degrees, there may be used the
superlative words _more_ and _most_.

And this pleonasm really occurs--

_The _more serener_ spirit_.
_The _most straitest_ sect_.

These are instances of pleonasm in the strictest sense of the term.

s. 431. Collocation.--As a general rule, the adjective precedes the
substantive--_a good man_, not _a man good_.

When, however, the adjective is qualified by either the expression of its
degree, or accompanied by another adjective, it may follow the
substantive--

A man _just and good_.
A woman _wise and fair_.
A hero _devoted to his country_.
A patriot _disinterested to a great degree_.

_Single simple_ adjectives thus placed after their substantive, belong to
the poetry of England, and especially to the ballad poetry--_sighs
profound_--_the leaves green_.

s. 432. _Government._--The only adjective that governs a case, is the word
_like_. In the expression, _this is like him_, &c., the original power of
the dative remains. This we infer--

1. From the fact that in most languages which have inflections to a
sufficient extent, the word meaning _like_ governs a dative case.

2. That if ever we use in English any preposition at all to express
similitude, it is the preposition _to_--_like to me_, _like to death_, &c.

Expressions like _full of meat_, _good for John_, are by no means instances
of the government of adjectives; the really governing words being the
prepositions _to_ and _for_ respectively.

s. 433. The positive degree preceded by the adjective _more_, is equivalent
to the comparative form--e.g., _more wise_ = _wiser_.

The reasons for employing one expression in preference to the other, depend
upon the nature of the particular word used.

When the word is at one and the same time of Anglo-Saxon origin and
monosyllabic, there is no doubt about the preference to be given to the
form in -er. Thus, _wis-er_ is preferable to _more wise_.

When, however, the word is compound, or trisyllabic, the combination with
the word _more_, is preferable.

_more fruitful_ _fruitfuller_.
_more villainous_ _villainouser_.

Between these two extremes there are several intermediate forms, wherein
the use of one rather than another will depend upon the taste of the
writer. The question, however, is a question of euphony, rather than of
aught else. It is also illustrated by the principle of not multiplying
secondary elements. In such a word as _fruit-full