of
both are exceedingly numerous; though the syntax of the participle,
strictly speaking, does not include its various _conversions_ into other
parts of speech. The principal instances of _regular_ equivalence between
infinitives and participles, may be reduced to the following heads:

1. After the verbs _see, hear_, and _feel_, the participle in _ing_,
relating to the objective, is often equivalent to the infinitive governed
by the verb; as, "I saw him _running_"--"I heard it _howling_."--_W.
Allen_. "I feel the wind _blowing_." Here the verbs, _run, howl_, and
_blow_, might be substituted. 2. After intransitive verbs signifying _to
begin_ or _to continue_, the participle in _ing_, relating to the
nominative, may be used in stead of the infinitive connected to the verb;
as, "The ass began _galloping_ with all his might."--_Sandford and Merton_.
"It commenced _raining_ very hard."--_Silliman_. "The steamboats commenced
_running_ on Saturday."--_Daily Advertiser_. "It is now above three years
since he began _printing_."--_Dr. Adam's Pref. to Rom. Antiq._ "So when
they continued _asking_ him."--_John_, viii, 7. Greek, "[Greek: Os epemenon
erotontes auton.]" Latin, "Cum ergo perseverarent _interrogantes_
eum."--_Vulgate_. "Cum autem perseverarent eum _interrogare_."--_Beza_.
"Then shall ye continue _following_ the Lord your God."--_1 Sam._, xii, 14.
"Eritis _sequentes_ Dominum Deum vestrum."--_Vulgate_. "As she continued
_praying_ before the Lord."--_1 Sam._, i, 12. "Cum ilia _multiplicaret
preces_ coram Domino."--_Vulgate_. "And they went on _beating down_ one an
other."--_2 Sam._, xiv, 16. "Make the members of them go on _rising_ and
_growing_ in their importance."--_Blair's Rhet._, p. 116. "Why do you keep
_teasing_ me?"

3. After _for, in, of_, or _to_, and perhaps some other prepositions, the
participle may in most cases be varied by the infinitive, which is governed
by _to_ only; as, "We are better fitted _for receiving_ the tenets and
_obeying_ the precepts of that faith which will make us wise unto
salvation."--_West's Letters_, p. 51. That is--"_to receive_ the tenets and
_obey_ the precepts." "Men fit _for fighting_, practised _in fighting_,
proud _of fighting_, accustomed _to fighting_."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p.
172. That is, "fit _to fight_," &c. "What is the right path, few take the
trouble _of inquiring_."--_Murray's Key_, 8vo. ii, 235. Better,
perhaps:--"few take the trouble _to inquire_."

OBS. 16.--One o