it relates to _passive government_,
and, by implication, the doctrine of his fourth remark also. For the
ellipsis of _to_, before "_him_," is just as evident in the active
expression, "I thrice _presented him_ a kingly crown," as in the passive,
"A kingly crown _was thrice presented him_." It is absurd to deny it in
either. Having offset _himself_, Wells as ingeniously balances his
_authorities, pro and con_; but, the _elliptical_ examples being
_allowable_, he should not have said that I and others "_condemn this usage
altogether_."

"REM. 6.--The passive voice of a verb is sometimes used in connection with
a _preposition_, forming a _compound passive verb_; as 'He _was listened
to_.'--'Nor is this _to be scoffed at_.'--'This is a tendency _to be
guarded against_.'--'A bitter persecution _was carried on_.'--_Hallam_."--
_Ib._, p. 155, Sec. 215. The words here called "_prepositions_," are
_adverbs_. Prepositions they cannot be; because they have no subsequent
term. Nor is it either necessary or proper, to call them parts of the verb:
"_was carried on_," is no more a "compound verb," than "_was carried off_,"
or "_was carried forward_," and the like.

"REM. 7.--Idiomatic expressions sometimes occur in which a noun in the
objective is preceded by a passive verb, and followed by _a preposition
used adverbially_. EXAMPLES: 'Vocal and instrumental music _were made use
of_.'--_Addison_. 'The third, fourth, and fifth, _were taken possession of_
at half past eight."--_Southey_. 'The Pinta _was soon lost sight of_ in the
darkness of the night.'--_Irving_."--_Ib._, p. 155, Sec. 215. As it is by
the manner of their use, that we distinguish prepositions and adverbs, it
seems no more proper to speak of "_a preposition used adverbially_," than
of "_an adverb used prepositionally_." But even if the former phrase is
right and the thing conceivable, here is no instance of it; for "_of_" here
modifies no verb, adjective, or adverb. The construction is an unparsable
synchysis, a vile snarl, which no grammarian should hesitate to condemn.
These examples may each be corrected in several ways: 1. Say--"_were
used;"--"were taken into possession_;"--"_was soon lost from sight_." 2.
Say--"_They_ made use of music, _both_ vocal and instrumental."--"Of the
third, _the_ fourth, and _the_ fifth, _they took_ possession at half past
eight."--"Of the Pinta _they_ soon list sight," &c. 3. Say--"Use _was also_
made of _both_ vocal and instrumental musi