say, "We choose rather to lead than follow," or, "We choose rather to lead than to follow."--Art of Thinking, p. 37. The meaning in either case is, "We choose to lead rather than we choose to follow." In the following example, there is perhaps an ellipsis of to before cite: "I need do nothing more than simply cite the explicit declarations," &c.--Gurney's Peculiarities, p. 4. So in these: "Nature did no more than furnish the power and means."--Sheridan's Elocution, p. 147.
"To beg, than work, he better understands;
Or we perhaps might take him off thy hands."
--Pope's Odyssey, xvii, 260.
OBS. 22.--It has been stated, in Obs. 16th on Rule 17th, that good writers are apt to shun a repetition of any part common to two or more verbs in the same sentence; and among the examples there cited is this: "They mean to, and will, hear patiently."--Salem Register. So one might say, "Can a man arrive at excellence, who has no desire to?"--"I do not wish to go, nor expect to."--"Open the door, if you are going to." Answer: "We want to, and try to, but can't." Such ellipses of the infinitive after to, are by no means uncommon, especially in conversation; nor do they appear to me to be always reprehensible, since they prevent repetition, and may contribute to brevity without obscurity. But Dr. Bullions has lately thought proper to condemn them; for such is presumed to have been the design of the following note: "To, the sign of the infinitive, should never be used for the infinitive itself. Thus, 'I have not written, and I do not intend to,' is a colloquial vulgarism for, 'I have not written, and I do not intend to write.'"--Bullions's Analyt. and Pract. Gram., p. 179. His "Exercises to be corrected," here, are these: "Be sure to write yourself and tell him to. And live as God designed me to."--Ib., 1st Ed., p. 180. It being manifest, that to cannot "be used for"--(that is, in place of--)what is implied after it, this is certainly a very awkward way of hinting "there should never be an ellipsis of the infinitive after to." But, from the false syntax furnished, this appears to have been the meaning intended. The examples are severally faulty, but not for the reason suggested--not because "to" is used for "write" or "live"--not, indeed, for any one reason common to the three--but because, in the first, "to write" and "have not written," have nothing in common which we can omit; in the second, the mood of "tell" is doubtful, and, without a comma after "yourself," we cannot precisely know the meaning; in the third, the mood, the person, and the number of "live," are all unknown. See Note 9th to Rule 17th, above; and Note 2d to the General Rule, below.
OBS. 23.--Of some infinitives, it is hard to say whether they are transitive or intransitive; as, "Well, then, let us proceed; we have other forced marches to make; other enemies to subdue; more laurels to acquire; and more injuries to avenge."--BONAPARTE: Columbian Orator, p. 136. These, without ellipsis, are intransitive; but relatives may be inserted.
IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION.
FALSE SYNTAX UNDER RULE XIX.
INFINITIVES AFTER BID, DARE, FEEL, HEAR, LET, &c.
"I dare not to proceed so hastily, lest I should give offence."--Murray's Exercises, p. 63.
[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the preposition to is inserted before proceed, which follows the active verb dare. But, according to Rule 19th, "The active verbs, bid, dare, feel, hear, let, make, need, see, and their participles, usually take the infinitive after them without the preposition to;" and this is an instance in which the finite verb should immediately govern the infinitive. Therefore, the to should be omitted; thus, "I dare not proceed so hastily," &c.]
"Their character is formed, and made appear."--Butler's Analogy, p. 115.
[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the preposition to is not inserted between made and appear, the verb is made being passive. But, according to Obs. 5th and 10th on Rule 19th, those verbs which in the active form govern the infinitive without to, do not so govern it when they are made passive, except the verb let. Therefore, to should be here inserted; thus, "Their character is formed, and made to appear."]
"Let there be but matter and opportunity offered, and you shall see them quickly to revive again."--Wisdom of the Ancients, p. 53. "It has been made appear, that there is no presumption against a revelation."--Butler's Analogy, p. 252. "MANIFEST, v. t. To reveal; to make to appear; to show plainly."--Webster's American Dict. "Let him to reign like unto good Aurelius, or let him to bleed like unto Socrates."--Kirkham's Gram., p. 169. "To sing I could not; to complain I durst not."--S. Fothergill. "If T. M. be not so frequently heard pray by them."--Barclay's Works, iii, 132. "How many of your own church members were never heard pray?"--Ib., iii, 133. "Yea, we are bidden pray one for another."--Ib., iii, 145. "He was made believe that neither the king's death, nor imprisonment would help him."--Sheffield's Works, ii, 281. "I felt a chilling sensation to creep over me."--Inst., p. 188. "I dare to say he has not got home yet."--Ib. "We sometimes see bad men to be honoured."--Ib. "I saw him to move."--Felch's Comprehensive Gram., p. 62. "For see thou, ah! see thou a hostile world to raise its terrours."--Kirkham's Gram., p. 167. "But that he make him to rehearse so."--Lily's Gram., p. xv. "Let us to rise."--Fowle's True Eng. Gram., p. 41.
"Scripture, you know, exhorts us to it; Bids us to 'seek peace, and ensue it.'"--Swift's Poems, p. 336.
"Who bade the mud from Dives' wheel To spurn the rags of Lazarus? Come, brother, in that dust we'll kneel, Confessing Heaven that ruled it thus."--Christ
