Page images
PDF
EPUB

Here are fifty-six words made out of four with the aid of suffixes, which being common property may enter into union with many other verbs. In Todd's edition of Dr. Johnson's Dictionary, sixty-two different applications of the verb to cast are given and exemplified; and this variety is owing mainly to the efficacy of the uncombined suffixes. The diversity of meaning given by these suffixes is no less remarkable. To run up an account is a very different matter from running down an enemy's vessel. By blowing up a citadel, a revolt may be put down. You may enter into a cave, and you may enter into Milton's Conception of Samson Agonistes. If you have money, you may set up a shop; if you are rich, you may set up your carriage; if you are liberal, you may, at the same time, set up a friend; and if you have also a proper spirit, you will not fail to set down the impertinent. Edgar having run through his fortune, enlisted as a common soldier, and was run through in battle. To laugh with one's friends is agreeable; to be laughed at by them is very unpleasant.

B I

"So long as nature

Will bear up with this exercise, so long
I daily vow to use it."

Shakspear.

It shows a greatness of soul for persons in distress to bear up against the storms of fortune,"-Broome.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

"Whose navy like a stiff-stretch'd cord did shew,
Till he bore in, and bent them into flight."

Dryden.

"As a lion bounding in his way

With force augmented bears against his prey."

Drydend

"The weight of the body doth bear most upon the knee jointe."Wilkins.

"I doubted whether that occasion could bear me out in my confidence." Temple.

"An eagle fluttereth over her young, and beareth them on her wings." (Deut. xxxii. 11.)

"Do you suppose the state of this realm to be so feeble, that it cannot bear off a greater blow than this?"—Hayward.

[ocr errors]

And bears down all before it with impetuous force."
And ebbing tides bear back upon th' uncertain sand,"
"Cæsar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus."

"Give but the word, we'll snatch his damsel up,
And bear her off."

Dryden Dryden, Shakspear.

Cato

To this list nautical phrases would add to bear down on an enemy, and to bear up against the wind; to bear round a headland, and bear over a sea; to bear by an island, and bear through a strait. What variety of meaning arises from these uncombined suffixes may be seen by taking a single thing as their object. Let he first be a river and the second a bridge.

[blocks in formation]

To go upon a river

To go above a bridge

On a tempestuous night a horseman, fatigued with a long day's journey, in attempting to go across a dilapidated bridge, was blown over it into the river. If you go through the Thames you will probably be drowned; if, by means of the Tunnel, you go under it, you will not wet the sole of your foot. A balloon will carry you voer the Thames, and you may cross the river in a wherry. I sauntered along the river, and at length went upon its tranquil bosom. My cousin walked under the bridge, while I was above it in the balloon, and we both saw the sheep go into the river.

These adverbial suffixes must not be confounded with ordinary adverbs. They are only a small portion of ordinary adverbs. Their connexion with their verbs is more intimate than is the connexion of ordinary adverbs, for though uncombined they form a part of the verb in each case, and are essential to its signification. The office of the ordinary adverb is not to change the import of a verb, but to denote the manner of its action. In to bear patiently, the adverb patiently does nothing more than mark the way in which the evil is borne; it is borne patiently, not impatiently, not peevishly, not complainingly. But to bear through, as, admiral bore through the enemy's line," is in the primitive sense of the term not to bear at all, nor in the derivative sense to endure, but to sail or direct a ship. Besides, ordinary adverbs may be connected with these adverbial suffixes; e. g. "the admiral boldly bore through the enemy's line."

UNCOMBINED SUFFIXES.

2. Prepositions.

the

I have termed the uncombined suffixes of which I have spoken adverbs and adverbial suffixes. In doing so I have, in regard to such as into, through, &c., considered them in their connexion with their several verbs. Thus viewed, they in construction are taken as parts of their verbs. In consequence the verbs become compound, and in their compound state govern their objects. But through, into, and others may be viewed as prepositions. When so considered they are connected not so much with the verb as with the noun; which in that case is governed not by the verb but by the preposition; in other words, the noun is directly dependent on the preposition rather than on the verb. I may illustrate my meaning by an example of

1. A Verb Compounded with
a Suffix.

He went-under the bridge.
The boat sailed-down the river.

2. A Preposition Connected with a Noun.

He went under the bridge.

The boat sailed down the river.

In the use of prepositions in connexion with verbs, special regard must be paid to usage. The power of the verb is materially

affected by the preposition. This fact is broadly seen in the appending of to or of to the verb to speak; e. g., to speak to, to speak of. Besides the phrase to speak to, we use the phrase to speak with. The two meanings are nearly the same, but to speak to is to address, and to speak with is to interchange remarks, to converse. The usage you are to follow is present usage. In its very nature usage is a varying thing. Of old, to lay hold on was employed in the way of our to lay hold of. At present we say dependent on, but independent of, yet the two adjectives, as they differ only in the negative in, would naturally require the same construction; and in former days on was used with independent as well as dependent.

[ocr errors]

A being of dependent nature remains independent upon him.”— South.

It is a rule that verbs, compounds of the Greek, Latin, and French languages, take after them the same prepositions as those which enter into their structure; thus, we say sympathise with, for the sym of sympathise denotes with. In the same way we say adhere to; intervene between. Yet we say prefer to instead of prefer before (prae, Lat. before). We have also conformable with, and conformable to.

"The fragments of Sappho give us a taste of her way of writing conformable with that character we find of her."-Addison.

"He gives a reason conformable to the principles.”—Arbuthnot. With, however, seems to denote a greater degree of resemblance or correspondence than to. According to the rule just enunciated aversé (a, from; and verto, I turn) would take from after it; yet we say not averse from, but averse to. Exception (ex, out of; and capio, I take) would require out of or from; yet we say exception to.

"Pleads, in exception to all general rules,

Your taste of follies with our scorn of fools."

Pope.

The elegance as well as the propriety of language much depends on a correct use of the prepositions, and, consequently, I shall make them the subject of a series of exercises in English composition.

PARSING.

God made the little worm that crawleth on the ground. I saw a fly crawl up the window pane. Let us go forth into the green fields. John has gone down into the cellar. The buds come out on the trees. The cowslips hold up their heads; will the cowslips never hang their heads down? The goslings are running on the green. They are now going down into the pond. The hen sits upon her nest. When the hen has broken the shell, the chicken will come out. The sheep can scarcely stand under their wool. The butterflies flutter from bush to bush. The young animals of every kind sport about. The shepherd careth for his sheep, and bringeth them back to the fold. My son, take care of your aged mother, and sustain her in her weakness. Your mother brought you up on her knees. You lay in her bosom. She fed you with her own vital substance. Therefore, let her now, in her age, cleave to you, and, upheld by you, let her gently go down into her tomb,

EXERCISES IN COMPOSITION.

Make a simple sentence comprising the words which follow.
Words with their proper Prepositions.

[blocks in formation]

Questions: What is the difference between accord with, and accord to? between accountable to, and accountable for? between admit, and admit of? between address, and address to?

In order that you may clearly see what I require, I give a sentence or two by way of example.

Such conduct draws upon him the abhorrence of all men. Such conduct subjects him to the wrath of God.

The former sentence is constructed on draws upon; the latter is constructed on subjects to. Suppose that I had given absence from and arrival at, as the germs of a sentence, then I perform what is demanded, thus:

Your absence from home has given your parents much pain. John's arrival at Portsmouth has inspired all the family with hope. WORDS THAT ARE BOTH PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES.

Some of the words which we have treated of as uncombined suffixes, may also be regarded as uncombined prefixes. The same word stands before and after its stem. You may take, as an instance, to cast-down, and down-cast. In this instance, the meaning varies, but does not greatly vary; to cast-down is used physically, and down-cast signifies dejected, sorrowful. Besides this difference, there is a difference also as to the function of the two words, for the former is a verb, the latter is an adjective. Rarely, perhaps, does the import remain the same, if the position of the

*F. R. signifies Foreign Representatives, that is, the stem in the Latin, French, &c., which forms the root or substance of the word: in these stems, only the essential or radical letters are given.

adverb is altered. Make a prefix a postfix (or suffix), and in general you produce a greater or less modification of meaning. Indeed, some of the most delicate shades and hues of thought expressed in the English language are connected with, if not dependent on, the varied use of these moveable particles. It may, therefore, be proper to go into some little detail on the point.

It is not all the prefixes and suffixes that usage permits to take their stand before or after their principal word. Out enjoys the privilege, and makes free use thereof. Look at these examples :

[blocks in formation]

An out-cast is one who undergoes the result and consequences of being cast-out. Corresponding with out-cast, is out-law. But though we may say to out-law, we cannot say to law-out. Outpost is again different from out-cast, for out-post does not make the idea of action so prominent as does out-cast. In this respect, out-cast is not unlike out-lay. Out-lay may be reversed; thus, layout. But while the verb is lay-out, the noun is out-lay. To bidout, is to bid with a clear, loud voice; but to out-bid, is to bid more than another. To grow-out is very different from to out-grow. A young brother, by becoming taller, out-grows an elder brother ; and the elder brother, who is thus surpassed, may be grown-out at the shoulders so as to be hump-backed. To do a person out of anything, is to cheat him; but to out-do a competitor, is to excel him. If my children live-out the century, they will out-live me. By crying-out lustily, boys make a great out-cry. That shameless man, by laughing-out so loud and so long, out-laughed all the company. If you look-out at the window, you will have a pleasant out look,

"We have taken all the out-lying parts of the Spanish monarchy."Temple.

"But for public dormitories, how many a poor creature would have been obliged to lie-out of doors in the nights of the last severe winter.". Anon.

[ocr errors][merged small]

You said that idle weeds are fast in growth;

The prince, my brother, hath out-grown me far."-Shakspear. "Albert has grown-out of his clothes."-Anon.

"But breathe his faults so quaintly
That they may seem the taints of liberty;
The flash and out-break of a fiery mind."

Shakspear

"A fire breaking-out in the cellar, consumed the whole house."-Anon.

"Nor they which use

To out-drink the sea."

Donne.

« PreviousContinue »