observations; but the "principle" which he adduces as
"conclusive" against it, if _principle_ it can be called, has scarcely any
bearing on the question; certainly no more than has the simple assertion of
one reputable critic, that our participle in _ing_ may occasionally be used
passively. "Such expressions as the following," says he, "have recently
become very common, not only in the periodical publications of the day, but
are likewise finding favor with popular writers; as, 'The house _is being
built_.' 'The street _is being paved_.' 'The actions that _are_ now _being
performed_,' &c. 'The patents _are being prepared_.' The usage of the best
writers does not sanction these expressions; and Mr. Pickbourn lays down
the following principle, which is conclusive upon the subject. '_Whenever
the participle_ in _ing_ is joined by an auxiliary verb to a nominative
capable of the action, it is taken actively; but, when joined to one
incapable of the action, it becomes passive. If we say, _The man are
building a house_, the participle _building_ is evidently used in an active
sense; _because_ the men are capable of the action. But when we say, _The
house is building_, or, _Patents are preparing_, the participles _building_
and _preparing_ must necessarily be understood in a passive sense; because
neither the house nor the patents are capable of action.'--See Pickbourn on
the English Verb, pp. 78-80."--_Parker's Aids to English Composition_, p.
105. Pickbourn wrote his Dissertation before the question arose which he is
here supposed to decide. Nor is he right in assuming that the common
Progressive Form, of which he speaks, must be either _active-transitive_ or
_passive_: I have shown above that it may be _active-intransitive_, and
perhaps, in a few instances, _neuter_. The class of the verb is determined
by something else than the mere _capableness_ of the "_nominative_."

III. FORM OF PASSIVE VERBS.

Passive verbs, in English, are always of a
compound form; being made from active-transitive verbs, by adding the
Perfect Participle to the auxiliary verb BE, through all its changes: thus
from the active-transitive verb _love_, is formed the passive verb _be
loved_.

FIFTH EXAMPLE.

The regular passive verb BE LOVED, conjugated affirmatively.

PRINCIPAL PARTS or THE ACTIVE VERB.

_Present_. _Preterit_. _Imp. Participle_. _Perf. Participle_.

Love. Loved. Loving. Loved.

INFINITIVE MOOD.
PRESENT TENSE.
To be loved