334 
Imperfect and Perfect Indejinite Tenses^ [Noy. 1, 
nld) all subraissinn, humbly begging that 
rhey might share in the punishments 
w hich he indicted on his enemies. Ac- 
coidingly he destroyed the greater part 
of them. 
Absurdity had thus met with great 
jnccess; one province alone remained 
rjnconqiiered, and this he determined to 
subdue by stratagem. Knowing that he 
%¥as detesteil by tlie inhabitants, he con¬ 
ceived it would be useless for liim to ap- 
j>ear in the business, lie therefore sent 
Ssopivistry to persuade them to join the 
cause, (not of Absurdity, for that he 
hnew’ they would nor, but) of Supersti¬ 
tion, promising them, in exchange for 
their provinces, the districts of Ease and 
Lice ntiou sites?. Tiiey had, however, 
notwithstanding the secrecy which was 
of^ed, heard of the Alliance between 
Superstition and Absurdity, and seeing 
through the affected solidity of tiie ain- 
fcassador, disrnisscfl iiim in confusion. 
Absurdity, thus foiled, sent Ridicule 
with his forces against them; but instead 
©f subduing them, he rvas received with 
contempt, and treated with neglect ; 
until wearied with useless exertions, he 
returned to head-quarters. Persecution 
Vf'as next opposed to them, and it was 
imagined tl»at, on his approach, terms 
of surrender would Imve been sent. 
But this was not the case, the only pre¬ 
caution they took was to set Vh'gilance at 
their head, and drey then suffered him 
to enter their territmv vvitliout opposi¬ 
tion. Of course lie began immediately 
the work of destruction, committed to 
him. The inhabitants of both sexes and 
4i!l ages fell victims to liis fury; hut 
vdiat astonished every beholder was, that, 
though he continually destroyed them, 
tliey became still more numerous and 
powerful. The fact was this; the sol¬ 
diers of Persecution, admiring the patient 
fortitude of their enemies, and disgusted 
with the wanton cruelty and sanguinary 
disposition of their leader, deserted to 
the opposite party. I^ersecution, per¬ 
ceiving the defection of his soldiers, and 
aggrandizement of liis enemies, returned 
disappointed to the emperor; who, 
finding that no hostilities would produce 
any effect while they w-ere under tlieir 
present general, fletennined upon his 
destruction. I'or this purpose he sent 
among tiiem Liberty. Not suspecting 
iliat he was a friend of the emperor, 
they received him gladly. He told them, 
he came to offer his services, and begged 
they would not scruple to use him as they 
pleased; at the same time insinuating, 
tliat, now he was arrived, they had no 
further need for their general. Ac¬ 
cordingly, Vigilance was banished at his 
request. Finding that he was in favour 
with the people, he thought it a good op¬ 
portunity to introduce bis friena, Divi¬ 
sion; who, coming under the appearance 
of Conscience, separated them into small 
parties. 
The emoeror thought tins a fit time to 
send assi'tance; he accordingly dis¬ 
patched Affectation, Pride, Interest, 
Ambition, ixc. thougli under different 
names—such a <5 Propriety, Dignity, 
Zeal, &c, Tliese were to exert their 
influence in an underhand manner, and 
if possible to remain concealed until they 
had completed the destruction of the 
empire. Much they have done—much 
remains for theinto do—and, as I cannot 
decide, and am afraid to guess,what will be 
the result of their operations, I shall say 
no more, bat abruptly subscribe my¬ 
self, Non-Ens. - 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine* 
SIR, 
BEG leave to communicate to your 
correspondent, who signs himself 
An Enquirer, in No. 217, of your valu¬ 
able misceliaiiv, my opinion respecting 
the diflerent import and uses of the two 
tenses of French verbs, concerning 
which your correspondent seems desirous 
to be informed. Your correspondent. 
Sir, needs not, I suppose, be told that 
action, existence, &:c. can be spoken of 
in three different ways only; that is, as 
having ceased, as going on, and as not 
begun; and that for this purpose three 
principal tenses of verbs are employed, 
called the perfect, the present, and the 
future; in addition to this, verbs are ca¬ 
pable of pointing out the progressive 
state of an action, &c. at the three pe¬ 
riods above mentioned, for they may re¬ 
present the action as going on formerly, 
now, or hexeT^hev, I was writing ; I 
am zeriiing; I shall be writing.* I'o de- 
* I am aware that many will object to 
this species of phraseology, as unnecessary, 
contending that in I shall write, the future 
progression of the action is as unequivocally 
pointed out as in I shall be writirg, and I do 
not question but it may seem so to an Eng- 
lisliman ; but I confess, that if a person 
were to say to me I shall write to night when 
the clock strikes ten, or I shall be writing to 
nighr when the clock strikes ten, in the first 
instance I should conceive the person intend¬ 
ed to begin writing as the clock struck; and ia 
the second, before the striking of the clock. 
scribe 
