The man is acquitted.  He stands acquitted before the public.  He is learned, wise, and happy, very much improved within a few years.  He is always active, studious, and engaged in his own affairs.  He is renowned, and valorous.  She is respected.  She lives respected.

If there is such a thing as a passive verb, it can never be used in the present tense, for the action expressed by the principal verb which is produced by the agent operating upon the object, is always past tense, and the auxiliary, or helping verb to be, is always present.  Let this verb be analyzed, and the true meaning of each word understood, little difficulty will be found in giving it an explanation.

I will not spend more time in exposing the futility of this attempted distinction.  It depends solely on a verbal form, but can never be explained so as to be understood by any scholar.  Most grammarians have seen the fallacy of attempting to give the meaning of this verb.  They can show its form, but are frequently compelled, as in the cases above, to sort out the “passed participles” from a host of adjectives, and it will be found exceeding troublesome to make scholars perceive any difference in the use of the words, or in the construction of a sentence.  But it may be they have never thought that duty belonged to them; that they have nothing to do but to show them what the book says.  Suppose they should teach arithmetic on the same principles, and learn the scholars to set down 144 as the product of 12 times 12.  Let them look at the form of the figures, observe just how they appear, and make some more like them, and thus go thro the book.  What would the child know of arithmetic?  Just as much as they do of grammar, and no more.  They would understand nothing of the science of numbers, of proportion, or addition.  They would exercise the power of imitation, and make one figure look like another.  Beyond that, all would be a terra incognita, a land unknown.  So in the science of language; children may learn that the verb to be, joined with the past participle of an active verb, makes a passive verb; but what that passive verb is when made, or how to apply it, especially in the present tense, they have no means of knowing.  Their knowledge is all taken on trust, and when thrown upon their own resources, they have none on which to rely.

LECTURE XII.

ON VERBS.

=Mood=.—­Indicative.—­Impera
tive.—­Infinitive.—­Former distinctions.  —­Subjunctive mood.—­=Time=.—­Past.—­Present.—­Future.—­The future explained.—­How formed.—­Mr. Murray’s distinction of time.—­ Imperfect.—­Pluperfect.—­Second future.—­How many tenses.—­ =Auxiliary Verbs=.—­Will.—­Shall.—­May.&m
dash;­Must.—­Can.—­Do.—­Have.

We are now come to consider the different relations of action in reference to manner and time.  We shall endeavor to be as brief as possible upon this subject, keeping in view meanwhile that candor and perspicuity which are indispensable in all our attempts to explain new views.