It were useless to dwell upon the import of these several phrases. Their meaning will be obvious to an Englishman; and a foreigner, in order to understand them, would require to have them translated into his native tongue.

We noticed, in the outset, the abuse to which these expressions are peculiarly liable. It arises, chiefly, from considering the words about and going as superfluous, and, in consequence, dismissing them from the sentences to which they necessarily belong. "I am to marry" is neither future nor present. To marry is the name of the action, and we might as well say "I am marriage." "I am to be married to-morrow" is a confused junction of the future with the present, and would be much more clearly expressed by the words "I shall be married to-morrow." It may be said that good writers never fall into such mistakes; but the following sentence is evidence to the contrary:

"Of the geneneral characters of style, I am afterwards to discourse; but it will be necessary to begin with examining the more simple qualities

of it; from the assemblage of which, its more complex denominations, in a great measure, result." Blair's Lectures.

Once for all, we request that the Reader will not accuse us of the futile design to depreciate the merits of the Writers whose mistakes we quote. Those vessels that float unhurt along the stream of time are best fitted to mark the rock to which

they have approached too near. Scotticisms are very venial faults in the court of Apollo; and the etiquette, usually observed towards living authors, has alone prevented us from lighting our beacon at a luminary which still gladdens the nation, by continually adding to the stock of its harmless enjoyments.

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CHAPTER IV.

OF MOODS. THE SUBJUNCTIVE.-CON DI

JUNCTIVE.

TIONAL.

The manner in which a state, or action is enunciated is called the MODE or MOOD of the Verb. Thus, a simple affirmation is termed the INDICATIVE MOOD, and a dependent one is the SUBIf it is in the form of a command, it is the IMPERATIVE;-if expressed as a wish, it is the OPTATIVE. The verb itself,-the mere name of the state, or act, is the INFINITIVE MOOD, which we have already examined. It is, however, only when any mode of expression is represented by a change in the orthography of the verb that it has properly, in a grammatical sense, the name of Mood, otherwise the Moods, would be as numerous as the passions of the mind. The mood of the speaker's thought is, generally, better indicated by tone and gesture than by any means that written characters can convey.

The Indicative Mood is common to all languages. The Latin has the Subjunctive and Imperative, and the Greek, in addition, has an Optative Mood. The French, Spanish, German, and, we believe, most modern languages, have

also a Subjunctive Mood, under which form other modes of expression are arranged; but the English Verb has no changes of orthography different from the few formerly mentioned; and all the modifications of mind are left to be expressed by the auxiliaries can, could, may, might, &c. already explained, Nevertheless, although the principal verb remains unaltered, there are certain arrangements of these auxiliaries which have rendered it a matter of doubt, in attending to the practice of our best writers, whether or not the English tongue possesses a Subjunctive Mood. To have an unsettled Syntax is derogatory to the character of a language; and, as our grammarians have hitherto failed to produce uniformity on this subject, we cannot pass it over without particular notice.

A subjunctive (or subjoined) clause, is the part of a sentence which is dependent on what either precedes, or follows, it. Thus:

"I did these things, that he might understand me."

"I have written him a letter, lest he should forget."

The clauses in these sentences might be reversed:

"That he might understand me, I did these

things."

"Lest he should forget, I have written him a

letter."

But, however they may be arranged, the verbs to understand and to forget would, in some languages, have a different termination from what they have in the Indicative, or independent, state; and such termination would incorporate (though imperfectly) the meanings which we have here expressed by the separate words might and should. We say imperfectly, because the Subjunctive affix only denotes dependency in general,—the shades of which are distinguished by means of the auxiliaries might, should, would, and could.

The Subjunctive Future, of English grammarians, refers solely to contingencies; for it declares that a state, or action, will follow, provided another, which is also named, shall take place. Thus:

“I shall be glad to see him, if he will call

upon me."

The latter member of this sentence is said to be in the Subjunctive, or CONDITIONAL MOOD, because it is on this subjoined condition that the prediction "I shall be glad to see him” depends. It is not, however, necessary that the condition should be literally subjoined; for it may precede, in the present example, with equal propriety, as: "If he will call upon me, I shall be glad to see him,"