3. ----Revenge back on itself recoils. Let it. I reck not, _so_ it _light_ well aimed.--J. MILTON. 4. _If_ this _be_ the case. 5. _Although_ my house _be_ not so with God.--_Old Testament._ 6. He shall not eat of the holy thing _unless_ he _wash_ his flesh with water.--_Old Testament._ Expressions like _except_ and _unless_ are equally conditional with words like _if_ and _provided that_, since they are equivalent to _if--not_. Expressions like _though_ and _although_ are peculiar. They join propositions, of which the one is a _primâ facie_ reason against the existence of the other: and this is the conditional element. In the sentence, _if the children be so badly brought-up, they are not to be trusted_, the _bad bringing-up_ is the reason for their being _unfit to be trusted_; and, as far as the expression is concerned, _is admitted to be so_. The only uncertainty lies in the question as to the degree of the badness of the education. The inference from it is unequivocal. But if, instead of saying _if_, we say _although_, and omit the word _not_, so that the sentence run _although the children be so badly brought-up they are to be trusted_, we do two things: we indicate the general relation of cause and effect that exists between _bad bringing-up_ and _unfitness for being trusted_, but we also, at the same time, take an exception to it in the particular instance before us. These remarks have been made for the sake of showing the extent to which words like _though_, &c., are conditional. It must be remembered, however, that conjunctions, like the ones lately quoted, do not govern subjunctive moods because they are conditional, but because, in the particular condition which they accompany, there is an element of uncertainty. § 509. This introduces a fresh question. Conditional conjunctions are of two sorts:-- 1. Those which express a condition as an actual fact, and one admitted as such by the speaker. 2. Those which express a condition as a possible fact, and one which the speaker either does not admit, or admits only in a qualified manner. Since _the children_ are _so badly brought-up_, &c.--This is an instance of the first construction. The speaker admits as an actual fact the _bad bringing-up of the children_. If _the children_ be _so badly brought-up_, &c.--This is an instance of the second construction. The speaker admits as a possible (perhaps, as a probable) fact the _bad bringing-up of the children_: but he does not adopt it as an indubitable one. § 510. Now, if every conjunction had a fixed unvariable meaning, there would be no difficulty in determining whether a condition was absolute, and beyond doubt, or possible, and liable to doubt. But such is not the case. _Although_ may precede a proposition which is admitted as well as one which is doubted. a. Although _the children_ are, &c. b. Although _the children_ be, &c.