The MOOD or MODE of a verb means the _manner_ in which its action,
passion, or being, is represented.
When I wish to assert a thing, positively, I use the _declarative_ or
_indicative_ mode; as, The man _walks_; but sometimes the action or
occurrence of which I wish to speak, is doubtful, and then I must not
declare it positively, but I must adopt another _mode_ of expression;
thus, _If_ the man _walk_, he will refresh himself with the bland
breezes. This second mode or manner of representing the action, is
called the _subjunctive_ or _conditional_ mode.
Again, we sometimes employ a verb when we do not wish to _declare_ a
thing, nor to represent the action in a _doubtful_ or _conditional_
manner; but we wish to _command_ some one to act. We then use the
_imperative_ or _commanding_ mode, and say, _Walk_, sir. And when we do
not wish to command a man to act, we sometimes allude to his _power_ or
_ability_ to act. This fourth mode of representing action, is called the
_potential_ mode; as, He _can walk_; He _could walk_. The fifth and last
mode, called the _infinitive_ or _unlimited_ mode, we employ in
expressing action in an unlimited manner; that is, without confining it,
in respect to number and person, to any particular agent; as, _To walk,
to ride_. Thus you perceive, that the mood, mode, or manner of
representing the action, passion, or being of a verb, must vary
according to the different intentions of the mind.
Were we to assign a particular name to _every_ change in the mode or
manner of representing action or being, the number of moods in our
language would amount to many hundreds. But this principle of division
and arrangement, if followed out in detail, would lead to great
perplexity, without producing any beneficial result. The division of Mr.
Harris, in his Hermes, is much more curious than instructive. He has
fourteen moods; his _interrogative, optative, hortative, promissive,
precautive, requisitive, enunciative_, &c. But as far as philosophical
accuracy and the convenience and advantage of the learner are concerned,
it is believed that no arrangement is preferable to the following. I am
not unaware that plausible objections may be raised against it; but what
arrangement cannot be objected to?
There are five moods of verbs, the Indicative, the Subjunctive, the
Imperative, the Potential, and the Infinitive.
The INDICATIVE MOOD simply indicates or declares a thing; as, "He
_writes_;" or it asks a question; as, "_Does_ he _write_? Who _wrote_
that?"
The term _indicative_, comes from the Latin _indico_, to _declare_.
Hence, the legitimate province of the indicative mood, is to _declare_
things, whether positively or negatively; thus, _positively_, He _came_
with me; _negatively_, He _came not_ with me. But in order to avoid a
multiplication of moods, we extend its meaning, and use the indicative
mood in asking a question; as, Who _came_ with you?
The subjunctive mood being more analogous to the indicative in
conjugation, than any other, it ought to be presented next in order.
This mood, however, differs materially from the indicative in sense;
therefore you ought to make yourself well acquainted with the nature of
the indicative, before you commence with the subjunctive.
The SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD expresses action, passion, or being, in a doubtful
or conditional manner or,
When a verb is preceded by a word that expresses a condition, doubt,
motive, wish, or supposition, it is in the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD; as, "_If_
he _study_, he will improve; I will respect him, _though_ he _chide_ me;
He will not be pardoned, _unless_ he _repent; _Had_ he _been_ there, he
would have conquered;" (that is, _if_ he _had been_ there.)
The conjunctions _if, though, unless_, in the preceding examples,
express condition, doubt, &c.; therefore, the verbs _study, chide,
repent_, and _had been_, are in the subjunctive mood.
NOTE 1. A verb in this mood is generally attended by another verb in
some other mood. You observe, that each of the first three of the
preceding examples, contains a verb in the indicative mood, and the
fourth, a verb in the potential.
2. Whenever the conjunctions _if, though, unless, except, whether,
lest_, or any others, denote contingency or doubt, the verbs that
follow them are in the subjunctive mood; as, "_If_ he _ride_ out
every day, his health will probably improve;" that is, if he _shall_
or _should_ ride out hereafter. But when these conjunctions do not
imply doubt, &c. the verbs that follow them are in the indicative,
or some other mood; as, "_Though_ he _rides_ out daily, his health
is no better." The conjunctive and indicative forms of this mood,
are explained in the conjugation of the verb to _love_. See page.
The IMPERATIVE MOOD is used for commanding, exhorting, entreating, or
permitting; as, _"Depart_ thou; _Remember_ my admonitions; _Tarry_
awhile longer; _Go_ in peace."
The verb _depart_ expresses a command; _remember_ exhorts; _tarry_
expresses entreaty; and _go_, permission; therefore they are all in the
imperative mood.
The _imperative_, from _impero_, to command, is literally that mood of
the verb used in _commanding;_ but its technical meaning in grammar is
extended to the use of the verb in exhorting, entreating, and
permitting.
A verb in the imperative mood, is always of the second person, though
never varied in its terminations, agreeing with _thou, ye_, or _you_,
either expressed or implied. You may know a verb in this mood by the
sense; recollect, however, that the nominative is always _second_
person, and frequently understood; as, George, _give_ me my hat; that
is, give thou, or give you. When the nominative is expressed, it is
generally placed after the verb; as, Go _thou_; Depart _ye_; or between
the auxiliary and the verb; as, Do _thou_ go; Do _ye_ depart. (_Do_ is
the auxiliary.)
The POTENTIAL MOOD implies possibility, liberty, or necessity, power,
will, or obligation; as, "It _may rain_; He _may go_ or _stay_; We _must
eat_ and _drink_; I _can ride_; He _would walk_; They _should learn_."
In the first of these examples, the auxiliary _may_ implies possibility;
in the second it implies liberty; that is, he is at liberty to go or to
stay; in the third, _must_ denotes necessity; _can_ denotes power or
ability; _would_ implies will or inclination; that is, he had a _mind_
to walk; and _should_ implies obligation. Hence you perceive, that the
verbs, may rain, may go, must eat, must drink, can ride, world walk, and
should learn, are in the _potential_ mood.
NOTE 1. As a verb in the indicative mood is converted into the
subjunctive when it is preceded by a conjunction expressing doubt,
contingency, supposition, &c., so a verb in the potential mood, may,
in like manner, be turned into the subjunctive; as, "_If_ I _could
deceive_ him, I should abhor it; _Though_ he _should increase_ in
wealth, he would not be charitable." I _could deceive_, is in the
potential; _If_ I _could deceive_, is in the subjunctive mood.
2. The potential mood, as well as the indicative, is used in asking
a question; as, "May I go? Could you understand him? Must we die?"
The INFINITIVE MOOD expresses action, passion, or being, in a general
and unlimited manner, having no nominative, consequently, neither person
nor number; as, _"To speak, to walk_."
_Infinitive_ means _unconfined_, or _unlimited_. This mood is called the
infinitive, because its verb is not confined or limited to a nominative.
A verb in any other mood is limited; that is, it must agree in number
and person with its nominative; but a verb in this mood has _no_
nominative, therefore, it never changes its termination, except to form
the perfect tense. Now you understand why all verbs are called _finite_
or _limited_, excepting those in the infinitive mood.
NOTE. _To_, the sign of the infinitive mood, is often understood
before the verb; as, "Let me proceed;" that is, Let me _to_ proceed.
See RULE 25. _To_ is not a preposition when joined to a verb in this
mood; thus, _to_ ride, _to_ rule; but it should be parsed with the
verb, and as a part of it.
If you study this lecture attentively, you will perceive, that when I
say, I _write_, the verb is in the indicative mood; but when I say, _if_
I write, or, _unless_ I write, &c. the verb is in the subjunctive mood;
_write_ thou, or _write_ ye or you, the imperative; I _may write_, I
_must write_, I _could write, &c._ the potential; and _to write_, the
infinitive. Any other verb (except the defective) may be employed in the
same manner.
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