GRAMMAR. 425 
themselves, unless we were able historically to point out turally first assumed is the instant in which the sen- Univeral 
the intermediate steps of their transmutation. But dif. tence itself is uttered. Hence the first general divi. Grammar. 
\ of etymology do not in-the least invalidate the sion of tenses is into t, past, and future: Points ““Y""” 
position, such terminations are real pro- of reference may also be selected from the past and the 
nouns, Atis and ant have exactly the same meaning future, and expeditious methods, suited to our various 
with izes and ave. Whether they were derived from occasions, adopted for expressing relative precedence or 
words subsequently forgotten, or were applied in the subsequence. 
first instance as terminations, they are to be considered —_ References to the division of time imto definite por- 
as complete si, ually significant with separate words, tions, as hours, days, weeks, months, and years, are al- 
and difeeing from the latter only in being placed not be- ways made by means of nouns contrived for the pur- 
1 poate after the radical letters of _ ope ha pose, 
rs itten in closer connection with them. ie re- . 
' semblance. of some of the terminations to the separate T poet see eer 
v ca eagle fact happily ada to corroborate the Before proceeding to the tenses of the indicative, The impe- 
ity of their signification ; but pat no such res which are the most important and precise, that of the "tive essen- 
semblance existed, just reflection would lead to the imperative claims some attention. ‘The form most fre~ “!!y ‘tures 
same conclusion, quently used in Latin and in English has been call- 
__ Imspeaking of the fahren pronouns, we observed ed the present imperative ; but a little attention will 
inations that they have all the rs of nouns, and that their shew that imperatives are essentially future. The act 
hed to whole peculiarity consisted in their frequent use, which ~ to be performed must be subsequent in time to the com- 
}, ‘bas occasioned a convenient brevity in their form. It mand. In many instances they may be separated by a 
‘is to the same cause that they owe the further distinc- considerable interval, without any alteration in the form 
‘ tion of being attached to many important words in the of the verb employed ; as when we say, “come to this 
_ Shape of terminations. In Greek and Latin we find place to-morrow.” Though sensible of this circumstance, 
them attached to the verb.. In the Hebrew and Arabic grammarians seem not to have been aware of its impor- 
i they are attached in the same manner to nouns. Jsm, tance in demonstrating the tense proper to this form of 
__ the Arabic word for ‘a name,” receives the terming- the verb. Perhaps a vague idea existed that the time of 
tions -i, -ek, and -ou for signifying “my name,” “thy the giving of the command ought to fix its tense, but this is Objections 
- name,” and “ his name.” obviated by the — reflection on the subject, as the #7»wered. 
The inflections of the English verb possess a charac- act performed by the speaker in every sort of sentence 
g- ter somewhat different from those used in the Latin is present. Perhaps the immediaie nature of the in- 
language. They do not supply the place of nomina- fluence intended to be produced by the imperative on 
tives, but are used along with them. We say “I love,” the mind of the person addressed has, though future, 
** thou lovest,” “he loveth” or “loves.” We never been considered as sufficient to entitle it to the appella- 
“ love” for “ I love,” “lovest” for “thou lovest,” - tion of But this influence is in no a- 
nor “ loveth” and “ loves” for ‘‘ he loveth’ and “he proper foundation for a distinction of tense. All lan- 
loves.” The terminations in English therefore are not guage is intended to produce an immediate effect on the 
_ complete pronouns as in Latin; they are only accom. mind. It is therefore solely with the time of the action 
panying signs, denoting that a particular sort of word or event specified in the verb that philosophical gram- 
is the nominative to the verb. They might be repre- mar is concerned in tracing the different tenses. The 
_ sented as redundancies, but they are not destitute of future in English is sometimes used instead of the im- 
meaning and utility. Though not absolutely necessary perative, as “ thou shalt not kill;” “thou shalt not 
to guard us against mistake, they contribute to pre- steal.” Perhaps grammarians who delight in distine- 
cision. They enable us to expatiate on a variety of tions would perceive in this phraseology, as compared 
circumstances in connection with the object exhibited to the common English imperative, some analogy to 
in the nominative case, before we introduce the verb; the varieties of imperatives in the Greek. language, 
and then the form of the verb shows its connection and would denominate the sentences last’ mentioned 
with the person mentioned in the nominative. But future imperatives, in contradistinction:to the common 
as the terminations in English are not so essential as in form called the present. But-in the- meaning of the - 
Latin, they are fewer and less varied. The first person. sentences the-tense is equally fature in both., ' 
i , and all the three persons plural, consist of the ©The Greek ledgange bes various imperatives -which The Greek 
simple verb with the pronoun prefixed. ‘I love, we grammarians arrange along with the different tenses, i™per*t'v<* 
eer) love, ye love, they love.” For this, among other reasons, and distinguish by the names of the present, the aorist, : 
____ our language admits of less inversion in the order of and even the preterite imperatives. But this diversity 
_ Sewers y of form: can ce no cefresponding diversity of 
» The same observations apply to the Numbers as to the tense, unless this should consist in discriminations in 
sof the verb. The use of them in the impera- the portions of future time to which the commands re- 
_ tive mood is conducted in the same manner as inthe fer. We may order a person to begin an action ata 
‘indicative. In thé passive voice they. follow. similar. particular time; or we may order him to be engaged in 
_ analogies as in the active. some occupation which is supposed to be previously 
, begun; or. we may order him to have an action com- 
pleted. But, with reference to the primary division of 
tenses.into past, present, and future, the imperative 
# Pig chrcingy to time is goes covnected with must be regarded as essentially future. 
al di. narration of events, and therefore many parts of , , 7c 
inof .the verb are so contrived as to indicate in their struc- &.. The Aorist and Present Ipilicative. ib polenk 
p M a connection with some portion of time in con- Mr Tooke has remarked that the part of the verb ry indicative 
otradistinction to another, The point of reference called the present indicative is a simple or general indi- impties no 
» MOL. X.. PART IL, Su ys 
Secr. X. Fenses.. 
