‘THE YOUTH’S CABINET.

The subject is a substantive, i. e. the
idea of asubstance, or of something con-
ceived of as such, concerning which
something is affirmed; as, “ God.”

The predicate is a verb, i. e. the idea
of an action or activity, which is affirmed
concerning the subject ; as, “exists.”

The subject and the predicate, by
means of this relation between them, are
combined by the speaker, at the moment

of speaking, into a unit or whole. It

is the nature of the predicative combina-
tion, that the predicate and subject to-
gether form one thought, and that thought
a judgment or affirmation of the human
mind.

According to the different forms of the
predicative combination, the predicate
may be,

1. A verb; as, “ glass breaks.”

2. An adjective; as, “glass is _fra-
gile.”

3. A substantive; as, “John is @
physician.”

4. Anadverb; as, “the fire is owt.”

5. A substantive with a preposition ;
as, “he is in good spirits.”

The unity of the thought is evident in
all these combinations or groupings.

A predicative combination alone con-
stitutes a simple proposition in its crude
or naked form; but the other syntacti-
cal combinations are necessary, in order
to enlarge and expand the simple propo-
sition, and the repetition of the predi-
cative combination is necessary, in order
to constitute a compound proposition.

II. The second syntactical combina-
tion is the attributive; as, “ Almighty
God.” This consists of two factors, viz.
a substantive, or the idea of a sub-
stance; as, “ God;” and the attribute,
which involves the idea of an action or

activity ; as, “ Almighty.”

 

 

51

These two
factors are combined, not necessarily by
the speaker, nor necessarily at the mo-
ment of speaking, into one idea (not one
thought) and that the idea of substance.

According to the different forms of the
attributive combination, the attribute
may be,

1, Anadjective ; as “the virtuous man.”

2. A substantive in apposition; as,
“my brother, the physician.”

3. A substantive in the genitive case;
as, ‘the sun’s course.”

4. A substantive with a preposition ;
as, ‘‘an enemy to his country.”

5. A substantive used adjectively ; as,
“the marriage act.”

6. An adverb; as, “the under side.”

7. A participle ; as, “running water.”

8. A pronoun; as, thes book.”

All these groupings or combinations,
it is evident, constitute one idea, and that
the idea of a substance.

III. The third syntactical combina-
tion is the objective; as, ‘made man.”
This consists of two factors, viz. a verb
or adjective, involving the idea of action ;
as, “made; and an object to which
such activity is directed; as, “man.”
The two factors are combined so as to
make one idea, and that an idea of ac-
tion or activity.

According to the different forms of the
objective combination, the object may be
expressed,

1. By a substantive in an oblique
case; as, “made man,”

2. By a substantive with a preposi-
tion; as, “gave to him.”

3. By an adverb; as, “acted wisely.”

4, By an infinitive ; as, “desires to go.”

5. By a pronominal word ; as, “ killed
him.” Soy