I always intended to reward my son according to his merit. It would, on reflection, have given me great satisfaction, to have relieved him from that distressed situation. It required so much care, that I thought I should lose it before I reached home. We have done no more than it was our duty to do. He would have assisted one of his friends, if he could have done it without injuring the other; but as that could not be done, he avoided all interference. Might it not have been expected, that he would defend an authority, which had been so long exercised without controversy? These enemies of Christianity were confounded, whilst they were expecting to find an opportunity to betray its author. His sea sickness was so great, that I often feared he would die before our arrival. If these persons had intended to deceive, they would have taken care to avoid what would have exposed them to the objections of their opponents. It was a pleasure to receive his approbation of my labours; for which I cordially thanked him. It would have afforded me still greater pleasure, to have received his approbation at an earlier period: but to have received it at all, reflected credit upon me. To have been censured by him, would soon have proved an insuperable discouragement. Him portion'd maids, apprentic'd orphans blest, The Doctor, in his lecture, said, that fever always produces thirst.* * In referring to declarations of this nature, the present tenfe must be used, if the pofition is immutably the fame at all times, or fuppofed to be fo; as, "The bishop declared, that virtue is always RULE XIV. Grammar, p. 184. Exercises, p. 75. Esteeming themselves wise, they became fools. Suspecting not only you, but them also, I was studious to avoid all intercourse. I could not avoid considering, in some degree, them as enemies to me, and him as a suspicious friend. advantageous:" not, "was always advantageous."-But if the affertion referred to fomething that is not always the fame, or supposed to be fo, the past tense must be applied: as, "George faid, that he was very happy" not," is very happy." The following fentences will fully exemplify, to the young grammarian, both the parts of this rule. "He declared to us, that he was afraid of no man; because conscious innocence gives firmnefs of mind."-" He protested, that he believed what was faid, because it appeared to him probable.". "Charles afferted, that it was his opinion, that men always fucceed, when they ufe precaution and pains."-" The doctor declared to his audience, that if virtue fuffers fome pains, fhe is amply recompenfed by the pleasures which attend her." If the preceding rule fhould not be completely applicable to every cafe which ingenuity may state, the author prefumes that it will be found very generally useful. Though we have, in the notes under the thirteenth rule of the Grammar, explained in general the principles, on which the time of a verb in the infinitive mood may be ascertained, and its form determined; yet as the fubject is curious and important, and the practice of good writers upon it, is very difcordant, we prefume it will not be unacceptable to the young student of grammar, if we produce a few additional obfervations calculated to fettle his judgment on this contested point. The following rule, founded on the authorities of Harris, Lowth, and Campbell, and we think too, on the authority of common fenfe, appears to be accurate, as well as fimple and intelligible. "When the action or event fignified by a verb in the infinitive mood, is contemporary or future, with refpect to the verb to which it is chiefly related, the prefent of the infinitive is required: when it is not contemporary nor future, the perfect of the infinitive is neceffary." To comprehend and apply this rule, the ftudent has only to confider, whether the infinitive verb refers to a time antecedent, contemporary, or future, with regard to the governing or related verb. When this fimple point is afcertained, there will be no doubt in his mind, refpecting the form which the infinitive verb fhould have. Two or three examples may illuftrate these pofitions. If I wish to fignify, that I rejoiced at a particular time, in recollecting the fight of a friend, fome time having intervened between the feeing and the rejoicing. I fhould exprefs myself thus: "I rejoiced to have seen my friend." The feeing, in this cafe, was evidently antecedent to the rejoicing; and therefore the verb which expreffes the former, must be in the perfect of the infinitive. The fame meaning may be expreffed in a different form: "I rejoiced that I had seen my friend;" or "in From having exposed himself too freely in different climates, he entirely lost his health. The examples which follow, are suited to the notes and observations under RULE XIV. Grammar, p. 184. Exercises, p. 76. 1. By observing truth, you will command esteem as well as secure peace. having feen my friend:" and the ftudent may, at any time, try the propriety of a doubtful point of this nature, by converting the phrase into its correfpondent forms of expreffion. If, on the contrary, I wish to fignify, that I rejoiced at the sight of my friend, that my joy and his prefence were contemporary, I should, fay, "I rejoiced to see my friend;" or, in other words, "I rejoiced in feeing my friend." The correctnefs of this form of the infinitive may also be tried, by converting the phrafe into its correfpondent modes of expreffion. As the verbs to defire and to wifb, are nearly related, the young ftudent may naturally fuppofe, from the rule at page 181 of the Grammar, that the latter verb, like the former, muft, invariably be followed by the present of the infinitive. But if he reflect, that the act of defiring always refers to the future; and that the act of wishing refers fometimes to the paft, as well as fometimes to the future; he will perceive that the following modes of expreffion are strictly justifiable: "I wished that I had written sooner," « I wished to have written fooner:" and he will be perfectly fatisfied that the following phrafes must be improper: "I defire that I had written fooner," "I defire to have written fooner."-See this point more particularly explained in the author's Grammar, p. 183 of the sixteenth edition. Some writers on grammar contend, that the sentence," I intend to have written," is correct and grammatical, because it fimply denotes, as they affert, the speaker's intention to be hereafter in poffeffion of the finished action of writing. But to this reafoning the following anfwers may be given: that the phrafe "to have written" is ftated in English grammars, as the established past tense of the infinitive mood; that it is as incontrovertibly the past tense of the infinitive in English, as scripsisse is the past tense of the infinitive, in Latin; that no writers can be warranted in taking such liberties with the language, as to contradict its plainest rules for the sake of supporting an hypothesis; that these writers might, on their own principles and with equal propriety, contend, that the phrase," I intend having written," is proper and grammatical; and that by admitting such violations of established grammatical distinctions, confusion would be introduced, the language would be disorganized and the most eccentric systems of grammar might be advanced and plausibly supported.-In short, the phrase, "I intend to have written," appears to involve the following absurdity; "I intend to produce hereafter an action or event, which has been already completed.” 1 He prepared them for this event, by sending to them proper information. A person may be great or rich by chance; but cannot be wise or good, without taking pains for it. Nothing could have made her so unhappy, as marrying a man who possessed such principles. Or-the marrying of a man, &c. The changing of times and seasons, the removing and setting up of kings, belong to Providence alone. Or-changing times and seasons, removing and setting up kings, &c. The middle station of life seems to be the most advantageously situated for the gaining of wisdom. Poverty turns our thoughts too much upon the supplying of our wants; and riches, upon enjoying our superfluities. Or-for gaining wisdom-upon supplying our wants. Pliny, speaking of Cato the Censor's disapproving of the Grecian orators, expressed himself thus. Propriety of pronunciation is the giving of that sound to every word, which the most polite usage of the language appropriates to it. Or is giving to every word that sound, &c. Or-consists in giving to every word that sound, &c. Not attending to this rule, is the cause of a very common error. Or-want of attention to this rule, &c. This was in fact a converting of the deposite to his own use. Or-in fact converting the deposite, &c. 2. There will be no danger of their spoiling of their faces, or of their gaining of converts. Or-no danger of spoiling their faces, or of gaining converts. Or-no danger that they will spoil their faces, or gain converts. For his avoiding of that precipice, he is indebted to his friend's care. Or For avoiding that precipice, &c. It was from our misunderstanding of the direc tions, that we lost our way. Or-From misunderstanding the directions, we lost our way. In tracing his history, we discover little that is worthy of imitation. By reading books written by the best authors, his mind became highly improved. 3. By too eager pursuit, he ran a great risk of being disappointed. He had not long enjoyed repose, before he began to be weary of having nothing to do. He was greatly heated, and drank with avidity. Though his conduct was, in some respects, exceptionable, yet he durst not commit so great an offence, as that which was proposed to him. A second deluge learning thus o'er-ran ; And the monks finish'd what the Goths began. If some events had not fallen out very unexpectedly, I should have been present. He would have gone with us, had he been invited. He returned the goods which he had stolen, and made all the reparation in his power. They have chosen the part of honour and virtue. His vices have weakened his mind, and broken his health. He had mistaken his true interest, and found himself forsaken by his former adherents. The bread that has been eaten is soon forgotten. No contentions have arisen amongst them, since their reconciliation. The cloth had no seam, but was woven throughout. The French language is spoken in every state in Europe. His resolution was too strong to be shaken by slight opposition. He was not much restrained afterwards, having taken improper liberties at first. |