Il semble (with a complement) à un
aveugle que tout est ténébreux.
Il me semble qu'il est malade.
Il y a apparence que vous le re-

ceverez sous peu.

Il est certain qu'il a perdu le pari.

Il est vrai qu'il a tenu ce propos.

To a blind man, it seems that all
is dark.

It seems to me that he is sick.
It is likely that you will receive it
before long.

It is certain that he has lost the
bet.

It is true that he has used this expression.

RULE V.-If any verb whatever be used either negatively or interrogatively, que always imposes the subjunctive form on it.-EXAMPLES: Do you think that he will soon sct off?

Pensez-vous qu'il parte bientôt? |

Non, je ne crois pas qu'il le fasse.
On ne dit pas que cela soit ainsi.
Il ne paraît pas que vous le co-

nnaissiez.

It is worthy of observation, that que sometimes does not govern the subjunctive, even after a verb used interrogatively with a negative. This deviation from the above rule requires some explanation. If the interrogation express either doubt or uncertainty, QUE imposes the subjunctive on the verb following; but, if the interrogation do not express it, the indicative is to be used.-EXAMPLES:

Croyez-vous que Jean est à la campagne ?
Croyez-vous que Jean soit à la campagne ?
Ne croyez-vous pas que Jean est à la campagne?
Ne croyez-vous pas que Jean soit à la campagne?

The sense of the first phrase is,

Je sais que Jean est à la campagne; I know that John is in the country; ne croyez-vous pas qu'il y soit?

That of the

Je ne sais si Jean est à la campagne; pouvez-vous me l'apprendre?

do you not believe he is.

second is,

I know not whether John be in the country; can you inform me?

That of the third is,

Jean est certainement à la cam- | John is certainly in the country

pagne; pourquoi ne voulez-vous

pas le croire?

why will you not believe it?"

That of the fourth is,

Je doute que Jean soit à la cam- I doubt whether John be in the pagne; qu'en pensez-vous ? country; what is your opinion?

We may plainly see, that the construction of such phrases as theso depends entirely on the sense which is intended by the person who speaks. If it be not possible to judge of it by what has preceded, we must examine whether the person who speaks be not in doubt: if he be, que governs the subjunctive; if, on the contrary, the person affirms, the indicative after que is indispensable.

In order to guide you in the subjunctive (a very nice and difficult point in the French language), we shall observe, that whenever the article conjunctive, qui, serves as a link to two phrases, (the first of which we shall call principal, and the second complementary, because it serves to complete the thought begun by the first,) it is necessary to examine, whether it be intended to express something positive or determinate, or on the contrary, something dubious or indeterminate. In the first instance, the verb of the complementary phrase must be expressed in the indicative; and, in the second, it must be expresed in the subjunctive.

The following phrases will completely establish and fix your ideas on this head.

PHRASES EXPRESSING SOMETHING POSITIVE.

Je lui donnerai des raisons qui pourront le convaincre.
Je veux épouser une femme qui me platt infiniment.
J'aspire à une charge qui est agréable.

Montrez-moi le cheinin qui conduit à Windsor.
Donnez-moi le mouchoir qui est blanc.

Préférez des expressions où la naïveté est unie à la clarté.

PHRASES EXPRESSING SOMETHING DOUBTFUL.

Je lui donnerai des raisons qui puissent le convaincre.
Je veux épouser une femme qui me plaise infiniment.
J'aspire à une charge qui soit agréable.

Montrez moi un chemin qui conduise à Windsor

Donnez-moi un mouchoir qui soit blanc.

Préférez des expressions où la naïveté soit unie à la clarté.

M. As it is of importance that you should know what tense of the subjunctive to use, in the complementary phrase, I desire you to fix your attentionon the following rules.

RULE VI. When the verb of the principal phrase is expressed in the present or future of the indicative, that of the complementary phrase, if it be meant to express a present or a future, must be in the present of the subjunctive.-EXAMPLES:

Je crains qu'elle ne vienne.
Il faut que vous passiez chez lui.
Il craindra qu'elle ne s'en aper-
çoive.

Il faudra que vous lui parliez.

I fear lest she should come.
You must call upon him.

He will fear that she should per-
ceive it.

It will be necessary for you to speak to him.

RULE VII.-Though the verb of the principal phrase be in the prescnt or future of the indicative, yet the verb of the complementary phrase, if it be intended to express a past, must be in the subjunctive past, instead of the subjunctive present as above.-EXAMPLES: Je ne crois pas qu'il ait eu autant | I do not believe he has had so de succès qu'il le dit. On ne me persuadera jamais qu'il ait appris le Français en si peu de temps.

much success as he says. Nobody shall ever persuade me that he has learned French in so short a time.

RULE VIII.-Though the first verb of the complementary phrase be in the present, the second is put in the present anterior or imperfect; and in the past anterior or compound of the imperfect of the subjunctive, when some condition expressed follows it.-EXAMPLES:

Croyez-vous qu'ils me refusassent,

si je les en priais ? Il n'est point d'homme qui ne fût très-mortifié, s'il savait tout ce qu'on dit de lui.

Do you think they would refuse

me, if I should beg it of them? There is no man that would not feel much mortified, were he to know all that people say of him.

Je doute que votre frère eût réussi, I doubt whether your brother

would have succeeded without

your assistance.

am persuaded that he could never have extricated himself but for the interference of his friend.

RULE IX.-When the tense of the verb of the principal phrase is not in the present of the indicative, but either in the present anterior or imperfect, the present anterior periodical or preterite, or any of the two first pasts or compounds of that mood, or the conditional, then the verb of the complementary phrase must be put in the present anterior or imperfect of the subjunctive, if it be intended to speak of futurity.-EXAMPLES:

But should we wish to express an idea of time past, while the verb of the principal phrase remains in either of the tenses just noticed, the verb of the complementary phrase must be put in the past anterior or compound of the imperfect of the subjunctive.EXAMPLES:

Je ne croyais pas-Je n'ai pas | I cru, &c. qu'elle eût chanté la veille.

J'avais craint qu'ils n'eussent pas voulu y consentir, avant que j'eusse reçu leur lettre.

did not believe that she had sung the day before.

I was afraid lest they should have refused to consent to it, before I had received their letter.

I would just observe, that the subjunctive mood, when employed in elliptical phrases, where the principal proposition is omitted, contributes greatly to the elegance of diction.-EXAMPLES:

Qu'il vive!

May he live!

Qu'il se soit oublié jusqu'à ce That he should so forget himself! point!

Qui m'aime, me suive!

Whoever loves me, let him follow me!

M. I give you no list of the conjunctions that impose the subjunc tive form on the verb which they precede, because this would be repeating what has been already said, in the Conversation on that part of speech, to which I refer you.

Though this lesson on the subjunctive may appear to some very extensive, yet the subject is far from being exhausted: several more exceptions might have been noticed, and perhaps new rules discovered; but, as the cases which they embrace are not common, I trust that practice, and the habit of reading good authors, will put you into possession of those niceties of the French language.

LESSON THE SIXTEENTH.

OF THE COMPLEMENT OT VERBS.

RULE I.-Active verbs, such as aimer, estimer, &c. require the word representing the object to which the action is extended (and such we call its complement, as it is necessary to complete the sense) to be united to them without the intervention of a preposition. -EXAMPLES:

J'admire le génie de Shakspeare. | I admire Shakspeare's genius. Aimez-vous les légumes et les Do you like vegetables and fruits? fruits?

RULE II.-When active verbs, instead of one complement, have two, the one which is the object of the action they express may be called direct, and is placed immediately before the verb, when it is a pronoun, or immediately after, when it is a noun; the second, which may be called indirect, is expressed either by a preposition and its noun, which immediately follows the first complement of the verb, or by a pronoun, (before which the preposition à is understood) which precedes the verb.-EXAMPLES:

M. You have probably already taken notice, that the complement indirect of some verbs is formed with the preposition de, and its complement, while that of others is formed with the preposition à, and its complement. To prevent you from falling into an error, you will find subjoined a list of the principal verbs which require the preposition de, &c. after them; and of those which, on the contrary, demand the preposition à, &c.

You will exercise yourselves on them, by forming phrases of your own, which will insure you a facility and readiness in using the true Preposition.

A LIST OF ACTIVE VERBS WHICH REQUIRE DE BEFORE THEIR COMPLEMENT INDIRECT.