19. I care not, Fortune, what you me deny: You cannot rob me of free Nature's grace, Through which Aurora shows her brightening face. PREPOSITIONS. THOMSON. 244. A PREPOSITION IS A WORD OR A GROUP OF WORDS THAT CONNECTS THE PRINCIPAL WORD OF A PHRASE TO THE WORD THE PHRASE MODIFIES, AND SHOWS THE RELATION BETWEEN THE TWO IDEAS CONNECTED. (See Section 62.) (a) Hail to the chief who in triumph advances ! (b) Howe'er it be, it seems to me, 'Tis only noble to be good. (c) To all, to each, a fair good-night, And pleasing dreams, and slumbers light. (d) When I heard the song of the hermit thrush, I thought I had never heard singing until then. (e) The starry banner floats on high. (f) None knew her but to love her. (g) God never imposes a duty without giving the time to do it. (h) No generous man strives to be seen in his giving. (i) We spend our days in deliberating, and we end them without coming to any resolution. Worships without reward, nor hopes to find A heaven save in his worship. (k) We should never be grieved by what slanderers say. (1) Oh, she will sing the savageness out of a bear. (m) The truth we strive for often eludes us, and then we strive the harder. What phrase modifies Hail in (a)? advances? What is the principal word in each? What word in each phrase connects the principal word to the word the phrase modifies? What prepositional phrase is there in (b)? What is the case of the principal word? Because the principal word of a prepositional phrase is in the objective case, many call it the object of the preposition. But it is not an object in the same sense that a noun is the object of a transitive verb. What part of speech is the principal word of the prepositional phrase in (a)? (b)? (c)? (d)? (e)? (See Section 123.) What is to love in (f)? What construction has it? (See Section 222.) What is giving in (g)? What is the construction of do in (g)? of be seen in (h)? (See Section 227, 4, b.) Of deliberating and coming in (i)? Save means except in (j). What is the construction of the phrase in his worship? What is the construction of the clause, what slanderers say? What is the preposition in (1)? What is the principal term after for in (m)? (See Section 156, Ellipsis of a conjunctive pronoun.) Phrase A preposition is usually a single word, but at times two or more words are combined to show relation, forming a phrase-preposition. The ones Preposition. most commonly seen are: out of, from out, on board of, on this side of, in front of, according to, for the sake of, as to, instead of, in spite of. (See Section 62.) The principal term of a prepositional phrase may be1. a noun; (a); Sometimes prepositions are followed by words that are usually classified as adjectives or adverbs, such as then in (d) and high in (e). In such cases it will be better to call the words nouns, as they name a time or place idea. (See Section 123.) 2. a pronoun; (b); 3. an infinitive or a gerund; (f) and (g); 4. a phrase; (j); 5. a clause; (k). The principal word of a prepositional phrase is often omitted when it is a conjunctive pronoun. It must be supplied in analysis. For the use of a preposition in making an intransitive verb transitive, see Section 172, 3. To parse a preposition, tell the words between which it shows the relation. CORRECT USE OF PREPOSITIONS. Parsing. 245. There are not a hundred prepositions in our language, yet these little words are very often used incorrectly. A preposition should not stand at the end of a sentence, unless by placing it in another position the sentence is made stiff and awkward. The custom of the best writers has decided that certain prepositions shall be used with certain nouns and verbs, and any different use displays ignorance. We should say — between two among several in Boston (a large city) at Clearwater (a small town) in Italy (a country) at the Tremont House on Greene Avenue at 175 South Fifteenth Avenue agree with (a person) agree to (a proposal) correspond to (a thing) correspond with (a person) compare to (to show that the first object is like the second) compare with (to show that two things are alike or different, and generally that they are different) one thing differs from another a man may differ with another disappointed at or with (what we already have) disappointed of (what we cannot have) in need of, not for sympathy with, not for reconcile to a condition reconcile with a person wait for (a person or a train) wait on or upon (meaning "to serve") Never say "different to," "different than," "remember of," "recollect of," "to home," "back of." "back of." Instead of these say "different from," "remember," "recollect," "at home," "behind." EXERCISE. 246. Insert the proper prepositions in the blanks. 1. Both the ancient and the modern world can be seen 2. Many critics differ Rome. Ruskin's opinion of art. the Colonies. his father. 3. The prodigal son was reconciled · 6. No one can be disappointed 7. There are no street cars — Holmes's house. seeing Niagara Falls. the centres of London or Paris. those we see in 8. The streets of Naples are different American cities. 9. In the Middle Ages the peasants and merchants had need - protection 10. A quarrel arose 11. He waited the robber knights. the sun and the wind. the train and so was late to school. EXERCISE. 247. Analyze the sentences, and parse the prepositions. MODEL. "To" is a preposition showing the relation between the adjective "ready" and the infinitive "do." 1. You find people ready enough to do the Samaritan without the oil and twopence. 2. The summer, after much preliminary sulking and blustering, seemed ready to begin. 3. The bee does not atone for its sting by its honey-making. 4. The morning breeze creeps up from the west. 5. The dark months wore slowly on. 6. His is the earliest mess of green peas; his all the mulberries I had fancied mine. He keeps a strict eye over one's fruit, and knows to a shade of purple when your grapes have cooked long enough in the sun. 7. A tiny speck very close to our vision may blot out the glory of the whole world. 8. In the absence of any precise idea as to what railroads were, public opinion in the village of Frick was against them. 9. It is not possible to make an omelet without breaking eggs. 10. A sapling pine he wrenched from out the ground. 11. The yellow violet's modest bell Peeps from the last year's eaves below. 12. All men who know not where to look for truth save in the narrow well of self, will find their own image at the bottom, and mistake it for what they are seeking. 13. In the midst of this sublime and terrible storm, Dame Partington, who lived upon the beach, was seen at the door of her house with mop and pattens, trundling her mop, squeezing out the sea-water, and vigorously pushing away the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic was roused; Mrs. Partington's spirit was up. But I need not tell you that the contest was unequal; the Atlantic Ocean beat Mrs. Partington. 14. O'er the smooth enamelled green, Where no print of step hath been, Follow me, as I sing And touch the warbled string; Under the shady roof Of branching elm star-proof, I will bring you where she sits, Her deity. Such a rural Queen All Arcadia hath not seen. SYDNEY SMITH. MILTON, Song in Arcades. CONJUNCTIONS. 248. A CONJUNCTION IS A WORD USED TO CONNECT WORDS, PHRASES, CLAUSES, OR PROPOSITIONS. (See Section 101.) (a) The fanning wind and purling stream continue her repose. (b) The waterfalls loud anthems raise, By day and in their dreams. (c) A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger. (d) It is a very good world to live in, To lend or to spend, or to give in ; But to beg or to borrow, or to get a man's own, It is the very worst world that ever was known. (e) The trains were all delayed by the storm; therefore the speaker was late. (f) We cannot expect to be happy, if we do not lead pure and useful lives. |