English Grammar in Familiar Lectures by Samuel Kirkham
page 73 of 462 (15%)
page 73 of 462 (15%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
himself; consequently the noun is of the _third person_.
If you wish to understand the persons of nouns, a little sober thought is requisite; and, by exercising it, all difficulties will be removed. If I say, my _son_, have you seen the young man? you perceive that the noun _son_ is of the _second_ person, because I address myself _to_ him; that is, he is spoken _to;_ but the noun _man_ is of the _third_ person, because he is spoken _of_. Again, if I say, young _man_, have you seen my son? _man_ is of the _second_ person, and _son_ is of the _third_. "Hast thou left thy blue course in the heavens, golden-haired _sun_ of the sky?" "_Father_, may the Great Spirit so brighten the chain of friendship between us, that a child may find it, when the sun is asleep in his wig-wam behind the western waters." "Lo, earth receives him from the bending skies! Sink down, ye _mountains_, and, ye _valleys_, rise!" "Eternal _Hope_, thy glittering wings explore Earth's loneliest bounds, and ocean's wildest shore." In these examples, the nouns, sun, father, mountains, valleys, and hope, are of the _second_ person, and, as you will hereafter learn, in the nominative case independent. Course, heavens, sky, Spirit, chain, friendship, child, sun, wig-wam, waters, earth, skies, wings, earth, bounds, ocean, and shore, are all of the _third_ person. NUMBER. |
|