A fourth is the definite future, Scripturus fum, I am going to write, or, I am about to write: in which the prefent is united with the future, Sum with Scripturus, to intimate a futurity that is just commencing. We exprefs it in English by a fort of figure: I am going to write; that is, I am engaged in an action which is preparatory to, or will be immediately followed by, the act of writing. The other English phrafe is, I am about to write; that is, I am at the point, the nearer end, or the beginning of the action of writing for bout in French denotes point or end; and au bout, at the point, or at the end; fo that it is probable we have derived this idiom from the French language. A fifth compound tenfe is in Latin Scripturus eram; in Greek, † Emellon graphein; in English, I was about to write. We ufe it, to exprefs an action, which at a certain time now paft would have taken place immediately, if fomething had not happened to prevent or defer it, or at leaft to claim a prior attention. So in the tenth chapter of the Apocalypfe; "And when the feven "thunders had uttered their voices, I was about "to write, Emellon graphein: and I heard a voice "from heaven, faying unto me, Seal up thofe "things which the feven thunders uttered, and "write them not," It is therefore a compofition of the paft cram, with the definite or paulo poft future, Scripturus. But there is not in any language, fo far as I know, a contrivance for comprehending all this in one word; and therefore, like fome other tenfes, it must be fignified by auxiliary words joined to the participle of future time. * I fhall be writing, Efomai graphon is the last compound tense that I fhall mention. It occurs in fentences like the following, "I cannot come "tomorrow before dinner, for I fhall be writing "all the morning ;" and is therefore a coalition of the future with the imperfect. It differs however from the incomplete future formerly defcribed, and exemplified by Scribam, I fhall write. This last denotes incomplete action, and indefinite (or aoristical) futurity: but I fhall be writing denotes both thefe, together with extended or continued action. So much for compound tenfes which unite two or more times in one. If the reader will not allow these two laft forms of expreffion to be Tenfes, I fhall not infift on it, that they are. I call them fo, because they have been fo called by others. 1 ; 2. The fimple tenfes, expreffive of one time only, are these that follow.-1. The definite prefent, Scribo, I write.-2. The aorift of the prefent, "A merry heart maketh a chearful countenance." -3. The aorift of the paft, † Egrapfa, I wrote, or I did write.-4. The aorift of the future, Scribam, I fhall write.-5. The imperfect, or the continued and incomplete paft, Scribebam, I was writing.-Thefe tenfes have all been fufficiently defcribed under other characters. And now, of the ELEVEN TENSES here explained, which, being a strange as well as an odd number, we may, by omitting the two laft, and retaining the paulo-poft-future (because there is a tenfe of that name in the Greek Grammar) reduce to NINE, the number of the Mufes ;-of thefe eleven tenfes, I fay, the arrangement and general Φεσομαι γράφων. Η εγραψα. general nature may be feen at one glance, in the following Table. TENSES OF ACTIVE VERBS. DEFINITE IN TIME. The Prefent. Scribo. I write. Number 1. The Preterperfect. I have written. Numb. 2. The Paulo-post-future. Scripturus fum. Num. 3. INDEFINITE IN TIME, OR AORIST. The Prefent. A merry heart maketh, &c. Numb. 4. The Paft. Egrapfa. I wrote, or I did write. Numb. 5. The Future. Scribam. I fhall write. Numb. 6. COMPLETE IN RESPECT OF ACTION. The Preterperfect. I have written. Numb. 2. The Aorift of the past. I wrote. Numb. 5. The Plufquamperfect. I had written. Numb. 7. The Future perfect. Scripfero. I fhall have written. Numb. 8. INCOMPLETE IN RESPECT OF ACTION. The Imperfect and continued paft. I was writing. Numb. 9. The Aorift of the future. Scribam. I fhall write. Numb. 6. The Paulo-post-future. Scripturus fum. Numb. 3. COMPOUND, AS UNITING TWO OR MORE TIMES IN ONE TENSE. The Preterperfect. Paft with prefent. Numb. 2. The Plufquamperfect. Past with past. Numb. 7. The Future Perfect. Prefent and past with fu The Imperfect with future. I fhall be writing. Numb. II. SIMPLE, SIMPLE, EXPRESSIVE OF ONE TIME. The Aorift of the future. Numb. 6. The Imperfect and extended paft. Numb. 9. The Tenfes, reduced to Nine, are, 1. The Indefinite prefent. 2. The Definite Prefent. 3. The Imperfect. 4. The Indefinite Preterite, or Aorift of the paft. 5. The Preterperfect. 6. The Plufquamperfect. 7. The Indefinite or Aorift Future. 8. The Paulo-poft-future. 9. The Perfect Future. It will perhaps occur, that there are two Greek tenfes, whereof in this long detail I have given no account; namely, the fecond aorift, and the fecond future. The truth is, that I confider them as unneceffary. Their place, for any thing I know to the contrary, might at all times be fupplied by the first aorift and the firft future. Some grammarians are of opinion, that the first aorift fignifies time paft in general, and the fecond, indefinite time paft; and that the first future denotes a nearer, and the fecond a more remote futurity. But this, I apprehend, is mere conjecture, unfupported by proof. And therefore I incline rather to the fentiments of those who teach, that the fecond future and fecond aorist have no meaning different from the |