Lectures on Language Part 13

Be not surprised when I tell you this is the same word as _air_, for such is the fact. It signifies to inhale air, to _air ourselves_, or _breathe air_. "G.o.d _breathed_ into man the _breath of life_, and man became a _living soul_." The new born infant _inhales air_, _inflates its lungs_ with _air_, and begins to live. We all know how essential _air_ is to the preservation of life. No animal can live an instant without it. Drop a squirrel into a receiver from which all _air_ has been extracted, and it can not live. Even vegetables will die where there is no air. _Light_ is also indispensable to _life_ and _health_.

_Air_ is _inhaled_ and _exhaled_, and from it life receives support. The fact being common, it is not so distinctly observed by the careless, as tho it was more rare. But did you never see the man dying of a consumption, when the pulmonary or breathing organs were nearly decayed?

How he labors for breath! He asks to have the windows thrown open. At length he _suffocates_ and dies. Most persons struggle hard for _breath_ in the hour of dissolving nature. The heaving bosom, the hollow gasp for _air_, tells us that the lamp of life is soon to be extinguished, that the hour of their departure has come.

When a person faints, we carry them into the _air_, or blow _air_ upon them, that nature may be restored to its regular course. In certain cases physicians find it necessary to force air into the lungs of infants; they can after that _air_, themselves, _imbibe_ or _drink in air_, or _inspirit_ themselves with air. But I need not enlarge. Whoever has been deprived of air and labored hard for breath in a stifled or unwholesome air, can appreciate what we mean.

_We were_; _he was_.

I have said before that these words are the same, and are used in certain cases irrespective of number. I have good authority for this opinion, altho some etymologists give them different derivations.

_Were_, _wert_; _worth_, _werth_; _word_ and _werde_, are derived from the same etymon and retain a similarity of meaning. They signify _spirit_, _life_, _energy_. "In the beginning was the _word_, and the _word_ was with G.o.d." "By the _word_ of his grace."

"_They were_," they _inspirited_ themselves, _possessed_ the life, vitality, or _spirit_, the Creator gave them, and having that spirit, life, or energy, under proper regulation, in due degree, they were _worthy_ of the esteem, regard, sympathy, and good _word_ of others.

_To be._

This is considered the root of all the words we have considered, and to it all others are referred for a definition. Dictionaries give no definition to _am_, _is_, _are_, _was_, and _were_, all of them as truly princ.i.p.al verbs as _be_, and possessed of as distinct a meaning. It can hardly be possible that they should form so important a part of our language, and yet be incapable of definition. But such is the fact, the most significant words in our language, and those most frequently used, are undefined in the books.

Mr. Webster says =to be= signifies, "to exist, to _have_ a real _state_ or _existence_," and so say Walker and Johnson. Now if it is possible to "=have= _a state of being_ without action or pa.s.sion," then may this word express neutrality. But the very definition requires activity, and an object expressed. It denotes the _act of being_, or living; to _exercise_ the powers of life, to _maintain_ a position or rank in the scale of existent things.

The name of the action is _being_, and applies to the Almighty BEING who _exists_ unchanged as the source of all inferior _beings_ and things, whose name is _Jehovah_, I AM, the Being of beings, the Fountain of _light_, _life_, and _wisdom_.

_Be_ is used in the imperative and infinitive moods correctly, by every body who employs language. "_Be_ here in ten minutes." "_Be it_ far from thee." "I will _be_ in Boston before noon." If there is any action in going from Providence to Boston at rail-road speed, in two hours, or before noon, it is all expressed by the verb _be_, which we are told expresses _no action_.

The teacher says to his scholars when out at play, "I want you _to be_ in your seats in five minutes." What would they understand him to mean?

that they should stand still? or that they should _change their state of being_ from play in the yard, to a state of being in their seats? There is no word to denote such change, except the word _to be_. _Be_ off, _be_ gone, _be_ here, _be_ there, are commands frequently given and correctly understood.

The master says to a bright little lad, who has well learned his grammar, "_Be_ here in a minute."

"Yes, sir, I will _be_ there;" but he does not move.

"_Be_ here immediately."

"Yes, yes, I will _be_ there."

"Don't you understand me? I say, _be_ here instantly."

"Oh, yes, I understand you and will obey."

The good man is enraged. "You scoundrel," says he, "do you mean to disobey my orders and insult me?"

"Insult you and disobey you; I have done neither," replies the honest boy.

"Yes you have, and I will chastise you severely for it."

"No, master, I have not; I declare, I have not. I have obeyed you as well as I know how, to the very letter and spirit of your command."

"Didn't I tell you _to be_ here in a minute, and have not you _remained_ where you were? and didn't you say you would _be_ here?"

"Yes, sir; and did not I do just what you told me to?"

"Why, no, you blockhead; I told you _to be_ here."

"Well, I told you I would _be_ there."

"You _was_ not here."

"Nor did you expect I would _be_, if you have taught me to _speak_, _write_, and understand correctly."

"What do you mean, you saucy boy?"

"I mean to mind my master, and do what he tells me to."

"Why didn't you do so then?"

"I did."

"You didn't."

"I did."

"You lie, you insult me, you contradict me, you saucy fellow. You are not fit to be in school. I will punish you severely." And in a pa.s.sion he starts for his ferrule, takes the boys hand, and bruises him badly; the honest little fellow all the while pleading innocence of any intended wrong.

In a short time they commence _parsing_ this sentence: "It is necessary _to be_ very particular in ascertaining the meaning of words before we use them." The master puts _to be_ to the same boy. He says it is an _active verb_, infinitive mood.

"How is that? an _active_ verb?"

"Yes, sir."

"No, it is not. It is a _neuter_ verb."

"Begging your pardon, master, it is not. It is active."

"Have I got to punish you again so soon, you impudent fellow. You are not fit to be in school. I will inform your parents of your conduct."

"What have I done that is wrong?"

"You say _to be_ is an _active_ verb, when _I_ tell you, and the _grammar_ and _dictionary_ tell you, it is _neuter_!"

"What is a _neuter_ verb, master?"

"It expresses 'neither action nor pa.s.sion, but being or a state of being.' Have you forgotten it?"

"No, sir, I _thought_ that was the case."

"What did you ask me for then?"

"Because I supposed you had found another meaning for it."

"To what do you allude, you troublesome fellow, you? I'll not bear your insults much longer."