CONJUNCTIONS OR CONNECTIVES
1. This class of words is used to connect words, phrases, clauses, and sentences.
The conjunction that often introduces a sentence or clause which is the subject or object of a verb; as, "That Webster was a powerful reasoner, is universally admitted." "That Washington Irving is one of the most elegant of American writers, no one questions."
2. There are certain conjunctions whose correlatives ought to be carefully attended to. (Thus arranged by Harrison.)
I am the same to-day....as yesterday.
It was exactly such.....as this.
The same man..... that (Relat. Pron.), not as, I spoke of.
This man is as tall ....as that, i. e., as that is. He is not so worthy.......as she,—as she is.
Both this ......and that.
Whether this.......or that.
No other ..... than (not but) this.
Though degraded.......yet, nevertheless.
Neither this.....nor that
3. So is followed by as, or that; not only, or not merely, is followed by but, but also, but even.
4. All comparatives require to be followed by than, or, as, or because, according to circumstances; as,
"This man is stronger than that."
"The more acceptable, as being unexpected."
"The more valuable, because unasked."
5. Conjunctions, properly, join only like cases of nouns.
"He blamed her more than him," i. e., "he blamed her more than he blamed him." "He runs faster than I," i. e., "than I do." It is erroneous to say, "The measure pleased my friend and I." It should be, "my friend and me," i. e., "pleased my friend, and pleased me."
6. Conjunctions do not properly connect different parts of speech; as, "Men sincerely loving their fellow-creatures, and who hate oppression, will," &c. "Who hate" should be changed to hating. In like manner, an adverb and an adjective should not be con nected by a conjunction, though poets sometimes disregard this rule.
7. But and lest are often used improperly for that; as, "I cannot deny but he is eloquent." "I feared lest I should be late." That is the proper word.
8. Such should not be used in the place of so; the former expressing quality, the latter expressing degree.
"I never saw so high a spire," is correct, denoting degree of height; but "I never saw such high a spire," or "a spire such high," would give a confused idea. The quality is expressed by high; and so is the proper word to denote the degree.
9. But is improperly used for than in the following:
"For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass." "This is none other but the house of God." "No sooner does the morning dawn, but this strange enchantment vanishes."
10. The conjunctive nature of and, and the disjunctive nature of or, must be regarded in forming sentences.
The following sentences from Addison, are faulty: "A man may see a metaphor or an allegory in a picture, as well as read them in a description." "It must be confessed that a lampoon or a satire do not carry in them robbery or murder." Or, in both the sentences, being disjunctive, requires it for them, and in the attersenteuco do latter sentence does for do.
EXERCISES.
Correct the following sentences, so that they may accord with the observations made above:
We saw them entering the gates, and cover the square. Facts too well known and obvious to be insisted on. Competition is excellent, and the vital principle. Two negatives in the same clause, or referring to the same thing, destroy each other. If the description be general, and divested of circumstances. Slates are stone, and used to cover roofs of houses. He was a man of taste, and possessing an elevated mind. He loved Andrew and I. This is the same thing with the other. It was such like this. Neither he or his brother used tobacco. He is not so hospitable as her. There is here no other dictator but use. This book contains little else but a record of murders. We find no more in its composition but the particulars mentioned. The general bent and turn of the language is toward the other form of expression. I doubt not but he will yet appear guilty. The terms rich or poor enter not into their language. I cannot doubt but that my friend will return. His manners were neither gross or excessively refined. No under taking is so great or difficult which he cannot accomplish. Not only his estate, his reputation, too, has been impaired. No lan guage is so poor but it has two or three past tenses. I possess not that command of language as is desirable. He is neither very lively or forcible. He conversed with such who are uncultivated. He sunk to that degree of degradation as to lose all his friends. I have reserved only such that pleased me best. He refused to use any other voice but his own. Neither the cold or the fervid, are fitted for stable friendship. He is not equally diligent as his brother. I gained such a son as all men called me happy. Be ready to succor such persons who need your assistance. The mat ter was no sooner proposed, but he withdrew to consider it. He did it for no reason, than to be applauded by his flatterers.
CONJUNCTIONS: EFFECT OF REPETITION AND OMISSION
1. Many passages owe their vivacity and energy to the omission or repetition of conjunctions, as the case requires
EXAMPLES.
"There is wrath gone out from the Lord-the plague is begun." -Numb. xvi. 46. By omitting the conjunction, the wrath of God and the plague are made coincident-there is no delay.
"Thou didst blow with thy wind-the sea covered them-they sank like lead in the mighty waters."- Exod. xiv. 10. "Thou stretchedst out thy right hand-the earth swallowed them."-Exod. xiv. 12. Here is shown the prompt connection be tween cause and effect.
Paul says of charity: "She beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." The omission of the conjunction gives condensation to the description.
2. The horror and confusion of the infernal world are set off to great advantage by omitting the conjunction in the following passage :
"Through many a dark and dreary vale
They pass'd, and many a region dolorous;
O'er many a frozen, many a fiery Alp, Rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs, dens, and shades of death A universe of death." Par. Lost., B. III.
Another example, expressive of a concentration of calamity :
"And of their wonted vigor left them drain'd, Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen." Ibid., B. III.
The next example, in the same way, by the absence of the con junction, expresses a concentration of power:
"Under thee, as head supreme, Thrones, princedoms, dominions, I reduce." Ibid B. III.
The desperate energy of a murderous contest is thus forcibly ex pressed by Byron (Corsair, Canto II.):
"One effort, one to break the circling host;
They form, unite, charge, waver-all is Icst! Within a narrow ring compress'd, beset,
Hopeless, not heartless, strive and struggle yet; And now they fight in foremost file no more, Hemm'd in, cut off, cleft down, and trampled o'er."
So Timon, in giving vent to bitter and furious hate, is hurried on by the violence of his feelings, which causes him to disregard those connecting particles which a calmer state of mind and or derly arrangement would naturally dictate:
"Piety and fear,
Religion to the gods, peace, justice, truth, Domestic awe, night-rest, and neighborhood Instruction, manners, mysteries, and trades, Degrees, observances, customs, and laws,
Decline to your confounding contraries." SHAKSPEARE.
3. Whenever strong emotions of love, or hate, or ven geance-are struggling for immediate utterance, we cannot expect that the words expressive of such emotions will be clogged with expletives.
REPETITION OF THE CONJUNCTION.
4. When Milton wishes to exhibit the effect which sin had wrought upon our first parents, he places in order the different passions that had been engendered in their breasts, and exhibits them in a series, unit by unit:
"Love was not in their looks, either to God Or to each other, but apparent guilt, And shame, and perturbation, and despair, Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile."
Again, when the poet, in that sublime hymn to light, speaks of the different objects from which he had been cut off by blindness, those objects seem multiplied by the interposition of the particle or, and a lingering sorrow is attached to the consciousness of each individual privation :
"Thus with the year Seasons return, but not to me returns Day, or the sweet approach of even or morn, Or sight of vernal bloom, or summer's rose, Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine." B. II.
Another example: "They brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him."-2 Samuel, xvii.
What a profusion of necessaries do these thirteen conjunctions scatter over the camp of David!
5. Take, again, the following passage, and see how beautifully the article and the conjunction are interwoven with the narrative, and how forcibly they depict, under various aspects, the loveliness of the promised land:
"For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of the valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig-trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil-olive, and honey."- Deut. viii. 7.
6. The attention and kindness shown by the good Samaritan towards the wounded traveller, are set forth to the greatest advantage by the repetition of the conjunction before each member of the sentence. His good offices seem multiplied in every direction. Humanity, like a guardian angel, seems to flutter over the wounded man with an officious kindness:
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him an inn, and took care him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.-Luke, x. 33-35.
[NOTE-The above interesting lesson has been drawn from Harrison on the English Language."]
