"Meanwhile as naturewills, night bids us rest."Milton.
"Meanwhile as naturewills, night bids us rest."
Milton.
Thelupulis, or common hop,feelsfor some elevated object which will assist it in its high aspirations, andwillclimb it by winding from left to right, andwillnot be obliged to go in an opposite direction; while thephaseolus, or kidney bean, takes the opposite direction. Neitherwillbe compelled to change its course. Theywillhave their own way, and grow as they please, or theywilldie in the contest for liberty.
Arsenic has atendencyin itself, a latent power, which only requires an opportunity suited to its objects, when itwill actin the most efficacious manner. Itwilldestroy the life of the Emperor, who hasvoluntarilyslain his thousand and tens of thousands. This secret power does not reside in the flour of wheat, for thatwill not, has no tendency, to produce such disastrous consequences.
This word is applied in a similar manner to individuals and nations. The manwillfall, not of intention, but of accident. Hewillkill himself. The manwilldrown, and the boatwillswim. The waterwillhold up the boat, but itwillallow the man to sink. The Russianswillconquer the Turks. If conquest depended solely on thewill, the Turks would as soon conquer as the Russians. But I have not time to pursue this topic farther. You can follow out these hints at your leisure.
Shallsignifies to bebound,obligated, orrequired, from external necessity. Its etymology may be traced back thro various languages. It is derived direct from the saxonscaelanorscylan, and is found as a principal verb in that language, as well as in ours. In the church homily they say, "To Him alone weschall usto devote ourselves;" webindorobligateourselves. Chaucer, an early english poet, says.
"The faith weshallto God."
"The faith weshallto God."
Great difficulty has been found in distinguishing betweenshallandwill, and frequent essays have been written, to give arbitrary rules for their use. If the words were well understood, there could be no difficulty in employing them correctly.Willsignifiesinherent tendency,aptitude, ordisposition, andvolitionin beings capable of using it.Shallimpliesexternal necessity, or foreign obligation. The parent says, "Youwillsuffer misery if you do evil," for it is in accordance with the nature of things for evil to produce misery. "Youshallregard my wishes," for you are underobligation, from the relation in which you stand to me, to do so. Let these words be clearly explained, and there will be no difficulty in using them correctly.
May, past tensemight. This verb expressespower,strength, orabilityto perform an action. It is a mistake that it means permission or liberty only. It implies more than that, the delegation of a power to perform the contemplated action. Suppose the scholar should faint, would the teacher say to him youmaygo into the open air? He has nopower,might, orstrength, communicated by such liberty, and must receive themightor strength of others to carry him out. But to the scholar in health he says youmaygo out, thereby giving to him a power and liberty sufficient to perform the action. This is done on the same principle that one man gives another a "powerof attorney" to transact his business; and thatpowerconstitutes hislibertyof action.
Mustsignifies to beconfined,limited,bound, orrestrained. Imust, or am bound, to obey; certain obligations require me to obey. The adjective of this word is in common use. The air in the cask ismusty. It has long beenboundorconfinedthere, and prevented from partaking of the purifying qualities of the atmosphere, and hence has becomemusty.
Can.This word is found as a principal verb and as a noun in our language, especially in the Scotch dialect. "Ikennae where he'd gone." Beyond thekenof mortals. Far from all humanken. It signifies toknow, to perceive, to understand. I knew not where he had gone. Beyond the knowledge of mortals. Far from all human reach. Toconorcunis a different spelling of the same word.Cunningis that quickperceptionof things, which enables a person to use his knowledge adroitly. The childcanread;knowshow to read. Itcanwalk. Here it seems to implypower; but power, in this case, as in most others,is gained only by knowledge, forknowledge is power. Many children have strength sufficient to walk, long before they do. The reason why theycan notwalk, is, they do notknow how; they have not learned to balance themselves in an erect position, so as to move forward without falling.
A vast proportion of human ability is derived from knowledge. There is not a being in creation so entirely incapable of self-support, as the new-born infant; and yet, by the help of knowledge, he becomes the lord of this lower world. Bonaparte was once as helpless as any other child, and yet by dint ofcan,ken,cunning, or knowledge, he made all Europe tremble. But his knowledge was limited. He became blind to danger, bewildered by success, and hecouldno longer follow the prudent course of wisdom, but fell a sacrifice to his own unbridled ambition, and blinded folly. An enlightened peoplecangovern themselves; butpowerof government is gained by a knowledge of the principles of equality, and mutual help and dependency; and whenever the people become ignorant of that fact, theywillfall, the degraded victims of their own folly, and the wily influence of some more knowing aspirant for power.
This is a most important topic; but I dare not pursue it farther, lest I weary your patience. A few examplesmustsuffice.
"Jason, she cried, for aught Iseeorcan,This deed," &c.Chaucer.
"Jason, she cried, for aught Iseeorcan,This deed," &c.
Chaucer.
A famous man,Of everywittesomewhat hecan,Out takethat him lacketh rule,His own estate to guide and rule.Gower.
A famous man,Of everywittesomewhat hecan,Out takethat him lacketh rule,His own estate to guide and rule.
Gower.
Dohas been called ahelpingverb; but it needs little observation to discover that it is no more so than a hundred other words. "Dothy diligence to come before winter." "Dothe work of an evangelist."—Paul to Timothy.Idoall in my powerto exposethe error and wickedness of false teaching.Doafford relief.Dosomething to afford relief.
Havehas also been reckoned as an auxiliary by the "helping verb grammars," which has no other duty to perform than help conjugate other verbs thro some of their moods and tenses. It is a word in very common use, and of course must possess a very important character, which should be carefully examined and distinctly known by all who desire a knowledge of the construction of our language.
The principal difficulty in the explanation of this word, is the peculiar meaning which some have attached to it. It has been defined to denotepossessionmerely. But when we say, a manhasmuchproperty destroyedby fire, we do not mean that hegainsorpossessesmuch property by the fire; nor can we makehasauxiliary todestroyed, for in that case it would stand thus: a manhas destroyedmuch property by fire, which would be false, for the destruction was produced by an incendiary, or some other means wholly unknown to him.
You at once perceive thatto possessis not the only meaning which attaches tohave. It assumes a more important rank. It can be traced, with little change in form, back thro many generations. It is the same word asheave, originally, and retains nearly the same meaning. Saxonhabban, Gothichaban, Germanhaben, Latinhabeo, Frenchavoir, are all the same word, varied in spelling more than in sound; forbin many languages is sounded very much likev, orbv. It may mean tohold,possess,retain,sway,control,dispose of, either as a direct orrelativeaction; for a man sustains relations to his actors, duties, family, friends, enemies, and all the world, as well as to his possessions. Hehasa hard task to perform. Hehasmuch painto suffer. Hehassuffered much unhappiness.
Ihave writtena letter. Ihavea written letter. Ihavea letterwritten. These expressions differ very little in meaning, but the verbhaveis the same in each case. By the first expression, I signify that I havecausedthe letter to bewritten; by the second that I have a letter on which such action has been performed; and by the third, that such written letter stands in such relation to myself.
Ihave writtena letter and sent it away.Writtenis the past participle fromwrite; as an adjective it describes the letter in the condition I placed it; so that it will be defined, wherever it is found, as my letter; that is, some wayrelatedto me.
We can here account for the oldperfect tense, which is said, "not only to refer to what ispast, but alsoto convey an allusion to the present time." The verb is in thepresenttense, the participle is in thepast, and hence the reason of this allusion. Ihavenospace allowedme to go into a full investigation of this word, in its application to the expression of ideas. But it is necessary tohaveit wellunderstood, as ithasan importantservice entrustedto it; and I hope you willhaveclearviews presentedto your minds, strong enough tohaveformererrors eradicatedtherefrom.
If youhaveleisuregranted, and patience and disposition equal-edto the task, you have my consent to go back and read this sentence over again. You will find ithasin it embodied much important information in relation to the use ofhaveand the perfect tense.
Person and number in the agent, not in the action. — Similarity of agents, actions, and objects. — Verbs made from nouns. — Irregular verbs. — Some examples. — Regular Verbs. —Ed. —Ing. — Conjugation of verbs. — To love. — To have. — To be. — The indicative mood varied. — A whole sentence may be agent or object. — Imperative mood. — Infinitive mood. — Is always future.
Person and number in the agent, not in the action. — Similarity of agents, actions, and objects. — Verbs made from nouns. — Irregular verbs. — Some examples. — Regular Verbs. —Ed. —Ing. — Conjugation of verbs. — To love. — To have. — To be. — The indicative mood varied. — A whole sentence may be agent or object. — Imperative mood. — Infinitive mood. — Is always future.
I have said before that action can never be known separate from the actor; that the verb applies to the agent in anactingcondition, as that term has been defined and should be understood. Hence Person and Number can never attach to the verb, but to the agent with which, of course, the action must, in every respect, agree; as, "I write." In this case the action corresponds with myself. But to say thatwriteis in the "first person, singular number," would be wrong, for no such number or person belongs to the verb, but is confined to myself as the agent of the action.
The form of the verb is changed when it agrees with the second or third person singular; more on account of habit, I apprehend, than from any reason, or propriety as to a change of meaning in the word. We say, when using the regularsecondperson singular, "thou writest," a form rarely observed except in addresses to Deity, or on solemn occasions. In thethirdperson, ansis added to the regular form; as, "he writes." The old form, which was in general use at the time the common version of the Bible was published, was still different, ending ineth; as,he thinketh,he writeth. This style, altho considerably used in the last century, is nearly obsolete. When the verb agrees with the plural number it is usually the same as when it agrees with the first person; as, "We write,you write,they write." There are few exceptions to these rules.
Some people have been very tenacious about retaining the old forms of words, and our books were long printed without alteration; but change will break thro every barrier, and book-makers must keep pace with the times, and put on the dress that is catered for them by the public taste; bearing in mind, meanwhile, that great and practical truths are more essential than the garb in which they appear. We should be more careful of our health of body and purity of morals than of the costume we put on. Many genteel coats wrap up corrupt hearts, and fine hats cover silly heads. What is the chaff to the wheat?
Even our good friends, the quakers, who have particularly labored to retain old forms—"the plain language,"—have failed in their attempt, and have substituted theobjectform of the pronoun for theagent, and say, "thee thinks," forthou thinkest. Their mistake is even greater than the substitution ofyouforthou.
So far as language depends on the conventional regulation of those who use it, it will be constantly changing; new words will be introduced, and the spelling of old ones altered, so as to agree with modern pronounciation. We have all lived long enough to witness the truth of this remark. The only rule we can give in relation to this matter is, to follow our own judgments, aided by our best writers and speakers.
The words which express action, are in many cases very similar to the agents which produce them; and the objects which are the direct results produced by such action, do not differ very materially. I will give you a few examples.
Agent.Verb.Object.ActorsActActionsBreathersBreatheBreathBuildersBuildBuildingsCoinersCoinCoinsCastersCastCasts or castingsDrinkersDrinkDrinkDreamersDreamDreamsEarnersEarnEarningsFishersFishFishesGainersGainGainHewersHewHewingsInnkeepersKeepInnsLight or lightersLight or shedLightsMinersMine or digMinesPleadersPlead or makePleasProducersProduceProductsRaisersRaiseRaisings or housesRunners or racersRunRuns or racesSufferersSufferSufferingsSpeakersSpeakSpeechesThinkersThinkThoughtsWritersWriteWritingsWorkersWorkWorks
I give you these examples to show you the near alliance betweenactors, ( ,) andactions; or agents,actions, and objects. Such expressions as the above are inelegant, becausethey are uncommon; but for no other reason, for we, in numberless cases, employ the same word for agent and verb; as,painters paintbuildings, andartistspaint paintings;bookbinders bind books;printers printbooks, and otherprints. A little observation will enable you to carry out these hints, and profit by them. You have observed the disposition in children, and foreigners, who are partially acquainted with our language, to make verbs out of almost every noun, which appears to us very aukward; but was it common, it would be just as correct as the verbs now used. There are very few verbs which have not a noun to correspond with them, for we make verbs, that is, we use words to express action, which are nearly allied to the agent with which such action agrees.[17]From botany wehave madebotanize; from Mr. McAdam, the inventor of a particular kind of road,macadamize, which means to make roads as he made them. Words are formed in this way very frequently. The wordchurchis often used as a noun to express a building used for public worship; for the services performed in it; for the whole congregation; for a portion of believers associated together; for the Episcopal order, etc. It is also used as a verb. Mr. Webster defines it, "To perform with any one the office of returning thanks in the church after any signal deliverance." But the word has taken quite a different turn of late.To churcha person, instead of receiving him into communion, as that term would seem to imply, signifies to deal with an offending member, to excommunicate, or turn him out.
But I will not pursue this point any farther. The brief hints I have thrown out, will enable you to discover how the meaning and forms of words are changed from their original application to suit the notions and improvements of after ages. A field is here presented which needs cultivation. The young should be taught to search for the etymology of words, to trace their changes and meaning as used at different times and by different people, keeping their minds constantly directed to the object signified by such verbal sign. This is the business of philosophy, under whatever name it may be taught; for grammar, rhetoric, logic, and the science of the mind, are intimately blended, and should always be taught in connexion. We have already seen that words without meaning are like shadows without realities. And persons can not employ language "correctly," or "with propriety," till they have acquainted themselves with the import of such language—the ideas of thingssignified by it. Let this course be adopted in the education of children, and they will not be required to spend months and years in the study of an "art" which they can not comprehend, for the simple reason that they can not apply it in practice. Grammar has been taught as a mereart, depending on arbitrary rules to be mechanically learned, rather than a science involving the soundest and plainest principles of philosophy, which are to be known only as developed in common practice among men, and in accordance with the permanent laws which govern human thought.
Verbs differ in the manner of forming theirpasttenses, and participles, or adjectives. Those ending inedare calledregular; those which take any other termination areirregular. There are about two hundred of the latter in our language, which differ in various ways. Some of them have thepasttense and the past participle the same; as,
BidBidBidKnitKnitKnitShutShutShutLetLetLetSpreadSpreadSpread, etc.
Others have the past tense and participle alike, but different from the present; as,
LendLentLentSendSentSentBendBentBentWendWentWentBuildBuilt or buildedBuiltThinkThoughtThought, etc.
Some have the present and past tense and participle different; as,
BlowBlewBlownGrowGrewGrownBeginBeganBegunSeeSawSeenWriteWroteWrittenGiveGaveGivenSpeakSpokeSpokenRiseRoseRisenFallFellFallen, etc.
There are a few which are made up of different radicals, which have been wedded together by habit, to avoid the frequent and unpleasant recurrence of the same word; as,
AmWasBeenGo (wend)WentGone, etc.
Some which were formerly irregular, are now generally used with the regular termination, in either the past tense or participle, or both; as,
HangHung or hangedHung or hangedDareDared or durstDaredClotheClad or clothedClad or clothedWorkWorked or wroughtWorkedShineShined or shoneShone or shinedSpillSpilled or spiltSpilt or spilled, etc.
The syllableedis a contraction of the past tense ofdo; as, Iloved, lovedid,didlove, or love-ed. He learned, learn did, did learn, or learned. It signifies action,did, done, or accomplished. You have all lived long enough tohave noticed the change in the pronounciation of this syllable. Old people sound it full and distinct; and so do most others in reading the scriptures; but not so generally as in former times. In poetry it was usually abbreviated so as to avoid the full sound; and hence we may account for theirregulartermination of many words, such asheard, forheared;past, forpassed;learnt, forlearned;built, forbuilded. In modern poetry, however, theeis retained, tho sounded no more than formerly.
Ingis derived from the verb tobe, and signifiesbeing,existing; and, attached to a verb, is used as a noun, or adjective, retaining so much of its former character as to have an object after it which is affected by it; as, "I amwritinga lecture." Herewriting, the present participle ofwrite, describes myself in my present employment, and yet retains its action as a verb, and terminates onlectureas the thing written. "The man was taken in the act ofstealingsome money." In this casestealingnames the action which the man was performing when detected, which action thus named, hasmoneyfor the object on which it terminates.
I barely allude to this subject in this place to give you an idea of the method we adopt to explain the meaning and use of participles. It deserves more attention, perhaps, to make it plain to your minds; but as it is not an essential feature in the new system, I shall leave it for consideration in a future work. Whoever is acquainted with the formation of the present participle in other languages, can carry out the suggestions I have made, and fully comprehend my meaning.
I will present you with an example of the conjugations of a few verbs which you are requested to compare with the "might could would should have been loved" systems,which you were required to learn in former times. You will find the verb in everyformor position in which it ever occurs in our language, written or spoken.
Conjugation of the regular verbto love.
SingularPluralIloveWelovePresent tenseThoulovestYouloveHe, she, or itlovesTheyloveIlovedWelovedPast tenseThoulovedstYoulovedHe, she, or itlovedTheyloved
Love.
To love.
Present,LovingPast,Loved
The irregular verbto have, is thus conjugated.
IhaveWehavePresent tenseThouhastYouhaveHehasTheyhaveIhadWehadPast tenseThouhadstYouhadHehadTheyhad
Have.
To have.
Present,HavingPast,Had
The irregular verbto be, stands thus:
IamWearePresent tenseThouartYouareHeisTheyareIwasWewerePast tenseThouwastYouwereHewasTheywere
Be.
To be.
Present,BeingPast,Been
These examples will suffice to give you an idea of the ease and simplicity of the construction of verbs, and by a comparison with old systems, you can, for yourselves, determine the superiority of the principles we advocate. The above tabular views present every form which the verb assumes, and every position in which it is found. In use,these words are frequently compounded together;[18]but with a knowledge of the above principles, and themeaningof the words—a most essential consideration—you will always be able to analyze any sentence, and parse it correctly. I have not time to enlarge on this point, to show how words are connected together. Nor do I think it necessary to enable you to understand my views. To children such a work would be indispensable, and shall be attended to if we are able to publish a grammar containing the simple principles of language.
The indicative mood is varied four ways. 1st, affirmatively,he writes; 2d, negatively,he writes not; 3d, interrogatively,doeshe write? orwriteshe? 4th, suppositively, ifhe writes,suppose he writes, allowhe writes.
Thefirstis a simple affirmation of a fact, and is easily understood. Thesecondis formed by annexing a term to express negation.Notis a contraction fromnoughtornaught, which is a compound ofne, negative, and ought or aught,ne-aught, meaningno-thing.He writes not; he writes nothing. He doesnotwrite; he doesnothingto write.Neitheris a compound ofneandeither,not either. Hecan notread; hecan,kens,knows nothing, has no abilityto read.
The third is constructed into a question by placing the verb before the agent, or by prefixing another word before the agent, and then placing the former verb as an infinitive after it; as,Doeshe write? orwriteshe? When another verb is prefixed, one is always chosen which will best decide the query. Does heany thingto write? Does he make any motions or show any indications to write? When thewillor disposition of a person is concerned, we choose a word accordingly.Willhe write? Has he thewillor disposition to write?Canhe write? Is he able—knowshe how to write? A little observation will enable you to understand my meaning.
In the fourth place, a supposition is made in the imperative mood, in accordance with which the action is performed. "Ifyeloveme, keep my commandments."Give,grant,allow,supposethis fact—youloveme, keep my commandments. I will go if I can. Iresolve,will, ordetermineto go;if,gif,give, grant, allow this fact, Ican,ken,knowhow, oramableto go. But more on this point when we come to the consideration of contractions.
In this mood the verb must have an agent and object, expressed or implied; as, "farmerscultivate thesoil." But a whole sentence, that is, an idea written out, may perform this duty; as, "The study of grammar, on false principles, is productive of no good." What is productive of no good? What is the agent ofis? "Thestudy," our books and teachers tell us. But does such a construction give the true meaning of the sentence? I think not, forstudyis indispensable to knowledge and usefulness, andthe studyof grammar, properly directed, is a most useful branch of literature, which should never be dispensed with. It is the study of grammaron false principles, whichis productiveof no good. You discover my meaning, and will not question its correctness. You must also see how erroneous it would be to teach children that "to studyis productive of no good." The force of the sentence rests on the "false principles" taught. Hence the whole statement is truly the agent of the verb.
The object on which the action terminates is frequently expressed in a similar manner; as, "He wrote to me, that he will adopt the new system of grammar, if he can procure some books to give his scholars to learn." Will you parsewrote? Most grammarians will call it anintransitiveverb, and make out that "he wrote"nothingto me, because there is no regular objective word after it. Will you parsethat? It is a "conjunctioncopulative." What does it connect? "He wrote" to the following sentence, according to Rule 18 of Mr. Murray; "conjunctions connect thesamemoods and tenses of verbs and cases of nouns and pronouns." Unluckily you have two different tenses connected in this case. Will you parseif? It is acopulativeconjunction, connecting the two members of the sentence—he will adoptifhe can procure: Rule, as above. How exceeding unfortunate! You havetwodifferent moods, and too different tenses, connected by acopulativeconjunction which the rule says "connectsthe samemoods and tenses! What nonsense! What a falsehood! What a fine thing to be a grammarian! And yet, I venture the opinion, and I judge from what I have seen in myself and others, there is not one teacher in a hundred who will not learn children to parse as above, and apply the same rule to it. "Iwill goif Ican." "Idoandwillcontend." "As itwasin the beginning,isnow,andevershall be." "Iamhere andmustremain." "Hewill doyour businessifhehastime." "Iamresolvedto exposethe errors of grammar,and will doit thorolyifIcan."
In these examples you have different moods and tenses, indiscriminately, yet correctly coupled together, despite the rules of syntax which teach us to explain language "with propriety."
That, in the sentence before us, is an adjective, referring to the following sentence, which is theobjectofwrote, or is the thing written. "He wrote to methat" fact, sentiment, opinion, determination, or resolution, that writing, letter, or word—"he will adopt the new system of grammar, if he can procure some books."
This subject properly belongs to that department of language called syntax; but as I shall not be able to treat of that in this course of lectures, I throw in here these brief remarks to give you some general ideas of the arrangement of words into sentences, according to their true meaning, as obtained from a knowledge of their etymology. You cannot fail to observe this method of constructing language if you will pay a little attention to it when reading; keeping all the time in view the fact that words are only the signs of ideas, derived from an observation of things. You all know that it is not merely the steam that propels the boat, but that it is steamapplied to machinery. Steam is the more latent cause; and the engine with its complicated parts is the direct means. In the absence of either, the boat would not be propelled. In the formation of language, I may say correctly, "Solomonbuiltthe temple;" for he stood in that relation to the matter which supposes it would not have been built without his direction and command. To accomplish such an action, however, he need not raise a hammer or a gavel, or draw a line on the trestle board.His command made known to his ministers was sufficient tocausethe work to be done. Hence the whole fact isindicatedor declared by the single expression, "Solomonbuiltthe temple."
The Imperative mood is unchanged in form. I can say to one man,go, or to a thousand,go. The commander when drillingonesoldier, says,march; and he bids the whole battalion,march. The agent who isto performthe action is understood when not expressed; as,go,go thou, orgo you. The agent is generally omitted, because the address is given direct to the person who is expected to obey the instruction, request, or command. This verb always agrees with an agent in thesecondperson. And yet our "grammars made easy" have given usthree personsin this mood—"Let me love;love,love thou, ordothoulove; let him love." In the name of common sense, I ask, what can children learn by such instruction? "Let me love," in the conjugation of the verbto love! To whom is this command given? Tomyselfof course! I command myself to "let me love!" What nonsense! "Lethimlove." I stand here, you set there, and thethirdperson is in Philadelphia. I utter these words, "Lethim love." What is my meaning? Why, our books tell us, that the verb toloveisthirdperson. Then I commandhimtolet himself love! What jargon and falsehood! You all know that we can address thesecondperson only. You would call me insane if I should employ language according to the rules of grammar as laid down in the standard books. In my room alone, no person near me, I cry out, "let me be quiet"—imperative mood, first person ofto be! Do I command myself toletmyselfbequiet? Most certainly, ifbeis the principal verb in the first person, andletthe auxiliary. Theteacher observes one of his pupils take a pencil from a classmate who sets near him. He says, "let him have it." To whom is the command given? It is the imperative mood, third person of the verbto have. Does he command the third person, the boy whohasnot the pencil? Such is the resolution of the sentence, according to the authority of standard grammars. But where is there a child five years old who does not know better. Every body knows that he addresses the second person, the boy who has the pencil, toletthe otherhaveit.
Teachers have learned their scholars thefirstandthirdpersons of this mood when committing the conjugation of verbs; but not one in ten thousand ever adopted them in parsing. "Let me love."Let, all parse, Mr. Murray not excepted, in thesecondperson, andlovein the infinitive mood after it, without the signto; according to the rule, that "verbs which followbid,dare,feel,hear,let,needs,speak," etc. are in the infinitive mood. It is strange people will not eat their own cooking.
There can be no trouble in understanding this mood, as we have explained it, always in the future tense, that is, future to the command or request, agreeing with thesecondperson, and never varied on account of number.
The only variation in the infinitive mood is the omission oftoin certain cases, which is considered as a part of the verb; tho in truth it is no more so than when used in the character of an old fashioned preposition. In certain cases, as we have before observed, it is not expressed. This is when the infinitive verb follows small words in frequent use; as, shall, will, let, can, must, may, bid, do, have, make, feel, hear, etc.
This mood is always in the future tense; that is, it is future to the circumstances or condition of things upon which it depends; as, they are making preparationsto raisethe building. Hereto raiseis future to the preparations, for if they make no preparations, the buildings will not be raised. The boy studies his bookto learnhis lesson. If he does not study, he will not be likelyto learnhis lesson.
The allied powers of Europe combined their forcesto defeatNapoleon. In this instance the whole expression is in the past tense; nevertheless, the action expressed in the infinitive mood,was futureto the circumstance on which it depended; that is, thedefeatwasfutureto thecombinationof the forces. Abraham raised the knifeto slayhis son. Not that he didslayhim, as that sentence must be explained on the common systems, which teach us thatto slayis in thepresent tense; but he raised the fatal knife for that purpose, the fulfilment of which was future; but the angel staid his hand, and averted the blow. The patriots of Polandmadea noble attemptto gaintheir liberty. But they did notgain it, as our grammars would teach us.To gainwas future to the attempt, and failed because the circumstancesindicatedby the event, were insufficient to produce so favorable a result.
No person of common discernment can fail to observe the absolute falsehood of existing systems in respect to this mood. It is used by our authors of grammar in thepresentandpasttenses, but never in thefuture. Let us give a moment to the consideration of this matter. Take the following example. Hewill preparehimself next weekto goto Europe. Let the school master parsewill prepare. It is a verb, indicative mood,first futuretense.Next weekis the point in futurity when thepreparationwill bemade.Now parseto go. It is a verb, infinitive mood,present tense! Thenheis already on his way to Europe, when he is notto preparehimself till next week! An army is collectedto fightthe enemy. Is the fight already commenced?To fightis present tense, say the books. We shall study grammar next year,to obtaina knowledge of the principles and use of language. Isto obtainpresent tense? If so there is little need of spending time and money to study for a knowledge wealready possess.