Excerpt from The Classical Journal, Vol. 3: For March and June, 1811

It is to be remarked, that the learned author does not seem to establish the correctness of these instances, on the ground of any peculiar idiom of the English tongue. He refers, for their justi fication, to the nature and sense of the phrases. He approves of the use of the subjunctive mood on these occasions, upon principles of universal grammar - upon the supposition of some philosophical propriety. These instances are collected from the vulgar translation of the bible; and it may excite some Surprize to be told, that not one of these examples is expressed in the subjunctive mood in the languages, from which they are translated. A reference to the originals will clearly establish this singular fact. The only author within my knowledge who has noticed this curious inadvertence (for such it certainly is) of the learned Bishop, is Mr. Webster.' In his Dissertations on the English Language, he has fully investigated these examples, by a collation with their originals. Such is the unstable foun dation, on which some of our most eminent grammarians have rested their conclusions on this subject.

But so discordant are the notions of the very advocates of the English moods, that few of them agree even on the number of them; and as to the particular mood in'question, the most vague and inconsistent doctrines have prevailed. Some persons have thought it to consist in the adoption of the plural form of the verb, without regard to the persons, whether singular or plural, to whom it relates, when it is preceded by particular con junctions. Others consider it to be a mere second form of the verb, to be used after certain conjunctions, but hesitate to exalt it to the dignity of a nominal mood. Many, who denominate this form of expression an actual mood, limit its existence to one tense; while others extend it to various tenses. Such vagueness and indecision can only be the result of speculation: attempts to define a nonentity naturally terminate in confusion.

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