o a short one, as in _feed_, _fed_, &c., can
only take place where there is a long vowel to be changed.

Where the vowels are short, and, at the same time, the word ends in -d, the
-d of the present may become -t in the praeterite. Such is the case with
_bend_, _bent_.

When there is no long vowel to shorten, and no -d to change into -t, the
two tenses, of necessity, remain alike; such is the case with _cut_,
_cost_, &c.

s. 313. The following verbs form their praeterite in -t:--

_Present._ _Praeterite._

Leave [60]Lef_t_ not [61]Leav_ed_.
Cleave Clef_t_ -- Cleav_ed_.
Bereave Beref_t_ -- Bereav_ed_.
Deal [62]Deal_t_ -- Deal_ed_.
Feel Fel_t_ -- Feel_ed_.
Dream [60]Drem_t_ -- Dream_ed_.
Learn [60]Lern_t_ -- Learn_ed_.

s. 314. Certain _so-called_ irregularities may now be noticed.--_Made_,
_had_.--In these words there is nothing remarkable but the ejection of a
consonant. The Anglo-Saxon forms are _macode_ and _haefde_, respectively.
The words, however, in regard to the amount of change, are not upon a
_par_. The f in _haefde_ was probably sounded as v. Now v is a letter
excessively liable to be ejected, which k is not. K, before it is ejected,
is generally changed into either g or y.

_Would_, _should_, _could_.--It must not be imagined that _could_ is in the
same predicament with these words. In _will_ and _shall_ the -l is part of
the original word. This is not the case with _can_. For the form _could_,
see s. 331.

s. 315. _Aught_.--In Anglo-Saxon _['a]hte_, the praeterite of the present
form _['a]h_, plural _['a]gon_.--As late as the time of Elizabeth we find
_owe_ used for _own_. The present form _own_ seems to have arisen from the
plural _['a]gon_. _Aught_ is the praeterite of the Anglo-Saxon _['a]h_;
_owed_ of the English _owe_ = _debeo_; _owned_ of the English _own_ =
_possideo_. The word _own_, in the expression _to own to a thing_, has a
totally different origin. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon _an_ (plural,
_unnon_) = _I give_, or _grant_ = _concedo_.

s. 316. _Durst_.--The verb _dare_ is both transitive and intransitive. We
can say either _I dare do such a thing_, or _I dare (challenge) such a man
to do it_. This, in the present tense, is unequivocally correct. In the
past the double power of the word _dare_ is ambiguous; still it is, to my
mind at