Verbs of the infinitive mood-- but hold. Remember that there is scarcely
any rule without an exception; and this axiom particularly applies to
the Syntax. We used to wish it did not; because then we should not have
had so much to learn-- to resume however--
Verbs of the infinitive mood often have set before them an accusative
case instead of a nominative; the conjunction quod, or ut, being left
out, as
Annam reginam aiunt occubuisse:
They say that Queen Anne's dead.
A verb placed between two nominative cases of different numbers, is not
like a donkey between two stacks of hay, it makes choice of one or the
other, and agrees with it, as
Amygdalæ amaræ venenum _est_,
Bitter almonds _is_ poison.
We have written the English beneath the Latin. Perhaps it may be
imagined that we think good English _beneath_ us.