the same sense, _is ungrammatical_. But this is, in fact, a begging of
the main question; and that, in opposition to abundant authority for the
usage condemned. (See OBS. 3d, above.) This author pretends that, "_The
RULE of all grammarians_ declares the verb _is_, and a _present participle_
(_is building_, or _is writing_), to be in the active voice" only.--P. 88.
(I add the word "_only_," but this is what he means, else he merely
quibbles.) Now in this idea he is wrong, and so are the several grammarians
who support the principle of this imaginary "_RULE_." The opinion of
critics in general would be better represented by the following suggestions
of the Rev. W. Allen: "When the English verb does not signify _mental
affection_, the distinction of voice is often disregarded: thus we say,
_actively_, they _were selling_ fruit; and, _passively_, the books _are_
now _selling_. The same remark applies to the participle used as a noun:
as, actively, _drawing_ is an elegant amusement, _building_ is expensive;
and, passively, his _drawings_ are good, this is a fine
_building_."--_Allen's Elements of E. Gram._, p. 82.

OBS. 22.--Chandler admits, that, "When it is said, 'The house is
_building_,' the meaning is easily obtained; though," he strangely insists,
"_it is exactly opposite to the assertion_."--P. 89. He endeavours to show,
moreover, by a fictitious example made for the purpose, that the
progressive form, if used in both voices, will be liable to ambiguity. It
may, perhaps, be so in some instances; but, were there weight enough in the
objection to condemn the passive usage altogether, one would suppose there
might be found, somewhere, _an actual example or two_ of the abuse. Not
concurring with Dr. Bullions in the notion that the active voice and the
passive usually "express precisely the same thing," this critic concludes
his argument with the following sentence: "There is an _important
difference_ between _doing_ and _suffering_; and that _difference is
grammatically shown_ by the appropriate use of the active and passive
voices of a verb."--_Chandler's Common School Gram._, p. 89.

OBS. 23.--The opinion given at the close of OBS. 2d above, was first
published in 1833. An opposite doctrine, with the suggestion that it is
"_improper_ to say, '_the house is building_,' instead of 'the house _is
being built_,'"--is found on page 64th of the Rev. David Blair's Grammar,
of 1815,--"Seventh Edition," with a preface dated, "_O