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GENERAL EXPLANATIONS.

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There are some peculiarities in the verb, "I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon"-I would more willingly be, &c. "I had as lief not be, as live to be in fear of such a thing as I am"-I would as willing not be, &c.

"All pay themselves the compliment to think," &c. The infinitive here supplies the place of the gerundial -phrase of thinking, or else of a substantive in apposition with compliment. There are also several neuter verbs, which take an active sense when followed by the adverbs away, out and down. "And sing away my breath;" "And look away my grief;" "She looked him out of countenance;" and also the sea-phrase, to run her down, and many others.

Of the participle. Notwithstanding is used both as a conjunction and preposition. In the latter sense, however, it may be more properly considered a participle. "I will pursue my journey, notwithstanding the danger of being taken by the enemy." Here, danger may be in the nominative absolute with notwithstanding. It is an idiom derived from the Latin, hoc non obstant. Being taken is a participial noun, having a passive signification, and governed in the objective case by the preposition of.

"While Caractacus was leading through the streets of Rome." Was leading, in the active form, here has a passive signification. "Regulus wished to be appointed a successor," i. e. wished that a successor might be appointed to him. Here the objective case is improperly put after a passive verb. This usage is, never

theless, quite common; of which we shall give another instance from an English paper. "An Irish laborer has been left a million of dollars, by his uncle (a merchant) who died at Calcutta." This may be read thus, has been left heir to, &c.

To be content, is to be happy. This sentence, fully expressed, may be read thus, For a man to be content is (the same thing as) for a man to be happy.

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G71 17 A C 55 3

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