d first, I wish you to remember, that analysis is the
reverse of synthesis. _Synthesis_ is the act of combining simples so as
to form a whole or compound. Thus, in putting together letters so as to
form syllables, syllables so as to form words, words so as to form
sentences, and sentences so as to form a discourse, the process is
called synthetic. _Analysis_, on the contrary, is the act of
decomposition; that is, the act of separating any thing compounded into
its simple parts, and thereby exhibiting its elementary principles.
Etymology treats of the analysis of language. To analyze a sentence, is
to separate from one another and classify the different words of which
it is composed; and to analyze or _parse_ a word, means to enumerate and
describe all its various properties, and its grammatical relations with
respect to other words in a sentence, and trace it through all its
inflections or changes. Perhaps, to you, this will, at first, appear to
be of little importance; but, if you persevere, you will hereafter find
it of great utility, for parsing will enable you to detect, and correct,
errors in composition.

SYSTEMATIC ORDER OF PARSING.

The _order of parsing_ a NOUN, is--a noun, and why?--common, proper, or
collective, and why?--gender, and why?--person, and why?--number, and
why?--case, and why?--RULE:--decline it.

_The order of parsing_ a VERB, is--a verb, and why?--active, passive,
or neuter, and why?--if _active_--transitive or intransitive, and
why?--if _passive_--how is it formed?--regular, irregular, or defective,
and why?--mood, and why?--tense, and why?--person and number, and
why?--with what does it agree?--RULE:--conjugate it.

I will now parse two nouns according to the order, and, in so doing, by
applying the definitions and rules, I shall answer all those questions
given in the order. If you have _perfectly committed_ the order of
parsing a noun and verb, you may proceed with me; but, recollect, you
cannot parse a verb _in full_, until you shall have had a more complete
explanation of it.

_John's hand trembles_.

_John's_ is a noun, [because it is] the name of a person--proper, the
name of an individual--masculine gender, it denotes a male--third
person, spoken of--singular number, it implies but one--and in the
possessive case, it denotes possession--it is governed by the noun
"hand," according to

RULE 12. _A noun or pronoun in the possessive case, is governed by the
noun it possesses_