Chapter VI: Verbs (4)

OBS. 9.--If _need_ is to be recognized as an auxiliary of the potential mood, it must be understood to belong to two tenses; the present and the perfect; like _may, can_, and _must_: as, "He _need_ not _go_, he _need_ not _have gone_; Thou _need_ not _go, Thou need_ not _have gone_;" or, in the solemn style, "Thou _needst_ not go, Thou _needst_ not _have gone_." If, on the contrary, we will have it to be always a principal verb, the distinction of time should belong to itself, and also the distinction of person and number, in the parts which require it: as, "He _needs_ not go. He _needed_ not go; Thou _needst_ not go, Thou _needed_ not go;" or, in the solemn style, "Thou _needest_ not go, Thou _neededst_ not go." Whether it can be right to say, "He _needed_ not _have gone_," is at least questionable. From the observations of Murray, upon relative tenses, under his thirteenth rule of syntax, it seems fair to infer that he would have judged this phraseology erroneous. Again, "He _needs_ not _have gone_," appears to be yet more objectionable, though for the same reason. And if, "He _need_ not _have gone_," is a correct expression, _need_ is clearly proved to be an _auxiliary_, and the three words taken together must form the potential perfect. And so of the plural; for the argument is from the connexion of the tenses, and not merely from the tendency of auxiliaries to reject inflection: as, "They need not _have been_ under great concern about their public affairs."--_Hutchinson's History_, i, 194, From these examples, it may be seen that an auxiliary and a principal verb have some essential difference; though these who dislike the doctrine of compound tenses, pretend not to discern any. Take some further citations; a few of which are erroneous in respect to time. And observe also that the regular verb sometimes admits the preposition _to_ after it: "' There is great dignity in being waited for,' said one who had the habit of tardiness, and who _had_ not much else of which he _need_ be vain."--_Students Manual_, p. 64. "But he _needed_ not _have gone_ so far for more instances."-- _Johnson's Gram._ _Com._, p. 143. "He _need_ not _have said_, 'perhaps the virtue.'"--_Sedgwick's Economy_, p. 196. "I _needed_ not _to ask_ how she felt."--_Abbott's Young Christian_, p. 84. "It _need_ not _have been_ so."--_Ib._, p. 111. "The most unaccommodating politician _need_ not absolutely _want_ friends."--_Hunts Feast of the Poets_, p. iii. "Which therefore _needs_ not be introduced with much precaution."--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 326. "When an obscurer term _needs_ to be explained by one that is clearer."--_Ib._, p. 367. "Though, if she had died younger, she _need_ not _have known it_."--_West's Letters_, p. 120. "Nothing _need_ be said, but that they were the _most perfect_ barbarisms."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 470. "He _need_ not go."--_Goodenow's Gram._, p. 36. "He _needed_ but use the word _body_."--LOCKE: _in Joh. Dict._ "He _need_ not be required to use them."--_Parker's Eng. Composition_, p. 50. "The last consonant of _appear_ need not be doubled."--_Dr. Webster_. "It _needs_ the less _to be inforced_."--_Brown's Estimate_, ii, 158. "Of these pieces of his, we _shall not need to give_ any particular account."--_Seneca's Morals_, p. vi "And therefore I _shall need say_ the less of them."--_Scougal_, p. 1101. "This compounding of words _need_ occasion no surprise."--_Cardell's Essay on Language_, p. 87.

"Therefore stay, thou _needst_ not to be gone."--_Shakspeare_.

"Thou _need_ na _start_ awa sae hasty."--_Burns, Poems_, p. 15.

"Thou _need_ na _jouk_ behint the hallan."--_Id., ib._, p. 67.

OBS. 10.--The auxiliaries, except _must_, which is invariable, have severally two forms in respect to tense, or time; and when inflected in the second and third persons singular, are usually varied in the following manner:--

TO DO.

PRESENT TENSE; AND SIGN OF THE INDICATIVE PRESENT.

_Sing_. I do, thou dost, he does; _Plur_. We do, you do, they do.

IMPERFECT TENSE; AND SIGN of THE INDICATIVE IMPERFECT.

_Sing_. I did, thou didst, he did; _Plur_. We did, you did, they did.

TO BE.

PRESENT TENSE; AND SIGN OF THE INDICATIVE PRESENT.

_Sing_. I am, thou art, he is; _Plur_. We are, you are, they are.

IMPERFECT TENSE; AND SIGN OF THE INDICATIVE IMPERFECT.

_Sing_. I was, thou wast, he was; _Plur_. We were, you were; they were.

TO HAVE.

PRESENT TENSE; BUT SIGN OF THE INDICATIVE PERFECT.

_Sing_. I have, thou hast, he has; _Plur_. We have, you have, they have.

IMPERFECT TENSE; BUT SIGN OF THE INDICATIVE PLUPERFECT.

_Sing_. I had, thou hadst, he had; _Plur_. We had, you had, they had.

SHALL AND WILL.

These auxiliaries have distinct meanings, and, as signs of the future, they are interchanged thus:

PRESENT TENSE; BUT SIGNS OF THE INDICATIVE FIRST-FUTURE.

1. Simply to express a future action or event:--

_Sing_. I shall, thou wilt, he will; _Plur_. We shall, you will, they will.

2. To express a promise, command, or threat:--

_Sing_.: I will, thou shalt, he shall; _Plur_. We will, you shall, they shall.

IMPERFECT TENSE; BUT, AS SIGNS, AORIST, OR INDEFINITE.

1. Used with reference to duty or expediency:--

_Sing._ I should, thou shouldst, he should; _Plur._ We should, you should, they should.

2. Used with reference to volition or desire:--

_Sing._ I would, thou wouldst, he would; _Plur._ We would, you would, they would.

MAY.

PRESENT TENSE; AND SIGN OF THE POTENTIAL PRESENT.

_Sing._ I may, thou mayst, he may; _Plur._ We may, you may, they may.

IMPERFECT TENSE; AND SIGN OF THE POTENTIAL IMPERFECT.

_Sing._ I might, thou mightst, he might; _Plur._ We might, you might, they might.

CAN.

PRESENT TENSE; AND SIGN OF THE POTENTIAL PRESENT.

_Sing._ I can, thou canst, he can; _Plur._ We can, you can, they can.

IMPERFECT TENSE; AND SIGN OF THE POTENTIAL IMPERFECT.

_Sing._ I could, thou couldst, he could; _Plur._ We could, you could, they could.

MUST.

PRESENT TENSE; AND SIGN OF THE POTENTIAL PRESENT.

_Sing._ I must, thou must, he must; _Plur._ We must, you must, they must.

If must is ever used in the sense of the Imperfect tense, or Preterit, the form is the same as that of the Present: this word is entirely invariable.

OBS. 11.--Several of the auxiliaries are occasionally used as mere expletives, being quite unnecessary to the sense: as, 1. DO and DID: "And it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest _do_ creep forth."--_Psalms_, civ, 20. "And ye, that on the sands with printless foot _do_ chase the ebbing Neptune, and _do_ fly him when he comes back."--_Shak._ "And if a man _did_ need a poison now."--_Id._ This needless use of do and did is now avoided by good writers. 2. SHALL, SHOULD, and COULD: "'Men _shall_ deal unadvisedly sometimes, which after-hours give leisure to repent of.' I _should_ advise you to proceed. I _should_ think it would succeed. He, it _should_ seem, thinks otherwise."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p. 65. "I _could_ wish you to go."--_Ib._, p. 71. 3. WILL, &c. The following are nearly of the same character, but not exactly: "The isle is full of noises; sometimes a thousand twanging instruments _will_ hum about mine ears."--_Shak._ "In their evening sports she _would_ steal in amongst them."--_Barbauld_.

"His listless length at noontide _would_ he stretch."--_Gray_.

OBS. 12.--As our old writers often formed the infinitive in _en_, so they sometimes dropped the termination of the perfect participle. Hence we find, in the infancy of the language, _done_ used for _do_, and _do_ for _done_; and that by the same hand, with like changes in other verbs: as, "Thou canst nothing _done_."--_Chaucer_. "As he was wont to _done_."--_Id._ "The treson that to women hath be _do_."--_Id._ "For to _ben_ honourable and free."--_Id._ "I am sworn to _holden_ it secre."--_Id._ "Our nature God hath to him _unyte_."--_Douglas_. "None otherwise negligent than I you saie haue I not _bee_."--_Id._ See _W. Allen's E. Gram._, p. 97.

"But netheless the thynge is _do_,
That fals god was soone _go_."--GOWER: _H. Tooke_, Vol. i, p. 376.

OBS. 13.--"_May_ is from the Anglo-Saxon, _mægan_, to be able. In the parent language also, it is used as an auxiliary. It is exhibited by Fortescue, as a principal verb; 'They shall _may_ do it:' i. e. they shall be able (to) do it."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p. 70. "_May not_, was formerly used for _must not_; as, 'Graces for which we _may not_ cease to sue.' Hooker."--_Ib._, p. 91. "_May_ frequently expresses doubt of the fact; as, 'I _may_ have the book in my library, but I think I have not.' It is used also, to express doubt, or a consequence, with a future signification; as, 'I _may_ recover the use of my limbs, but I see little probability of it.'--'That they _may_ receive me into their houses.' _Luke_, xvi, 4."--_Churchill's Gram._, p. 247. In these latter instances, the potential present is akin to the subjunctive. Hence Lowth and others improperly call "I _may love_," &c. the subjunctive mood. Others, for the same reason, and with as little propriety, deny that we have any subjunctive mood; alleging an ellipsis in every thing that bears that name: as, "'If it (_may_) _be_ possible, live peaceably with all men.' Scriptures."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p. 61. _May_ is also a sign of wishing, and consequently occurs often in prayer: as, "_May_ it be thy good pleasure;"--"O that it _may_ please thee;"--"_Mayst_ thou be pleased." Hence the potential is akin also to the imperative: the phrases, "Thy will be done,"--"_May_ thy will be done,"--"Be thy will done,"--"_Let_ thy will be done,"--are alike in meaning, but not in mood or construction.

OBS. 14.--_Can_, to be able, is etymologically the same as the regular verbs _ken_, to see, and _con_, to learn; all of them being derived from the Saxon _connan_ or _cunnan_, to know: whence also the adjective cunning, which was formerly a participle. In the following example _will_ and _can_ are principal verbs: "In evil, the best condition is, not to _will_; the second, not to _can_."--_Ld. Bacon_. "That a verb which signifies knowledge, may also signify power, appears from these examples: _Je ne saurois, I should not know how_, (i. e. _could_ not.) [Greek: Asphalisasthe hos oidate], Strengthen it as you _know how_, (i. e. as you _can_.) _Nescio_ mentiri, I _know not how to_ (i.e. _I cannot_) lie."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p. 71. _Shall_, Saxon _sceal_, originally signified to _owe_; for which reason _should_ literally means _ought_. In the following example from Chaucer, _shall_ is a principal verb, with its original meaning:

"For, by the faith I _shall_ to God, I wene,
Was neuer straungir none in hir degre."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p. 64.

OBS. 15.--_Do_ and _did_ are auxiliary only to the present infinitive, or the radical verb; as, _do throw, did throw_: thus the mood of _do throw_ or _to throw_ is marked by _do_ or _to_. _Be_, in all its parts, is auxiliary to either of the simple participles; as, _to be throwing, to be thrown; I am throwing, I am thrown_: and so, through the whole conjugation. _Have_ and _had_, in their literal use, are auxiliary to the perfect participle only; as, _have thrown, had thrown. Have_ is from the Saxon _habban_, to possess; and, from the nature of the perfect participle, the tenses thus formed, suggest in general a completion of the action. The French idiom is similar to this: as, _J'ai vu_, I have seen. _Shall_ and _should, will_ and _would, may_ and _might, can_ and _could, must_, and also _need, (if we call the last a helping verb,) are severally auxiliary to both forms of the infinitive, and to these only: as, shall throw, shall have thrown; should throw, should have thrown_; and so of all the rest.

OBS. 16.--The form of the indicative pluperfect is sometimes used in lieu of the potential pluperfect; as, "If all the world could have seen it, the wo _had been_ universal."--_Shakspeare_. That is,--"_would have been_ universal." "I _had been drowned_, but that the shore was shelvy and shallow."--_Id._ That is,--"I _should have been drowned_." This mode of expression may be referred to the figure _enallage_, in which one word or one modification is used for an other. Similar to this is the use of _were_ for _would be_: "It _were_ injustice to deny the execution of the law to any individual;" that is, "it _would_ be injustice."--_Murray's Grammar_, p. 89. In some instances, _were_ and _had been_ seem to have the same import; as, "Good _were_ it for that man if he had never been born."--_Mark_, xiv, 21. "It _had been_ good for that man if he had not been born."--_Matt._, xxvi, 24. In prose, all these licenses are needless, if not absolutely improper. In poetry, their brevity may commend them to preference; but to this style, I think, they ought to be confined: as,

"That _had been_ just, replied the reverend bard;
But done, fair youth, thou ne'er _hadst met_ me here."--_Pollok_.

"The keystones of the arch!--though all were o'er,
For us repeopled _were_ the solitary shore."--_Byron_.

OBS. 17.--With an adverb of comparison or preference, as _better, rather, best, as lief_, or _as lieve_, the auxiliary _had_ seems sometimes to be used before the infinitive to form the potential imperfect or pluperfect: as, "He that loses by getting, _had better lose_ than get."--_Penn's Maxims_. "Other prepositions _had better have been substituted_."-- _Priestley's Gram._, p. 166. "I had as lief say."--LOWTH: _ib._, p. 110. "It compels me to think of that which I _had rather forget_."-- _Bickersteth, on Prayer_, p. 25. "You _had much better say_ nothing upon the subject."--_Webster's Essays_, p. 147. "I _had much rather show_ thee what hopes thou hast before thee."--_Baxter_. "I _had rather speak_ five words with my understanding, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue."--_1 Cor._, xiv, 19. "I knew a gentleman in America who told me _how much rather he had be_ a woman than the man he is."--_Martineau's Society in America_, Vol. i, p. 153. "I _had as lief go_ as not."-- _Webster's Dict., w. Lief_. "I _had as lieve_ the town crier spoke my lines."--SHAK.: _Hamlet_. "We _had best leave_ nature to her own operations."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, Vol. i, p. 310. "What method _had he best take_?"--_Harris's Hermes_, p. ix. These are equivalent to the phrases, _might better lose--might_ better have been substituted--_would_ as lief say--_would_ rather forget--_might_ much better say--_would_ much rather show--_would_ rather speak--how much rather he _would_ be--_would_ as lief go--_should_ best leave--_might_ he best take; and, for the sake of regularity, these latter forms ought to be preferred, as they sometimes are: thus, "For my own part, I _would rather look_ upon a tree in all its luxuriancy."--_Addison, Spect._, No. 414; _Blair's Rhet._, p. 223. The following construction is different: "Augustus _had like to_ have been slain."--_S. Butler_. Here _had_ is a principal verb of the indicative imperfect. The following examples appear to be positively erroneous: "Much that was said, _had better remained_ unsaid."--_N. Y. Observer_. Say, "_might better have remained_." "A man that is lifting a weight, if he put not sufficient strength to it, _had as good_ put none at all."--_Baxter_. Say, "_might as well put_." "You _were better pour_ off the first infusion, and use the latter."--_Bacon_. Say, "_might better pour_;" or, if you prefer it, "_had better pour._" Shakspeare has an expression which is still worse:--

"Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul,
Thou _hadst been better have been born_ a dog."--_Beauties_, p. 295.

OBS. 18.--The form of conjugating the active verb, is often called the _Active Voice_, and that of the passive verb, the _Passive Voice_. These terms are borrowed from the Latin and Greek grammars, and, except as serving to diversify expression, are of little or no use in English grammar. Some grammarians deny that there is any propriety in them, with respect to any language. De Sacy, after showing that the import of the verb does not always follow its form of voice, adds: "We must, therefore, carefully distinguish the Voice of a Verb from its signification. To facilitate the distinction, I denominate that an _Active_ Verb which contains an Attribute in which the action is considered as performed by the Subject; and that a _Passive_ Verb which contains an Attribute in which the action is considered as suffered by the Subject, and performed upon it by some agent. I call that voice a _Subjective_ Voice which is generally appropriated to the Active Verb, and that an _Objective_ Voice which is generally appropriated to the Passive Verb. As to the Neuter Verbs, if they possess a peculiar form, I call it a Neuter Voice."--_Fosdick's Translation_, p. 99.

OBS. 19.--A recognition of the difference between actives and passives, in our original classification of verbs with respect to their signification,-- a principle of division very properly adopted in a great majority of our grammars and dictionaries, but opinionately rejected by Webster, Bolles, and sundry late grammarians,--renders it unnecessary, if not improper, to place Voices, the Active Voice and the Passive, among the _modifications_ of our verbs, or to speak of them as such in the conjugations. So must it be in respect to "a Neuter Voice," or any other distinction which the classification involves. The significant characteristic is not overlooked; the distinction is not neglected as nonessential; but it is transferred to a different category. Hence I cannot exactly approve of the following remark, which "the Rev. W. Allen" appears to cite with approbation: "'The distinction of active or passive,' says the accurate Mr. Jones, '_is not essential_ to verbs. In the infancy of language, it was, in all probability, not known. In Hebrew, the difference but imperfectly exists, and, in the early periods of it, probably did not exist at all. In Arabic, the only distinction which obtains, arises from the vowel points, a late invention compared with the antiquity of that language. And in our own tongue, the names of _active_ and _passive_ would have remained unknown, if they had not been learnt in Latin.'"--_Allen's Elements of English Gram._, p. 96.

OBS. 20.--By _the conjugation_ of a verb, some teachers choose to understand nothing more than the naming of its principal parts; giving to the arrangement of its numbers and persons, through all the moods and tenses, the name of _declension._ This is a misapplication of terms, and the distinction is as needless, as it is contrary to general usage. Dr. Bullions, long silent concerning principal parts, seems now to make a singular distinction between "_conjugating_" and "_conjugation._" His _conjugations_ include the moods, tenses, and inflections of verbs; but he teaches also, with some inaccuracy, as follows: "The principal parts of the verb are the _Present indicative_, the _Past indicative_ and the _Past participle._ The mentioning of these parts is called CONJUGATING THE VERB."--_Analyt. and Pract. Gram._, 1849, p. 80.

OBS. 21.--English verbs having but very few inflections to indicate to what part of the scheme of moods and tenses they pertain, it is found convenient to insert in our conjugations the preposition _to_, to mark the infinitive; personal _pronouns_, to distinguish the persons and numbers; the conjunction _if_, to denote the subjunctive mood; and the adverb _not_, to show the form of negation. With these additions, or indexes, a verb may be conjugated in _four ways_:--

1. Affirmatively; as, I write, I do write, or, I am writing; and so on.

2. Negatively; as, I write not, I do not write, or, I am not writing.

3. Interrogatively; as, Write I? Do I write? or, Am I writing?

4. Interrogatively and negatively; as, Write I not? Do I not write? or, Am I not writing?

1. SIMPLE FORM, ACTIVE OR NEUTER.

The simplest form of an English conjugation, is that which makes the present and imperfect tenses without auxiliaries; but, even in these, auxiliaries are required for the potential mood, and are often preferred for the indicative.

FIRST EXAMPLE.

_The regular active verb LOVE, conjugated affirmatively_.

PRINCIPAL PARTS.

_Present. Preterit. Imperfect Participle. Perfect Participle._
Love. Loved. Loving. Loved.

INFINITIVE MOOD.[260]

The infinitive mood is that form of the verb, which expresses the being, action, or passion, in an unlimited manner, and without person or number. It is used only in the present and perfect tenses.

PRESENT TENSE.

This tense is the _root_, or _radical verb_; and is usually preceded by the preposition _to_, which shows its relation to some other word: thus,

To love.

PERFECT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _have_ to the perfect participle; and, like the infinitive present, is usually preceded by the preposition _to_: thus,

To have loved.

INDICATIVE MOOD.

The indicative mood is that form of the verb, which simply indicates or declares a thing, or asks a question. It is used in all the tenses.

PRESENT TENSE.

The present indicative, in its simple form, is essentially the same as the present infinitive, or radical verb; except that the verb _be_ has _am_ in the indicative.

1. The simple form of the present tense is varied thus:--

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1st person, I love, 1st person. We love, 2d person, Thou lovest, 2d person, You love, 3d person, He loves; 3d person, They love.

2. This tense may also be formed by prefixing the auxiliary _do_ to the verb: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I do love, 1. We do love, 2. Thou dost love, 2. You do love, 3. He does love; 3. They do love.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

This tense, in its simple form is _the preterit_; which, in all regular verbs, adds _d_ or _ed_ to the present, but in others is formed variously.

1. The simple form of the imperfect tense is varied thus:--

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I loved, 1. We loved, 2. Thou lovedst, 2. You loved, 3. He loved; 3. They loved.

2. This tense may also be formed by prefixing the auxiliary _did_ to the present: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I did love, 1. We did love, 2. Thou didst love, 2. You did love, 3. He did love; 3. They did love.

PERFECT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _have_ to the perfect participle: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I have loved, 1. We have loved, 2. Thou hast loved, 2. You have loved, 3. He has loved; 3. They have loved.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _had_ to the perfect participle: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I had loved, 1. We had loved, 2. Thou hadst loved, 2. You had loved, 3. He had loved; 3. They had loved.

FIRST-FUTURE TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _shall_ or _will_ to the present: thus,

1. Simply to express a future action or event:--

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I shall love, 1. We shall love, 2. Thou wilt love, 2. You will love, 3. He will love; 3. They will love;

2. To express a promise, volition, command, or threat:--

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I will love, 1. We will love, 2. Thou shalt love, 2. You shall love, 3. He shall love; 3. They shall love.

SECOND-FUTURE TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliaries _shall have_ or _will have_ to the perfect participle: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I shall have loved, 1. We shall have loved, 2. Thou wilt have loved, 2. You will have loved, 3. He will have loved; 3. They will have loved.

OBS.--The auxiliary _shall_ may also be used in the second and third persons of this tense, when preceded by a conjunction expressing condition or contingency; as, "_If_ he _shall have completed_ the work by midsummer."--_L. Murray's Gram._, p. 80. So, with the conjunctive adverb _when_; as, "Then cometh the end, _when_ he _shall have delivered_ up the kingdom to God, even the Father; _when_ he _shall have put_ down all rule and all authority and power."--_1 Cor._, xv, 24. And perhaps _will_ may here be used in the first person to express a promise, though such usage, I think, seldom occurs. Professor Fowler has given to this tense, first, the "_Predictive_" form, as exhibited above, and then a form which he calls "_Promissive_," and in which the auxiliaries are varied thus: "Singular. 1. I _will_ have taken. 2. Thou _shalt_ have taken, you _shall_ have taken. 3. He _shall_ have taken. Plural. 1. We _will_ have taken. 2. Ye _or_ you _shall_ have taken. 3. He [say _They_,] _shall_ have taken."--_Fowler's E. Gram._, 8vo., N. Y., 1850, p. 281. But the other instances just cited show that such a form is not always promissory.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

The potential mood is that form of the verb, which expresses the power, liberty, possibility, or necessity of the being, action, or passion. It is used in the first four tenses; but the potential _imperfect_ is properly an _aorist_: its time is very indeterminate; as, "He _would be_ devoid of sensibility were he not greatly satisfied."--_Lord Kames, El. of Crit._, Vol. i, p. 11.

PRESENT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _may, can_, or _must_, to the radical verb: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I may love, 1. We may love, 2. Thou mayst love, 2. You may love, 3. He may love; 3. They may love.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliary _might, could, would_, or _should_, to the radical verb: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I might love, 1. We might love, 2. Thou mightst love, 2. You might love, 3. He might love; 3. They might love.

PERFECT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliaries, _may have, can have_, or _must have_, to the perfect participle: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I may have loved, 1. We may have loved, 2. Thou mayst have loved, 2. You may have loved, 3. He may have loved; 3. They may have loved.

PLUPERFECT TENSE.

This tense prefixes the auxiliaries, _might have, could have, would have_, or _should have_, to the perfect participle: thus,

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I might have loved, 1. We might have loved, 2. Thou mightst have loved, 2. You might have loved, 3. He might have loved; 3. They might have loved.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

The subjunctive mood is that form of the verb, which represents the being, action, or passion, as conditional, doubtful, or contingent. This mood is generally preceded by a conjunction; as, _if, that, though, lest, unless, except_. But sometimes, especially in poetry, it is formed by a mere placing of the verb before the nominative; as, "_Were I_," for, "_If I were_;"--"_Had he_," for, "_If he had_;"--"_Fall we_" for, "_If we fall_;"--"_Knew they_," for, "_If they knew_." It does not vary its termination at all, in the different persons.[261] It is used in the present, and sometimes in the imperfect tense; rarely--and perhaps never _properly_--in any other. As this mood can be used only in a dependent clause, the _time_ implied in its tenses is always relative, and generally indefinite; as,

"It shall be in eternal restless change,
Self-fed, and self-consum'd: _if this fail_,
The pillar'd firmament is rottenness."--_Milton, Comus_, l. 596.

PRESENT TENSE.

This tense is generally used to express some condition on which a future action or event is affirmed. It is therefore erroneously considered by some grammarians, as an elliptical form of the future.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. If I love, 1. If we love, 2. If Thou love, 2. If you love, 3. If He love; 3. If they love.

OBS.--In this tense, the auxiliary _do_ is sometimes employed; as, "If thou _do prosper_ my way."--_Genesis_, xxiv, 42. "If he _do_ not _utter_ it."--_Leviticus_, v, 1. "If he _do_ but _intimate_ his desire."--_Murray's Key_, p. 207. "If he _do promise_, he will certainly perform."--_Ib._, p. 208. "An event which, if it ever _do occur_, must occur in some future period."--_Hiley's Gram._, (3d Ed., Lond.,) p. 89. "If he _do_ but _promise_, thou art safe."--_Ib._, 89.

"Till old experience _do attain_
To something like prophetic strain."--MILTON: _Il Penseroso_.

These examples, if they are right, prove the tense to be _present_, and not _future_, as Hiley and some others suppose it to be.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

This tense, like the imperfect of the potential mood, with which it is frequently connected, is properly an aorist, or indefinite tense; for it may refer to time past, present, or future: as, "If therefore perfection _were_ by the Levitical priesthood, what further need _was_ there that an other priest _should rise_?"--_Heb._, vii, 11. "They must be viewed _exactly_ in the same light, as if the intention to purchase _now existed_."--_Murray's Parsing Exercises_, p. 24. "If it _were_ possible, they _shall deceive_ the very elect."--_Matt._, xxiv, 24. "If the whole body _were_ an eye, where _were_ the hearing?"--_1 Corinthians_, xii, 17. "If the thankful _refrained_, it _would be_ pain and grief to them."--_Atterbury_.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. If I loved, 1. If we loved, 2. If thou loved, 2. If you loved, 3. If he loved; 3. If they loved.

OBS.--In this tense, the auxiliary _did_ is sometimes employed. The subjunctive may here be distinguished from the indicative, by these circumstances; namely, that the time is indefinite, and that the supposition is always contrary to the fact: as, "Great is the number of those who might attain to true wisdom, if they _did not already think_ themselves wise."--_Dillwyn's Reflections_, p. 36. This implies that they _do think_ themselves wise; but an indicative supposition or concession--(as, "Though they _did not think_ themselves wise, they were so--") accords with the fact, and with the literal time of the tense,--here time past. The subjunctive imperfect, suggesting the idea of what is not, and known by the sense, is sometimes introduced without any of the _usual signs_; as, "In a society of perfect men, _where all understood_ what was morally right, and _were determined_ to act accordingly, it is obvious, that human laws, or even human organization to enforce God's laws, would be altogether unnecessary, and could serve no valuable purpose."--PRES. SHANNON: _Examiner_, No. 78.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

The imperative mood is that form of the verb, which is used in commanding, exhorting, entreating, or permitting. It is commonly used only in the second person of the present tense.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular._ 2. Love [thou,] _or_ Do thou love;

_Plural._ 2. Love [ye _or_ you,] _or_ Do you love.

OBS.--In the Greek language, which has three numbers, the imperative mood is used in the second and third persons of them all; and has also several different tenses, some of which cannot be clearly rendered in English. In Latin, this mood has a distinct form for the third person, both singular and plural. In Italian, Spanish, and French, the first person plural is also given it. Imitations of some of these forms are occasionally employed in English, particularly by the poets. Such imitations must be referred to this mood, unless by ellipsis and transposition we make them out to be something else; and against this there are strong objections. Again, as imprecation on one's self is not impossible, the first person singular may be added; so that this mood _may possibly have_ all the persons and numbers. Examples: "_Come we_ now to his translation of the Iliad."--_Pope's Pref. to Dunciad_. "_Proceed we_ therefore in our subject."--_Ib._ "_Blessed be he_ that blesseth thee."--_Gen._, xxvii, 29. "Thy _kingdom come_."--_Matt._, vi, 10. "But _pass we_ that."--_W. Scott_. "Third person: _Be he, Be they_."--_Churchill's Gram._, p. 92.

"My soul, _turn_ from them--_turn we_ to survey," &c.--_Goldsmith_.

"Then _turn we_ to her latest tribune's name."--_Byron_.

"Where'er the eye could light these words you read:
'Who _comes_ this way--_behold_, and _fear_ to sin!'"--_Pollok_.

"_Fall he_ that must, beneath his rival's arms,
And _live the rest_, secure of future harms."--_Pope_.

"_Cursed be I_ that did so!--All the _charms_
Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, _light_ on you!"--_Shakspeare_.

"_Have done_ thy charms, thou hateful wither'd hag!"--_Idem_.

PARTICIPLES.

1. _The Imperfect_. 2. _The Perfect_. 3. _The Preperfect_.
Loving. Loved. Having loved.

SYNOPSIS OF THE FIRST EXAMPLE.

FIRST PERSON SINGULAR.

IND. I love _or_ do love, I loved _or_ did love, I have loved. I had loved, I shall _or_ will love, I shall _or_ will have loved. POT. I may, can, _or_ must love; I might, could, would, _or_ should love; I may, can, _or_ must have loved; I might, could, would, _or_ should have loved. SUBJ. If I love, If I loved.

SECOND PERSON SINGULAR.

IND. Thou lovest _or_ dost love, Thou lovedst _or_ didst love, Thou hast loved, Thou hadst loved, Thou shalt _or_ wilt love, Thou shalt _or_ wilt have loved. POT. Thou mayst, canst, _or_ must love; Thou mightst, couldst, wouldst, _or_ shouldst love; Thou mayst, canst, _or_ must have loved; Thou mightst, couldst, wouldst _or_ shouldst have loved. SUBJ. If thou love, If thou loved. IMP. Love [thou,] _or_ Do thou love.

THIRD PERSON SINGULAR.

IND. He loves _or_ does love, He loved _or_ did love, He has loved, He had loved, He shall _or_ will love, He shall _or_ will have loved. POT. He may, can, _or_ must love; He might, could, would, _or_ should love; He may, can, _or_ must have loved; He might, could, would, _or_ should have loved. SUBJ. If he love, If he loved.

FIRST PERSON PLURAL.

IND. We love _or_ do love, We loved _or_ did loved, We have loved, We had loved, We shall _or_ will love, We shall _or_ will have loved. POT. We may, can, _or_ must love, We might, could, would, _or_ should love; We may, can, _or_ must have loved; We might, could, would, _or_ should have loved. SUBJ. If we love, If we loved.

SECOND PERSON PLURAL.

IND. You love _or_ do love, You loved _or_ did love, You have loved, You had loved, You shall _or_ will love, You shall _or_ will have loved. POT. You may, can, _or_ must love; You might, could, would, _or_ should love; You may, can, _or_ must have loved; You might, could, would, _or_ should have loved. SUBJ. If you love, If you loved. IMP. Love [ye _or_ you,] _or_ Do you love.

THIRD PERSON PLURAL.

IND. They love _or_ do love, They loved _or_ did love, They have loved, They had loved, They shall _or_ will love, They shall _or_ will have loved. POT. They may, can, _or_ must love; They might, could, would, _or_ should love; They may, can, _or_ must have loved; They might, could, would, _or_ should have loved. SUBJ. If they love, If they loved.

FAMILIAR FORM WITH 'THOU.'

NOTE.--In the familiar style, the second person singular of this verb, is usually and more properly formed thus:

IND. Thou lov'st _or_ dost love, Thou loved _or_ did love, Thou hast loved, Thou had loved, Thou shall _or_ will love, Thou shall _or_ will have loved. POT. Thou may, can, _or_ must love; Thou might, could, would, _or_ should love; Thou may, can, _or_ must have loved; Thou might, could, would, _or_ should have loved. SUBJ. If thou love, If thou loved. IMP. Love [thou,] _or_ Do thou love.

SECOND EXAMPLE.

_The irregular active verb SEE, conjugated affirmatively._

PRINCIPAL PARTS.

_Present_. _Preterit_. _Imp. Participle_. _Perf. Participle_. See. Saw. Seeing. Seen.

INFINITIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE. To See.

PERFECT TENSE. To have seen.

INDICATIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I see, 2. Thou seest, 3. He sees;

_Plural_. 1. We see, 2. You see, 3. They see.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I saw, 2. Thou sawest, 3. He saw;

_Plural_. 1. We saw, 2. You saw, 3. They saw.

PERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I have seen, 2. Thou hast seen, 3. He has seen;

_Plural_. 1. We have seen, 2. You have seen, 3. They have seen.

PLUPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I had seen, 2. Thou hadst seen, He had seen;

_Plural_. 1. We had seen, 2. You had seen, 3. They had seen.

FIRST-FUTURE TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I shall see, 2. Thou wilt see, He will see;

_Plural_. 1. We shall see, 2. You will see, 3. They will see.

SECOND-FUTURE TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I shall have seen, 2. Thou wilt have seen, 3. He will have seen;

_Plural_. 1. We shall have seen, 2. You will have seen, 3. They will have seen.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I may see, 2. Thou mayst see, 3. He may see;

_Plural_. 1. We may see, 2. You may see, 3. They may see.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I might see, 2. Thou mightst see, 3. He might see;

_Plural_. 1. We might see, 2. You might see, 3. They might see.

PERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I may have seen, 2. Thou mayst have seen, 3. He may have seen;

_Plural._ 1. We may have seen, 2. You may have seen, 3. They may have seen.

PLUPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. I might have seen, 2. Thou mightst have seen, 3. He might have seen;

_Plural_. 1. We might have seen, 2. You might have seen, 3. They might have seen.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. If I see, 2. If thou see, 3. If he see;

_Plural_. 1. If we see, 2. If you see, 3. If they see.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. 1. If I saw, 2. If thou saw, 3. If he saw;

_Plural_. 1. If we saw, 2. If you saw, 3. If they saw.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular._ 2. See [thou,] _or_ Do thou see; _Plural._ 2. See [ye _or_ you,] _or_ Do you see.

PARTICIPLES.

1. _The Imperfect_. 2. _The Perfect_. 3. _The Preperfect_.

Seeing. Seen. Having seen.

NOTES.

NOTE I--The student ought to be able to rehearse the form of a verb, not only according to the order of the entire conjugation, but also according to the synopsis of the several persons and numbers. One sixth part of the paradigm, thus recited, gives in general a fair sample of the whole: and, in class recitations, this mode of rehearsal will save much time: as, IND. I see _or_ do see, I saw _or_ did see, I have seen, I had seen, I shall _or_ will see, I shall _or_ will have seen. POT. I may, can, _or_ must see; I might, could, would, _or_ should see; I may, can, _or_ must have seen; I might, could, would, _or_ should have seen. SUBJ. If I see, If I saw.

NOTE II.--In the familiar style, the second person singular of this verb is usually and more properly formed thus: IND. Thou seest _or_ dost see, Thou saw _or_ did see, Thou hast seen, Thou had seen, Thou shall _or_ will see, Thou shall _or_ will have seen. POT. Thou may, can, _or_ must see; Thou might, could, would, _or_ should see; Thou may, can, _or_ must have seen; Thou might, could, would, _or_ should have seen. SUBJ. If thou see, If thou saw. IMP. See [thou,] _or_ Do thou see.

THIRD EXAMPLE.

_The irregular neuter verb BE, conjugated affirmatively_.

PRINCIPAL PARTS.

_Present._ _Preterit._ _Imp. Participle._ _Perf. Participle._
Be. Was. Being. Been.

INFINITIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE. To be.

PERFECT TENSE. To have been.

INDICATIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I am, 1. We are, 2. Thou art, 2. You are, 3. He is; 3. They are.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I was, 1. We were, 2. Thou wast, (_or_ wert,)[262] 2. You were, 3. He was; 3. They were.

PERFECT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I have been, 1. We have been, 2. Thou hast been, 2. You have been, 3. He has been; 3. They have been.

PLUPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I had been, 1. We had been, 2. Thou hadst been, 2. You had been, 3. He had been; 3. They had been.

FIRST-FUTURE TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I shall be, 1. We shall be, 2. Thou wilt be, 2. You will be, 3. He will be; 3. They will be.

SECOND-FUTURE TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I shall have been, 1. We shall have been, 2. Thou wilt have been, 2. You will have been, 3. He will have been; 3. They will have been.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I may be, 1. We may be, 2. Thou mayst be, 2. You may be, 3. He may be, 3. They may be.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I might be, 1. We might be, 2. Thou mightst be, 2. You might be, 3. He might be; 3. They might be.

PERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I may have been, 1. We may have been, 2. Thou mayst have been, 2. You may have been, 3. He may have been; 3. They may have been.

PLUPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I might have been, 1. We might have been, 2. Thou mightst have been, 2. You might have been, 3. He might have been; 3. They might have been.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. If I be, 1. If we be, 2. If thou be, 2. If you be, 3. If he be; 3. If they be.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. If I were,[263] 1. If we were, 2. If thou were, _or_ wert,[264] 2. If you were, 3. If he were; If they were.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular_. 2. Be [thou,] _or_ Do thou be; _Plural_. 2. Be [ye _or_ you,] _or_ Do you be.

PARTICIPLES.

1. _The Imperfect_. 2. _The Perfect_. 3. _The Preperfect_.
Being. Been. Having been.

FAMILIAR FORM WITH 'THOU.'

NOTE.--In the familiar style, the second person singular of this verb, is usually and more properly formed thus: IND. Thou art, Thou was, Thou hast been, Thou had been, Thou shall _or_ will be, Thou shall _or_ will have been. POT. Thou may, can, _or_ must be; Thou might, could, would, _or_ should be; Thou may, can, _or_ must have been; Thou might, could, would, _or_ should have been. SUBJ. If thou be, If thou were. IMP. Be [thou,] _or_ Do thou be.

OBSERVATIONS.

OBS. 1.--It appears that _be_, as well as _am_, was formerly used for the indicative present: as, "I be, Thou beest, He be; We be, Ye be, They be." See _Brightland's Gram._, p. 114. Dr. Lowth, whose Grammar is still preferred at Harvard University, gives both forms, thus: "I am, Thou art, He is; We are, Ye are, They are. Or, I be, Thou beest, He _is_; We be, Ye be, They be." To the third person singular, he subjoins the following example and remark: "'I think it _be_ thine indeed, for thou liest in it.' Shak. Hamlet. _Be_, in the singular number of this time and mode, especially in the third person, is obsolete; and _is become_ somewhat antiquated _in the plural_."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 36. Dr. Johnson gives this tense thus: "_Sing_. I am; thou art; he is; _Plur_. We are, _or_ be; ye are, _or_ be; they are, _or_ be." And adds, "The plural _be_ is now little in use."--_Gram. in Johnson's Dict._, p. 8. The Bible commonly has _am, art, is_, and _are_, but not always; the indicative _be_ occurs in some places: as, "We _be_ twelve brethren."--_Gen._, xlii, 32. "What _be_ these two olive branches?"--_Zech._, iv, 12. Some traces of this usage still occur in poetry: as,

"There _be_ more things to greet the heart and eyes
In Arno's dome of Art's most princely shrine,
Where Sculpture with her rainbow sister vies;
There _be_ more marvels yet--but not for mine."
--_Byron's Childe Harold_, Canto iv, st. 61.

OBS. 2.--Respecting the verb _wert_, it is not easy to determine whether it is most properly of the indicative mood only, or of the subjunctive mood only, or of both, or of neither. The _regular_ and _analogical_ form for the indicative, is "Thou _wast_;" and for the subjunctive, "If thou _were_." Brightland exhibits, "I _was_ or _were_, Thou _wast_ or _wert_, He _was_ or _were_," without distinction of mood, for the three persons singular; and, for the plural, _were_ only. Dr. Johnson gives us, for the indicative, "Thou wast, _or_ wert;" with the remark, "_Wert_ is properly of the _conjunctive_ mood, and ought not to be used in the indicative."--_Johnson's Gram._, p. 8. In his conjunctive (or subjunctive) mood, he has, "Thou _beest_," and "Thou _wert_." So Milton wrote, "If thou _beest_ he."--_P. Lost_, B. i, l. 84. Likewise Shakspeare: "If thou _beest_ Stephano."--_Tempest_. This inflection of _be_ is obsolete: all now say, "If thou _be_." But _wert_ is still in use, to some extent, _for both moods_; being generally placed by the grammarians in the subjunctive only, but much oftener written for the indicative: as, "Whate'er thou art or _wert_."--_Byron's Harold_, Canto iv, st. 115. "O thou that _wert_ so happy!"--_Ib._, st. 109. "Vainly _wert_ thou wed."--_Ib._, st. 169.

OBS. 3.--Dr. Lowth gave to this verb, BE, that form of the subjunctive mood, which it now has in most of our grammars; appending to it the following examples and questions: "'Before the sun, Before the Heavens, thou _wert_.'--_Milton_. 'Remember what thou _wert_.'--_Dryden_. 'I knew thou _wert_ not slow to hear.'--_Addison_. 'Thou who of old _wert_ sent to Israel's court.'--_Prior_. 'All this thou _wert_.'--_Pope_. 'Thou, Stella, _wert_ no longer young.'--_Swift_. Shall we, in deference to these great authorities," asks the Doctor, "allow _wert_ to be the same with _wast_, and common to the indicative and [the] subjunctive mood? or rather abide by the practice of our best ancient writers; the propriety of the language, which requires, as far as may be, distinct forms, for different moods; and the analogy of formation in each mood; I _was_, thou _wast_; I _were_, thou _wert_? all which conspire to make _wert_ peculiar to the subjunctive mood."--_Lowth's Gram._, p. 37; _Churchill's_, p. 251. I have before shown, that several of the "best ancient writers" _did not inflect_ the verb _were_, but wrote "_thou were_;" and, surely, "the analogy of formation," requires that the subjunctive _be not inflected_. Hence "the propriety which requires distinct forms," requires not _wert_, in either mood. Why then should we make this contraction of the old indicative form _werest_, a _solitary exception_, by fixing it in the subjunctive only, and that in opposition to the best authorities that ever used it? It is worthier to take rank with its kindred _beest_, and be called an _archaism_.

OBS. 4.--The chief characteristical difference between the indicative and the subjunctive mood, is, that in the latter the verb is _not inflected at all_, in the different persons: IND. "Thou _magnifiest_ his work." SUBJ. "Remember that thou _magnify_ his work."--_Job_, xxxvi, 24. IND. "He _cuts_ off, _shuts_ up, and _gathers_ together." SUBJ. "If he _cut_ off, and _shut_ up, or _gather_ together, then who can hinder him?"--_Job_, xl, 10. There is also a difference of meaning. The Indicative, "If he _was_," admits the fact; the Subjunctive, "If he _were_," supposes that he was not. These moods may therefore be distinguished by the sense, even when their forms are alike: as, "Though _it thundered_, it did not rain."--"Though _it thundered_, he would not hear it." The indicative assumption here is, "Though it _did thunder_," or, "Though there _was thunder_;" the subjunctive, "Though it _should thunder_," or, "Though there _were_ thunder." These senses are clearly different. Writers however are continually confounding these moods; some in one way, some in an other. Thus S. R. Hall, the teacher of a _Seminary for Teachers_: "SUBJ. _Present Tense_. 1. If I be, _or_ am, 2. If thou be, _or_ art, 3. If he be, _or_ is; 1. If we be, _or_ are, 2. If ye _or_ you be, _or_ are, 3. If they be, _or_ are. _Imperfect Tense_. 1. If I were, _or_ was, 2. If thou wert, _or_ wast, 3. If he were, _or_ was; 1. If we were, 2. If ye _or_ you were, 3. If they were."--_Hall's Grammatical Assistant_, p. 11. Again: "SUBJ. _Present Tense_. 1. If I love, 2. If thou _lovest_, 3. If he love," &c. "The remaining tenses of this _mode_, are, _in general_, similar to the correspondent tenses of the Indicative _mode, only_ with the conjunction prefixed."--_Ib._, p. 20. Dr. Johnson observes, "The indicative and conjunctive moods are by modern writers frequently confounded; or rather the conjunctive is wholly neglected, when some convenience of versification does not invite its revival. It is used among the purer writers of former times; as, 'Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham _be_ ignorant of us, and Israel _acknowledge_ us not.'"--_Gram. in Joh. Dict._, p. 9. To neglect the subjunctive mood, or to confound it with the indicative, is to augment several of the worst faults of the language.

II. COMPOUND OR PROGRESSIVE FORM.

Active and neuter verbs may also be conjugated, by adding the Imperfect Participle to the auxiliary verb BE, through all its changes; as, "I _am writing_ a letter."--"He _is sitting_ idle."--"They _are going_." This form of the verb denotes a _continuance_ of the action or state of being, and is, on many occasions, preferable to the simple form of the verb.

FOURTH EXAMPLE.

_The irregular active verb READ, conjugated affirmatively, in the Compound Form._

PRINCIPAL PARTS OF THE SIMPLE VERB.

_Present._ _Preterit._ _Imp. Participle._ _Perf. Participle._ R=ead. R~ead. R=eading. R~ead.

INFINITIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE. To be reading.

PERFECT TENSE. To have been reading.

INDICATIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I am reading, 1. We are reading, 2. Thou art reading, 2. You are reading, 3. He is reading; 3. They are reading.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I was reading, 1. We were reading, 2. Thou wast reading, 2. You were reading, 3. He was reading; 3. They were reading.

PERFECT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I have been reading, 1. We have been reading, 2. Thou hast been reading, 2. You have been reading, 3. He has been reading; 3. They have been reading.

PLUPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I had been reading, 1. We had been reading, 2. Thou hadst been reading, 2. You had been reading, 3. He had been reading; 3. They had been reading.

FIRST-FUTURE TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I shall be reading, 1. We shall be reading, 2. Thou wilt be reading, 2. You will be reading, 3. He will be reading; 3. They will be reading.

SECOND-FUTURE TENSE.

_Singular._ _Plural._ 1. I shall have been reading, 1. We shall have been reading, 2. Thou wilt have been reading, 2. You will have been reading, 3. He will have been reading; 3. They will have been reading.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I may be reading, 1. We may be reading, 2. Thou mayst be reading, 2. You may be reading, 3. He may be reading; 3. They may be reading.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I might be reading, 1. We might be reading, 2. Thou mightst be reading, 2. You might be reading, 3. He might be reading; 3. They might be reading.

PERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I may have been reading, 1. We may have been reading, 2. Thou mayst have been reading, 2. You may have been reading, 3. He may have been reading; 3. They may have been reading.

PLUPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. I might have been reading, 1. We might have been reading, 2. Thou mightst have been reading, 2. You might have been reading, 3. He might have been reading; 3. They might have been reading.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

PRESENT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. If I be reading, 1. If we be reading, 2. If thou be reading, 2. If you be reading, 3. If he be reading; 3. If they be reading.

IMPERFECT TENSE.

_Singular_. _Plural_. 1. If I were reading, 1. If we were reading, 2. If thou were reading, 2. If you were reading, 3. If he were reading; 3. If they were reading.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

Sing. 2. Be [thou] reading, _or_ Do thou be reading; Plur. 2. Be [ye or you] reading, _or_ Do you be reading.

PARTICIPLES.

1. _The Imperfect_. 2. _The Perfect_. 3. _The Preperfect_.
Being reading. --------- Having been reading.

FAMILIAR FORM WITH 'THOU.'

NOTE.--In the familiar style, the second person singular of this verb, is usually and more properly formed thus: IND. Thou art reading, Thou was reading, Thou hast been reading, Thou had been reading, Thou shall _or_ will be reading, Thou shall _or_ will have been reading. POT. Thou may, can, _or_ must be reading; Thou might, could, would, _or_ should be reading; Thou may, can, _or_ must have been reading; Thou might, could, would, _or_ should have been reading. SUBJ. If thou be reading, If thou were reading. IMP. Be [thou,] reading, _or_ Do thou be reading.

OBSERVATIONS.

OBS. 1.--Those verbs which, in their simple form, imply continuance, do not admit the compound form: thus we say, "I _respect_ him;" but not, "I _am respecting_ him." This compound form seems to imply that kind of action, which is susceptible of intermissions and renewals. Affections of the mind or heart are supposed to last; or, rather, actions of this kind are complete as soon as they exist. Hence, _to love, to hate, to desire, to fear, to forget, to remember_, and many other such verbs, are _incapable_ of this method of conjugation.[265] It is true, we often find in grammars such models, as, "I _was loving_, Thou _wast loving_, He _was loving_," &c. But this language, to express what the authors intend by it, is not English. "He _was loving_," can only mean, "He was _affectionate_:" in which sense, loving is an adjective, and susceptible of comparison. Who, in common parlance, has ever said, "He _was loving me_," or any thing like it? Yet some have improperly published various examples, or even whole conjugations, of this spurious sort. See such in _Adam's Gram._, p. 91; _Gould's Adam_, 83; _Bullions's English Gram._, 52; _his Analyt. and Pract. Gram._, 92; _Chandler's New Gram._, 85 and 86; _Clark's_, 80; _Cooper's Plain and Practical_, 70; _Frazee's Improved_, 66 and 69; _S. S. Greene's_, 234; _Guy's_, 25; _Hallock's_, 103; _Hart's_, 88; _Hendrick's_, 38; _Lennie's_, 31; _Lowth's_, 40; _Harrison's_, 34; _Perley's_, 36; _Pinneo's Primary_, 101.