Higher Lessons in English Part 34

+Explanation+.--_When to quit business and enjoy their wealth_ is an indirect question. _When to quit business = When they are to quit business_, or _When they ought to quit business_. Such constructions may be expanded into clauses, or they may be treated as phrases equivalent to clauses.

The +noun clause+ may be used as +object complement+.

8. Galileo taught that the earth moves.

that ------- '

earth | ' moves ------|------- the | | Galileo | taught | / =========|============== |

+Explanation+.--Here the clause introduced by _that_ is used like a noun as the object complement of _taught_.

9. The Esquimau feels intuitively that bear's grease and blubber are the dishes for his table.

10. The world will not anxiously inquire who you are.

11. It will ask of you, "What can you do?"

12. The peac.o.c.k struts about, saying, "What a fine tail I have!"

13. He does not know which to choose.

(See explanation of (7), above.)

14. No one can tell how or when or where he will die.

15. Philosophers are still debating whether the will has any control over the current of thought in our dreams.

LESSON 72.

NOUN CLAUSE--CONTINUED.

a.n.a.lysis.

The +noun clause+ may be used as +attribute complement+.

1. A peculiarity of English is, that it has so many borrowed words.

2. Tweed's defiant question was, "What are you going to do about it?"

3. The question ever asked and never answered is, "Where and how am I to exist in the Hereafter?"

4. Hamlet's exclamation was, "What a piece of work is man!"

5. The myth concerning Achilles is, that he was invulnerable in every part except the heel.

The +noun clause+ may be used as +explanatory modifier+.

6. It has been proved that the earth is round.

that ------- '

earth | is ' round ------|-------------- the | | It (/ ) | has been proved ==========|================== |

+Explanation+.--The grammatical subject _it_ has no meaning till explained by the noun clause.

7. It is believed that sleep is caused by a diminution in the supply of blood to the brain.

8. The fact that mold, mildew, and yeast are plants is wonderful.

9. Napoleon turned his Simplon road aside in order that he might save a tree mentioned by Caesar.

+Explanation+.--Unless _in order that_ is taken as a conjunction connecting an adverb clause of purpose (see (7), Lesson 65), the clause introduced by _that_ is a noun clause explanatory of _order_. [Footnote: A similar explanation may be made of _on condition that, in case that_, introducing adverb clauses expressing condition.]

10. Shakespeare's metaphor, "Night's candles are burnt out," is one of the finest in literature.

11. The advice that St. Ambrose gave St. Augustine in regard to conformity to local custom was in substance this: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

12. This we know, that our future depends on our present.

The +noun clause+ may be used as +princ.i.p.al term+ of a +prepositional phrase+.

13. Have birds any sense of why they sing?

birds | Have | sense =======|================ they | sing | any -----|------ of | why / -------------

+Explanation+.--_Why they sing_ is an indirect question, here used as the princ.i.p.al term of a prepositional phrase.

14. There has been some dispute about who wrote "Shakespeare's Plays."

15. We are not certain that an open sea surrounds the Pole.

+Explanation+.--By supposing _of_ to stand before _that_, the noun clause may be treated as the princ.i.p.al term of a prepositional phrase modifying the adjective _certain_. By supplying _of the fact_, the noun clause will become explanatory.

16. We are all anxious that the future shall bring us success and triumph.

17. The Sandwich Islander is confident that the strength and valor of his slain enemy pa.s.s into himself.

LESSON 73.

COMPOSITION--NOUN CLAUSE.

+COMMA--RULE.--The _Noun Clause_ used as attribute complement is generally set off by the comma.+

+Remarks+.--Present usage seems to favor the omission of the comma with the clause used as subject or as object complement, except where the comma would contribute to clearness.

The punctuation of the explanatory clause is like that of other explanatory modifiers. See Lesson 34. But the real subject made explanatory of _it_ is seldom set off. See next Lesson for the punctuation of noun clauses that are questions or quotations.

+Direction+.--_Give the reasons for the use or the omission of the comma with the noun clauses in the preceding Lesson_.

By using _it_ as a subst.i.tute for the subject clause, this clause may be placed last.

+Example+.--_That the story of William Tell is a myth_ is now believed = _It_ is now believed _that the story of William Tell is a myth_.

+Direction+.--_By the aid of the expletive it, transpose five subject clauses in Lesson 71_.

Often the clause used as object complement may be placed first.

+Direction+.--_Transpose such of the clauses used as object complements, in the preceding Lessons, as admit transposition. Punctuate them if they need punctuation_.

The noun clause may be made prominent by separating it and inserting the independent clause between its parts,