ord, a phrase, or a clause; it still remains an
adjective, adverb, or noun modifier, and the method in which the
subject and predicate are developed is the same. By means of
modifiers, a subject and predicate of but two words may grow to the
size of a paragraph, and yet be a group of words expressing one
complete thought.

In the sentence below, the subject and predicate are "we are free."
This does not, however, express Burke's complete thought. It is not
what he meant. Free to do what? How free? When may it be done? Why
now? What bill? All these introduce modifications to the simple
assertion, "we are free," modifications which are essential to the
completeness of the thought.

"By the return of this bill, which seemed to have taken its
flight forever, we are at this very instant nearly as free
to choose a plan for our American government as we were on
the first day of the session."

Compound Sentences.

On the other hand, the compound sentence is usually said to consist of
at least two independent clauses; and the very fact of their
independence, which is only a grammatical independence, to be sure,
makes the clauses very nearly independent sentences. So near to
sentences may the clauses be in their independence that some writers
would make them so. The following group of sentences Kipling certainly
could have handled in another way. "The reason for her wandering was
simple enough. Coppy, in a tone of too hastily assumed authority, had
told her over night that she must not ride out by the river. And she
had gone to prove her own spirit and teach Coppy a lesson." Certainly
the last two sentences could be united into a compound sentence, nor
would it be straining the structure to put all three sentences into
one. This example is not exceptional. Many similar cases may be found
in all prose writers; and in Macaulay's writings there are certainly
occasions when it would be better to unite independent sentences. If
the fundamental ideas of the two clauses bear certain definite and
evident relations to each other, they should stand in one compound
sentence. These evident relations are: first, an assertion and its
repetition in some other form; second, an assertion and its contrast;
third, an assertion and its consequence; and fourth, an assertion and
an example. If the clauses do not bear one of these evident relations
to each other, they should receive special attention; for they may be
two sep