In some languages there are distinct forms of the verb for the third persons, both singular and plural, of the imperative mode; and in many of our grammars the combinations of words usually employed to translate these third persons imperative of other languages, are exhibited, as English third persons imperative. First persons formed in the same manner as these (so called) third persons are also supplied. In grammars which adopt this plan, the whole imperative mode is thus presented:

Singular.

1st person, Let me call,

2d person, Call, or call thou,
3d person, Let him call.

Plural.
Let us call,
Call, or call ye or you,
Let them call.

Our later grammarians generally retain only the second persons, and analyze the forms given above as first and third persons, as consisting of the second person imperative of the verb let, completed by the infinitive of another verb-for instance, in the example above, the infinitive of the verb call.

There is a form of the third persons singular and plural, and of the first person plural (we have found no well sanctioned example of the first person singular), sometimes found in prose, and freely employed by the poets, which is exactly similar to the second persons imperative. It consists like them of the root of the verb with the subject noun usually placed after it. We subjoin examples, borrowed partly from the grammar of Mr. G. Brown. It would be easy to multiply these. "Blessed be he that blesseth thee." "Thy kingdom come."

any

"Fall he that must beneath his rival's arms,

And live the rest secure of future barms."-POPE

"For me, when I forget the darling theme,

Be my tongue mute, my fancy paint no more,

And, dead to joy, forget my heart to beat!"-THOMSON.

"Be these my theme."—IDEM.

"Be thine despair and sceptred care.”—GRAY.

"My soul turn from them-turn we to survey."-GOLDSMITH.

Though these ancient or poetical forms seldom occur, we assign them a place in the conjugations below, that when the learner happens to meet with of them he may find no difficulty in disposing of them satisfactorily. We join the other grammarians in discarding the forms made with the verb let; and in treating let in such cases as the real verb, and of the second person, instead of the first or third. (See § 99.)

§ 56. (1) We shall now exhibit the regular arrangement of the numbers and persons of a few verbs, through the several modes and the simple tenses. (2) This kind of arrangement is called the Con

§ 56. (1) Tell what is now proposed. (2) What is such an arrangement as is proposed

jugation of Verbs. (3) We have already noticed the division of verbs into two conjugations, in reference to the manner in which they form their past tenses and perfect participles. We shall present examples of both conjugations. (4) We arrange with them the verbal noun, called the infinitive, and the two verbal adjectives. (formed from each verb) as adjuncts or accompanying forms, but not (the learner will remember) as coming within our classification or definition of verbs. (5) We write them in this manner with the conjugation of the simple tenses, because, with the help of the simple tenses of certain other verbs, called auxiliaries, they are employed in forming the compound tenses. (6) We shall also prefix to the tenses of some of the verbs first conjugated the predicate asserted in each tense respectively.*

*We employ the conjunctive IF to indicate the subjunctive mode. This mode is very generally preceded by the conjunctions if or though.

called? (8) How many conjugations are admitted, and by what are the conjugations distinguished? (4) What other words do we arrange with the verbs in these forms of conjugation? (5) For what reason are these words arranged with the verbs? (6) What is prefixed to the tenses of some of the verbs?

We here subjoin two rules, to be observed in the construction of propositions :

(7a) RULE L-The verb in a proposition must always agree in number and person with the subject noun.

RULE II.-Collective nouns, when the collection of individuals which they represent is regarded simply as a collective unity-" as a whole"-have verbs of the singular form; but when reference is made in the assertion to plurality in the subject-" when the collective expresses many as individuals"-the verb is sometimes of the plural form. (See § 25.)

The

EXAMPLES.-The society is numerous. The army was victorious. The parliament is prorogued. The meeting was unanimous. meeting were divided into different parties the members of the meeting were divided.

Except when there is a decided reference to plurality of subjects in the assertion, we think it is safest to employ the singular form with collectives. Usage in this matter is very far from being fixed, in regard to several nouns of this class. For example, the word people is used by the translators of the Bible, indiscriminately, as singular and as plural: "My people doth not consider." "My people, they who lead thee," &c. 'My people is foolish." "O my people, what have I done unto thee." "O my people, that dwellest in Zion," &c. Again we have a people, any people, &c. On the contrary, we can produce any number of examples of the use of a plural verb with the subject people. "My people are gone into captivity." "My people love to have it so," &c., &c.

แ

The use of these rules is confined chiefly, except in the verb to be, to the third persons of the indefinite tense; since the second person singular is rarely used. The learner will remember that a violation of Rule I. is reckoned the grossest and most inexcusable of all grammatical blunders.

Nouns, singular in form, when manifestly plural in sense, take plural verbs; as, Ten HEAD of cattle ARE in the field; Ten sail are in sight, &c.

EXERCISE I.-Let the verbs live, love, command, &c., be conjugated after the model above given.

(7) Repeat the verb call regularly as arranged above. (7a) Repeat the rules.

EXERCIES II., III., &c.-Give complete propositions with verbs of the modern conjugation, and subject nouns or pronouns of each person singular and plural through both tenses, and all the modes. Let the verbs be as various as possible. Let the active verbs have after them a noun to complete their meaning. The neuter verbs may also be accompanied by any expression necessary to complete their sense; as, for example, He lives, may be completed by in the country, in the city, at home, &c. He walks, by in the fields, often, rapidly, &c. This exercise may, if necessary, be divided, and repeated (in the case of young pupils) till they are perfectly familiar with this conjugation.

Conjugation of the verbs to write and to see, the irregular verb to go, and the auxiliaries to do and to have. (8) We omit the subjunctive indefinite, and the imperative, as they always consist of the root of the verb. The past tense subjunctive does not differ from the past indicative.

(9) INDEFINITE TENSE. PREDICATES, WRITING, &c.

PAST TENSE. PREDICATES, PAST WRITING, &c.

(9) What modes are omitted in the following table? Mention the reason assigned for the omission. (9) Repeat the conjugation of the verbs to write, to see, &c. Which of these verbs are active, and which neuter? Tell how you know this fact.

.

Infinitives.

To write. To see. To go.

To do. To have.

Doing. Having.

Imp. Participle. Writing. Seeing. Going. Perf. Participle. Written. Seen. Gone. Done. Had. EXERCISES I., II., III., &c.-Form propositions, as in the last pre scribed exercises, with the verbs in the above table, through each person in each tense, using a completing noun with the active verbs, and such words as slowly, speedily, into the house, city, country, &c., by railroad, by coach, &c., with the neuter verbs.

Write similar exercises with the verbs, lie, lay, put, pay, &c., distinguishing, first, the active verbs from the neuter. See past form in list § 67. The teacher will select those verbs in most common use, and in the use of which mistakes most frequently occur.

Conjugation of the irregular verb to be, through the simple tenses of each mode. (10) To be, like to do and to have, besides its other uses, serves also as an auxiliary verb.

The form in the second column is not at present in use.

* This third person is rarely found. We have an example in Shakspeare (cited by Dr. Lowth.) "I think it be thine indeed; for thou liest in it."

(10) What purpose does the verb to be, in common with the verbs to do and to have, serve? (11) Repeat the conjugation of the verb to be. What is said of the form in the second column of the indefinite tense?