the present; as, “He has not visited New York since the year 1780."

REM. 5. This tense is sometimes improperly used for the imperfect; as, "I have graduated in the year 1833." Here the imperfect tense should be used, because the time specified has no reference to the present. Thus it is incorrect to say, I have seen my brother yesterday;" "I have attended church last sabbath."

REM. 6. When the writings of an author which are now in existence are spoken of, the perfect tense should be used; but when both the author and his writings have ceased to be, the imperfect tense should be used. Thus it is correct to say, Milton has written a poem;" but it is incorrect to say, "Cicero has written a poem," because the poem does not

66

exist.

REM. 7. When the perfect tense is preceded by as soon as, after, ere, before, when, till or until, it frequently denotes the relative time of a future action or state; as, When I have finished my letter I will attend to his request." "You shall

not regret our fair dominions till twice five summers have enriched our fields."-Shakspeare.

"Salvation! O, salvation!
The joyful sound proclaim,
Till earth's remotest nation,

Has learned Messiah's name."-Bishop Heber.

§ 144. The pluperfect tense denotes a past action or state, or a conditional past action or state, that occurred at or before some specified past action or state; as, " He had received the news before the messenger arrived."

REMARK 1. Sometimes the pluperfect tense denotes definitely the time of an action or state which occurred at or before the time of another specified action or state; as, "He had been waiting an hour when the messenger arrived."

FIRST COURSE.

What does the pluperfect tense denote?

SECOND COURSE.

Is the perfect tense ever improperly used for the imperfect? What should be used in speaking of the writings of an author now in existence? When the writings and the author have ceased to be, what tense should be used? When does the perfect tense denote the relative time of a future action? Define the definite pluperfect tense. The indefinite pluperfect tense.

REM. 2. "The pluperfect tense is often used conditionally without a conjunction;" as, Had I known the circumstances, I should have pursued a different course;" " Were it possible, I would assist you."

§ 145. The first future tense denotes a future action or state, or a future conditional action or state; as, "I shall go to town;" "If I shall go.”

REMARK 1. The time of future action or state is sometimes specified by an adverb or noun denoting time; as, “I shall be prepared to receive you to-morrow."

REM. 2. The time of future action or state is sometimes expressed indefinitely; as, "There will be a state of retribution."

§ 146. The second future tense denotes a future action or state, or a conditional future action or state that will occur before some other future action or state; as, "I shall have finished my task when the hour of recitation arrives."

REMARK 1. This tense sometimes expresses the time of an action or state indefinitely; as, "They will have accomplished their purpose at the time they proposed.'

REM. 2. This tense sometimes expresses the time of a future action or state definitely; as, 6.6 The scholars will have been studying an hour when the tutor comes to examine them."

EXERCISES FOR DISTINGUISHING DIFFERENT TENSES.

I study, he studied, he has studied, he had labored, he will labor, he will have labored, they will have walked, she will love, he had read, they have walked, he ran, the boy runs.

Which of the preceding verbs are in the present tense? Which, in the imperfect? Which, in the perfect? Which, in the pluperfect? Which, in the first future? Which, in the second future?

FIRST COURSE.

What does the first future tense denote? The second future?

SECOND COURSE.

Define the conditional pluperfect tense. How is the time of future action or state sometimes specified? Give an example of indefinite future action. Give an example of the second future tense indefinitě. Example of the second future definite.

NUMBERS.

147 Numbers are the forms of the verb which denote the unity or plurality of its subject. Verbs, like nouns, have two numbers, the singular and the plural. Verbs have the same numbers as their subject-nominatives.

PERSONS.

§ 148. "Persons are forms of the verb appropriated to the different persons of the subject, and accordingly are called the first, second, and third persons." Verbs have the same person as their subject nominatives.

REMARK 1. A verb in the imperative mode is used only in the second person, and has no change of its termination on account of number or person. It is the simplest form of the verb, whether active, passive or neuter; as, *" Love (thou);" "Love (ye);"" Be (thou) loved;" "Be (ye or you) loved;" "Be (thou) taught;""Be (ye or you) taught."

REM. 2. The signification of the infinitive mode is not limited to any subject, and therefore requires no change of its termination to express number or person; as, “I wish to go;" "I wished to have gone."

REM. 3. In familiar style, the terminations of the verbs are not varied to agree with their respective nominatives; except the third person singular of the indicative mode presént tense, and the variations of the verb to be.

REM. 4. In familiar style, s or es is annexed to the third person singular in the indicative mode present tense, accord

FIRST COURSE.

What is number? Define person?

SECOND COURSE.

How many persons has the verb in the imperative mode? Is the signification of the infinitive mode limited? How is the familiar style of the terminations of verbs limited? Under what circumstances is s or es annexed to the third person singular, indicative mode, present tense?

ing to the rules given for the formation of the plural number of nouns.

REM. 5. In familiar style, the verb to be in the indicative mode and present tense has, in the first person and singular number, am; in the second, are; in the third, is; and in the plural, are in the first, second, and third persons. In the imperfect tense of the indicative mode, the same verb has was in the first and third persons singular; were in the second, and in all the persons in the plural.

REM. 6. In the plural, verbs of all the numbers terminate alike, and have the same form as the first person singular. As the subject-nominative is generally expressed, perspicuity does not require different terminations of the verb to distinguish the different numbers and persons of their subjects.

The same

REM. 7. In common parlance, custom authorizes the use of the plural pronoun you to denote a singular noun. authority requires that a plural verb should be joined with you, when it denotes a singular noun. If custom is sufficient

You

to sanction the former, of course it can the latter. It would be as proper to say you has, and you is, as you are. has the plural form, and therefore requires a verb of the same form. Has, is, and was, have the singular form, and therefore require their subjects to have the same form. A violation of this rule is also opposed to classical usage.

REM. 8. " In solemn style, thou is used in the singular and ye in the plural." The solemn style is used in the Bible, in sacred descriptions, and in prayer. To a great extent, also. it is used in poetry; and the society of Friends adopt it as their common language.

REM. 9. In solemn style, the second person singular of the present indicative and the imperfect tense of the irregular verbs, usually terminate with est, which forms an additional syllable. The second person singular of the imperfect tense, indicative mode, regular verbs, terminates with st; as, I loved, thou lovedst, not lovedest.

SECOND COURSE.

In the familiar style, how is the verb to be varied in the present and imperfect tenses of the indicative mode? How do verbs terminate in the plural? Is the use of the plural you to denote a singular noun ever authorized? How are thou and ye used? In solemn style, how does the second person singular of the present indicative, and the imperfect tense of the irregular verbs, usually terminate?

REM. 10. When the verb ends with a sound that will unite with that of st, the second person singular may be contracted. The poets, though not uniform in their modes of contraction, generally contract the second person singular of verbs. In some cases before st, an apostrophe is inserted, and the consonant preceded by a single vowel is doubled; as, bidd'st, hold'st, ledd'st, may'st, might'st, said'st, etc. In other cases, the contractions are made frequently by annexing st only; as, mightst, couldst, wouldst, bidst, saidst, etc. Sometimes the vowel in the termination of words is retained, and the preceding one is suppressed; as, hast'nest, flatt'rest, happ'nest, slumb'rest, etc. Often, however, the vowel of the termination is suppressed and the preceding one is retained; as, happen'st, quicken'st, etc. The object in all these cases seems to be to avoid an additional syllable and promote the smoothness and euphony of the language. The auxiliaries may, can, might, could, would, and should, are now generally used in the contracted form. Dost and hast, and also the irregular imperfects didst, hadst, and wast, are permanently contracted. In the auxiliaries shall and will, l final is changed to t in the second person singular.

REM. 11. In the solemn style, the third person singular of the indicative mode, present tense, is formed by annexing th when the verb ends with e, and eth when it does not. Thus an additional syllable is formed. From verbs thus formed, doth, hath, and saith are contractions.

REM. 12. In the solemn style, wert is the second person singular of the subjunctive imperfect, if the subjunctive form is used. But if the indicative form is used, wast is the second person singular of the imperfect, and art the second person singular of the present indicative.

REM. 13. In the familiar and solemn style, the regular terminations that are annexed to verbs, are, d or ed, st or est, s or es, th or eth, and ing. Of these, th, eth, and ing always make an additional syllable when they are annexed to verbs; except in doth, hath, and saith. In familiar style, when verbs terminate with a letter that will unite with the others, there

SECOND COURSE.

When may the sound of the verb be contracted? In grave style, how is the third person singular of the indicative mode present tense formed? In solemn style, what is wert? What are the regular terminations of verbs ?