The 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, etc.; 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 continue," 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 on 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 form; 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."—"Oh that he were wise!"

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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.”—“ Oh 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.-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.

(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.-Oh 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.-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 verb and a noun.

867. As a noun, the infinitive may be:-1. The subject of a verb (394); as, "To play is pleasant." 2. The object of a verb (802); as, "Boys love to play." 3. The predicate-nominative after an attributive 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?"

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868. As a verb (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 phrase is the subject of is. Hence the following

Special Rules.

869. RULE 1.-One verb being the subject (762) of another, is put in the infinitive; as, "To study is profitable" (872).

870. RULE 2.-A verb in the infinitive may be the object of another verb; as, "Boys love to play."-" They seem to study (394; 630, 4; 802).

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 followed by the infinitive as an attribute of their subject 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

case.

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 honest man.' Here the object of know is neither him, nor to be, etc., 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 active verb (which is also the subject of the infinitive) becomes the subject of the passive verb in the nominative, and the infinitive remains after it, like the indirect object (811). Thus, active-"I desired him to go." Passive-" He was desired to go."

875. RULE 4.—The infinitive is used as a predicate-nominative after any verb as a copula (603); as “You are to blame" (396). 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."-" He was let 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

before those that follow; thus, "It is better to be a king and die, than to live and be a prince." This should never be done when either harshness or obscurity would be the result.

881. To, the sign of the infinitive, should never be used for the infinitive itself. Thus, "I have not written, and I do not intend to," is a colloquial vulgarism for, "I have not written, and do not intend to write."

882. RULE 6.-The infinitive is used to express the purpose, end, or design of the preceding act; as, "Some who came to scoff, remained to pray." Here, to scoff, and to pray are not governed by came and remained, but are put without a governing word, to express the end for which they came and remained.

883. This construction of the infinitive is sometimes preceded by the phrase, in order," and formerly was preceded by for; as, 'What went ye out for to see?" This is now obsolete.

884. RULE 7.—In comparisons, the infinitive mood is put after so as, too, or than; as, "Be so good as to read this letter." Too old to learn."-" Wiser than to undertake it." Some consider this construction as elliptical, and that the infinitive depends on a word understood.

885. The infinitive is sometimes used to assign, in an abridged form, the reason of that which goes before; as, "Base coward that thou art, to flee!"—“Ungrateful man! to waste my fortune, rob me of my peace,' etc.-" Must not one sigh to reflect on so grave a subject?"

886. The infinitive is sometimes put absolutely, without a governing word; as, " To say the truth, I was in fault."

887. The infinitive is sometimes omitted; as, "I consider him [to be] an honest man."

888. The verb have, followed by the infinitive, sometimes expresses obligation or necessity; as, "We have to do it," that is, 'We must do it."

as

"The

889. In parsing, the infinitive, in these several constructions, may be briefly stated thus: "The infinitive as the subject of the object ofinfinitive of purpose-comparison—cause—used absolutely.”

as the predicate-nominative after

NOTE.-When the infinitive represents the act of any particular person or thing, its subject should always be stated.