Verbs have three moods, the indicative, (embracing what is commonly included under the indicative, the subjunctive, and the potential,) the imperative, and the infinitive.—­For definitions, refer to the body of the work.

    TENSE OR TIME.

Verbs have only two tenses, the present and the past.  A verb expressing action commenced and not completed, is in the present tense; as, “Religion soars:  it has gained many victories:  it will [to] carry its votaries to the blissful regions.”

    When a verb expresses finished action, it is in the past tense; as,
    “This page (the Bible) God hung out of heaven, and retired.”

A verb in the imperative and infinitive moods, is always in the present tense, high authorities to the contrary notwithstanding.  The command must necessarily be given in time present, although its fulfilment must be future.  John, what are you doing?  Learning my task.  Why do you learn it?  Because my preceptor commanded me to do so.  When did he command you? Yesterday.—­Not now, of course.

That it is inconsistent with the nature of things for a command to be given in future time, and that the fulfilment of the command, though future, has nothing to do with the tense or time of the command itself, are truths so plain as to put to the blush the gross absurdity of those who identify the time of the fulfilment with that of the command.

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    EXERCISES IN PARSING.

You may read the book which I have printed. May, an irregular active verb, signifying “to have and to exercise might or strength,” indic. mood, pres. tense, second pers. plur. agreeing with its nom. you.  Read, an irregular verb active, infinitive mood, pres. tense, with the sign to understood, referring to you as its agent. Have, an active verb, signifying to possess, indic. present, and having for its object, book understood after “which.” Printed, a perf. participle, referring to book understood.

    Johnson, and Blair, and Lowth, would have been laughed at, had
    they essayed to thrust any thing like our modernized
    philosophical grammar down the throats of their contemporaries.

Would, an active verb, signifying “to exercise volition,” in the past tense of the indicative. Have, a verb, in the infinitive, to understood. Been, a perfect part. of to be, referring to Johnson, Blair, and Lowth. Laughed at, perf. part, of to laugh at, referring to the same as been.  Had, active verb, in the past tense of the indicative, agreeing with its nom. they.  Essayed, perf. part, referring to they.  Call this “philosophical parsing, on reasoning principles, according to the original laws of nature and of thought,” and the pill will be swallowed, by pedants and their dupes, with the greatest ease imaginable.

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