er, when
multiplied, is always, of itself the subject of the assertion; and,
consequently, that the verb must be singular, as agreeing only with this
"singular noun." Others, not knowing how to parse separately the
multiplying word or words and the number multiplied, take them both or all
together as "the grammatical subject" with which the verb must agree. But,
among these latter expounders, there are two opposite opinions on the very
essential point, whether this "_entire expression_" requires a singular
verb or a plural one:--as, whether we ought to say, "Twice one _is_ two,"
or, "Twice one _are_ two;"--"Twice two _is_ four," or, "Twice two _are_
four;"--"Three times one _is_ three," or, "Three times one _are_
three;"--"Three times three _is_ nine," or, "Three times three _are_ nine."
Others, again, according to Dr. Bullions, and possibly according to their
own notion, find the grammatical subject, sometimes, if not generally, in
the multiplying term only; as, perhaps, is the case with those who write or
speak as follows: "If we say, 'Three times one _are_ three,' we make
'_times_' the subject of the verb."--_Bullions, Analyt. and Pract. Gram._,
1849, p. 39. "Thus, 2 times 1 _are_ 2; 2 times 2 _are_ four; 2 times 3
_are_ 6."--_Chase's C. S. Arith._, p. 43. "Say, 2 times O _are_ O; 2 times
1 _are_ 2."--_Robinson's American Arith._, 1825, p. 24.

OBS. 17.--Dr. Bullions, with a strange blunder of some sort in almost every
sentence, propounds and defends his opinion on this subject thus: "Numeral
_adjectives_, being _also names_ of numbers, are often used as nouns, and
so have the inflection and construction of nouns: thus, by _twos_, by
_tens_, by _fifties_. _Two_ is an even number. Twice _two_ is four. Four
_is_ equal to twice two. In some arithmetics the language employed in the
operation of multiplying--such as 'Twice two _are_ four, twice three _are_
six'--is incorrect. It should be, 'Twice two _is_ four,' &c.; for the word
_two_ is used as a singular noun--the name of a number. The adverb
'_twice_' is _not in construction with it_, and consequently does not make
it plural. The meaning is, 'The number two taken twice is equal to four.'
For the same reason we should say, 'Three times _two_ is six,' because the
meaning is, 'Two taken three times _is_ six.' If we say, 'Three times one
_are_ three,' we make '_times_' the subject of the verb, whereas the
subject of the verb really is '_one_,' and '_times_' is in the _objec