rs_ together." SUBJ. "If he _cut_ off, and
_shut_ up, or _gather_ together, then who can hinder him?"--_Job_, xl, 10.
There is also a difference of meaning. The Indicative, "If he _was_,"
admits the fact; the Subjunctive, "If he _were_," supposes that he was
not. These moods may therefore be distinguished by the sense, even when
their forms are alike: as, "Though _it thundered_, it did not
rain."--"Though _it thundered_, he would not hear it." The indicative
assumption here is, "Though it _did thunder_," or, "Though there _was
thunder_;" the subjunctive, "Though it _should thunder_," or, "Though there
_were_ thunder." These senses are clearly different. Writers however are
continually confounding these moods; some in one way, some in an other.
Thus S. R. Hall, the teacher of a _Seminary for Teachers_: "SUBJ. _Present
Tense_. 1. If I be, _or_ am, 2. If thou be, _or_ art, 3. If he be, _or_ is;
1. If we be, _or_ are, 2. If ye _or_ you be, _or_ are, 3. If they be, _or_
are. _Imperfect Tense_. 1. If I were, _or_ was, 2. If thou wert, _or_ wast,
3. If he were, _or_ was; 1. If we were, 2. If ye _or_ you were, 3. If they
were."--_Hall's Grammatical Assistant_, p. 11. Again: "SUBJ. _Present
Tense_. 1. If I love, 2. If thou _lovest_, 3. If he love," &c. "The
remaining tenses of this _mode_, are, _in general_, similar to the
correspondent tenses of the Indicative _mode, only_ with the conjunction
prefixed."--_Ib._, p. 20. Dr. Johnson observes, "The indicative and
conjunctive moods are by modern writers frequently confounded; or rather
the conjunctive is wholly neglected, when some convenience of versification
does not invite its revival. It is used among the purer writers of former
times; as, 'Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham _be_ ignorant of
us, and Israel _acknowledge_ us not.'"--_Gram. in Joh. Dict._, p. 9. To
neglect the subjunctive mood, or to confound it with the indicative, is to
augment several of the worst faults of the language.

II. COMPOUND OR PROGRESSIVE FORM.

Active and neuter verbs may also be conjugated, by adding the Imperfect
Participle to the auxiliary verb BE, through all its changes; as, "I _am
writing_ a letter."--"He _is sitting_ idle."--"They _are going_." This form
of the verb denotes a _continuance_ of the action or state of being, and
is, on many occasions, preferable to the simple form of the verb.

FOURTH EXAMPLE.

_The irregular active verb READ, conjugated affirmatively, in the Comp