the possessive singular, should not be plural unless the sense require it. Thus, "The men's health [not healths] suffered from the climate"-" John's and William's wife [not wives] are of the same age."

856. The possessive whosesoever is sometimes divided by interposing the governing word; as, "whose house soever." This, in general, however, is to be avoided, and to be admitted only when euphony and precision are thereby promoted (277).

EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED.

In the following sentences, show which is the limiting substantive, and which is the one limited-where wrong, correct according to the rule or the observations. (839) Virtues reward. One mans loss is often another mans gain. Mans chief end is to glorify God. My ancestors virtue is not mine. A mothers tenderness and a fathers care are natures gifts for mans advantage. On eagles wings. For Christ sake. For ten sake. Which dictionary do you prefer-Webster, Walker, or Johnson? -(172) Asa his heart was perfect. John Thomson his book. Lucy Jones her book.

(841) He was averse to the nation involving itself in war. Much depends on your pupil composing frequently. He being rich did not make him happy. I am opposed to him going on such an expedition.

(842) That book is James book and that one is Roberts. That knife is your knife, but I thought it was my knife. My book is old, but your book and Roberts book are new. Which is the best book, your book or my book?

(845) That landscape is a picture of my father. The work you speak of is one of Irving. Gravitation was a discovery of Sir Isaac Newton. That is a ring of my mother.

ure,

(846) The world's government is not left to chance. The tree is known by the fruit of it. The commons' vote was against the measbut the lords' vote was in its favor. The weekly return of the day of the Lord is a blessing to man. The representatives house is now in session. The extent of the prerogative of the king of England is well understood. John's brother's wife's mother is sick. The severity of the sickness of the son of the king caused great alarm.

Your brothers servant's situation is critical.

(847) William's and Mary's reign. Cain and Abel's sacrifice were not the same. David and Solomon's reign were prosperous. John and William's wife are cousins. Men, women, and childrens shoes for sale. He cared for his father and also for his mother's interests. The Betsy and Speedwells cargoes were both saved.

(848) Messrs. Pratt's, Woodford's, & Co.'s bookstore is in New

York. Thomson's & Company's office was on fire. Jack's the Giant-killer's wonderful exploits. The bishop's of London's charge to his clergy. The Grand Sultan's Mahomet's palace. The secretary's of war report.

The

(850 & 851) Call at Smith the bookseller and stationer's. parcel was left at Johnson, a merchant in Broadway's. He emulated Cæsar the greatest general of antiquity's bravery. General Taylor, president of the United States, an excellent man and brave soldier's residence.

(852) That house is Smith the poor man's friend. We spent an agreeable hour at Wilson, the governor's deputy. The coach stopped at Mr. Brown, Henry's father.

(853) James father arrived yesterday. Charles books are completely spoiled. King James translators merely revised former translations. For conscience's sake. For righteousness's sake.

(854) They condemned the judge's in the case of Bardwell decision. The prisoner's, if I may say so, conduct was shameful. Peter the Hermit's as he was called, opinion.

(855) All men have talents committed to their charges. It is the duty of Christians to submit to their lots. We protest against this course, in our own names and in the names of our constituents. A father's and mother's loves to their children are very tender. The gentlemans and ladys healths are improving.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

857. RULE XIV.-The subjunctive mood is used in dependent clauses, when both contingency or doubt, and futurity, are expressed; as, "If he continue to study he will improve."

858. When contingency or doubt only, and not futurity, is implied, the indicative is used; as, "If he has money he keeps it."

859. Contingency or doubt is usually expressed by the connectives, if, though, unless, except, whether, &c.; but whether futurity is implied or not, must be gathered from the context. In general, when the sense is the same, with shall, will, or should prefixed to the verb, as without it, the subjunctive may be used; otherwise, not. Thus, in the preceding example, " If he continue," and, "If he shall con tinue," mean the same thing.

860. Formerly, the subjunctive was used to express contingency, or doubt, whether futurity was implied or not. Of this, the English Bible furnishes examples in almost every page (See Job xx., 12-14), where present usage would require

the indicative. The tendency, at present, is to the other extreme. The present or future indicative, or past potential, is now more generally used instead of the present subjunctive (391), and this has led some grammarians to reject the subjunctive altogether, and to regard what was formerly called the present subjunctive. as an elliptical form of the future indicative, or past potential. It appears to be certain, however, that there are forms usually called the present subjunctive, established by the authority of the best writers of every age, not excepting even the present, which can not be disposed of in this way; for example, "It is no matter whether this or that be in itself the less or the greater crime."-Lillo.-"The question is not whether man be a free agent."-Hobbes.-" If this be an error, it is a harmless one." In none of these can shall, or will, or should, be introduced, without changing or destroying the sense. In all of them, present usage would substitute is for be. It will not do, however, for the grammarian to set up a rule, by which established and reputable usage is condemned, though the present taste tends another way. Still, there are cases in which this change is inadmissible (390).

861. Lest and that, annexed to a command, require the subjunctive mood; as, “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty”—“ Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob, either good or bad." And sometimes without a command; as, "They shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone."- Is not this the fast that I have chosen-that thou bring the poor to thy house."

862. If, with but following it, when futurity is denoted, requires the subjunctive mood; as, If he do but touch the hills, they shall smoke." But when future time is not implied, the indicative is used; as, "If he does but whisper, every word is heard distinctly."

863. The subjunctive mood is used to express a wish or desire; as, “I wish I were at home." "O, that he were wise!"

864 A supposition or wish, implying a present denial of the thing supposed or desired, is expressed by the past subjunctive; as, "If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight," implying, "It is not of this world."—"O that thou wert as my brother!" implying, "Thou art not" (439-2).

EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED.

What verbs in the following sentences, should, according to the rule, be in the subjunctive mood, and what in the indicative?-correct them accordingly--parse the sentences corrected.

(857) If a man smites his servant and he dies, he shall surely be put to death. We must go to-morrow, unless it rains. There will be enough to do next week, if the weather is good. Though the sky be clear, it is cold. He will maintain his cause, though he loses his estate. We may get letters, if the mail arrives in time. If John be come, why did you not tell me? If it snows all night, the roads will be impassable. Ask John if he know when the legislature meets. If he know any thing, he surely knows, that unless he gets

better he can not be removed. If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

(861) Take care that the horse does not run away. See that thou dost it not. Let him that standeth take heed lest he falls. Kiss the Son, lest he is angry. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hates thee. (862) If he is but in health, it will be the cause of great thankfulness. If he does but run, he will soon overtake them. If he be but in health, I am content. O, that he was wise! I wish I was at home.

(864) If I was not Alexander, I would be Diogenes. If it was not so, I would have told you. If he was a year older, I would send him to school. Was gold more abundant, it would be of less value. If he was an impostor, he must have been detected. If I was he, I would accept the offer. Was I he, I would accept the offer.

THE INFINITIVE MOOD.

865. RULE XV.-The infinitive mood is governed by VERBS, NOUNS, or ADJECTIVES; as "I desire to learn”"A desire to learn"-" Anxious to learn."

866. The infinitive is a sort of verbal noun, and has the construction of both a noun and a verb.

867. As a noun, the infinitive may be: 1. The subject of a verò (394); as, “To play is pleasant." 2. The object of a verb (802); as, "Boys love to play." 3. The predicate nominative after a copulative verb (798); as, "He is to be married." 4. In apposition with another noun (670); as, "Spare, spare your friends the task, to read, to nod, to scoff, condemn." 5. The object of a preposition (819); as, About to depart"-" What went ye out for to see?"

868. At the same time that the infinitive is used as a noun, it may have all the modifications of the verb in respect of time, government, or adjuncts, forming, with them, an abridged sentence, or clause, or phrase (653); as, "To see the sun at midnight is impossible." Here, to see is modified by its object, the sun, and by the adjunct, at midnight, and the whole clause is the subject of is. Hence the following

SPECIAL RULES.

869. RULE 1.-One verb being the SUBJECT of another, is put in the infinitive; as, " To study is profitable" (872).

870. RULE 2.-One verb governs another as its CBJECT, or complement in the infinitive; as, "Boys love to play"They seem to study."

871. Verbs which take the infinitive as their object, are transitive verbs in the active voice, and the infinitive, either alone, or modified by other words, is equivalent to the objective case (802). Verbs which take the infinitive as their complement, that is, in order to fill out or complete, as it were, the idea intended, are intransitive or passive verbs, which form a sort of modified copula between their subject and the infinitive following. Thus, "The watch seems to go"=" The watch is apparently going" (797).

872. RULE 3.—The infinitive, as the subject or the object of a verb, sometimes has a subject of its own in the objective casc.

873. In either construction, the infinitive, with its subject, is an abridged dependent clause (653) and when used as the subject, is introduced by for. Thus, Subject-" For us to do so would be improper,"=" That we should do so would be improper." Object—“ I know him to be an honest man"=" I know that he is an nonest man." Here the object of know is neither him, nor to be, &c., separately, but the whole clause, "him to be an honest man," taken together, equivalent to, "that he is an honest man."

874. In many such sentences, the subject of the infinitive resembles the direct. and the infinitive itself the indirect, object of the preceding verb, as in the construction (810). Hence, when the verb is changed into the passive form, the objective after the verb (which is also the subject of the infinitive), becomes the nominative to the verb, and the infinitive remains after it, like the indirect object (811). Thus, “I desired him to go."-Passive, “ He was desired to go."

875. RULE 4.-The infinitive is used as a predicate nomi· native after any verb as a copula; as, "You are to blame" (397).

876. When used as a predicate nominative after the verb to be, the infinitive denotes

1. An equivalent expression; as, " To obey is to enjoy."

2. What is possible or obligatory; as, "Gold is to be found in California”— "The laws are to be observed."

3. What is settled and determined upon, and of course, future; as." The ship is to sail to-morrow."

877. RULE 5.-To, the sign of the infinitive, is not used after the verbs BID, DARE, NEED, MAKE, SEE, HEAR, FEEL, and LET, in the active voice, nor after LET in the passive; as, "I saw him do it"-" You need not go."

878. To this rule there are some exceptions. As it relates only to euphony and usage, to may be inserted when harshness will not thereby be produced; thus, "Conscious that his opinions need to be disguised.”—McKenzie.

879. For the same reason, to is sometimes omitted after the verbs perceive, behold, observe, have, and know.

880. When several infinitives come together in the same construction, the sign to expressed with the first, is sometimes omitted with those that follow; thus. "It is