THE INFINITIVE PHRASE
=Nature of the Infinitive.=--In the preceding lessons, we have studied
but one element of the sentence; namely, the proposition. This
combination of subject and predicate we have looked at from the point
of view of its value as a sentence element, and we have found that in
the communication of thought it is of the utmost importance by reason
of its clearness. In this respect it is superior to other simpler and
briefer elements, but nevertheless in the development of English prose
we find the proposition steadily superseded, wherever possible, by
several of the simpler elements. This is the result of an ever-growing
tendency toward brevity and conciseness. In a recent monograph
entitled “The History of the English Paragraph,” the author states
that the English sentence has decreased in length at least one-half
in three hundred years, and that it has shown very great decrease in
formal predication. The means by which predication is avoided without
sacrificing clearness are various. One of them, is the infinitive
phrase, which we shall make the subject of this chapter.
By an infinitive phrase we mean a group of words of which an infinitive
is the base, the whole group being the equivalent of a clause and
forming an element of a sentence. It is an element employed so
frequently that it is very easily interpreted, and its great advantage
is that it enables us to dispense with a subject and predicate.
The infinitive is a verb-form differing from the finite verb in
this,--it expresses the action or state denoted by the verb without
the limitations of person and number, hence it cannot predicate.
It is defined by grammarians as a verbal noun. This does not mean,
however, that it always has the use of a noun, but rather that it has
the nature of a noun in this important respect, that it _names_ the
action or state denoted by the verb. Just as a noun may be employed as
an adjective or an adverb, thus, “I have a _gold_ watch,” “I am going
_home_,” and still retain its essential characteristic, that of being a
name-word, so the infinitive may be used adjectively or adverbially and
still be the name of an action or state. The infinitive also retains
its verb nature so far as to take any of the modifiers or complements
of the verb; for example, in the sentence,--“To furl a sail is to roll
it up and secure it,” the subject is the infinitive phrase _to furl a
sail_, the base of which is the infinitive _to furl_. Now in so far as
_to furl_ is subject it has the use of a noun; it has the nature of
a noun, too, in naming an act; but it also has the nature of a verb
insomuch as it denotes action performed upon the object _sail_.
* * * * *
=Forms of the Infinitive.=--There are two infinitives, the root
infinitive, or infinitive with _to_,--_to see_, _to run_, _to be_,--and
the gerund, or infinitive in _-ing_,--_seeing_, _running_, _being_. We
shall study first the root infinitive. Besides the simple form, _to
see_, called the present active infinitive, there is the perfect active
infinitive, _to have seen_, and the corresponding passive forms, _to be
seen_ and _to have been seen_. We may also add the active progressive
forms, _to be seeing_ and _to have been seeing_. Intransitive verbs of
course lack the passive forms. Of all these forms the one most used in
the communication of thought is the simplest one of all, the present
active.
* * * * *
=Uses of the Infinitive.=--The infinitive is used for many different
purposes, but nearly always in relation to some word whose meaning it
serves to make more clear and without which it would not be in the
sentence at all. These relations of the infinitive to other words may
perhaps be most clearly explained if we consider them in groups; (1)
its relation to the noun, (2) to the verb, (3) to the adjective or
adverb.
I. A noun may have an infinitive associated with it in two ways:--
1. As an adjective; as, “Leaves have their time _to fall_.”--_Mrs.
Hemans._ Here the infinitive is brought into the sentence by the noun
_time_, to specify what time the leaves have. The expression _time to
fall_ means _falling time_ or _time for falling_. In the following
sentence from Carlyle,--“He that speaks what is really in him will
find men _to listen_,” the infinitive defines the noun _men_, being
equivalent to the restrictive adjective clause _who will listen_, so we
must say of the infinitive that it is used like an adjective modifying
_men_. It is better than the clause, being simpler and briefer.
2. As a noun in apposition; as, “He had formed the heroic resolution
_to defend the tower alone against the enemy_.” Here the infinitive
phrase is associated with the noun _resolution_, but instead of
defining or qualifying _resolution_, it tells exactly what the
resolution is, and so is used as a noun. Moreover, we can make a
sentence by putting the verb _is_ between the noun _resolution_ and the
infinitive phrase; as, “His resolution is to defend the tower,” etc.
This sentence is true, and means that the subject and the complement
of the verb are two names for the same thing. When the infinitive is
used with the noun as an adjective we cannot make such a sentence as
the above; for example, we cannot say _men are to listen_, meaning
that _men_ and _to listen_ are equivalent. Of course few nouns can be
explained by an infinitive in apposition; no such noun, for instance,
as _city_, _man_, _book_, _tree_, but such nouns as _wish_, _promise_,
_luck_, _intention_, _task_.
This use of the infinitive reminds us of a substantive clause in
apposition. In fact, both the adjective infinitive and the appositive
are substitutes for clauses, the former taking the place of a
restrictive adjective clause, the latter of either an unrestrictive
adjective clause or a substantive clause.
In the sentence, “This is a day _on which to travel_,” we have an
infinitive phrase made from an adjective clause and still retaining the
relative pronoun. The relative has an antecedent but does not join to
it as usual a dependent proposition.
NOTE.--When we say that an infinitive is used as an adjective or a
noun, we do not mean for an instant that it takes the place of any
adjective or noun in the language. So far from this being the case,
the infinitive is employed simply because there are no nouns or
adjectives to say what the infinitive says for us.
II. The infinitive may be related to a verb in various ways.
1. As subject; as, “_To pass this bridge_ was the severest
trial.”--_Irving._ If we ask, what was the severest trial? the answer
is the whole phrase, _to pass this bridge_; but the base of this phrase
is the infinitive _to pass_, hence it is the essential subject.
A common way of using the infinitive as subject is that arrangement by
means of the anticipative subject _it_, which enables us to put the
real subject after the verb; as, “It is a most earnest thing to be
alive in this world.”--_Carlyle._
NOTE.--Some grammarians prefer to call _it_ a neuter personal pronoun,
subject of the verb, and the infinitive its appositive, or explanatory
modifier.
2. As complement.
(_a_) Object of a transitive verb. Not all transitive verbs can take
infinitives for objects. Most of those that do are verbs denoting
some activity of the feelings or the will; as, “He _resolved_ to go”;
“They _hoped_ to surprise this post.” The infinitives here answer
the questions, resolved what? hoped what? They are equivalent to
substantive clauses,--He resolved _that he would go_, they hoped _that
they might surprise this post_; but when the action denoted by the
infinitive is to be performed by the same person as that denoted by the
subject of the predicate verb, the infinitive is chosen instead of the
clause. It is simpler than the clause and has become by frequent use
equally clear. When the two actors are different, two subjects must be
expressed, hence the clause is employed; for example, They resolved
that _I_ should go; They hoped that _their allies_ would surprise this
post.
NOTE.--The contraction of a noun clause to an infinitive phrase is
very evident in such a sentence as this,--“He did not know _what to
say_.” The word _what_ leads us to expect a subject and predicate
to follow, but we have merely an infinitive. The second subject if
expressed would be _he_, the same as that of the principal verb.
Verbs signifying _begin_, _continue_, or _cease_ frequently take an
infinitive for object; as, “As he approached the stream, his heart
began _to thump_.”--_Irving._
The verb _ought_ is always followed by an infinitive, which is clearly
seen to be its object when we remember that _ought_ is an old past
tense of the verb _owe_; as, “The founder of this stately mansion
ought surely to have stood in his own hall and to have offered the
first welcome to so many eminent personages.”--_Hawthorne._ Here the
obligation owed by the founder is specified by the two infinitive
phrases.
A use similar to the above is that of the infinitive after _have_;
as, “My friend, the Poet, tells, me he has to leave town whenever the
anniversaries come round.”--_Holmes._ _Have_ means _to possess_, or _be
under an obligation_.
NOTE.--The construction, “I had rather go than stay,” may be explained
by treating _go_ as an infinitive without the sign _to_ used as object
of the transitive verb _had_. Expanded the sentence reads, “I had to
go rather than I had to stay.” The constructions, “I had sooner go
than stay,” and, “I had as lief go as stay,” may be explained in the
same way.
After _dare_, _need_, and _please_ the sign of the infinitive _to_ is
usually omitted; for example, “I dare _do_ all that may become a man.”
_Dare_ and _need_ are often used with a subject in the third person
singular, whereas we should expect _dares_ and _needs_; thus, “He need
not be angry about it.”
(_b_) As part of a double object of a transitive verb. We have just
said that if one person _resolves_ that another person shall act, or
_hopes_ he will, the fact may be told by using a substantive clause;
as, “I resolved that John should go.” But if I expected that John
would go I could tell it by using an infinitive; thus, “I expected
_John to go_.” This is a matter settled by usage; some verbs must be
followed by a clause object, while others may be followed by a noun
and an infinitive. We call the noun (or pronoun) and the infinitive a
double object. It is not two objects; it is one object the same as a
clause, but it consists of two essential parts closely related. The
logical relation between _John_ and _to go_ in the sentence above is
that of subject and predicate; but grammatically _to go_ cannot be a
predicate because the infinitive does not assert. In this construction
the infinitive is related first to the noun _John_ and then together
with _John_ to the transitive verb _expected_. Sufficient proof that
the two elements _John_ and _to go_ constitute the one direct object of
_expected_ is found in the fact that it takes both of them to answer
the question _expected what?_ For we did not expect John, nor did we
expect to go. Furthermore, the two elements may be changed to the
equivalent noun clause, _that John would go_, in which _John_ becomes
subject and the infinitive becomes a finite verb, the predicate of
_John_.
This use must be carefully distinguished from that of the infinitive
in such a sentence as this,--“He bought apples to eat.” Here _apples_
alone answers the question _bought what?_ It is also plain that
the relation between _apples_ and _to eat_ is not that of subject
and predicate. Besides, if this sentence were expanded, merely the
infinitive would be changed to a clause. This might be an adverbial
clause,--“He bought apples _that he might eat them_”; or an adjective
clause,--“He bought apples _that were good for eating_.”
Another sentence not so easily discriminated is this.--“I told John
to go.” Here there is what seems to be a double object, but in reality
_to go_ is the direct object and _John_ is an indirect object, as
in the sentence, “I told John a story.” If we recast the sentence,
employing a substantive clause, we have,--“I told John that he should
go,” where _John_ remains as indirect object and the infinitive alone
is expanded to the object clause. It is the same often after such a
verb as _order_; for example, “He ordered the men to march”; but in the
sentence, “He ordered the message to be sent,” there is a true double
object. _Men_ is indirect object, because it names those to whom the
order was given, but _message_ does not name anything to which an order
was given,--it merely tells what was to be sent. The sentences expanded
read,--“He ordered the men that they should march,” and “He ordered
that the message should be sent.”
We may conclude that when verbs with the notion of _telling_ in them,
as _urge_, _beg_, _entreat_, _persuade_, etc., are followed by a
personal word and an infinitive,--as, “He urged me to go,” we must
carefully determine whether the personal word is more closely related
to the predicate verb or to the infinitive. If we find it more closely
related to the predicate verb, we must call it an indirect object,
and say that the infinitive needs no word for subject because it is
understood that the subject of the infinitive is the same word as that
used for indirect object.
The verbs most commonly followed by the double object are,--(_a_) verbs
of perception, like _see_, _hear_, _notice_; for example, “Then, on
either hand, I saw stately palaces rise gray and lofty from the dark
waters.”--_Howells_; (_b_) verbs of permitting or causing, like _make_,
_have_, _let_; as, “‘Why, what would you have me do with you?’ said
the man.”--_Froude_; (_c_) verbs of feeling, like _wish_, _desire_,
_expect_; as, “Why, they all want him to get up and make speeches, or
songs, or toasts.”--_Holmes._
(_c_) As complement of an intransitive verb; as, “The art of reading
is _to skip judiciously_.”--_Hamerton._ “For a long time the house has
been _to let_.”--_Barrie._ The infinitive is plainly a completing term
in both cases, but in the first it denotes identity with the subject,
hence has the use of a noun complement; while in the second it tells
the condition of the house, like the word _vacant_, and hence has the
use of a predicate adjective. Sometimes it is possible to change the
infinitive to an equivalent adjective; as, “The accident is _to be
deplored_,” or, “is _deplorable_.”
_Seem_ and _appear_ as well as forms of the verb _be_ are followed
by this adjective infinitive. It is especially useful in denoting an
action that is to take place in the future; thus, “He is to come soon.”
NOTE.--Some of the difficulty in disposing of infinitives is due to
an attempt to speak of them in terms that apply to certain parts of
speech. Sometimes this seems forced. For instance, in the sentence,
“He seemed to tremble,” pupils are told to consider the infinitive
as a predicate adjective, when it does not seem to them to bear much
resemblance to an adjective.
What the pupils must see is this,--that _to tremble_ completes _seem_
and tells something about the subject _he_. The following sentences
may be given,--“He seems a coward,” “He seems afraid,” “He seems to
tremble.” The verb in each case has a subjective complement, but
in one case this complement is a noun, in another an adjective, in
another an infinitive, the choice depending wholly on the special
meaning to be brought out. If the use of _to tremble_ seems to the
pupil sufficiently like that of _afraid_ to warrant his calling it
a predicate adjective, let him do so. If not, let him not try to
name it, but say of it instead that it completes the verb and tells
something about the subject.
The infinitive complement of a passive verb belongs here; for example,
“The human voice may be made _to attain a wondrous strength and
richness of tone_.”--_Brook._ This construction often arises from
changing a sentence containing a double object into the passive form.
In the active voice the sentence just quoted reads,--“We may make the
human voice attain a wondrous strength, etc.” Notice that the passive
construction has the advantage over the active in this respect, that it
enables us to avoid telling _who_ makes. This is especially convenient
with the verb _say_. In the sentence, “He was said to have stolen the
money,” no one is charged with having said that he stole.
NOTE.--The familiar expressions, “That is to say,” “It came to pass,”
“I came to know him,” also belong here; _came_ is used in the sense of
_became_.
3. As an adverbial modifier of the verb. The infinitive is very often
joined to a verb to denote purpose; as, “The salmon winters in the
ocean, but in spring ascends the fresh water rivers _to spawn_, or
_lay its eggs_.” Sometimes this infinitive is introduced by _so as_ or
_in order_. It has almost entirely displaced the adverbial clause of
purpose.
The infinitive may also denote the result of an action; as, “His
half worn shoes would wait until his small brother grew _to fit
them_.”--_Holmes._
In the following sentence from Barrie, “Leeby returned panting _to say
that the doctor might be expected in an hour_,” the infinitive seems
to be employed instead of another finite verb, for the meaning is not
that Leeby returned in order to say, but rather that Leeby returned
_and_ said. In the sentence, He went home _only to die_, the infinitive
denotes neither the purpose nor the result of his going home, but only
a subsequent action. It might be preferable in such cases to call the
infinitive an accompaniment of the verb rather than a modifier.
In this sentence from Holmes, “I grieve _to say it_, but our people, I
think, have not generally agreeable voices,” _to say it_ denotes the
cause of my grieving.
In this sentence from Henry James, “He must have been an American, _to
take the picturesque so prodigiously to heart_,” the infinitive phrase
is the equivalent of an adverbial clause of reason, telling on what
ground the main assertion rests.
The infinitive may also denote condition, or manner; for example, “You
must have the imagination of a poet _to transfigure them_,” and, “Is
everything going _to suit you_?” In the former sentence the infinitive
phrase is equivalent to the clause, _if you transfigure them_. In
the latter it tells _how_ things are going on. In fact, this useful
little element may accompany a predicate verb to denote almost all the
relations denoted by adverbial clauses.
Sometimes it is difficult to decide whether an infinitive is a
complement or a modifier. Perhaps the best way to settle the point is
to ascertain what the infinitive is equivalent to, or what question
it answers; for example, “If you continue your observations, you will
not fail to notice that the speed of its disappearance depends on the
character of the day.”--_Tyndall._ Here the infinitive answers the
question, _fail in what respect?_ and is equivalent to the phrase, _in
noticing_. It is well, then, to consider it an adverbial modifier.
Perhaps the infinitive is used after no other verbs oftener than after
_go_ and _use_, as in the sentences, “I am going to stay until you
are tired of me”; “I used to wonder what this might be.” Both _go_
and _use_ are intransitive verbs, but the infinitives can hardly be
described as their modifiers, for the predication lies more in the
infinitive than in the finite verbs, _am going_ or _used_. The verb
_am going_ makes the action denoted by the infinitive intentional, and
_used_ makes it customary. Such predicates as _am going to stay_ and
_used to wonder_ should be described either as idiomatic verb-phrases,
or as consisting of an intransitive verb and an infinitive, without any
attempt to establish a complementary or modifying relation between the
infinitive and the verb.
NOTE.--The verb _be_ is sometimes used in the sense of _go_ or _come_,
and may then be modified by an infinitive of purpose, as in the
sentence,--“The old Master was talking about a concert he had been to
hear.”--_Holmes._
III. The infinitive may be associated with an adjective or an adverb.
A construction often met is a predicate adjective followed by an
infinitive, especially such adjectives as _sure_, _glad_, _sorry_,
_apt_, _anxious_. The infinitives answer such questions as _sure of
what?_ _anxious about what?_ and so limit the meaning of the adjective;
for example, “We are right willing and able to work.”--_Carlyle._ “He
was careful to acquaint himself with the country.”
Often the adjective is first modified by the adverb _enough_ or _too_;
thus, “This narrative is too significant to be omitted.”--_Carlyle._
When the adjective is first modified by _so_, the infinitive is
introduced by _as_, and takes the place of a clause of result; as,
“Be so kind _as to stand_.” Here the infinitive is brought into the
sentence by the adjective _kind_, but as an infinitive of result, may
be said to modify the entire predicate _be so kind_.
The infinitive in this construction may also be associated with
an adverb; as, “He worked so swiftly as to surprise us all.” We
notice that it is easy to avoid the clause here by substituting the
infinitive, for the subject of the clause is the same as the subject of
the principal verb.
An adjective in the comparative degree is often followed, not by a
clause of degree as we should expect, but by an infinitive introduced
by _than_; as, “He is wiser than to make such a remark.” The infinitive
phrase modifies _wiser_ and is joined to it by the subordinating
conjunction _than_.
IV. In addition to the foregoing constructions we occasionally find the
infinitive used as the object of a preposition. The few prepositions
governing infinitives are _except_, _but_, and _save_, the two latter
meaning _except_; as, “Make no expense but to do good to others or
yourself.” Usually, _to_, the sign of the infinitive, is omitted after
these prepositions.
In the following sentences the preposition governing an infinitive
phrase is omitted.--“It’s worth quite a little fortune to any man who
gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than there are
men, so that the trustees are at their wits’ end _what to do with the
money_.”--_Conan Doyle_. “I am somewhat at a loss _what to think_.”
The prepositional phrases _at their wits’ end_ and _at a loss_ are
complements of the verbs _are_ and _am_, used instead of adjectives
because there are no equivalent adjectives. The infinitive phrases
answer the questions _at their wits’ end about what?_ and _at a loss
about what?_ and so are best disposed of as objects of the preposition
_about_ understood.
NOTE.--In the construction, “I am about to go,” _about_ is usually
disposed of as a preposition governing the infinitive. Instead it
should be considered as an adverb modifying the infinitive, which is
the complement of _am_.
The preposition _for_ may take a double object; thus, “A space was
left between them for _the garrison to pass out_.” The answer to
the question _for what?_ is, _the garrison to pass out_. Such a
prepositional phrase is often used as logical subject after the
anticipative subject _it_; thus, “It is not lawful for us to put any
man to death.”
NOTE.--In the common construction, “I cannot but think,” the word
_think_ is an infinitive with _to_ omitted, used as object of the
preposition _but_. There is an ellipsis in this construction which
must be supplied for analysis, unless we dispose of the whole
expression at once as an idiomatic verb-phrase. Supplying the ellipsis
we have, “I cannot do anything but think.”
The expression, “I can but think” is best disposed of now as
equivalent to “I can only think,” for that is what it signifies to us.
The verb then is _can think_, and _but_ is its adverbial modifier.
V. The infinitive may be used independently, having no grammatical
relation to any other word in the sentence; thus, “_To tell you the
truth_, my errand is not so much to buy as to borrow.”--_George Eliot_.
Certain stereotyped phrases are used in this way, such as _to be sure_,
_to speak plainly_, _to make a long story short_. They are useful to
express in few words what in other more regular constructions it would
take many words to say.
In this sentence of Hale’s, “This sort of vagueness, _not to say
misapprehension_, affects the question, Who are our Leaders?” we have
an independent infinitive phrase which adds much to the meaning of the
sentence. It tells us here that the author uses the noun _vagueness_ so
as to be on the safe side, but in his opinion _misapprehension_ is the
more precise term.
NOTE.--An independent expression very similar to the one just given
is found in the following sentence,--“It appeals to our more purely
human, _one might almost say domestic_, qualities.”--_Lowell._
Exercise 24
Dispose of all infinitive phrases in the following sentences.
1. The winter climate of Venice is still so sharp as to make
foreigners regret the generous fires and warmly built houses of the
north.--_Howells._
2. I started betimes in the evening so as not to hurry, or waste any
strength upon the way.--_Blackmore._
3. The way to be original is to be healthy.--_Lowell._
4. To learn obeying is the fundamental art of governing.--_Carlyle._
5. The reward of a good sentence is to have written it.--_Higginson._
6. Follow the Devil faithfully, you are sure enough to go to the
Devil.--_Carlyle._
7. The idea of a man’s interviewing himself is rather odd, to be
sure.--_Holmes._
8. I had the good fortune to see him at New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, and Washington.--_Thackeray._
9. When they tried to teach me to sing, they told me to “think of
eight and sing seven.”--_Hale._
10. It was death also for a soldier to leave his colors.--_Prescott._
11. I seem to have made foolish friendships ever since.--_Lamb._
12. The general course of misrule leaves them helpless, to be the
burden of the rest.--_Ruskin._
13. There is nothing to be done but to turn round and hoe back to the
other end.--_Warner._
14. The sentinel warns them not to approach too closely.--_Howells._
15. To forget Homer, to cease to be concerned and even curious about
Homer, is to make a fatal step towards a new barbarism.--_Lang._
16. Ladies of rank and of luxurious habits, you know, cannot be
expected to surmise the details of poverty.--_George Eliot._
17. One of the most important lessons to be learned in life is the art
of economizing time.
18. There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like
the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us.--_Emerson._
19. Indeed, to do the best for others is finally to do the best
for ourselves; but it will not do to have our eyes fixed on that
issue.--_Ruskin._
20. He had always (it must not be forgotten) to contend against sad
memories and anticipations of further sorrow.--_Ainger._
21. But up to a considerable maturity of childhood I believed Raphael
and Michael Angelo to have been superhuman beings.--_Holmes._
22. As a whole, she appeared to carry with her a sort of argumentative
commentary on her own existence.--_T. Hardy._
23. But, to judge the action fairly, we must transport ourselves to
the age when it happened.--_Prescott._
24. But winter is apt to be very severe in mild climates.--_Howells._
25. To make a long story short, the company broke up and returned to
the more important concerns of the election.--_Irving._
26. The way to speak and write what shall not go out of fashion is to
speak and write sincerely.--_Emerson._
27. You must be brave to have come so long and dangerous a
journey.--_Old Deccan Days._
28. I have none to call me Charley now.--_Lamb._
29. I cannot but think that all the characters of a region help to
modify the children born in it.--_Holmes._
30. For what was he placed by Providence in the highest position in
the world, except to benefit the world?--_Lord._
31. It is true that no language is ever so far gone in consumption as
to be beyond the great-poet-cure.--_Lowell._
32. We were brought up to believe in ghosts.--_Page._
33. They are earnestly requested to leave this paper to young persons
from the age of twelve to that of fourscore years and ten.--_Holmes._
34. Let us so live when we are up, that we shall forget we have ever
been down.--_Stockton._
35. Know how sublime a thing it is
To suffer and be strong.--_Longfellow._
36. In other lands the man of whom you are a regular purchaser serves
you well; in Italy he conceives that his long service gives him the
right to plunder you if possible.--_Howells._
37. It seemed a time to strike a blow for freedom.--_Motley._
38. The vilification which was poured on Luther and his doings was so
bitter as to be ludicrous.--_Draper._
39. She had the natural tendency of excellent people to place others
in subjection.--_Howells._
40. It is such a sad thing to be born a sneaking fellow, so much worse
than to inherit a hump-back.--_Holmes._
41. This, as I heard before, could be let fall in a moment so as to
crush a score of men and bar the approach of horses.--_Blackmore._
42. After struggling for some time in the deep water he sank to rise
no more.--_Old Deccan Days._
43. I know I used to shake the youngest of them with my hands,
stout as it is now, with a trunk that would defy the bully of
Crotona.--_Holmes._
44. But Sigurd is too experienced a chieftain to walk into this
trap.--_Boyesen._
45. Ask yourself seriously whether you are fit to read such
revelations as are to follow.--_Holmes._
46. To sum up his personal enormities, when he spoke he had a practice
of always advancing his face as close as possible to the person he was
addressing.--_Miss Ferrier._
47. The one secret of life and development is not to devise and plan,
but to fall in with the forces at work,--to do every moment’s duty
aright.--_MacDonald._
48. The blessed work of helping the world forward happily does not
wait to be done by perfect men.--_George Eliot._
49. Various efforts were made to allay the panic among the native
troops.--_McCarthy._
50. For this notion Johnson has thought fit to make him the butt of
much clumsy ridicule.--_Macaulay._
51. Of course Mowgli, as a woodcutter’s child, inherited all sorts
of instincts, and used to make little play-huts of fallen branches
without thinking how he came to do it.--_Kipling._