Part 7 (1/2)

LECTURE VIII

ON VERBS

Unpleasant to expose error--Verbs defined--Every thing acts-- Actor and object--Laws--Man--Ani--nobody can explain a neuter verb--_One_ kind of verbs--_You_children the truth--Active verbs--Transitive verbs false--Samples--Neuter verbs examined--Sit--Sleep--Stand--Lie--Opinion of Mrs

W--Anecdote

We now come to the consideration of that class of words which in the fore are called _Verbs_ You will allow me to bespeak your favorable attention, and to insist most strenuously on the propriety of a free and thoro examination into the nature and use of these words I shall be under the necessity of perfor the errors of honest, wise, and goodexisted in works on language, and clear the way for aand essential departret the necessity for such labors; but no person ishes the irowth of the hue, and goodness, should shrink from a frank exposition of what he deems to be error, nor refuse his assistance, feeble tho it may be, in the establishment of correct principles

In fors and a description of their characters and relations, so that every entity of which we can conceive a thought, or concerning which we can form an expression, has been defined and described in the use of nouns and adjectives Every thing in creation, of which we think, ive a name, to represent the idea of it, comes under the class of words called nouns The words which specify or distinguish one thing from another, or describe its properties, character, or relations, are designated as adjectives There is only one other employment left for words, and that is the expression of the actions, changes, or inherent tendencies of things This irammar, classed under the head of =Verbs=

_Verb_ is derived fronifies a _word_ By specific application it is applied to those _words_ only which express action, correctly understood; the same as Bible, derived from the Greek ”_biblos_” means literally _the book_, but, by way of eminence, is applied to the sacred scriptures only

This interesting class of words does not deviate from the correct principles which we have hitherto observed in these lectures It depends on established laws, exerted in the regulation of ht; and whoever would learn its sublis, and the mode of their existence The important character it sustains in the production of ideas of the changes and tendencies of things and in the transht, will be found sis exist; Nouns nas differ; Adjectives define or describe thes act; Verbs express their actions

_All Verbs denote action_

By action, we mean not only perceivable e, or resist action It matters not whether we speak of anietables, which _send_ forth their branches, leaves, blossoms, and fruits; or of minerals, which _retain_ their forms, positions, and properties The same principles are concerned, the same laws exist, and should be observed in all our attempts to understand their operations, or e acts according to the ability it possesses; from the small particle of sand, which _occupies_ its place upon the sea shore, up thro the various gradation of being, to the tall archangel, who _bows_ and _worshi+ps_ before the throne of the uncreated Cause of all things and actions which exist thro out his vast dominions

As all actions presuppose an _actor_, so every action must result on some _object_ No effect can exist without an efficient cause to produce it; and no cause can exist without a corresponding effect resulting from it These mutual relations, helps, and dependencies, are ion, the arts, and all science, serve only to develope these prithen, couide the whole From the Eternal I AM, the uncreated, self-existent, self-sustaining =Cause= of all things, down to the minutest particle of dust, evidences may be traced of the existence and influence of these laws, in themselves irresistible, exceptionless, and ined it; and harmony, peace, and perfection are the results of a careful and judicious observance of the laws given for its regulation

Any infringement of these laill produce disorder, confusion, and distraction

Man is els, possessed of a mind capable of reason, i alink between earth and heaven--the , he is subject, in coulate overned by the lahich regulate mind: as possessed of both a body and mind, a code of moral laws demand his observance in all the social relations and duties of life Obedience to these laws is the certain source of health of body, and peace of ement of the to the one, and sorrow and anguish to the other

Lower grades of animals partake of many qualities in common with man In some they are deficient; in others they are superior Some animals are possessed of all but reason, and even in that, the highest of them come very little short of the lowest of the human species If they have not reason, they possess an instinct which nearly approaches it These qualities dwindle down gradually thro the various orders and varieties of anirade of anile drop of water; or to the zoophytes and lythophytes, which fordoes Then strike off into another kingdoetable life

Mark the tall pine which has grown from a small seed which _sent_ forth its root doards and its trunk upwards, drawing nourishment from earth, air, and water, till it noaves its top to the passing breeze, a hundred feet above this dirty earth: or the oak or olive, which have _maintained_ their respective positions a dozen centuries despite the operations of wind and weather, and have shed their foliage and their seeds to propagate their species and extend their kinds to different places While a hundred generations have lived and died, and the country often changed hts and privileges which are slowly encroached upon by the inroads of time, which will one day triumph over them, and they fall helpless to the earth, to submit to the che and cause theive life and power to other vegetables which shall occupy their places[10] Orprinciple in the ”sensitive plant,” which withers at every touch, and suffers long ere it regains its forradations of vegetable life, till you pass the narrow border and enter the mineral world Here you will see displayed the saree

Minerals _assume_ different shapes, hues and relations; they increase and diminish, attach and divide under various circu_ their identity and properties, and exerting their abilities according to the means they possess, till compelled to yield to a superior power, and learn to submit to the lahich operate in every depart _acts_ according to the ability God has bestowed upon it; and s on earth, and yet he is made to depend upon all His authority extends no farther than a privilege, under wholesoood When he goes beyond this, he usurps a pohich belongs not to him, and the destruction of his happiness pays the forfeit of his iressor, and the glory of God's governhteous and i as ulate health, observes tes of this world as not abusing them, he is at rest, he is blessed, he is happy: but no sooner has he violated heaven's law than he becomes the slave, and the servant assuladly follow this subject further, but I shall go beyond my limits, and, it may be, your patience

I would insist, however, on the facts to which your attention has been given, for it is ie correctly without a knowledge of the things and ideas it is e, indeed, must be the mind which will not trace the sublime exhibitions of Divine power and skill in all the operations of nature; and falses which do exist As low and debasing as the speculations of the schools which they conceived to be incapable of action, a principle which they called ”_vis inertiae_,” or, _power to lie still_ Shall our systems of instruction descend below them, throw an insurmountable barrier in the way of human improvement, and teach the false principles that actions can exist without an effect, or that there is a class of words which ”express neither action or passion” Such a theory is at ith the first principles of philosophy, and denies that ”like causes produce like effects”

The ablest minds have never been able to explain the foundation of a ”neuter verb,” or to find a single word, with a solitary exception, which does not, in certain conditions, express a positive action, and terminate on a definite object; and that exception we shall see refers to a verb which expresses the highest degree of conceivable action

Still they have insisted on _three_ and so action, another passion or suffering, and the third neutrality We propose to offer a brief review of these distinctions, which have so long perplexed, not only learners, but teachers the grammarians

It is to be hoped you will coreat candor as you have heretofore ranted, because it has been said by good or great ular Let truth be our object and reason our guide to direct us to it We can not fail of arriving at safe and correct conclusions

Mr Murray tells us that ”verbs are of three kinds, _active_, _passive_, and _neuter_ In a note he admits of ”active _transitive_ and intransitive verbs,” as a subdivision of his first kind Most of his ”iard it as of essential importance

We shall contend, as before expressed, that _all_ verbs are of _one kind_, that they _express action_, for the si acts, at all ti to the true definition of _action_ as understood and erammar, and natural andfor principles so opposite, can not be correct