The use of the form 'wert' has been supposed to belong to the Subjunctive Mood, but it belongs also to the Indicative. Both wast' and ' 'wert (in the 2nd person Past) are comparatively modern forms, used instead of the old form 'were.' [See 20.] It is obvious that the Imperative ('be') cannot be employed without an adjunct, such as is seen in the example 'be still.' The Indicative (3rd person Sing. Pr.) is correctly used without any adjunct in HEBREWS xi. 6.

The original meaning of the verb wende = turn. Such forms of this verb as are found in M.E. poetry (wend,' 'wends,' and 'wended') belong to the New Conjugation.

The old P.P. agó serves as an adjective in the phrase 'a long time agó,' and as an adverb in the phrase 'long ago.'

The letter 1 in the Past forms, 'could' and couldst,' does not belong to the verb either in E.I. or in E.II.

in the Present Singular, 3rd person, the form dare' is historically The transitive verb 'dare' (to defy, or to challenge) is a regular

correct.

The original meaning of I shall' 'I have incurred the guilt, and must therefore pay the fine.' Some dim memory of this original meaning has given rise to modern distinct uses of 'shall' and 'will,' when used as auxiliaries in the Future Tense. [See § 46.]

N.B.-The independent verb 'will' (seldom used) belongs to the New Conjugation.

The tense of 'ought' depends on its context. (Ser JAMES iv. 15; ACTS xvii. 29; LUKE XXIV. 26; MATTH. XXV. 27.)

The tense of 'must' depends on its context. For its use in the Present Tense, see JOHN iii. 7; ix. 4. For the Present Tense, used with reference to the Future, see JOHN x. 16, and 1 COR. xv. 53. For the use of the Past, see JOHN iv. 4, and LUKE xxiii. 17. The word 'context' means words found connected with the verb in a certain sentence, or in a series of sentences.

*26. ADVERBS.-E.I., E.II,

ADVERBS having forms borrowed from Adjectives have, in First English and in Old English, inflexions for degrees of comparison.

In First English the regular endings of the three degrees. are e, or, ost. In Old and in Modern English the comparative suffix is er, the superlative est. The following old forms, mostly irregular or defective, are more or less represented in Modern English:

In MODERN ENGLISH, Adverbs ending in ly are mostly compared by means of the Adverbs more (comparative) and most (superlative).

But such adverbial forms as 'rightlier,' 'earlier,' and 'earliest' belong to Modern English literature.

Degrees of diminution are expressed by means of the Adverbs less and least.

The suffix ly is added to some Adjectives, and to some Adverbs having forms of comparison. Ex.: fórmerly,

'firstly,' 'lástly,' 'móstly.'

The uses of more and most for comparison of adverbs are as old as their uses in the comparison of adjectives.

Double forms in comparison of adverbs are not allowed in Modern English, but they occur in Old English, though not so frequently as double forms in comparison of adjectives. [See* 19.]

Both comparison and proportion are denoted by such phrases as the more' and 'the less,' of which the uses are as old as the English language.

'The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,

The higher he's a-getting,

The sooner will his race be run,

And nearer he's to setting.'-HERRICK.