it passes into a preposition, an adverb, or something else.  Thus have we from the verb a single derivative, which fairly ranks with about half the different parts of speech, and takes distinct constructions even more numerous; and yet these authors scruple not to make of it a hybridous thing, neither participle nor noun, but constructively both.  “But this,” says Lowth, “is inconsistent; let it be either the one or the other, and abide by its proper construction.”—­Gram., p. 82.  And so say I—­as asserting the general principle, and leaving the reader to judge of its exceptions.  Because, without this mongrel character, the participle in our language has a multiplicity of uses unparalleled in any other; and because it seldom happens that the idea intended by this double construction may not be otherwise expressed more elegantly.  But if it sometimes seem proper that the gerundive participle should be allowed to govern the possessive case, no exception to my rule is needed for the parsing of such possessive; because whatever is invested with such government, whether rightly or wrongly, is assumed as “the name of something possessed.”

OBS. 18.—­The reader may have observed, that in the use of participial nouns, the distinction of voice in the participle is sometimes disregarded.  Thus, “Against the day of my burying,” means, “Against the day of my being buried.” But in this instance the usual noun burial or funeral would have been better than either:  “Against the day of my burial.”  I. e., “In diem funerationis meae.”—­Beza.  “In diem sepulturae meae.”—­Leusden. “[Greek:  ’Eis t`aen haemeran tou entaphiasmou mou.]”—­John, xii, 7.  In an other text, this noun is very properly used for the Greek infinitive, and the Latin gerund; as, “For my burial.”—­Matt., xxvi, 12.  “Ad funerandum me.”—­Beza.  “Ad sepeliendum me.”—­Leusden.  Literally:  “For burying me.” “[Greek:  Pros to entaphiasai me.]” Nearly:  “For to have me buried.” Not all that is allowable, is commendable; and if either of the uncompounded terms be found a fit substitute for the compound participial noun, it is better to dispense with the latter, on account of its dissimilarity to other nouns:  as, “Which only proceed upon the question’s being begged.”—­Barclay’s Works, Vol. iii, p. 361.  Better, “Which only proceed upon a begging of the question.” “The king’s having conquered in the battle, established his throne.”—­Nixon’s Parser, p. 128.  Better, “The king’s conquering in the battle;” for, in the participial noun, the distinction of tense, or of previous completion, is as needless as that of voice.  “The fleet’s having sailed prevented mutiny.”—­Ib., p. 78.  Better, “The sailing of the fleet,”—­or, “The fleet’s sailing” &c.  “The prince’s being murdered excited their pity.”—­Ibid. Better, “The prince’s murder excited their indignation.”