ing examples, "I wrote," "I have written," "I had written," "I fhall have written," all denote complete perfect action.

From the preceding representation of the different tenfes, it appears, that each of them has its diftinct and peculiar province; and that though fome of them may fometimes be ufed promifcuoufly, or fubftituted one for another, in cafes where great accuracy is not required, yet there is a real and effential difference in their meaning.-It is alfo evident, that the English language contains the fix tenfes which we have enumerated. Grammarians who limit the number to two or three, do not reflect that the English verb is mostly compofed of principal and auxiliary; and that these several parts conftitute one verb. Either the English language has no future tenfe, (a pofition too abfurd to need refutation,) or that future tenfe is compofed of the auxiliary and the principal verb. If the latter be true, as it indifputably is, then auxiliary and principal united, conftitute a tenfe, in one instance; and, from reason and analogy, may doubtlefs do fo, in others, in which minuter divifions of time are neceffary, or useful. What reafon can be affigned for not confidering this cafe, as other cafes, in which a whole is regarded as compofed of feveral parts, or of principal and adjuncts? There is nothing heterogeneous in the parts: and precedent, analogy, utility, and even neceffity, authorife the union.

In fupport of this opinion, we have the authority of eminent grammarians; in particular, that of Dr. Beattie. "Some writers," fays the doctor, "will not allow any thing to be a tenfe, but what, in one inflected word, expreffes an affirmation with time; for that thofe parts of the verb are not properly called tenfes, which affume that appearance, by means of auxiliary words. At this rate, we should have, in English, two tenfes only, the prefent and the past in the active verb, and in the paffive no tenfes at all. But this is a needlefs nicety; and, if adopted, would introduce confufion into the grammatical art. amaveram be a tenfe, why fhould not amatus fueram? If I heard be a tenfe, I did hear, I have heard, and I shall hear, must be equally intitled to that appellation."

If

The proper form of a tenfe, in the Greek and Latin tongues, is certainly that which it has in the grammars of thofe languages. But in the Greek and Latin grammars, we uniformly find, that fome of the tenfes are formed by variations of the principal verb; and others, by the addition of helping verbs. It is, therefore, indifputable, that the principal verb or the participle, and an auxiliary, conftitute a regular tenfe in the Greek and Latin languages. This point being established, we may, doubtless, apply it to English verbs; and extend the principle as far as convenience, and the idiom of our language require.

If it fhould be faid, that, on the fame ground that a participle and auxiliary are allowed to form a tenfe, and the verb conjugated accordingly, the English noun ought to be declined with articles and prepofitions; we must object to the inference. Such a mode of declenfion cannot apply to our language. This we think has already been proved.* It is alfo confeffedly inapplicable to the learned languages. Where then is the grammatical inconfiftency, or the want of conformity to the principles of analogy, in making fome tenfes of the English verb to confist of principal and auxiliary; and all the cafes of English nouns, in their termination? The argument from analogy, inftead of militating against us, appears to confirm and establish our position. See the fubject further difcuffed in the ninth fection of this chapter.

We shall close thefe remarks on the tenfes, with a few obfervations extracted from the ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA. They are worth the ftudent's attention, as a part of them applies, not only to our explanation of the tenfes, but to many other parts of the work. "Harris has enumerated no fewer than twelve tenfes. Of this enume ration we can by no means approve: for, without entering into a minute examination of it, nothing can be more ob vious, than that his inceptive prefent, "I am going to write," is a future tense; and his completive prefent, "I have written, a past tenfe. But, as was before obferved of the

*See page 54.
H

claffification of words, we cannot help being of opinion, that, to take the tenfes as they are commonly received, and endeavour to afcertain their nature and their differences, is a much more useful exercife, as well as more proper for a work of this kind, than to raise, as might cafily be raised, new theories on this fubject."

SECT. 6. The Conjugation of the auxiliary verbs TO HAVE and TO BE.

THE Conjugation of a verb, is the regular combination and arrangement of its feveral numbers, perfons, moods, and tenfes.

The Conjugation of an active verb is styled the ACTIVE VOICE; and that of a paffive verb, the

PASSIVE VOICE.

The auxiliary and active verb TO HAVE, is conjugated in the following manner.

TO HAVE.

Indicative Mood.

Prefent Tenfe.

Singular.

1. Pers. I have.

2. Pers. Thou haft.

Plural.

1. We have.

*

2. Ye or have.*
you

3. Pers. He, fhe, or it? 3. They have.

hath or has.*

*Hath is now used only in poetry, and on very serious subjects.

Ye is nearly obfolete.

The imperative mood is not strictly entitled to three perfons. The command is always addreffed to the fecond

+ Some Grammarians diftinguish the three paft tenfes, by the names of the first preterit, the second preterit, the third preterit; and the first and second future tenfes, by the terms, future imperfect, and future perfect.

perfon, not to the first or third. For when we fay, "Let me have," "Let him, or let them have," the meaning and conftruction are, do thou, or do ye, let me, him, or them have. In philofophical strictnefs, both number and perfon might be entirely excluded from every verb. They are, in fact, the properties of fubftantives, not a part of the effence of a verb. Even the name of the imperative mood, does not always correfpond to its nature for it fometimes petitions as well as commands. But with refpect to all thefe points, the practice of our grammarians is fo uniformly fixed, and fo analagous to the languages, ancient and modern, which our youth have to ftudy, that it would be an unwarrantable degree of innovation, to deviate from the established terms and arrangements. See the advertisement at the end of the Introduction, page 8; and the quotation from the Encyclopædia Britannica, pages 85, 86..