In the phrases, fine hats, coarse hats, high-crowned hats, broad-brimmed hats, woollen, new, ten, some, these, many hats, the words in italics, are adjectives, because they restrict, qualify, or define the term hats; but the term boys’ does not describe or limit the meaning of hats.  Boys’, therefore, is not, as some suppose, an adjective.

“The slave’s master.”  Does the slave possess the master?  Yes.  The slave has a master.  If he has him, then, he possesses him;—­he sustains that relation to him which we call possession.

A noun in the possessive case, is always known by its having an apostrophe, and generally an s after it; thus, John’s, hat; the boy’s coat.  When a plural noun in the possessive case, ends in s, the apostrophe is added, but no additional s; as, “Boys’ hats; Eagles’ wings.”  When a singular noun ends in ss, the apostrophe only is added; as, “For goodness’ sake; for righteousness’ sake;” except the word witness; as, “The witness’s testimony.”  When a noun in the possessive case ends in ence, the s is omitted, but the apostrophe is retained; as, “For conscience’ sake.”

Now please to turn back, and read over this and the preceding lecture three times, and endeavor, not only to understand, but, also, to remember, what you read.  In reading, proceed thus:  read one sentence over slowly, and then look off the book, and repeat it two or three times over in your mind.  After that, take another sentence and proceed in the same manner, and so on through the whole lecture.  Do not presume to think, that these directions are of no real consequence to you; for, unless you follow them strictly, you need not expect to make rapid progress.  On the other hand, if you proceed according to my instructions, you will be sure to acquire a practical knowledge of grammar in a short time.—­When you shall have complied with this requisition, you may commit the following order of parsing a noun, and the order of parsing a verb; and then you will be prepared to parse or analyze the following examples.

ANALYSIS, OR PARSING.

Do you recollect the meaning of the word analysis? If you do not, I will explain if:  and first, I wish you to remember, that analysis is the reverse of synthesis. Synthesis is the act of combining simples so as to form a whole or compound.  Thus, in putting together letters so as to form syllables, syllables so as to form words, words so as to form sentences, and sentences so as to form a discourse, the process is called synthetic. Analysis, on the contrary, is the act of decomposition; that is, the act of separating any thing compounded into its simple parts, and thereby exhibiting its elementary principles.  Etymology treats of the analysis