396 
‘Universal guage as imperative, that fs, as always implying the 
Grammar. imperative of a verb. 
This appli- Even when we merely mention an om by making 
éutle use of a noun, an imperative is implied, desiring the 
m addressed to think of it. Some more,particular 
intentions on the part of the speaker may be left to be 
inferred from the occasion on which it is uttered, or may- 
be expressed by some circumstances of manner, or con- 
veyed by means of some further verbal sign; but the 
noun itself, in the moment of utterance, always implies 
the general act of demonstration, that is, the imperative 
of the verb “ look,” sop ae think.” - ps wie : 
as Assertions ma’ vantageously reduced to the 
ora imperative fused ail may be considered as originally 
imperatives. and essentially partaking of that character. Im 
ratives, we have remarked, are deprived of their 
racteristic animation when xeduced to assertions. | As- 
sertions, on the contrary, preserve more completely 
that’ interest which originally belongs to them, when 
viewed as imperative directions for regulating the voli- 
tions and active thoughts of others. Our opinions pro- 
ceed from impelling causes which bear a resemblance 
’ Gn ‘their. nature to the motives which prompt us to ac« 
tion, and assertions resemble the exhibition of such mo- 
tives to other persons. 
ts the ces But if each single word possesses an imperative 
pula redu- Power, it may be asked, in what respects that power can 
cible toan be ascribed to the copula “ is?”——When the intention 
imperative? of assertions is considered, this ‘copula will be found 
equivalent to the imperative of the verb “ believe.” 
An-opinion asserted by means of it does not retain 
the simple character of one which remains: quiescent. 
Hence it is always expected ‘to be of a nature fitted to 
interest the person addressed, and possessing a just 
claim on his attention. Without this, the declaration is 
regarded as unmeaning. Keeping this circumstance in 
view, we shall find sealing fi : ore ted in re« 
resenting the “ is,” in English as equivalent to ‘“ bes 
ieve,” and the est in Latin to crede. 
When sentences constructed by means of this copula 
are not intended for conveying information, but for ex~ 
hibiting pleasing objects shostely known, or objects of 
imagination, as in poetic description or fictitious narra- 
tive, the copula has the power of the imperative “ con« 
template.” 
nouns. 
beta ést being placed betwixt two: nominatives, cannot be 
equivalent to a word which governs nouns in the ac- 
cusative. If such an objection should occur, it is suf= 
ficient to observe thatthe cases of nouns. are refine. 
ments of language, intended for marking in a conve- 
nient manner certain uses of the and certain 
analogous connections which are formed among them 
in the composition of sentences, but that our present 
inquiries relate toa period of language much earlier 
than such contrivances ; and, where the meaning can be 
shown to be the same, diversities arising from these 
causes does not fall under our consideration. 
_ It might, however, be objected to the whole reason- 
ing here employed, that, if all sentences appear to be 
imperatives, there is no meaning in supposing those 
words which are usually called imperatives of verbs to 
be the earliest parts of speech, and in deriving from 
that consideration the brevity of their form. These 
cularities should at least imply that they differ 
rom other imperatives. The nature and consequences 
of this difference require therefore to be pointed out. 
When we use the imperative of a verb of action, the 
name of the act expresses our ultimate wish, viz. 
the wish that the person addressed should perform it, 
GRAMM AR 
One objection might be made to this theory, that: 
we dictate to the individual addressed. T 
being various, require signs to distinguish them; and 
these signs, being generally in the form of terminations, 
give rise to the greater | of the words. But 
even in those instances in which the word used for an 
imperative suffers no in its form when cone 
verted into a noun or any part of speech, it 
cannot, like an imperative, stand alone to form: a sen- 
tence. T not lengthened by the addition of a syl. 
lable, it requires to be accompanied by some other 
word. Lats 
_ We have maintained that every noun implies an im- 
perative act of demonstration, or a call for attention ; 
but it may be objected, that, as this is necessary to all 
, and does not serve to distinguish oneword from 
Chonghtintplied ithe actcfajenisag.-Sipeech-neg hams 
implied in the act of ing. may 
ani ive character, and yet it may not follow that 
its materials consist of imperatives alone. The names of 
surroun : not ben arily consi as 
cananaie diferent te. ative acts, ere impera< 
tives of different verbs. we resolved the copula 
“is” into an imperative, this, perhaps, appeared an ex~ 
cessive refinement, and a eee oe to give ex« 
clusive su to a particular system. It may ay 
sufficient Re the echasienten of our Caidécneotal thes 
ry to keep in mind that a note of attention is implied 
in the act of speaking. If these views seem to our 
scientific readers more just than those which have been 
here suggested, we shall not, on so abstruse and so nice 
a point, urge any farther argument, but leave the pre« 
ceding observations to their deliberate reflections. We 
have endeavoured to make as near an approach as pos« 
sible to the formation of a general theory on the nature 
of sentences. But the views. which we have given 
are not all essential. to those that are to follow. The 
latter will, we , exhibit evidences of their own, in- 
dependently of the consent of our readers to give to. 
those contained in the present Chapter, a strict applica« 
tion in every particular to the parts of s 3 
Language must be regarded by all. as an instru- Varieti 
ment by which we direct the thoughts of one ano- the obj 
ther. It has thus an undoubted imperative character, "5% 
and this character receives subordinate variations de- 
pending on the mutual relations of the and _ 
the person addressed, with reference to the subject 
upon which it is employed. It includes four forms 
of influence, which have been already alluded to, and 
shall now be enumerated. 1st, We influence one anoe and i 
ther to exert the powers of voluntary motion. This <a nerd 
rise to Imperatives in their acknowledged form. 2d, We ‘0108 © 
direct the attention of one another to all the varieties ~~ 
of objects already mutually known. This gives occa- 
sion to the contrivance of Names to represent them. 3d, 
We influence one another’s opinions and state of know~ 
ledge. This gives rise to the words which are particu- 
larly subservient to Assertion, 4th, We influence one 
