434 



on bis guard against the above error, that be sometimes 

 falls into a contrary fault ; for instance, in a note of 

 civility written, as usual, in the third person : — "Mr. 

 A. hoped to have sent Mr. B. the promised books this 

 morning, but is disappointed. He trusts, however, that 

 next week be shall have no difficulty in procuring them." 

 The true meaning of which is, " he confidently thinks to 

 himself, J shall have no difficulty in procuring the///." 

 The writer could not so completely transform himself in 

 idea into a third person, as to forget his own identity. 

 If he had wanted to say, " he trusts that his bookseller 

 will have no difficulty in procuring them," the third per- 

 son being evident, no doubt could have arisen in his 

 mind. 



Perhaps the use of the three verbs in question may 

 be best illustrated by a familiar conversation between A., 

 B., and C, in which each verb is numbered wherever it 

 occurs. 



A. I shall 1 fall clown the precipice if I go further in 

 this slippery path. If C. goes on, be will 1 inevitably 

 tumble, and so tvilt i thou. We shall ' all break our necks. 

 I will* turn back. 



B. We will" goon, and thou shalt" go with us, whe- 

 ther thou wilt or not. 



A. You will 1 both repent when too late, since you 

 will 3 be so obstinate. What perverseness ! They will 1 

 suffer, and I shall 1 be blamed ; but their parents shall" 

 know the truth. I will* bear this no longer : you shall" 

 both turn back. I should 1 like to see you fall if I were 

 sure you would 1 not hurt yourselves, and then you should* 

 obey me whether you would 3 or not. Your parents should* 

 have sent some one with you that you would 5 have at- 

 tended to ; but they would 3 not, even though I would* 

 have had them. They would 1 be very sorry to see what 

 I see, and they would 3 be obeyed. 



C. We would* obey thee if thou wouldst 3 but be less 

 loquacious ; and whatever may happen, I insist that thou 



