“If an atheist would peruse the volume of nature, he would confess, that there was a God.” Universal, or abstract truths, require the present tense; it should be, “that there is a God.”
“ ... impresses us with a feeling, as if refinement was nothing, as if faculties were nothing, as if virtue was nothing, as if all that was sweetest, and all that was highest in human nature was an idle show.”—Godwin’s Life of Chaucer. This sentence errs at once against elegance and accuracy. The former offence may be partly corrected, by substituting the conditional for the indicative tense, in the hypothetical clauses. But the author’s principal error consists in converting a general proposition into a particular fact, by representing that as past which is always present and immutable. The sentence should proceed thus: “Impresses us with a feeling, as if refinement were nothing, as if faculties were nothing, as if virtue were nothing, as if all that is sweetest, and all that is highest in human nature, were an idle show.”
A similar error occurs in this passage: “He proceeded to demonstrate, that death was not an evil;” and also in this, “I have frequently been assured by great ministers, that politics were nothing, but common sense.”
“Tom has wit enough to make him a pleasant companion, was it polished by good manners.” As the latter clause is intended to be purely hypothetical, the verb should not be in the indicative mood. “Were it polished,” is the proper expression.
“He understood the language of Balnibarbi, although it were different from that of this island.”—Swift’s Voyage to Laputa. From the phraseology here employed, the reader might naturally infer, that the language of the island, and that of Balnibarbi, were identical; for a concessive term, as I have already said, when joined to what is called the conjunctive form of the verb, implies pure hypothesis, as contrary to fact; or, in other words, implies a negation of the attribute expressed. The author’s intention was to signify, that the languages were not the same. He should, therefore, have said, “although it was different.”
“The circumstances were as follows.” Several grammarians and critics have approved this phraseology; I am inclined, however, to concur with those, who prefer “as follow.” To justify the former mode of expression, the verb must be considered as impersonal. This, I own, appears to me a very questionable solution of the difficulty; for I am convinced, that we have no impersonal verbs in English, but such as are uniformly preceded by it. We frequently, indeed, meet with sentences, where verbs occur without a nominative, and in the singular number. These are, by some, considered as impersonal verbs, to which the nominative it is understood. I apprehend, however, that, on strict inquiry, some one or other of the preceding words, which are now considered as conjunctions, adverbs, or particles, was originally the nominative; and that it is only since the primitive and real character of these words has been obliterated and lost, that we have found it necessary to inquire for another nominative. Thus, if the word as be equivalent to it, that, or which[145], then it is obvious, that, when we say, “the circumstances were as follows,” there is no real ellipsis of the nominative involved, nor, therefore, any ground for asserting the impersonality of the verb, in order to explain the syntax, or construction of the phrase; for the word as, equivalent to it, that, or which, is the true nominative. It is evident, then, that this solution of the difficulty must be rejected as false; and that the argument in favour of “as follows,” resting on the supposed impersonality of the verb, and the suppression of the pronoun, is entirely unfounded.
If as then be the nominative to the verb, and be synonymous with it, that, or which, it is of importance to determine, whether as be a singular, or a plural word; or whether it be either the one, or the other. That it is construed as singular, there can be no doubt. We say, “his insensibility is such, as excites our detestation.” That it is also joined to a verb plural is equally certain, thus, “his manners are such, as are universally pleasing.” In the former example, such as is equivalent to that which, and in the latter to those which. If as, then, be either singular or plural, and synonymous with it, that, or which, I conceive that, when it refers to a plural antecedent, it must, like which, be considered as plural, and joined to a plural verb. Now, it is surely more consonant with analogy to say, “the circumstances were, which follow,” than it follows, or that follows. Besides, when the demonstrative such precedes, and is joined to a plural noun, it is universally admitted, that as must then be followed by a plural verb. If so, the construction of the word as cannot, I apprehend, be in the least degree affected by the ellipsis of the correlative term. Let us now hear those who adopt the contrary opinion.
Baker prefers the verb singular, and remarks “that there are instances in our language of verbs in the third person without a nominative case, as, ‘he censures her, so far as regards.’” In answer to this it may be observed, that, if the word as is to be considered in no other light, than as a conjunctive particle, it is certainly true, that the verb regards has no nominative. But I am persuaded, no person who has examined the theory of Mr. Tooke can entertain a doubt respecting the original and real character of this word. Nay, if we investigate the true and primitive import of the correspondent Latin terms ut and uti, we shall find, that these, which are termed adverbs, are, in fact, the pronouns ὅτι, ὁτ’, and that quod (anciently written quodde) is nothing else than καὶ ὅττι, which, like our word that, is sometimes called a conjunction, and sometimes a pronoun. Why the original character and real import of the word as have been completely merged in the name of adverb, while the word that has been assigned the double character of pronoun and conjunction, it would be easy to show, if the discussion were essential to the question before us. But in answer to Baker’s remark, it is sufficient to observe, that as means properly it, that, or which.
Campbell adopts the opinion of Baker. “When a verb,” says he, “is used impersonally, it ought undoubtedly to be in the singular number, whether the neuter pronoun be expressed or understood.” But a question naturally arises, whence has the author learned that the verb is impersonal? There appears to me to be no more impersonality in the verb, when we say, “it is as follows,” than when we say, “it is such, as follows,” or, “they are such, as follow.” If as be admitted as the nominative in two of these examples, I can perceive no reason for rejecting it in the third. But here lies, as will presently appear, the author’s great error. Unacquainted with the true meaning of the word as, he conceived it as incapable of becoming a nominative to a verb, as ut or uti is deemed in Latin; and he therefore immediately recurs to ellipsis.