Again, we read of civiliz_ed_, half-civilized, and barbarous nations; learned, unlearned, ignorant, and enlightened; rich, powerful, enterprising, respected, ancient or modern, christian, mahomedan or pagan.  In these, and a thousand similar cases, we decide the meaning, not alone from the word employed as an adjective, but from the subject of remark; for, were we to attach the same meaning to the same word, wherever used, we could not receive correct or definite impressions from the language of others—­our inferences would be the most monstrous.  A great mountain and a great pin, a great continent and a great farm, a great ocean and a great pond, a great grammar and a great scholar, refer to things of very different dimensions and character; or, as Mr. Murray would say, “qualities.”  A mountain is great by comparison with other mountains; and a pin, compared with other pins, may be very large—­exceeding great—­and yet fall very far short of the size of a very small mountain.  A small man may be a great scholar, and a rich neighbor a poor friend.  A sweet flower is often very bitter to the taste.  A good horse would make a bad dinner, but false grammar can never make true philologists.

All words are to be understood according to their use.  Their meaning can be determined in no other way.  Many words change their forms to express their relations, but fewer in our language than in most others, ancient or modern.  Other words remain the same, or nearly so, in every position; noun, adjective, or verb, agent or object, past or present.  To determine whether a word is an adjective, first ascertain whether it names a thing, defines or describes it, or expresses its action, and you will never be at a loss to know to what class it belongs.

The business of adjectives is twofold, and they may be distinguished by the appellations of defining or describing adjectives.  This distinction is in many cases unimportant; in others it is quite essential.  The same word in one case may define, in others describe the object, and occasionally do both, for we often specify things by their descriptions.  The learner has only to ascertain the meaning and use of the adjective to decide whether it defines or describes the subject of remark.  If it is employed to distinguish one thing from the general mass, or one class from other classes, it has the former character; but after such thing is pointed out, if it is used to give a description of its character or properties, its character is different, and should be so understood and explained.

Defining adjectives are used to point out, specify or distinguish certain things from others of their kind, or one sort from other sorts, and answer to the questions which, what, how many, or how much.

Describing adjectives express the character and qualities of things, and give a more full and distinct knowledge than was before possessed.