to what is called the present tense of verbs generally, under the circumstances of contingency and futurity; and to the imperfect tense of the verb to be, when it denotes contingency, &c.: he cause in these tenses only, the form of the verb adınits of variation; and they suppose that it is variation merely which constitutes the distinction of moods. It is the opinion of other grammarians, (in which opinion we concur,) that, besides the two cases just mentioned, all verbs in the three past, and the two future tenses, are in the subjunctive mood, when they denote contingency or uncertainty, though they have not any change of termination; and that, when contingency is not signified, the verb, through all these five tenses, belongs to the indicative mood, whatever conjunction may attend it. They think, that the definition and nature of the subjunctive mood, have no reference to change of termination, but that they refer merely to the manner of the being, action, or passion, signified by the verb; and that the subjunctive mood may as properly exist without a variation of the verb, as the infinitive mood, which has no terminations different from those of the indicative. The decision of this point may not, by some grammarians, be thought of much consequence. But the rules which ascertain the propriety of varying, or not varying, the terminations of the verb, will certainly be deemed important. These rules may be well observed, without a uniformity of sentiment respecting the nature and limits of the subjunctive mood. For further remarks on the subjects see pages 56, 59–61, 72–74, 77–78.*

9 Some conjunctions have correspondent conjunctions belʊnging to them, either expressed or understood: as,

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1st, Though,-yet, nevertheless: as, "Though he was rich, yel for our sakes he became poor." Though powerful, he was meek."

2d, Whether-or: as, "Whether he will go or not, I cannot tell." 3d, Either-or: as, "I will either send it, or bring it myself." 4th, Neither-nor: as, "Neither he nor I am able to compass it."

* We have stated, for the student's information, the different opinions of grammarians, respecting the English Subjunctive Mood: First, that which sup poses there is no such mood in our language; Secondly, that which extends it no farther than the variations of the verb extend; Thirdly, that which we have adopted, and explained at large; and which, in general, corresponds with the views of the most approved writers on English Grammar. We may add a Fourth opinion; which appears to possess, at least, much plausibility. This opinion admits the arrangement we have given, with one variation, namely, that of assigning to the first tense of the subjunctive, two forms: 1st, that which simply denotes contingency: as, "If he desires it, I will perform the operation:" that is, "If he now desires it;" 2dly, that which denotes both contingency and futurity; as, "If he desire it, I will perform the operation;" that is, "If he should hereafter desire it." This last theory of the subjunctive mood, claims the merit of rendering the whole system of the moods consistent and regular; of being more conformable than any other, to the definition of the subjunctive; and of not referring to the indicative mood forms of expression, which ill accord with its simplicity and nature. Perhaps this theory will bear

a strict examination.

5th, As-as: expressing a comparison of equality: as, "She is as amiable as her sister; and as much respected."

6th, As-so: expressing a comparison of equality: as, "As the stars, so shall thy seed be."

7th, As-so: expressing a comparison of quality: as, "As the one dieth, so dieth the other." "As he reads, they read."

as,

8th, So-as: with a verb expressing a comparison of quality: "To see thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.' 9th, So-as: with a negative and an adjective expressing a comparison of quantity: as, "Pompey was not so great a general as Caesar, nor so great a man."

10th, So--that: expressing a consequence: as, fatigued, that he could scarcely move.'

"He was so

The conjunctions or and nor may often be used, with nearly equal propriety. "The king, whose character was not sufficiently vigorous, nor decisive, assented to the measure." In this seutence, or would perhaps have been better: but, in geueral, nor seems to repeat the negation in the former part of the sentence, and therefore gives more emphasis to the expression.

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10 Conjunctions are often improperly used, both singly and in pairs. The following are examples of this impropriety. "The relations are so uncertain, as that they require a great deal of examination:" it should be, "that they require," &c. "There was no man so sanguine, who did not apprehend some ill consequences:" it ought to be, "so sanguine as not to apprehend," &c.; or, no nian, how sanguine soever, who did not," &c. "To trust in him is no more but to acknowledge his power." "This is no other but the gate of paradise." In both these instances, but should be than. "We should sufficiently weigh the objects of our hope; whether they are such as we may reasonably expect from them what they propose," &c. It ought to be, that we may reasonably," &c. "The duke had not behaved with that loyalty as he ought to have done;""with which he ought." "In the order as they lie in his preface:" it should be, “in order as they lie;" or, "in the order in which they lie." "Such sharp replies that cost him his life;" "as cost him," &c. "If he were truly that scarecrow, as he is now commonly painted;" "such a scarecrow," &c. "I wish I could do that justice to his memory, to oblige the painters," &c.; "do such justice as to oblige," &c.

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There is a peculiar neatness in a sentence beginning with the conjunctive form of a verl, Were there no difference, there would be no choice."

A double conjunctive, in two correspondent clauses of a sentence, is sometimes made use of: as, "had he done this, he had escaped" "Had the limitations on the prerogative been, in his time, quite fixed and certain, his integrity had made him regard as sacred, the boundaries of the constitution." The sentence in the common form would have read thus: "If the limitations on

the prerogative had been, &c. his integrity would have mado him regard," &c.

The particle as, when it is connected with the pronoun such, has the force of a relative pronoun: as, "Let such as presume to advise others, look well to their own, conduct;" which is equivalent to, "Let them who presume," &c. But when used by itself, this particle is to be considered as a conjunction, or perhaps as an adverb. See the KEY.

Our language wants a conjunction adapted to familiar style, equivalent to notwithstanding. The words for all that, seeni to be too low. "The word was in the mouth of every one, but, for all that, the subject may still be a secret."

In regard that is solemn and antiquated; because would do much better in the following sentence. "It cannot be otherwise, in regard that the French prosody differs from that of every other language."

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The word except is far preferable to other than. "It admitted of no effectual cure other than amputation." Except is also to be preferred to all but. They were happy all but the stranger." In the two following phrases, the conjunction as is improperly smitted; "Which nobody presumes, or is so sanguine a to hope." "I must, however, be so just a to own."

A

Ꭺ

The conjunction that is often properly omitted, and understood; as, "I beg you would come to me;""See thou do it not ;" instead of "that you would,” “that thou do." But in the following and many similar phrases, this conjunction were much better inserted: "Yet it is reason the memory of their virtues remain to posterity." It should be, “yet it is just that the memory," &c.

RULE XX.

When the qualities of different things are compared, the latter noun or pronoun is not governed by the conjunction than or as, but agrees with the verb, or is governed by the verb or the preposition, expressed or understood: as, "Thou art wiser than I;" that is, "han I am." "They loved him more than me;" i. e. "more than they loved me." The sentiment is well expressed by Plato, but much better by Solomon than him;" that is, "than by him."*

The propriety or impropriety of many phrases, in the precedng as well as in some other forms, may be discovered, by supplying the words that are not expressed; which will be evident from the following instances of erroneous construction. “lle can read better than ne." "He is as good as her." "Whether I be present or no." "Who did this? Me." By supplying the words understood in each of these phrases, their impropriety and governing rule will appear: as, "Better than I can read ; "As good as she is ;" "Present or not present;"" I did it."

* See the Tenth, or any subsequent edition, of the Key Rule xx. The Nota

1 By not attending to this rule, many errors have been com mitted: a number of which is subjoined, as a further caution and direction to the learner. "Thou art a much greater loser man me by his death." "She suffers hourly more than me." "We contributed a third more than the Dutch, who were obliged to the same proportion more than us." · "King Charles, and more than him, the duke and the popish faction, were at liberty to form new schemes." "The drift of all his sermons was, to prepare the Jews for the reception of a prophet mightier than him, and whose shoes he was not worthy to bear." "It was not the work of so eminent an author, as him to whom it was first imputed." "A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but & fool's wrath is heavier than them both." "If the king give us leave, we may perform the office as well as them that do." In these passages it ought to be, "I, we, he, they, respectively."

When the relative who immediately follows than, it seems to form an exception to the 20th rule; for in that connexion, the relative must be in the objective case; as, "Alfred, than whom, a greater king never reigned," &c. "Beelzebub, than whom, Satan excepted, none higher sat," &c. It is remarkable that in such instances, if the personal pronoun were used, it would be in the nominative case; as, "A greater king never reigned than he;" that is, "than he was." Beelzebub, than he," &c.; that is, "than he sat." The phrase than whom, is, however, avoided by the best modern writers.

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RULE XXI.

To avoid disagreeable repetitions, and to express our ideas in few words, an ellipsis, or omission of some words, is frequently admitted. Instead of saying, "He was a learned man, he was a wise man, and he was a good man," make use of the ellipsis, and say, "He was a learned, wise, and good man.'

we

When the omission of words would obscure the sentence, weaken its force, or be attended with an impropriety, they must be expressed. In the sentence, "We are apt to love who love us," the word them should be supplied. "A beautiful field and trees," is not proper language. It should be, "Beautiful fields and trces;" or, A beautiful field and fine trees."

Almost all compounded sentences are more or less elliptical; some examples of which may be seen under the different parts of speech.

1 The ellipsis of the article is thus used; "A man, woman, and child:" that is, a man, a woman, and a child." "A house and garden;" that is, "a house and a garden." "The sun and moon;" that is, "the sun and the moon." "The day and hour;" that is, "the day and the hour " In all these instances, the ar

ticle being once expressed, the repetition of it becomes unnecessary. There is, however, an exception to this observation, when some peculiar emphasis requires a repetition; as in the following sentence. "Not only the year, but the day and the hour." In this case, the ellipsis of the last article would be improper. When a different form of the article is requisite, the article is also properly repeated: as, "a house and an orchard;" instead of, "a house and orchard."

2 The noun is frequently omitted in the following manner. "The laws of God and man ;" that is, "the laws of God and the laws of man." In some very emphatical expressions, the ellipsis should not be used: as, "Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God;" which is more emphatical than, “Christ the power and wisdom of God."

3 The ellipsis of the adjective is used in the following manner. "A delightful garden and orchard;" that is, " a delightful garden and a delightful orchard;" "A little man and woman;" that is, "A little man and a little woman." In such elliptical expres sions as these, the adjective ought to have exactly the saine signification, and to be quite as proper, when joined to the latter substantive as to the former; otherwise th ellipsis should not be admitted.

Sometimes the ellipsis is improperly applied to nouns of dif ferent numbers: as, 66 A magnificent house and gardens." In this case it is better to use another adjective; as, "A magnificent house and fine gardens."

"I love and

4 The following is the ellipsis of the pronoun. fear him;" that is, "I love him, and I fear him." My house and lands;" that is, "my house and my lands." In these instances the ellipsis may take place with propriety; but if we would be more express and emphatical, it must not be used: as, "His friends and his foes;" "My sons and my daughters."

In some of the common forms of speech, the relative pronoun is usually omitted: as, "This is the man they love;" instead of, "This is the man whom they love." "These are the goods they bought" for, "These are the goods which they bought."

In complex sentences, it is much better to have the relative pronoun expressed: as it is more proper to say, "The posture in which I lay," than, “In the posture I lay:" "The horse on which I rode, fell down;" than "The horse I rode,fell down."

The antecedent and the relative connect the parts of a sentence together, and, to prevent obscurity and confusion, should answer to each other with great exactness. "We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen. Here the ellipsis is manifestly improper, and ought to be supplied: as, "We speak that which we do know, and testify that which we have seen."

5 The ellipsis of the verb is used in the following instances. "The man was old and crafty;" that is, "The man was old, and the man was crafty." "She was young, and beautiful, and good that is, "She was young, she was beautiful, and she was good."