The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical NotesDarwin, Erasmus
Philosophy
The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical Notes
Darwin, Erasmus
Cosmology -- Poetry; Life -- Origin -- Poetry
The verb _to be_ is also used irregularly to designate the parts of
time and actual existence; and is then applied to either the active or
passive participles of other verbs, and called an auxiliary verb;
while the mode of existence, whether at rest, or in action, or being
acted upon, is expressed by the participle, as "I am loving" is nearly
the same as "I love," amo; and "I am loved," amatus sum, is nearly the
same as amor. This mode of application of the verb _to be_ is used in
French as well as in English, and in the passive voice of the Latin,
and perhaps in many other languages; and is by its perpetual use in
conversation rendered irregular in them all, as I am, thou art, he is,
would not seem to belong to the infinitive mood _to be_, any more than
sum, fui, sunt, fuerunt, appear to belong to esse.
The verb _to have_ affords another instance of irregular application;
the word means in its regular sense to possess, and then suggests
three ideas like the above verb of existence: first the abstracted
idea of the thing spoken of, or possession; secondly, the actual
existence of possession, and lastly the time, as I have or possess.
This verb _to have_ like the verb _to be_ is also used irregularly to
denote parts of past time, and is then joined to the passive
participles alone, as I have eaten; or it is accompanied with the
passive participle of the verb _to be_, and then with the active
participle of another verb, as I have been eating.
There is another word _will_ used in the same irregular manner to
denote the parts of future time, which is derived from the verb _to
will_; which in its regular use signifies to exert our volition. There
are other words used to express other circumstances attending upon
verbs, as may, can, shall, all which are probably the remains of
verbs otherwise obsolete. Lastly, when we recollect, that in the moods
and tenses of verbs one word expresses never less than three ideas in
our language, and many more in the Greek and Latin; as besides those
three primary ideas the idea of person, and of number, are always
expressed in the indicative mood, and other ideas suggested in the
other moods, we cannot but admire what excellent abbreviations of
language are thus achieved; and when we observe the wonderful
intricacy and multiplicity of sounds in those languages, especially in
the Greek verbs, which change both the beginning and ending of the
original word through three voices, and three numbers, with uncounted
variations of dialect; we cannot but admire the simplicity of modern
languages compared to these ancient ones; and must finally perceive,
that all language consists simply of nouns, or names of ideas,
disposed in succession or in combination, all of which are expressed
by separate words, or by various terminations of the same word.
_Conclusion._
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