requent error
of confounding the _degree of a quality_, with the _verbal sign_ which
expresses it.) If an adverb is employed for this purpose, that also is
compared, and the two degrees thus formed or expressed, are properly its
own; as, worthy, _more_ worthy, _most_ worthy. But these same degrees may
be yet otherwise expressed; as, worthy, _in a higher degree_ worthy, _in
the highest degree_ worthy. Here also the adjective _worthy_ is virtually
compared, as before; but only the adjective _high_ is grammatically
modified. Again, we may form three degrees with several adverbs to each,
thus: Pos., _very truly_ worthy; Comp., _much more truly_ worthy; Sup.,
_much the most truly_ worthy. There are also other adverbs, which, though
not varied in themselves like _much, more, most_, may nevertheless have
nearly the same effect upon the adjective; as, worthy, _comparatively_
worthy, _superlatively_ worthy. I make these remarks, because many
grammarians have erroneously parsed the adverbs _more_ and _most, less_ and
_least_, as parts of the adjective.

OBS. 4.--Harris, in his Hermes, or Philosophical Inquiry concerning
Universal Grammar, has very unceremoniously pronounced the doctrine of
three degrees of comparison, to be _absurd_; and the author of the British
Grammar, as he emotes the whole passage without offering any defence of
that doctrine, seems to second the allegation. "Mr. Harris observes, that,
'There cannot well be more than two degrees; one to denote simple excess,
and one to denote superlative. Were we indeed to introduce more degrees, we
ought perhaps to introduce infinite, which is absurd. For why stop at a
limited number, when in all subjects, susceptible of intension, the
intermediate excesses are in a manner infinite? There are infinite degrees
of _more white_ between the first simple _white_ and the superlative
_whitest_; the same may be said of _more great, more strong, more minute_,
&c. The doctrine of grammarians about _three_ such degrees, which they call
the Positive, the Comparative, and the Superlative, must needs be absurd;
both because in their Positive there is no comparison at all, and because
their Superlative is a Comparative as much as their Comparative itself.'
_Hermes_, p. 197."--_Brit. Gram._, p. 98. This objection is rashly urged.
No comparison can be imagined without bringing together as many as two
terms, and if the positive is one of these, it is a degree of comparison;
though neither thi