"O, that estates, degrees, and offices,

"Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour
"Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!
"How many then should cover that stand bare?

"How many be commanded that command ?

"How much low peasantry would then be glean'd

"From the true seed of honour? and how much honour

"Pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times?"

Merchant of Venice, act ii. sc. 9.

It seems to me, however, that there is a difference between the two propositions. The first may mean, "How many ought to cover, or would be made to do so."

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The second, on the other hand, states the result of another intermediate process, viz. the picking out the worthless from among those of noble descent, and the truly noble from those who are apparently worthless. The "would," therefore, expresses something which was to follow as a future event, but I confess that this is one of the cases in which the line is very faintly traced.

I will now take an example in which "shall" as denoting the decree of law, and "will" as the pure future, appear side by side. It occurs in the edifying dialogue between the Bawd and the Clown in 'Measure for Measure' (act i. sc. 2).

Clown. "You have not heard of the proclamation, have you?
Bawd. "What proclamation, man?

Clown. "All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pulled down.
Bawd. "And what shall become of those in the city?

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Clown. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but "that a wise burgher put in for them.

Bawd. "But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled "down?

Clown. "To the ground, mistress.

Bawd. "Why here's a change indeed in the commonwealth!

"shall become of me?

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What

Clown. "Come, fear not you: good counsellors lack no clients : though you change your place, you need not change your trade: I'll "be your tapster still. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: 66 you that have worn your eyes out almost in the service, you will be "considered."

We may compare with this the use of "will" in the con

versation between Bardolph and Nym, 'Henry V.' (act ii. sc. 1).

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Nym. "For my part, I care not: I say little; but when time shall serve, there shall be smites; but that shall be as it may. I dare not fight; but I will wink and hold out mine iron: It is a simple one ; "but what though? It will toast cheese; and it will endure cold as "another man's sword will; and there's an end.

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Bardolph. "I will bestow a breakfast to make you [i. e. Nym and Pistol] friends; and we'll be all three sworn brothers to France; let "it be so, good corporal Nym.

Nym. "Faith, I will live as long as I may, that's the certain of it; "and when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may: that is my 66 rest, that is the rendezvous of it."

The first "shall" is contingent, the second and third are equivalent to "must." Then we have "will" with the first person for intention, and with the third for the simple future. A little further on is an equally instructive passage.

Bardolph. "Come, shall I make you two friends? We must to "France together. Why the devil should we keep knives to cut one "another's throats?

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Pistol. "Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food howl on!

Nym. "You'll pay me the eight shillings I won of you at betting?
Pistol. "Base is the slave that pays.

Nym. "That now I will have; that's the humour of it.
Pistol. "As manhood shall compound; push home.

Bardolph. "By this sword, he that makes the first thrust, I'll kill him; by this sword I will.

Pistol. "Sword is an oath, and oaths must have their course.

Bardolph. "Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be friends: an "thou wilt not, why, then be enemies with me too? Prithee put up. Nym. "I shall have my eight shillings I won of you at betting? Pistol. "A noble shalt thou have, and present pay;

Nym.

"And liquor likewise will I give to thee,

"And friendship shall combine, and brotherhood:
"I'll live by Nym, and Nym shall live by me;-
"Is not this just ?-for I shall sutler be

"Unto the camp, and profits will accrue.
"Give me thy hand.

"I shall have my noble?

Pistol. "In cash most justly paid.

Nym. "Well, then, that's the humour of it."

It is unnecessary to go over these examples singly. They are very numerous and different in kind, but they all are consistent with the usage prevailing at the present day and the doctrine laid down. It appears to me, therefore, needless to quote any more passages in support of the assertion that Shakspere's use of "shall" and "will" did not vary from

our own.

(H.)

MR. C. H. GUNN of Rotterdam had last summer the kindness to communicate to me, through the publisher, a tabular statement of the conjugation of English verbs, with special reference to "shall" and "will," which he had printed some time before the appearance of this work. He has since favoured me with a corrected copy of this table and his observations, which by his permission I insert in this Appendix. For practical purposes, and the guidance of foreigners, they will probably be more useful than my book. A METHOD FOR CONJUGATING ENGLISH VERBS.

The Simple (1) Form of the Indicative mood is employed in simple affirmations; the Continuate (2) Form is employed (in all moods) affirmatively, negatively, and interrogatively, and generally points out the precise time when an action is or was being done (Ex. I was writing a letter yesterday, when your brother came); and the (3) Form is used interrogatively and negatively, and, in cases where much emphasis is required, affirmatively.

RULES FOR THE USE OF WILL AND SHALL.

First Second Third

TO EXPRESS

Person. Person.

Person.

EXAMPLES.

1. I shall be there to-morrow.
2. Perhaps you will think of it.
3. Will he go to-morrow?
4. I will (it is my intention to)
send you something to-
morrow. He will (i. e. it is
his habit to) spend hours
together in their company.
5. I will certainly call for you
to-morrow.

He shall be punished.

6. He says I shall (must) go home to-morrow.

7. You should (it is your duty to) be obedient.

* "Shall" is also used as a simple future for the seoond and third persons when dependent on the action of an antecedent verb or clause; e. g. I will take care that you (or he) shall not come too late for the train. If I wish it, they shall do it.

1. Generally before the verb to be, or any other neuter verb.

2. Consequently after the words suppose, think, believe, hope, trust, apprehend, expect, perhaps, probably, doubt, &c. &c.

7. Should, expressing a duty, is always used as a present tense (past should have).

WILL-WOULD; SHALL-SHOULD.

WILL in the first person expresses (a) a resolution or (b) a promise. (a) I WILL not go = It is my resolution not to go.

(b) I WILL give it you = I promise to give it you.

WILL in the second person foretells: If you come at twelve o'clock you WILL find me at home.

WILL in the second person, in questions, anticipates (a) a wish, or (b) an intention.

(a) (b) WILL you go to-morrow? Is it your wish or intention to go to-morrow?

WILL in the third person foretells, generally implying an intention at the same time, when the nominative is a rational creature.

He WILL come to-morrow, signifies (a) what is to take place, and

(b) that it is the intention of the person mentioned to come.

I think it WILL snow to-day, intimates what is, probably, to take place.

WILL must never be used in questions with nominative cases of the first person:

WILL we come to-morrow?

Is it our intention or desire to come

to-morrow? which is an absurd question.

WOULD is subject to the same rules as WILL.

WOULD followed by THAT is frequently used (the nominative being expressed or understood) to express a wish:

WOULD THAT he had died before this disgrace befell him = I wish that he had died before this disgrace befell him.

WOULD HAVE, followed by an infinitive, signifies a desire to do or make:

I WOULD HAVE you think of these things: think of these things.

WOULD is often used to express a custom :

He WOULD often talk about these things of these things.

= I wish to make you

It was his custom to talk

SHALL in the first person foretells, simply expressing what is to take place:

I SHALL go to-morrow. Obs. No intention or desire is expressed by SHALL.

SHALL in the first person, in questions, asks permission:

SHALL I read? = Do you wish me, or will you permit me, to

read?

SHALL in the second and third persons expresses (a) a promise, (b) a command, or (c) a threat:

(a) You SHALL have these books to-morrow =

you have these books to-morrow.

(b) Thou SHALT not steal

=

I promise to let

I command thee not to steal.

(a) (c) He SHALL be punished for this =

punish him for this offence.

I threaten or promise to

SHOULD is subject to the same rules as SHALL.

SHOULD frequently expresses duty :

You SHOULD not do so = It is your duty not to do so.
SHOULD often signifies a plan:

I SHOULD not do so = It would not be my plan to do so.
SHOULD often expresses a supposition:

SHOULD they not agree to the proposals, what must I do = that it happen that they will not agree to the proposals, &c.

Suppose