You will now please to read this lecture four times over, and read slowly and carefully, for unless you understand well the nature and character of this part of speech, you will be frequently at a loss to distinguish it from others in composition.  Now do you notice, that, in this sentence which you have just read, the words slowly, carefully, well, and frequently, are adverbs?  And do you again observe, that, in the question I have just put to you, the words now and just are adverbs?  Exercise a little sober thought.  Fifteen minutes spent in reflection, are worth whole days occupied in careless reading.

In the following exercises six parts of speech are presented, namely, Nouns, Verbs, Articles, Adjectives, Participles, and Adverbs; and I believe you are now prepared to parse them all agreeably to the systematic order, four times over.  Those words in italics are adverbs.

SYSTEMATIC ORDER OF PARSING.

The order of parsing an ADVERB, is—­an adverb, and why?—­what sort?—­what does it qualify?—­RULE.

“My friend has returned again; but his health is not very good.” Again, is an adverb, a word used to modify the sense of a verb—­of time indefinite, it expresses a period of time not precisely defined—­it qualifies the verb “has returned,” according to

Rule 29. Adverbs qualify verbs, participles, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Not is an adverb, a word used to modify the sense of an adverb—­of negation, it makes the assertion negative; that is, it changes the proposition from an affirmative to a negative—­and it qualifies the adverb “very,” agreeably to Rule 29. Adverbs qualify verbs, &c.

Very is an adverb, a word used to qualify the sense of an adjective—­of comparison, it compares the adjective “good,” and qualifies it according to Rule 29. Adverbs qualify adjectives, &c.

EXERCISES IN PARSING.

The traveller described a lofty castle decaying gradually.  Very few literary men ever became distinguished poets.  The great Milton excels not Homer.  The Roman women, once voluntarily contributed their most precious jewels to save the city.

Many small streams uniting, form very large rivers.  The river Funza falling perpendicularly forms a vast cataract.  Attentive servants always drive horses very carefully; negligent servants often drive horses very carelessly.  Assiduous scholars improve very fast; idle scholars learn none at all.  Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship, never.