solid learning, every precept of true wisdom and prudence, and, what is of much greater consequence, the best examples for the formation and direction of a good life (bene instituendæ vitæ).

A participle passive is often elegantly joined to a verb as antecedent to it, and put into the neuter gender, being made to agree with the sentence, though either of the two verbs would have been sufficient; as, Quam relatum legerint.

A similar mode is very frequently adopted with the verb habeo, when the English verb to have refers not merely to the perfect, but to the present; as,

We have found or discovered that the sun stands still. Compertum habemus solem consistere.

1. We have received it from tradition, or we have received it as delivered from antiquity.

2. I comprehend in my mind, or, I hold it comprehended in my mind. 3. You could scarcely mention any thing which he did not know; for as we mark with letters whatever we wish to commit to a lasting monument, so he had engraven all things on his mind.

The participle future active should be used, instead of the verbs cupio, volo, and statuo, with the omission of the conjunctions cùm and si, when they merely imply something future; as,

If you intend to set out on your journey, shake off your sleep: Iter initurus eripe te somno.

1. When you wish to write verses, read Virgil, and thus his manner may, by degrees, be imperceptibly transfused into your poetry.

2. When I was thinking of writing this letter to you, intelligence was brought to me, that you were gone into Italy.

All verbs, signifying motion to a place, may be variously rendered; either by a supine, a gerund, or by ut with the subjunctive; but with greater elegance by the participle future active; as,

He came to snatch away the boy :

Venit ut eriperet puerum ;

Venit ereptum puerum;

Venit eripiendi puerum causa; or, ad eripiendum puerum : But more elegantly,

Venit erepturus puerum.

1. I am come to extricate you from all your difficulties.

2 He retired into the temple, to implore the favour of the gods, and to consult the oracle; but a band of ruffians, unmindful of the sacrea place in which so foul a deed would be perpetrated, rushed upon him, and slew him before the altar.

One or two more words in a sentence are elegantly placed between the participle and the verb sum, which, in that case, generally comes first.

1. I think I shall not be very far from the truth, in asserting, that, among all those (ex omnibus iis), who have been employed in the most liberal studies of the arts and sciences, there have existed a very small number of excellent poets.

2. I had not the least doubt, that many messengers, and report itself, would, by its rapidity, anticipate this letter.

OF TENSES.

In a continued narration, which is intended to represent circumstances as if they were present to the eye, the present indicative is more in use than the perfect.

1. The commander, observing the general consternation, called a council of war, and, having summoned all the centurions of the army to be present, inveighed against them, with great severity, for presuming to inquire, or at all concern themselves, which way, or on what design, they were to march.

2. A few days after, Ennius having come to Nasica, and asking for him at the door, Nasica cried out that he was not at home.

It is usual with the Latins, in a narration, to make use of the present infinitive instead of the indicative, with the ellipsis of cœpi, or of some other verb; this is called the historic infinitive; as in that line of Virgil ;

Nos pavidi trepidare metu, crinemque flagrantem

Excutere.

1. Then all in the assembly exclaimed that the country was in danger (in summum discrimen esse adductum), and that the enemies were already at the gates; they then suddenly rushed forth, determined either to conquer, or to die bravely for their country.

2. The man, being struck (percitus) with the fear of impending danger, faltered, hesitated, and blushed.

Where the subject is general, and the word man is either expressed or understood, the passive is not always used, but it is as elegant to put the second person singular of the subjunctive, or the infinitive, with the verb est or licet; as,

A man may easily understand what use is to be derived from literature: Animadvertere est, quanta ex re literaria quæri possit utilitas.

1. 2d PERSON PRES. SUB. In every business, before men undertake any thing of moment, they should first deiiberate, and use the utmost

caution.

2. What is promised with an oath, as if God were a witness, must be inviolably kept (id tenendum est).

3. INFIN. with est or licet. Men are seen every where covetous of money.

4. Men are often seen, not so much from a natural benevolence, as from a desire of appearing generous, doing actions which seem to proceed rather from ostentation than good will.

5. This may be seen in our other senses, that we are not so long delighted with perfumes of a very high and sweet savour, as with those that are more moderate (quàm his moderatis).

In the epistolary style, instead of the present tense, the past tenses are often used; most frequently the imperfect. The writer seems to consider the time of the letter's being read, not of its being written, as the moment of narration : as, I am ill; the letter writer should say, Ægrotabam, because his illness may have left him before the letter is received. A future is rendered by the participle future, with the imperfect of the verb sum.

1. There is (say was) a report, that you have succeeded in your enterprise.

2. I am thinking of setting of to-morrow. (Participle future with imperfect of sum).

3. If there shall be a long interval between my letters, do not wonder at it (perfect subjunctive); for I shall be absent for a whole month.

4. I write this on the twelfth of June, and send it by the lettercarrier (tabellario tradebam).

There is some difficulty in the use of the future perfect, owing to the incorrectness of the English, which generally uses the simple present, future or perfect, where it ought to have a future perfect. It generally follows these particles, cùm, ubi, si, quando, and is used when the verb, that accompanies it, is in the future imperfect, and itself denotes a future action absolutely completed; as,

When he comes, we shall sing: Cùm venerit ille, ca

nemus.

1. When your father comes, I shall tell him (certiorem faciam) what progress you have made in your learning.

2. When you have sent me that book, I shall give it to my father. 3. If you do this, I shall be highly indebted to you.

4. Whatever you resolve will please me.

5. To-morrow, if the enemy go out of their camp to forage and lay waste the neighbouring country, I shall give orders for a chosen troop to sally forth, and, if possible, to take the foraging party in the rear, and cut them off from their main army.

This tense is by some grammarians very erroneously called a future subjunctive. The Latins invariably use the participle future, and the verb sum, to form a future subjunctive; as, I do not doubt but he will prove a learned man: Non dubito, quin evusurus sit doctus. When verbs have no supine, and consequently want a participle future, they employ the periphrasis fore ut, as we have already observed; as, I hope he will learn; spero fore ut discat.

1. Such is his skill, bravery, and knowledge of the military art, that he will, without doubt, extricate himself from that danger. 2. He will use so many arts, that he will corrupt my son. 3. I think that, if misers bury their treasures in a chest, not only their thoughts but their bodies will always hang over that chest.

And, often where the English has a future, the Latins, speaking with greater accuracy, make use of a present, when the matter relates to a thing present.

1. Who will deny this? I am so far from invalidating the force of this argument, that I wish to pay all possible respect to so high an authority.

2. Every one will easily understand, that the whole of my discourse tends to confute so erroneous an opinion.

The Latins often very elegantly use the perfect subjunctive, instead of the present.

will be induced to love virtue for its own sake, if they are not at the same time impelled by other more powerful reasons.

2. You may object to this, that man is born to labour, and therefore he cannot expect a life of repose.

The present subjunctive of the verbs volo, malo, nolo, possum, is often used for the imperfect, as is the case with other verbs, when there is an interrogation.

1. I would rather please you and Brutus.

2. If he must be sent for, which I should by no means wish, he cannot but be struck with astonishment at this unheard of prodigy. 3. Who could not understand a thing so intelligible ?

4. Who could believe, that you, who are already so much advanced in years, should think of marriage?

Concerning the SUCCESSION OF TENSES to each other, as far as it varies from the English, as it is often attended with some difficulty, it may be observed, that after ut, ne, quò, quo minùs, quin, qui, quæ, quod, quis, and other particles, that govern the subjunctive, if a present or future goes before, it is is right to use the present; if an imperfect, perfect or pluperfect, then the imperfect follows: as, he will be worthy to be loved; dignis erit, qui ametur; he was worthy to be loved: dignus erat, qui amaretur. But it will be necessary to pay strict regard to the nature of the tenses, and the sense of the subject; hence some exceptions may sometimes occur.

A PRESENT after a PRESENT, - When speaking of things present.

1. You tell me that your destiny is placed in my own hand, as if it were possible, that I should obtain this boon.-(Here it would be wrong to say consequerer, because fieri possit goes before, though the English might seem to authorize it.)

2. I do not think, that there are any men, who would not wish to be informed of the fate of their absent friends.

But these will be excepted :

A perfect must come after the present, if speaking of a circumstance that is past; and a future, if speaking of the future.