Arsenic has a tendency in itself, a latent power, which only requires an opportunity suited to its objects, when it will act in the most efficacious manner.  It will destroy the life of the Emperor, who has voluntarily slain his thousand and tens of thousands.  This secret power does not reside in the flour of wheat, for that will not, has no tendency, to produce such disastrous consequences.

This word is applied in a similar manner to individuals and nations.  The man will fall, not of intention, but of accident.  He will kill himself.  The man will drown, and the boat will swim.  The water will hold up the boat, but it will allow the man to sink.  The Russians will conquer the Turks.  If conquest depended solely on the will, the Turks would as soon conquer as the Russians.  But I have not time to pursue this topic farther.  You can follow out these hints at your leisure.

=Shall= signifies to be bound, obligated, or required, from external necessity.  Its etymology may be traced back thro various languages.  It is derived direct from the saxon scaelan or scylan, and is found as a principal verb in that language, as well as in ours.  In the church homily they say, “To Him alone we schall us to devote ourselves;” we bind or obligate ourselves.  Chaucer, an early english poet, says.

    “The faith we shall to God.”

Great difficulty has been found in distinguishing between shall and will, and frequent essays have been written, to give arbitrary rules for their use.  If the words were well understood, there could be no difficulty in employing them correctly. Will signifies inherent tendency, aptitude, or disposition, and volition in beings capable of using it. Shall implies external necessity, or foreign obligation.  The parent says, “You will suffer misery if you do evil,” for it is in accordance with the nature of things for evil to produce misery.  “You shall regard my wishes,” for you are under obligation, from the relation in which you stand to me, to do so.  Let these words be clearly explained, and there will be no difficulty in using them correctly.

=May=, past tense might.  This verb expresses power, strength, or ability to perform an action.  It is a mistake that it means permission or liberty only.  It implies more than that, the delegation of a power to perform the contemplated action.  Suppose the scholar should faint, would the teacher say to him you may go into the open air?  He has no power, might, or strength, communicated by such liberty, and must receive the might or strength of others to carry him out.  But to the scholar in health he says you may go out, thereby giving to him a power and liberty sufficient to perform the action.  This is done on the same principle that one man gives another a “power of attorney” to transact his business; and that power constitutes his liberty of action.