not by the verb, but by a preposition understood. “’Poscere deos veniam is ‘to ask the gods for pardon.’”—­Barnes’s Philological Gram., p. 116.  In general the English idiom does not coincide with what occurs in Latin under these rules.  We commonly insert a preposition to govern one or the other of the terms.  But we sometimes leave to the verb the objective of the person, and sometimes that of the thing; and after the two verbs ask and teach, we sometimes seem to leave both:  as, “When thou dost ask me blessing, I’ll kneel down, and ask of thee forgiveness.”—­ Shakspeare.  “In long journeys, ask your master leave to give ale to the horses.”—­Swift.  “And he asked them of their welfare.”—­Gen., xliii, 27.  “They asked of him the parable.”—­Mark, iv, 10. ("Interrogarunt eum de parabola.”—­Beza.) “And asking them questions”—­Luke, ii, 46.  “But teach them thy sons.”—­Deut., iv, 9. “Teach them diligently unto thy children”—­Ib., vi, 7. ’"Ye shall teach them your children.”—­Ib., xi, 19.  “Shall any teach God knowledge?”—­Job, xxi, 22.  “I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”—­Psal, xxxiv, 11.  “He will teach us of his ways.”—­Isaiah, ii, 3; Micah, iv, 2.  “Let him that is taught in the word, communicate.”—­Gal., vi, 6.

OBS. 10.—­After a careful review of the various instances in which more than one noun or pronoun may possibly be supposed to be under the government of a single active verb in English, I incline to the opinion that none of our verbs ought to be parsed as actually governing two cases, except such as are followed by two objectives connected by a conjunction.  Consequently I do not admit, that any passive verb can properly govern an objective noun or pronoun.  Of the ancient Saxon dative case, and of what was once considered the government of two cases, there yet appear some evident remains in our language; as, “Give him bread to eat.”—­“Bread shall be given him”—­Bible.  But here, by almost universal consent, the indirect object is referred to the government of a “preposition understood;” and in many instances this sort of ellipsis is certainly no elegance:  as, “Give [to] truth and virtue the same arms which you give [to] vice and falsehood, and the former are likely to prevail.”—­Blair’s Rhet., p. 235.  The questionable expression, “Ask me blessing,” if interpreted analogically, must mean, “Ask for me a blessing,” which is more correct and explicit; or, if me be not supposed a dative, (and it does not appear to be so, above,) the sentence is still wrong, and the correction must be, “Ask of me a blessing,” or, “Ask my blessing.”  So, “Ask your master