[3] Note, that the Imperfect and Perfect Times are here put together. And it is to be observed, that in the Subjunctive Mode, the event being spoken of under a condition, or supposition, or in the form of a wish, and therefore as doubtful and contingent, the Verb itself in the Present, and the Auxiliary both of the Present and Past Imperfect Times, often carry with them somewhat of a future sense :-as, " if he come to-morrow, I may speak to him :"-" if he should, or would, come to-morrow, I might, would, could, or should, speak to him." Observe also, that the Auxiliaries should and would in the Imperfect Times are used

1

And,

I could, should, would; Thou could'st, &c. love:

and have loved.

Infinitive Mode.
Present, To love: Past, To have loved.

Participle.

Present, Loving: Perfect, Loved:
Past, Having loved.

But in discourse we have often occafion to fpeak of Time, not only as Present, Past, and Future, at large and indeterminately; but alfo as such with some particular distinction and limitation; that is, as paffing, or finished; as imperfect, or perfect. This will be best seen in an example of a Verb laid out and distributed according to these distinctions of Time.

Present,
I love;

Indefinite, or Undetermined,
Time:
Paft,
I loved;

Future,
I shall love.

to express the Present and Future as well as the Past;

as,

" It is my defire, that he should, or would, come now, or to-morrow;" as well as, " It was my defire, that he should, or would, come yesterday." So that in this Mode the precise Time of the Verb is very much determined by the nature and drift of the Sentence.

i

It is needless here to fet down at large the fe veral Variations of the Definite Times, as they confist only in the proper Variations of the Auxiliary, joined to the Present or Perfect Participle; which have already been given..

To express the Present and Past Imperfect of the Active and Neuter Verb, the Auxiliary do is sometimes used : I do (now) love, I did (then) love.

Thus, with very little variation of the principal Verb, the several circumstances of Mode and Time are clearly expressed by the help of the Auxiliaries, be, have, do, let, may, can, shall, will.

The peculiar force of the several Auxiliaries is to be observed. Do and did mark the Action itself, or the Time of it [4], with greater force and

and distinction. They are also of frequent and almost necessary use in Interrogative and Negative Sentences. They sometimes also supply the place of another Verb, and make the repetition of it, in the same or a subsequent sentence, unneceffary: as,

:

" He loves not plays, A's thou dost, Anthony."

Shakespear, Jul. Cæf.

Let does not only express permiffion; but praying, exhorting, commanding. May and might express the possibility or liberty of doing a thing; can and could, the power. Must is sometimes called in for a helper, and denotes neceffity. Will, in the first Person singular and plural, promises or threatens; in the second and third Perfons, only foretells: shall, on the contrary, in the first Person, simply foretells; in the second and third Persons, promises, commands,

"This to me

In dreadful secrecy impart they did." Shakespear. "Die he certainly did." Sherlock, Vol. I. Disc. 7. "Yes, I didloveher;" that is, at that time, or once; intimating a negation, or doubt, of present love.

"The Lord called Samuel; and he ran unto Eli, and faid, Here am I, for thou calledft me. And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me," 1 Sam. iii. 4-6.

or

or threatens [5]. But this must be understood of Explicative Sentences; for when the Sentence is Interrogative, just the reverse for the most part takes place: Thus, "I shall go; you will go;" express event only: but, "will you go?" imports intention; and "shall I go?" refers to the will of another. But again, " he shall go," and "shall he go?" both imply will, expressing or referring to a command. Would primarily denotes inclination of will; and should, obligation: but they both vary their import, and are often used to express simple event.

Do and have make the Present Time; did, bad [6], the Past; shall, will, the Future; let

[5] This distinction was not observed formerly as to the word shall, which was used in the Second and Third Persons to express simply the Event. So likewise should was used, where we now make use of would. See the Vulgar Translation of the Bible.

[6] It has been very rightly observed, that the Verb had, in the common phrafe, I had rather, is not properly used, either as an Active or as an Auxiliary Verb; that, being in the Past time, it cannot in this cafe be properly expressive of time Present; and that it is by no means reducible to any Grammatical contruction. In truth, it seems to have arisen from a mere mistake, in resolving the familiar and ambiguous abbreviation, I'd rather, into I had rather, instead of I would rather which latter is the regular analogous, and proper expression. See Two Grammatical Essays. London, 1768 Effay 1.

is

L