of verbs, is accomplished by the means of auxiliaries; and if it be alleged that we have no paffive verbs, because we cannot exhibit them without having recourfe to helping verbs, it may with equal truth be faid, that we have no perfed, pluperfed, or future tenfe, in the indicative or fubjunctive mood; fince thefe, as well as fome other parts of the verb active, are formed by auxiliaries. Even the Greek and Latin paffive verbs require an auxiliary to conjugate fome of their tenfes; namely, the former, in the preterit of the optative and fubjunctive moods; and the latter, in the perfect and pluperfect of the indicative, the perfect, pluperfect, and future of the fubjunctive mood, and the perfect of the infinitive. The deponent verbs, in Latin, require alfo an auxiliary to conjugate feveral of their tenfes. This statement abundantly proves that the conjugation of a verb in the learned languages does not confilt folely in varying the form of the original verb. It proves that these languages, like our own language, fometimes conjugate with an auxiliary, and fometimes without it. There is, indeed, a difference. the learned languages require to be done, in some instances, the peculiar genius of our own tongue obliges us to do, in active verbs, principally, and in paffive ones, univerfally. In fhort, the variation of the verb, in Greek and Latin, is generally accomplished by prefixes, or terminations, added to the verb itfelf; in English, by the addition of auxiliaries. What The English tongue is, in many refpects, materially different from the learned languages. It is, therefore, very poffible to be mistaken ourselves, and to mislead and perplex others, by an undiftinguishing attachment to the principles and arrangement of the Greek and Latin Grammarians. Much of the confufion and perplexity, which we meet with in the writings of fome English Grammarians, on the fubject of verbs, moods, and conjugations, has arisen from the mifapplication of names. We are apt to think, that the old names must always be attached to K the identical forms and things to which they were anciently attached. But if we rectify this mistake, and properly adjust the names to the peculiar forms and nature of the things in our own language, we shall be clear and confiftent in our ideas; and, confequently, better able to reprefent them intelligibly to thofe whom we wish to inform. The obfervations which we have made under this head, and on the fubject of the moods in another place, will not apply to the declenfion and cafes of nouns, fo as to require us to adopt names and divifions fimilar to thofe of the Greek and Latin languages: for we should then have more cafes than there are prepofitions in connexion with the article and noun: and, after all, it would be a useless, as well as an unwieldy apparatus ; fince every English prepofition points to, and governs, but one cafe, namely the objective; which is also true with refpect to our governing verbs and participles. But the conjugation of an English verb in form, through all its moods and tenfes, by means of auxiliaries, fo far from being useless or intricate, is a beautiful and regular difplay of it, and indifpenfably neceffary to the language. Some grammarians have alleged, that on the fame ground that the voices, moods and tenfes, are admitted into the English tongue, in the forms for which we have contended, we should also admit the dual number, the paulo poft future tenfe, the middle voice, and all the moods and tenfes, which are to be found in Greek and Latin. But this objection, though urged with much reliance on its weight, is not well founded. If the arrangement of the moods, tenfes, &c. which we have adopted, is fuited to the idiom of our tongue; and the principle, on which they are adopted, is extended as far as ufe and convenience require; where is the impropriety, in arrefting our progrefs, and fixing our forms at the point of utility? A principle may be warrantably adopted, and carried to a precife convenient extent, without fubjecting its fupporters to the charge of inconfiftency, for not pursuing it beyond the line of use and propriety. The importance of giving the ingenious student clear and juft ideas of the nature of our verbs, moods, and tenfes, will apologize for the extent of the Author's remarks on thefe fubjects, both here and elsewhere, and for his folicitude to fimplify and explain them.-He thinks it has been proved, that the idiom of our tongue demands the arrangement he has given to the English verb; and that, though the learned languages, with refpect to voices, moods, and tenfes, are, in general, differently conftructed from the English tongue, yet, in fome refpects, they are fo fimilar to it, as to warrant the principle which he has adopted. See the obfervations at page 84. SECT. 10. Of Irregular Verbs. IRREGULAR Verbs are thofe which do not form their imperfect tenfe, and their perfect participle, by the addition of ed to the verb: as, IRREGULAR VERBS ARE OF VARIOUS SORTS, 1. Such as have the present and imperfect tenfes, and perfect participle, the fame : as, 2. Such as have the imperfect tenfe, and perfect participle, the fame: as, 3. Such as have the imperfect tenfe, and perfect parti ciple, different. as, |