform the actions described, and secure the food necessary to its existence. This second plan is decidedly the best. The interest is first excited, and the attention commanded by a description of the animal or anecdotes respecting its mode of life, and then the hearers are ready and anxious to find out the means by which it executes these various actions, and procures its requisite food. Again, this second plan is the most natural; for a child proceeds from what is best known to what is unknown; the habits of every animal are better known to children than their structure." In pursuing this plan the lesson will fail to awaken due interest, and will become formal, if attention is directed first to one series of facts, and then, when these are exhausted, to the other. A better plan is to take one fact and find the corresponding fitness in structure, then another, and so on.-G.

Teqture-Room Notes.

ENGLISH SYNTAX.

Complement to the Predicate.-Transitives and Intransitives in common.

Having considered the Complements which are found with Intransitive verbs exclusively, and also those which are found exclusively with Transitive verbs, it remains to notice those which may be attached to Transitives and Intransitives alike.

Completing any predicate we may find

1. The Accusative case of a substantive.

2. The Dative case.

3. The Nominative (?) case of a substantive, with a participle in agreement.

4. An adverb.

5. An adverbial phrase formed of a preposition, and its governed substantive.

1. The accusative. This is used to denote ideas (a) of Space, (b) of Time, (c) of Measure, or (d) of Manner. It also (e) may enter, as an absolute accusative, into an adverbial phrase.

a. Space.-Answering to a question Where?
He came the shortest way.

As seamen with the self-same gale
With several different courses sail.

In answer to the question How far?
He retired some few steps.

If I be false, or swerve a hair from truth.

He drove them back two miles.

Sometimes, but rarely, in answer to the question Whither?

He looked this way and that way.

He travelled north.

We arrived home.

b. Time.-Point of time, in answer to the question When?

I was loitering there one day.

He was at two sieges last war.

Duration of time, answering the question How long?

Nine days they fell.

He sits up all night to write sonnets.

Men have lived here time out of mind.

He served twenty campaigns.

It will also denote periodic time.

I go on shore a quarter of an hour a month.

Who twice a day their withered hands hold up.

Two accusatives are often used to mark two connected timenotions, the one denoting the starting-point in a reckoning, the other the intervening time.

I met with my accident this day twelve months.

Give me your answer this day week.

c. Measure of any

kind.

I'll bear thee hence, where I may weep my fill.

Men that would go forty guineas on a game of cribbage.

It outweighed them a grain.

He increased his book some pages.

d. Way or Manner.

Old John of Gaunt hath sent post haste.

Have you a ruffian that will rob, murder,

And commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways?

e. Absolute Accusative.

Down went his antagonist, rider and steed.

You have made shift to run into 't, boots and spurs and all.

When arm in arm we went along.

He turned and met death face to face.

He speaks three or four languages, word for word, without book.

At length Adrian, his visor down, rode slowly up.

He lies down secure, his heart and pocket light.

2. The Dative case of the personal pronoun is sometimes attached to a predicate, either to point out the person for whom the action is done, or merely to note rapidly in passing who is supposed to be interested in it. This is called the Ethical dative.

Convey me Salisbury into his tent.

Villain, I say, knock me at this gate, and rap me well.

I am not yet of Percy's mind, the Hotspur of the North, he that kills me six or seven dozen of Scots at a breakfast.

One Colonna cuts me the throat of Orsini's baker.

We could raise you five hundred colliers, that would run you underground like moles.

A terrible dragon of a woman; claps you an iron cap on her head, and takes the field where need is.

3. A phrase formed of a substantive (with or without attribute) and either an imperfect or a perfect participle (with or without complement) in agreement with it is often found completing a predicate, the notion so introduced being generally one of time. The substantive in this case is detached from the syntax of the sentence, or absolute, as it is generally termed. In Latin it is the Ablative case that is thus used absolutely, in Greek the Genitive. In Anglo Saxon the Dative was the case used, but the Nominative is also found, and gradually fixed itself as the absolute case in modern English.

She being down, I have the placing of the British crown.

All present having votes, the discussion proceeded.

We sitting, as I said, the cock crew loud.

You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain.

My uncle having been check-mated, we of course expected the usual illhumour.

This ceremony ended, the Tribune passed into the banquet hall.

Six frozen winters spent, return with welcome.

Leicester knelt, his arms crossed and his brows bent on the ground.

Milton generally uses an oblique case of the personal pronouns absolute. He may have intended it for the dative, thinking to maintain the original

Anglo-Saxon usage, but more probably this construction is to be classed amongst his Latinisms.

Dagon has presumed, me overthrown, to enter lists with God.
The seat of Deity, us dispossessed, he trusted to have seized.
And him destroyed,

For whom all this was made, all this will soon

Follow.

Sometimes the participle, and sometimes the substantive is omitted from the absolute phrase.

This away, men are but painted clay.

He was as pale as a ghost,-and talking oj ghosts, there is a story told.

4. Adverbs may be used to complete any predicate. They generally introduce either notions of Place, answering the questions Where? Whence? Whither? with which also we must class the pleonastic There.

The six footmen stood behind.

Thereby hangs a tale.

Homeward in the dark we trudged.

There once lived a king called Attila.

Or notions of Time, answering the questions When? How long? Since when? Till when?

I will returu anon.

I shall always regret it.

Thenceforward we have been enemies.

Hitherto nothing has happened.

Or notions of Manner, answering the question Tow?

Then slowly answered Arthur from the Verge.

Or are mainly negative or affirmative and with these must be classed the absolute adverbs Yes and No.

He will certainly succeed.

I will not mention it.

5. Phrases formed of a Preposition and its governed substantive (with or without attribute are very commonly used to complete a predicate, having here the force of adverbs.

It is a precious powder that I bought of an Italian.

He took advantage of the confusion.

The houses are mostly built of granite.

He has taken the responsibility off my shoulders.

She drew the splinter from the wound.

Off goes his bonnet to an oyster wench.

Up the dim aisle the holy fathers came.
Banners waved along the walls.
Send a bullet through his head.

No war or battle's sound was heard the world around.

By his side a pouch he wore.

I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.

His acquaintance lay chiefly among shipchandlers.

I draw a curtain over the scene.

She noticed nothing during the journey.

A gerund very frequently, and an infinitive mood in some few instances, stands in the place of the substantive.

I am used to bring alone.

She passes her time in reading novels.

Before following you, I must know your name and purpose.
Would you oblige me by throwing yourself out of window?
Therefore 'tis good and meet for to be wise.

They went out for to reap.

Notices of Books.

The Practical School Grammar, including Analysis of Sentences, with Exercises in Composition. By James Currie, A.M. Thomas Laurie, Edinburgh.-This book forms one of Constable's Educational Series. It is intended as a sequel to the Rudimentary English Grammar, by the same author. The principle adopted in the construction of both is one we recommended in these pages so long since as 1851. The First Book is analytic. It starts with the sentence in its integrity, and teaches about words, in their nature, subdivisions, and inflections, by their offices in sentences. This " Second Book" is intended to furnish that more systematic study of grammar for which the previous course is the only true preparation. Hence in it "a different order is followed, in consistency with the greater advancement of the pupils. Each part of speech is exhibited with the whole body of its subdivisions and inflections in what seems the necessary degree of detail; the Syntax is treated systematically, and as a separate part of the subject; and the method of instruction adopted is that of Definition, Illustration, and Exercises. In short, this Second Book of Grammar is arranged for synthetic teaching, the natural method for the instruction of more advanced pupils." The work is well done. The definitions are neat and clear. The exercises are abundant. The arrangement is very good, and the book is not disfigured by exercises in false English, while he has wisely adopted better terms for some that had nothing but their age to recommend them. The Parts in Analysis, Syntactical Construction and Punctuation are very good.

Arithmetic Step by Step. By H. Combes and E. Hines. Longmans and Co.We took occasion to commend Part I. of this work on its first appearance. The volume before us contains that and Part II., the latter dealing with the higher parts of the subject. The exercises are very numerous-a good feature in an Arithmetic. They are not of such a length or so difficult as to deter learners from applying themselves with vigour, nor so easy as to excite their contempt. Problems,

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