Adverbs likewise qualify adjectives, and sometimes other adverbs; as, more wise, most wise; or more wisely, most wisely.  When an adverb is joined to an adjective or adverb, it generally expresses the degree of comparison; for adverbs, like adjectives, have degrees of comparison.  Thus, in the phrase, A skilful artist, you know the adjective skilful is in the positive degree; but, by placing the adverb more before the adjective, we increase the degree of quality denoted by the adjective to the comparative; as, A more skilful artist:  and most renders it superlative; as, A most skilful artist.  And if we place more and most before other adverbs, the effect is the same; as, skilfully, more skilfully, most skilfully.

COMPARISON OF ADVERBS.

Positive    Comparative    Superlative.
soon           sooner           soonest.
often          oftener          oftenest.
much           more             most.
well           better           best.
far            farther          farthest.
wisely         more wisely      most wisely.
justly         more justly      most justly.
justly         less justly      least justly.

You will generally know an adverb at sight; but sometimes you will find it more difficult to be distinguished, than any other part of speech in the English language.  I will, therefore, give you some signs which will assist you a little.

Most words ending in ly are adverbs; such as, politely, gracefully, judiciously.  Any word or short phrase that will answer to any one of the questions, how? how much? when? or where? is an adverb; as, The river flows rapidly; He walks very fast; He has gone far away; but he will soon return; She sings sweetly; They learn none at all.  How, or in what manner does the river flow? Rapidly.  How does he walk? Very fast.  Where has he gone? Far away.  When will he return? Soon.  How does she sing? Sweetly.  How much do they learn? None at all.  From this illustration, you perceive, that, if you could not tell these adverbs by the sense, you would know them by their answering to the questions.  However, your better way will be to distinguish adverbs by considering the office they perform in the sentence; or by noticing their grammatical relation, or their situation, with respect to other words.  To gain a thorough knowledge of their real character, is highly important. Rapidly, fast, far away, soon, sweetly, &c. are known to be adverbs by their qualifying the sense of verbs.  “A very good pen writes extremely well.”  Well, in this sentence, is known to be an adverb by its qualifying the sense of the verb writes; extremely, by its ending in ly, or by its being joined to the adverb well to qualify it; and very is known as an adverb by its joining the adjective good.