Chapter XXIII: Section VIII: Of Defective Verbs

Most men have five senses,
Most verbs have six tenses;
But as there are some folks
Who are blind, deaf, or dumb folks,
Just so there are some verbs
Defective, or _rum_ verbs,

which are used only in some of their moods and tenses.

The principal of them are these:--

IMPERF. PERF. OR PASS. PART.
Can could nix.
May might --
Shall should --
Will would --
Must must --
Ought ought --
-- quoth --

There is not, perhaps, anything in the defective verbs peculiarly valuable in a comic point of view. However, it should not be forgotten, that

_Can_ is one of the signs of the POT-ential Mood;

_Will_, _Would_ reminds us of the Drapier’s Letters.

“_Must_” is for the House of Commons (it used to be for the King).

Ought, ought, with 1 before it, stands, (in schoolboy phrase) for 100.

’Tis naught, so to speak, however, says Murray.