Kneeling to Charles Edward, Waverley's heart and sword were devoted to the vindication of his rights. "Kneeling to Charles Edward, Waverley devoted his heart and sword to the vindication of his rights." Ibid. NOTE. Avoid placing the adjective "only" between its noun and a verb, for it may then be confused with the adverb "only," and so may be taken with the verb; e.g. Since the first dominion of men was asserted over the ocean, three thrones, of mark beyond all others, have been set upon its sands; the thrones of Tyre, Venice, and England. Of the First of these great powers the memory only remains; of the Second, the ruin; the Third, if it forget their example, may be led through prouder eminence to less pitied destruction. Here the word "only" may be taken as an adjective with "memory" (meaning "the memory alone") or as an adverb with "remains." Such confusion may be avoided by placing "only" before its noun as in the correct form of the sentence, "Of the first of these great powers only the memory remains," or by using “alone” in place of "only"; e.g.– 1. "Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control, These three alone lead life to sovereign power." Enone. II. Attributive adjectives are usually placed before their nouns; predicate adjectives, after their verbs. Any other position emphasises them. 1 The Stones of Venice. LESSON V. RELATION AND PLACING OF CLAUSES. I. SUBSTANTIVE CLAUSES. Unlike the noun, the substantive clause used as subject does not naturally precede its verb, but generally follows it, after a preparatory "it," and gains emphasis by being placed before the verb. The substantive clause used as object or supplement usually follows its verb, and is made emphatic by being placed before it. Natural Form. EXAMPLES. Yet, truly, if it might be, I, for one, would fain join in the cadence of hammerstrokes that should beat swords into ploughshares; and it is not the fault of us men that this cannot be. Lexington, Concord, and Charlestown can best declare what may have been the ministerial views which have precipitated the present crisis. Emphatic Form. "Yet, truly, if it might be, I, for one, would fain join in the cadence of hammerstrokes that should beat swords into ploughshares; and that this cannot be is not the fault of us men." The Crown of Wild Olive. "What may have been the ministerial views which have precipitated the present crisis, Lexington, Concord, and Charlestown can best declare." IRVING, Life of Washington, Letter of General Washington to General Gage. |