OBS. 29.—­As most verbs are susceptible of both forms, the simple active and the compound or progressive, and likewise of a transitive and an intransitive sense in each; and as many, when taken intransitively, may have a meaning which is scarcely distinguishable from that of the passive form; it often happens that this substitution of the imperfect participle passive for the simple imperfect in ing, is quite needless, even when the latter is not considered passive.  For example:  “See by the following paragraph, how widely the bane is being circulated!”—­Liberator, No. 999, p. 34.  Here is circulating would be better; and so would is circulated.  Nor would either of these much vary the sense, if at all; for “circulate” may mean, according to Webster, “to be diffused,” or, as Johnson and Worcester have it, “to be dispersed.”  See the second marginal note on p. 378.

OBS. 30.—­R.  G. Parker appears to have formed a just opinion of the “modern innovation,” the arguments for which are so largely examined in the foregoing observations; but the “principle” which he adduces as “conclusive” against it, if principle it can be called, has scarcely any bearing on the question; certainly no more than has the simple assertion of one reputable critic, that our participle in ing may occasionally be used passively.  “Such expressions as the following,” says he, “have recently become very common, not only in the periodical publications of the day, but are likewise finding favor with popular writers; as, ’The house is being built.’  ‘The street is being paved.’  ’The actions that are now being performed,’ &c.  ‘The patents are being prepared.’  The usage of the best writers does not sanction these expressions; and Mr. Pickbourn lays down the following principle, which is conclusive upon the subject. ’Whenever the participle in ing is joined by an auxiliary verb to a nominative capable of the action, it is taken actively; but, when joined to one incapable of the action, it becomes passive.  If we say, The man are building a house, the participle building is evidently used in an active sense; because the men are capable of the action.  But when we say, The house is building, or, Patents are preparing, the participles building and preparing must necessarily be understood in a passive sense; because neither the house nor the patents are capable of action.’—­See Pickbourn on the English Verb, pp. 78-80.”—­Parker’s Aids to English Composition, p. 105.  Pickbourn wrote his Dissertation before the question arose which he is here supposed to decide.  Nor is he right in assuming that the common Progressive Form, of which he speaks, must be either active-transitive or passive:  I have shown above that it may be active-intransitive, and perhaps, in a few instances, neuter.  The class of the verb is determined by something else than the mere capableness of the “nominative.”