uniting the proper form of the perfect tense of the auxiliary ba, to the participial form of the preceding. Thus : AFF.- Ndibe ndingateta, I might or could speak. N. B. The affirmative of this form of the imperfect tense, is often heard with the particle yo affixed. It is thus used apparently for the sake of precision, the yo serving to distinguish this tense from the negative form of the imperfect, Indicative, with which it is almost identical in form; the chief, and in most cases, the only point of distinction, being a difference in the final vowel. Hence the affix yo, by drawing the accent forward to this distinctive vowel, and thus appropriating to it the greatest stress of voice in the act of enunciation, renders the nature of the tense at once more evident and emphatic. 3. The second forms of the preceding tenses, together with all the other tenses of this mood, are formed by uniting the present affirmative of the auxiliary nga, to the corresponding participles of the verb. Thus : PRES. AFF. Ndinga nditeta, I should, would, &c., speak. ... IMP. NEG.- Ndinga ndingateti, I should, would, &c., not speak. AFF. Ndinga ndibe nditeta, I should, would, &c., have been speaking. NEG.- Ndinga ndibe ndingateti, I should, would, &c., not have been speaking. PERF. AFF.- Ndinga nditetile, I should, &c., have spoken. NEG.- Ndinga ndingatetile, I should, &c., not have spoken. PLUP. AFF. Ndinga ndibe nditetile, I should, &c., have spoken. NEG.- Ndinga ndibe ndingatetile, I should, &c., not have spoken. 1 FUT. AFF.- Ndinga ndiya kuteta, It may be that I shall speak. NEG.- Ndinga ndingayi kuteta, It may be that I shall not speak. ... 2 FUT. AFF.- Ndinga ndibe ndiya kuteta, It may be that I should ... have spoken. NEG. Ndinga ndibe ndingayi kuteta, It may be that I should not have spoken. Those participles which commence with vowels, sometimes take their euphonic letters or substitutes before them, after the auxiliary nga. For example: 4. The prefix a, first species, of the auxiliary verbs used in the formation of the tenses of the Potential mood, is always changed into u, when they are employed with the relative pronoun, whether this be expressed or understood. Thus: Akuko 'mntu ungakonzayo inkosi 'mbini; No man can serve two mas ters. 5. The first contracted forms of the Potential mood are seldom used with the relative pronoun, the prefix of the auxiliary nga being usually restored in such circumstances. 242. The Potential mood has no aorist tense. It It may be further remarked, that though the other tenses bear the same names as those of the Indicative mood, yet their signification is of course very different. This is sufficiently obvious, from the distinction which subsists between the two moods. The Indicative simply asserts a connexion between some agent, and the action which is involved in the verb; whilst the Potential refers to the possibility, liberty, &c., that exists, of the agent performing such action. 1. The time of the verbal action is characterized by con. tingency. 2. The state of the verbal action depends upon that of the participle which is combined with the auxiliary. 243. The first forms of the present and imperfect tenses, express probability, possibility, and liberty. As: Ungahamba ukuba uyatanda; nennyama; Ngokuba oko umteto ubungebe nako ukwenza kona; You can go if you like. Though I might also have confi- For what the law could not do. As: 244. The second forms of the same tenses express duty, obligation, will, and the like. Singe sisiva u-Tixo pezu kwabantu ; Ezizinto ngazingabi njalo; Ndinge ndibe ndifunda, koko &c. ; We ought to obey God rather than men. These things ought not to be so. 245. It will be seen from some of the preceding examples, that the present, Potential, is capable in certain cases of the same translation into English, as the future tenses of the Indicative. The meaning, however, is very different, as will be evident from the following comparisons : १ 1. Ukuba ndiyenje njalo, ndingafa; Ukuba ndiyenje njalo, ndiya kufa; } If I do so, I shall die. In the first example the connexion between death, and the preceding act, whatever it may be, is doubtful; it may occur, or it may not: but in the second, the connexion is certain; it is going to occur. The difference then between the first form of the present, Potential, and the first future, Indicative, may be thus stated. The former denotes that there exists a present possibility, &c., of the verbal action taking place. The latter denotes that there exists a present intention or determination to perform the verbal action. Whilst therefore they both agree in referring the actual accomplishment of such action to future time, yet in other respects they greatly differ. } 2. Ndinge ndikonza; I should or would serve. The first example denotes that it is the present duty of the actor to perform the verbal action, or that he possesses a present willingness to do so. The second denotes a past intention or determination to perform the verbal action. The difference, therefore, between the second form of the present, Potential, and the second future, Indicative, is sufficiently obvious. Both tenses agree in referring the performance of the action to future time, but this reference is connected in the former case with present duty, and in the latter with past intention. 246. It will be easy to apply the proper distinction, in all other cases where there is an apparent resemblance between Y the significations of the second future, Indicative, and some of the tenses of the Potential. Thus : 2 FUT. IND.- Ndibe ndiya PERF. kutanda; POT. Ndinge ndi- I should have loved; i. e. in some past time I intended to love. I should have loved; i. e. I ought to have loved, or, I was willing to have loved; implying that such is the present probability. 247. The future tenses express possibility, probability, and liberty. Thus : 248. The perfect and pluperfect tenses are used in all the preceding senses. Thus: Singa sikwazile na ukuba &c. ? Ukuba u-Kristu ange evile u- Ndinge ndibe ndenje njalo oko, Could we know that &c. ? I should not have known sin, That Christ must needs have I might or could have done so PARTICIPIAL FORMS OF THE POTENTIAL MOOD. 249. The participial form of the first form of the present tense, is formed by prefixing the present participle of the auxiliary nga to the root of the verb, and changing the final vowel of this into e for the negative. 250. That of the first form of the imperfect, is formed by uniting the perfect participle of the auxiliary ba, to the preceding participial form of the present. 251. The participial forms of the second forms of the above tenses, as well as those of all the other tenses, are formed by uniting the present affirmative participle of the auxiliary nga, to the corresponding participle of the verb. 252. These several participial forms are only used in the ways already stated, and in the formation of the Augmented forms of the tenses. They vary from the corresponding tenses, only in the form of the third person, Species 1, both numbers, and in the plural, Species 2. TENSES OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. 253. The Subjunctive mood has only two tenses, the Present, and the Aorist, both of which are very indefinite in their reference to the time and state of the verbal action. 254. The present tense is formed by prefixing the present subjunctive prefixes to the root of the verb, and changing the final vowel of this into e for the affirmative, and into i for the negative. Thus : AFF. Nditete, That I may speak. NEG.- Ndingateti, That I may not speak. But the irregular verb tsho, and verbs terminating in i, do not change their final vowels, either in the affirmative or negative. Verbs of the Passive voice, also, and the irregular verb va, retain their final a in the negative. 1. This tense expresses the end, design, or object of some verbal action, and is used both with and without a conjunction. As: Xelela lamntu asebenze; Tell that person to work. 2. It is sometimes used interrogatively in a future sense; but in this case the construction is evidently elliptical. Thus, Simke? Shall we go? that is, Do you wish that we should go. 3. It is very generally employed in an imperative sense, implying entreaty, request, or permission. As :— Usixolele izono zetu ; Forgive us our sins. This usage of the present, Subjunctive, is also elliptical, the full sentiment being,-We wish or pray that thou wouldst &c. 4. In the preceding construction, where the verb is used transitively, the verbal prefix of the second person is often |