Introduction to Robert Browning [40]
and the Ring, v. 821.
2. The use of the infinitive without the prepositive "to", is frequently extended beyond present usage, especially in `Sordello' and `The Ring and the Book'. The following are examples: -- "Who fails, through deeds howe'er diverse, RE-TRACK My purpose still, my task?" Sordello, p. 168. "failed Adelaide SEE then Who was the natural chief, the man of men?" Sordello, p. 175. "but when 'Twas time expostulate, attempt withdraw Taurello from his child," . . . Sordello, p. 180.
Here are two infinitives, with the prepositive omitted, "expostulate" and "attempt", both dependent on the noun "time", and another, "withdraw", without the prepositive, dependent on "attempt": "but when 'twas time [to] expostulate, [to] attempt [to] withdraw", etc.
"For thus he ventured, to the verge, Push a vain mummery." . . . Sordello, p. 190. i.e., for thus he ventured [to] push to the verge a vain mummery. "as yet He had inconsciously contrived FORGET I' the whole, to dwell o' the points". . . Sordello, p. 190. "Grown bestial, dreaming how BECOME divine." Sordello, p. 191. "And the whole music it was framed AFFORD," -- Sordello, p. 203. "Was such a lighting-up of faith, in life, Only allowed initiate, set man's step In the true way by help of the great glow?" R. and B. X. The Pope, v. 1815. i.e. only allowed [to] initiate, [to] set man's step, etc. "If I might read instead of print my speech, -- Ay, and enliven speech with many a flower Refuses obstinately blow in print." R. and B. IX. Johannes-Baptista Bottinius, v. 4.
Here the subject relative of "refuses" is omitted, and the verb followed by an infinitive without the prepositive: "many a flower [that] refuses obstinately [to] blow in print."
3. Instead of the modern analytic form, the simple form of the past subjunctive derived from the Anglo-Saxon inflectional form, and identical with that of the past indicative, is frequently employed, the context only showing that it is the subjunctive. (See Abbott's `Shakespearian Grammar', 361 et seq.)
"Would we some prize might hold To match those manifold Possessions of the brute, -- gain most, as we did best!" Rabbi Ben Ezra, St. xi. i.e., as we should do best. "Thus were abolished Spring and Autumn both," I. The Ring and the Book, 1358. i.e., would be abolished. "His peevishness had promptly put aside Such honor and refused the proffered boon," . . . II. Half Rome (R. and B.), 369. i.e., would have promptly put aside. "(What daily pittance pleased the plunderer dole.)" X. The Pope (R. and B.), 561. i.e., as the context shows, [it] might please the plunderer [to] dole. "succession to the inheritance Which bolder crime had lost you:" IV. Tertium Quid (R. and B.), 1104. i.e., would have lost you.
But the verbs "be" and "have" are chiefly so used, and not often beyond what present usage allows. *
-- * Tennyson uses "saw" = `viderem', in the following passage: -- "But since I did not see the Holy Thing, I sware a vow to follow it till I saw." Sir Percivale in `The Holy Grail'. --
4. The use of the dative, or indirect object, without "to" or "for".
Such datives are very frequent, and scarcely need illustration. The poet has simply carried the use of them beyond the present general usage of the language. But there's a noticeable one in the Pope's Monologue, in `The Ring and the Book', vv. 1464-1466: The Archbishop of Arezzo, to whom poor Pompilia has applied, in her distress, for protection against her brutal husband, thinks it politic not to take her part, but send her back to him and enjoin obedience and submission.
2. The use of the infinitive without the prepositive "to", is frequently extended beyond present usage, especially in `Sordello' and `The Ring and the Book'. The following are examples: -- "Who fails, through deeds howe'er diverse, RE-TRACK My purpose still, my task?" Sordello, p. 168. "failed Adelaide SEE then Who was the natural chief, the man of men?" Sordello, p. 175. "but when 'Twas time expostulate, attempt withdraw Taurello from his child," . . . Sordello, p. 180.
Here are two infinitives, with the prepositive omitted, "expostulate" and "attempt", both dependent on the noun "time", and another, "withdraw", without the prepositive, dependent on "attempt": "but when 'twas time [to] expostulate, [to] attempt [to] withdraw", etc.
"For thus he ventured, to the verge, Push a vain mummery." . . . Sordello, p. 190. i.e., for thus he ventured [to] push to the verge a vain mummery. "as yet He had inconsciously contrived FORGET I' the whole, to dwell o' the points". . . Sordello, p. 190. "Grown bestial, dreaming how BECOME divine." Sordello, p. 191. "And the whole music it was framed AFFORD," -- Sordello, p. 203. "Was such a lighting-up of faith, in life, Only allowed initiate, set man's step In the true way by help of the great glow?" R. and B. X. The Pope, v. 1815. i.e. only allowed [to] initiate, [to] set man's step, etc. "If I might read instead of print my speech, -- Ay, and enliven speech with many a flower Refuses obstinately blow in print." R. and B. IX. Johannes-Baptista Bottinius, v. 4.
Here the subject relative of "refuses" is omitted, and the verb followed by an infinitive without the prepositive: "many a flower [that] refuses obstinately [to] blow in print."
3. Instead of the modern analytic form, the simple form of the past subjunctive derived from the Anglo-Saxon inflectional form, and identical with that of the past indicative, is frequently employed, the context only showing that it is the subjunctive. (See Abbott's `Shakespearian Grammar', 361 et seq.)
"Would we some prize might hold To match those manifold Possessions of the brute, -- gain most, as we did best!" Rabbi Ben Ezra, St. xi. i.e., as we should do best. "Thus were abolished Spring and Autumn both," I. The Ring and the Book, 1358. i.e., would be abolished. "His peevishness had promptly put aside Such honor and refused the proffered boon," . . . II. Half Rome (R. and B.), 369. i.e., would have promptly put aside. "(What daily pittance pleased the plunderer dole.)" X. The Pope (R. and B.), 561. i.e., as the context shows, [it] might please the plunderer [to] dole. "succession to the inheritance Which bolder crime had lost you:" IV. Tertium Quid (R. and B.), 1104. i.e., would have lost you.
But the verbs "be" and "have" are chiefly so used, and not often beyond what present usage allows. *
-- * Tennyson uses "saw" = `viderem', in the following passage: -- "But since I did not see the Holy Thing, I sware a vow to follow it till I saw." Sir Percivale in `The Holy Grail'. --
4. The use of the dative, or indirect object, without "to" or "for".
Such datives are very frequent, and scarcely need illustration. The poet has simply carried the use of them beyond the present general usage of the language. But there's a noticeable one in the Pope's Monologue, in `The Ring and the Book', vv. 1464-1466: The Archbishop of Arezzo, to whom poor Pompilia has applied, in her distress, for protection against her brutal husband, thinks it politic not to take her part, but send her back to him and enjoin obedience and submission.