1. In the use of verbs, and other words and phrases which, _in point of
time_, relate to each other, a due regard to that relation should be
observed.
Instead of saying, "The Lord _hath given_, and the Lord _hath taken_
away;" we should say, "The Lord _gave_, and the Lord _hath taken_ away."
Instead of, "I _remember_ the family more than twenty years;" it should
be, "I _have remembered_ the family more than twenty years."
2. The best rule that can be given for the management of the tenses, and
of words and phrases which, in point of time, relate to each other, is
this very general one; _Observe what the sense necessarily requires_.
To say, "I _have_ visited Washington last summer; I _have seen_ the work
more than a month ago," is not good _sense_. The constructions should
be, "I _visited_ Washington, &c.; I _saw_ the work, &c." "This mode of
expression _has been_ formerly much admired:"--"_was_ formerly much
admired." "If I _had have_ been there;" "If I _had have_ seen him;"
"_Had_ you _have_ known him," are solecisms too gross to need
correction. We can say, I _have_ been, I _had_ been; but what sort of a
tense is, _had have been_? To place _had_ before the _defective_ verb
ought, is an error equally gross and illiterate:--"_had_ ought, _hadn't_
ought." This is as low a vulgarism as the use of _theirn_, _hern_, and
_hizzen_, _tother_, _furder_, _baynt_, _this ere_, I _seed_ it, I
_tell'd_ him.
3. When we refer to a past action or event, and no part of that time in
which it took place; remains, the _imperfect_ tense should be used; but
if there is still remaining some portion of the time in which we declare
that the thing has been done, the _perfect_ tense should be employed.
Thus, we say, "Philosophers _made_ great discoveries in the last
century;" "He _was_ much afflicted last year;" but when we refer to the
present century, year, week, day, &c. we ought to use the _perfect_
tense; as, "Philosophers _have made_ great discoveries in the present
century;" "He _has been_ much afflicted this year;" "I _have read_ the
president's message this week;" "We _have heard_ important news this
morning;" because these events occurred in this century, this year, this
week, and to-day, and still there remains a part of this century, year,
week, and day, of which I speak.
In general, the perfect tense may be applied wherever the action is
connected with the present time, by the actual existence either of the
author of the work, though it may have been performed many centuries
ago; but if neither the author nor the work now remains, the perfect
tense ought not to be employed. Speaking of priests in general, we may
say, "They _have_, in all ages, _claimed_ great powers;" because the
general order of the priesthood still exists; but we cannot properly
say, "The Druid priests _have claimed_ great powers;" because that order
is now extinct. We ought, therefore, to say, "The Druid priests
_claimed_ great powers."
The following examples may serve still farther to illustrate the proper
use and application of the tenses. "My brother has recently been to
Philadelphia." It should be, "_was_ recently at Philadelphia;" because
the adverb _recently_ refers to a time completely past, without any
allusion to the present time. "Charles is grown considerably since I
have seen him the last time." Corrected, "Charles _has_ grown, since I
_saw_ him," &c. "Payment was at length made, but no reason assigned for
its being so long postponed." Corrected, "for its _having been_ so long
postponed." "They were arrived an hour before we reached the
city:"--"They _had_ arrived."
"The workmen will complete the building at the time I take possession of
it." It should be, "will _have completed_ the building," &c. "This
curious piece of workmanship was preserved, and shown to strangers for
more than fifty years past:"--"_has been_ preserved, and _been_ shown to
strangers," &c. "I had rather write than beg:"--"I _would_ rather write
than beg."
"On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty whereof Paul
was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands." It ought to be,
"because he _would know_; or, _being willing to know,_" &c. "The blind
man said, 'Lord, that I might receive my sight;'" "If by any means I
might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." In both these examples,
_may_ would be preferable to _might_. "I feared that I should have lost
the parcel, before I arrived:"--"that I should _lose_." "It would have
afforded me no satisfaction, if I could perform it." It ought to be, "if
I could _have performed_ it;" or, "It _would afford_ me no satisfaction,
if I _could perform_ it." "This dedication may serve for almost any book
that has, is, or shall be published:"--"that _has been_, or _will be
published_."
4. In order to employ the two tenses of the infinitive mood with
propriety, particular attention should be paid to the meaning of what we
express.
Verbs expressive of _hope_, _desire_, _intention_, or _command_, ought
to be followed by the PRESENT tense of the _Infinitive mood_.
"Last week I intended to _have written_," is improper. The intention of
writing was then _present_ with me; and, therefore, the construction
should be, "I intended _to write_." The following examples are also
inaccurate; "I found him better than I expected _to have found_ him;"
"My purpose was, after spending ten months more in commerce, _to have
withdrawn_ my wealth to another country." They should be, "expected _to
find_ him;" "_to withdraw_ my wealth."
"This is a book which proves itself to be written by the person whose
name it bears." It ought to be "which proves itself _to have been
written_," &c. "To see him would have afforded me pleasure all my life."
Corrected, "_To have seen_ him;" or, "_To see_ him _would afford_ me
pleasure," &c. "The arguments were sufficient to have satisfied all who
heard them:"--"were sufficient _to satisfy_." "History painters would
have found it difficult to have invented such a species of
beings:"--"_to invent_ such a species."
5. General and immutable truths ought to be expressed in the _present_
tense.
Instead of saying, "He did not know that eight and twenty _were_ equal
to twenty and eight;" "The preacher said very audibly, that whatever
_was_ useful, _was_ good;" "My opponent would not believe, that virtue
_was_ always advantageous.;" The constructions should be, "_are_ equal
to twenty;" "whatever _is_ useful, _is_ good;" "virtue _is_ always
advantageous."