Encyclopaedia Britannica; or, A dictionary of arts and sciences, compiled upon a new plan … > Volume 2, C-L

744 G R A IN
ve&sity diffared through all, the fource of diJiinfiUn,
of numbsr, and of order. Now, it is to exprefs in fome
degree the modifications of this diverfity, that dis-
junctive,conjunctions feem at firft to have been in¬
vented.
Of \.h.zfe disjunftives, fome'are simple, fome adver¬
sative. Simple', as when we fay, either it is day, or
it is night:—Adverfative ; as when we fay, It is not day,
but it is night. The difference between thefe is, that
the Jimple do no more than merely disjoin ; the adverfa¬
tive disjoin with a concomitant apportion. Add to this,
that the adverfative are definite', the ftmple indefinite.
Thus, when we fay, the number three is not an even
number, but an odd; we not only disjoin two oppofite
attributes, but we definitely affirm one, and deny the o-
ther. But when we fay, the number of the fiars is ei¬
ther or odd', though we affertone attribute
and the other not to be, yet the alternative is notwith-
ffanding \eh.indefinite.
As to adverfative disjurittives, it has been already
faid, that,they imply opposition. Now, there can be
no oppofition of the fame attribute in the fame fubjed;
as when we fay, Nereus was beautiful: but the oppofi¬
tion muft be either of the fame attribute in different fub-
jeffs, as when we fay, “ Brutus was a patriot, but Cec-
far was not;” or of different attributes in the fame fub-
jeft, as when we fay, “ Gorgius was a fophiji, but not a
‘philofopheror of different attributes in different fub-
je£ts, as when we fay, “ Plato was a philofopher, but
Hippias was a fophift." The conjunctions ufed for all
,thefe purpofes may be called abfolute adverfatives.
But there are other adverfatives befides thefe; as when
we fay, “ Nereus was more beautiful than Achilles ;—
Virgil was as great a poet as Cicero was an orator”
The character of thefe latter is, that they go farther than
the former, by marking not only oppofition, but that <?-
quality or excefs which arifes from the comparifon of fub-
jeCts ; and therefore they may be called adverfatives of
comparifon.
Befides the adverfatives here ^ntioned, there are twoo-
ther fpecies, of which the mod eminent are unless and al¬
though : For example, "Troy will be taken, UNLES|the
iW/W/aw be preferred; Troy will be taken, although
Hettor defendit.” The nature of thefe adverfatives may
be thus explained. As every event is naturally allied to
its caufe, fo, by parity of reafon, it is oppofed to its pre-
•veniive ; and as every caufe is either adequate or inade¬
quate, (inadequate, when it endeavours, without being
effectual), fo in like manner is every preventive. Now,
adequate preventives are expreffed by fuch adverfatives—as
unless : “ Troy will be taken, unless the Palladium be
preferred;” that is, that this Alone is fufficient to prevent
it. The inadequate are expreffed by fuch adverfatives
as although: “TVoj'will be taken, although i/ifCiVr
defend it;” that is, Heflors defence will prove ineffec¬
tual. Thefe maybe called adverfatives adeotuate and
SNADEQUATE. .
Before we leave this fubjeCl, we may obferve, that the
words when and where, and all others of the fame na¬
ture, fuch' as whence, whether, whenever, where-ever,
,<pc. may be called adverbial conjunctions; becaufethey
I M A R.
participate the nature both of adveibs and conjunctions;
of conjunllions, as they conjoin fentences ; of adverbs,
as they denote the attributes either of time or place.
And thefe adverbial conjunctions (contrary to the cha¬
racter of acctffary words, which have ftriCtlyno fignifica-
tion but when alfociated with other words) have a kind
of obfeure fignification when taken alone, by denoting
thefe attributives of time and place. And hence it is,
that they appear in grammar like zoophytes in nature, a
kind of middle beings, of amphibious character, which,
by (haring the attributes of the higher and the lower,
conduce to link the whole together.
Sedlion II. Of thofe Connectives, called Pre¬
positions.
A preposition is a part fpeech devoid itfelf of Jig-
nificatdon, but fo formed as to unite two words that are
fignificant and that refufe to coalefct of themfelves.
This connective power (which relates to words only, and
not to fentences) will be better underliood by the follow¬
ing obfervations.
Some things naturally coalefce and unite of themfelves,
while others refufe to do fo without help, and as it were
by compulfion. For example, all quantities and qualities
coaldce^immediately with their fubffances : thus it is we
fay, a fierce lion, a vajl mountain, &c. In like man¬
ner aCtions coalefce with their agents, and paffions with
their patients : thus it is we fay, Alexander conquers,
Darius is conquered. Nay, as every energy is a kind
of medium between its agent and patient, the whole three,
agent, energy, and patient, coalefce with the fame facili¬
ty ; as when we fay, Alexander conquers Darius. Farther
than this, as the greateft part of attributives themfelves
may be charaCterifed, as when we fay of fuch attributives
as ran, beautiful, learned, &c. “ he ran fwiftly, (he
was very beautiful, he we* moderately learned,” &c.
thefe mud readily coalefce with the attributes which they
thus charaCterife. From ail which it appears, thus thofe
parts of fpeech unite of themfelves in grammar whofe o-
riginal archetypes unite of themfelves in nature. Hence,
therefore, it is, that although fubftances naturally coin¬
cide with their attributes, yet they abfolutely refufe
doing fo one with another: and hence thofe known
maxims in phyfics, that body is impenetrable, that two
bodies cannot poffefs the fame place. See..
From thefe principles it follows, that when we form a
fentence, the fubrtance without difficulty coincides with
the verb, from the natural coincidence of fubftance with
energy; the sunwarmeth: fo Hkewife the energy
with the fubjeCt on which it operates; warmeth the
earth : fo likewife both fubdance and energy with their
proper attributes ; the splendid sun genially
warmeth the fertile earth. But fuppofe we are
to add other fubdantives, as, for indance, air, or beams',
how could thefe coincide, or under what charafter be
introduced ? not either as the energizer of the verb, nor
as the fubjett on which it operates ; for both of thefe
places are already filled up, the fird by the word sun,
and the lad by the fubdance earth : not as attributes
to thefe lad, or to any other thing; for attributes by na¬
ture