OBS. 3.—­Passive verbs may be easily distinguished from neuter verbs of the same form, by a reference to the agent or instrument, common to the former class, but not to the latter.  This frequently is, and always may be, expressed after passive verbs; but never is, and never can be, expressed after neuter verbs:  as, “The thief has been caught by the officer.”—­ “Pens are made with a knife.”  Here the verbs are passive; but, “I am not yet ascended,” (John, xx, 17,) is not passive, because it does not convey the idea of being ascended by some one’s agency.

OBS. 4.—­Our ancient writers, after the manner of the French, very frequently employed this mode of conjugation in a neuter sense; but, with a very few exceptions, present usage is clearly in favour of the auxiliary have in preference to be, whenever the verb formed with the perfect participle is not passive; as, “They have arrived,”—­not, “They are arrived.”  Hence such examples as the following, are not now good English:  “All these reasons are now ceased.”—­Butler’s Analogy, p. 157.  Say, “have now ceased.”  “Whether he were not got beyond the reach of his faculties.”—­Ib., p. 158.  Say, “had not got.”  “Which is now grown wholly obsolete.”—­Churchill’s Gram., p. 330.  Say, “has now grown.”  “And when he was entered into a ship.”—­Bible.  Say, “had entered.”—­ “What is become of decency and virtue?”—­Murray’s Key, p. 196.  Say, “has become.”

OBS. 5.—­Dr. Priestley says, “It seems not to have been determined by the English grammarians, whether the passive participles of verbs neuter require the auxiliary am or have before them.  The French, in this case, confine themselves strictly to the former.  ’What has become of national liberty?’ Hume’s History, Vol. 6. p. 254.  The French would say, what is become; and, in this instance, perhaps, with more propriety.”—­ Priestley’s Gram., p. 128.  It is no marvel that those writers who have not rightly made up their minds upon this point of English grammar, should consequently fall into many mistakes.  The perfect participle of a neuter verb is not “passive,” as the doctor seems to suppose it to be; and the mode of conjugation which he here inclines to prefer, is a mere Gallicism, which is fast wearing out from our language, and is even now but little countenanced by good writers.

OBS. 6.—­There are a few verbs of the passive form which seem to imply that a person’s own mind is the agent that actuates him; as, “The editor is rejoiced to think,” &c.—­Juvenile Keepsake.  “I am resolved what to do.”—­Luke, xvi, 4.  “He was resolved on going to the city to reside.”—­Comly’s Gram., p. 114.  “James was resolved not to indulge himself.”—­Murray’s