PROPOSITIONS AS RULES.

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neighbour's cat has taken a rat. 7. Jane waters the flowers. 8. The doctor passes this way every morning. 9. Whoever wishes to be well spoken of should think what will please other people. 10. The early bird catches the worm. 11. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. 12. War is a dire calamity. 13. The death of Alexander III., of Scotland, by a fall from his horse, was the beginning of great evils to the country. 14. A sick room should be well aired. 15. Within the last century there have been great improvements in all kinds of knowledge, and in all the arts.

3. A Proposition may be Singular, or it may be General.

It is a singular proposition to say-'Rome has many narrow streets.' The saying refers to the individual city, Rome. It is a general proposition to say- Old cities have narrow streets.' The saying in this case refers to the whole class, old or ancient cities.

Cæsar was brave; great generals are brave.

Mars shines by the light of the sun; all the planets shine by the light of the sun.

Iron corrodes; the metals corrode.

4. A Proposition may be true universally, or it may have Exceptions.

Some general propositions are true in every instance :Men will die; all matter is indestructible.

Some propositions fail in certain cases, which are said to be exceptions:-All metals rust in the air, except gold, silver, and a few others.

5. Propositions are sometimes given as directions, or rules for practice.

20 WHAT IS SAID OF A SUBJECT-PREDICATION.

'Eat that you may live' is a rule or practical direction. It is the practical form of the proposition- Eating, or food, supports life.'

'Obey the law' is a rule of practice. It is the same as— 'the law must be obeyed;'' every one is compelled to obey the law.'

'Learn while you are young.'

'Speak distinctly.'

These are different from the ordinary forms of speech, and are called Imperative forms. The separation into subject and predicate is made by finding out who is addressed.

'Shut the door; subject, 'you' (unexpressed); predicate 'shut the door.'

'Poachers, beware;' subject,' (you) poachers;' predicate, beware.'

6. Rules may be universal, or they may have exceptions.

'Do all the good you can' is a universal rule.

'Take food when you are hungry,' is a general rule, but not without exceptions. Sometimes people should abstain from eating.

The rule'swear not at all' is considered by the Society of Friends to have no exceptions. The greater number of persons think that taking an oath before a court of justice is an exception.

Grammar contains a great many rules, but many of them have exceptions. Hence, after stating a rule, there is frequently given a list of exceptions.

THE SENTENCE.

1. SPEECH is made up of separate sayings, each complete in itself. These are Sentences.

A person may utter one single meaning, as the sky is clear;' but a speech generally contains several meanings, or distinct propositions: 'The sky was lately clouded. It is now clear. There is no fear of rain.' Three distinct meanings are here given in succession; each is complete in sense, having a distinct subject and a distinct predicate.

2. Every saying, declaration, or proposition, is a Sentence.

All the examples given of sayings or propositions are examples of Sentences (p. 18); and there will be many more afterwards.

The Sentence, being in every respect what is meant by a saying, or proposition, or assertion, has the same two parts-namely, Subject and Predicate. These parts have now to be viewed more particularly, as bearing on Grammar.

Examples of Short Sentences.

We can have a distinct and full meaning in two words; one being the Subject, the other the Predicate.

Sirius twinkles.

Jupiter thunders.

Victoria reigns.
Peter repented.

Nero fiddled.

Bucephalus neighed.
Carthage fell.

Rome remains.

Snowdon appears.

Men laugh, dogs fight, horses gallop.

Mountains tower.

Matter resists, gold glitters.

Steel tarnishes.

Fire burns.

Industry enriches, art refines.

Misery crushes, hope cheers.

Punishment deters, wisdom guides.

Music soothes.

In every one of these the first word is the Subject, the second the Predicate.

The following examples have three words, the two first being the Subject, the third the Predicate :

The moon rises.

A horseman came.

This man answers.
No one survives.

Great poets arise.

The subjects are 'the moon,' a horseman,' &c.

NOUN AND VERB.

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The following examples have three words, the first Subject, the two last Predicate :

Moses led Israel.

Titus destroyed Jerusalem.

Government makes laws.

Animals serve man.

Misfortune brings despair.

It will be seen that these sentences give a more complete account than the others. They name some one that does something; they state what is the kind of the action, and, finally, what is the thing acted on.

3. The examples containing only two words are examples of a naked sentence. They give the words essential to a meaning, and all other words are additions or Adjuncts to these.

These two words are the two chief Parts of Speech; the first is called the Noun, the second the

Verb.

In the sentence 'gold glitters,' the Subject'gold' is called a Noun, the Predicate glitters' is called a Verb.

Jupiter (noun) thunders (verb).

Men (noun) laugh (verb).

Rocks (noun) press (verb).

Carthage (noun) fell (verb).

The words naming the Subjects are Nouns; the words giving the Predicates are Verbs.

It will be observed that the subject is sometimes one person or thing (Jupiter, Carthage), and sometimes a whole class (men, rocks).

It may be remarked, also, that the Predicate word-the Verb-gives the time of the action or fact predicated. 'Thun