An English accidence: or, abstract of grammar; for the use of those who, without making grammar a study, wish to speak and write correctly. With rules for reading prose and verse. By the Rev. Dr. John Trusler.

Of ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives are words which cannot stand alone, but are added to nouns to express their quality, as black, white, wise, foolish, round, square, &c. Thus we say, a black dog, a wise man, a round table.

There are three degrees of Adjectives, called degrees of Comparison, the positive, comparative, and superlative.

• 1. The positive degree is the quality itself, simply, as black, white, wise, &c.
• 2. The comparative expresses more of any one thing than another, and is formed by adding er to t••e positive, as blacker, whiter, wiser: sometimes, in∣stead of saying blacker, we say more black; for white, more white; for wiser, more wise, &c.
• 3. The superlative degree implies the highest, and is formed ••y the termination es••, or the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 most before the positive. Thus blackest, 〈…〉〈…〉 black; whitest, or most white; wisest or mo•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Some superlatives are formed, by adding 〈…〉〈…〉 most as a termination; thus nether 〈…〉〈…〉

outer, outermost; under, undermost; upper, upper∣most; in, inner, innermost, &c.

Many Adjectives do not admit of comparison by terminations, but are only compared by more and most, as benevolent, more benevolent, most benevolent. Some authors have used shadiest, virtuousest, famousest, mortalest, naturallest, powerfullest, inventivest, trifling∣est, &c. but these are liberties which every one cannot take, and are inelegant after all.

Some again are irregularly compared, as,

Positive.	Compar.	Superl.
Good	Better	Best
Bad	Worse	Worst
Little	Less	Least
Near	Nearer	Nearest
Much	More	Most
Late	Later	Last

Indeed, the comparison of Adjectives is very un∣certain, and being much regulated by the ear or agreeableness of sounds, cannot well be reduced to rules.

When a noun is substituted for an adjective, and added to another noun by hyphen (-), such two words are called compound words, as Turkey-Leather, Mountain-wine, man-servant, sea-fish, &c.