290. Often we are not satisfied to say, “Cousin John is good.” We wish to tell how good he is, and a common way of doing this is by means of a comparison. We say, “Cousin John is as good as gold.” Here the group of words as gold is a clause with the word is omitted. It is called a clause of comparison. It denotes an equality between John’s goodness and that of gold. Since this clause answers the question how good? it must modify the adjective good.

What is the introductory word of the clause of comparison?

291. Sometimes we compare two things and yet denote an inequality between them; as in the sentence, “The river is bluer than the sky.” Here the clause of comparison is introduced by the subordinating conjunction than. It modifies the word bluer. We know this because it is the word bluer that needs the clause, and without the word bluer the clause would not be in the sentence at all.

Notice that a clause of equality modifies an adjective in the positive degree, while a clause of inequality modifies an adjective in the comparative degree.

292. A clause of comparison may modify an adverb as well as an adjective, as in these sentences:—

The old man moved as slowly as a cloud.

More swiftly than eagles, his coursers they flew.

Note.—The adverb rather is seldom used without being modified by a clause of comparison; as, “Henry Clay said that he would rather be right than be president.” When we supply the words understood, the clause reads, than he would be president.

Complete the clauses in the following sentences:—

Some people would rather have money than brains.

I should rather earn a college education than go without it.

A wise American would rather go to Yellowstone Park than to Switzerland.

Summary.—A clause of comparison tells the degree of some quality or quantity by pointing out a likeness or a difference.

A clause of comparison pointing out a likeness is introduced by as, and modifies an adjective or an adverb in the positive degree.

A clause of comparison pointing out a difference is introduced by than, and modifies an adjective or an adverb in the comparative degree.

A clause of comparison is seldom completely expressed.

Exercise.—Select all the clauses of comparison. Tell what they denote, what they modify, and what they are introduced by.

1. Sitting up on the driver’s high seat is almost as good as climbing the meeting-house steeple.

2.

The muscles of his brawny arms

Are strong as iron bands.

3. The loons could dive quicker than the eagle could swoop and strike.

4. Gertrude was prouder than ever when the president of the college said, “Your mother is handsomer than you will ever be, young lady.”

5.

The hearts that were thumping like ships on the rocks

Beat as quiet and steady as meeting-house clocks.

6. Truth is stranger than fiction.

7. I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad.

8.

Blue were her eyes as the fairy flax,

Her cheeks like the dawn of day,

Her bosom white as the hawthorn buds,

That ope in the month of May.

9. One syllable of woman’s speech can dissolve more love than a man’s heart can hold.

10.

I am nearer my home to-day

Than I ever have been before.

11. Whiter than snow were his locks, and his cheeks were as brown as the oak leaves.

12.

A steed as black as the steeds of night

Was seen to pass as with eagle flight.

13. Weeds are sure to grow quicker in my garden than anywhere else.

14.

Dark as winter was the flow

Of Iser rolling rapidly.

15. I should rather see the friezes of the Parthenon molder to dust under the blue veil of the Grecian atmosphere than have them preserved in the grand halls of the British Museum.

16. The huge body of the elephant needs less sleep than anything else that lives.

293. Since the predicate is usually omitted in clauses of comparison, it follows that these clauses often consist of only two words; as, “I am as old as Mary.” “I am older than Mary.” One of these words is the connective, and the other is often the subject of the clause. When the subject is a pronoun, we must be careful to use the nominative form. We should say, “Are you older than I? than he? than she?”

Exercise 1.—Fill the blank in each of these sentences. Then supply the words omitted, and thus show that you have chosen the right pronouns:—

1. Our parents are wiser than (we or us).

2. You are not always so careful as (she or her).

3. Who knows the day better than (me or I)?

4. What! You are stronger than (who or whom)?

5. The Preston girls were just as friendly as (me or I).

6. No man could be more faithful than (him or he).

7. Who stands higher in this city than (they or them).

8. Are you older or younger than (her or she)?

9. Well, perhaps I am not so polite as (he or him).

10. Our geese are whiter than (them or they).

Exercise 2.—Justify the case of the italicized pronoun in each of these sentences:—

1. Jessie likes Julia as well as me.

2. I found her brother more easily than her.

3. I expect an angel sooner than them.