What has usually been the object of philosophical investigations of language? (page 32.)—­Do the syntactical dependances and connexions of words depend on their original import?—­Is the power of association and custom efficient in changing the radical meaning of some words?—­Have words intrinsically a signification of their own; or is their meaning inferential; i.e. such as custom has assigned to them? (page 38.)—­On what fact is based the true, philosophical principle of classification?—­Define philosophical grammar.—­Which is supposed to be the original part of speech?—­How were the others formed from that?—­How many parts of speech may be recognised in a scientific development and arrangement of the principles of our language?—­Name them.—­What testimony have we that many things do not act? (page 43.)—­Repeat some of the arguments in favor of, and against, the principle which regards all verbs as active.—­In what moods are verbs used in their noun-state? (page 48.)—­Give examples.—­What is said of the terminations est, eth, s, and en, and of the words to and do?

REMARKS ON VERBS AND NOUNS.

You have already been informed, that verbs are the most important part of speech in our language; and to convince you of their importance, I now tell you, that you cannot express a thought, or communicate an idea, without making use of a verb, either expressed or implied.  Verbs express, not only the state or manner of being, but, likewise, all the different actions and movements of all creatures and things, whether animate or inanimate.  As yet I have given you only a partial description of this sort of words; but when you are better prepared to comprehend the subject, I will explain all their properties, and show you the proper manner of using them.

A word that is generally a noun, sometimes becomes a verb; and a verb is frequently used as a noun.  These changes depend on the sense which the word conveys; or, rather, on the office it performs in the sentence; that is the manner in which it is applied to things.  For instance, glory is generally a noun; as “The glory of God’s throne.”  But if I say, I glory in religion; or, He glories in wickedness, the word glory becomes a verb.  The love of man is inconstant.  In this sentence, love is a noun; in the next, it is a verb:  They love virtue.  He walks swiftly; Scavengers sweep the streets; The ship sails well.  In these phrases, the words walks, sweep, and sails, are verbs; in the following they are nouns:  Those are pleasant walks; He takes a broad sweep; The ship lowered her sails.