Explanation.— The preposition about introduces the phrase used as attribute complement; the principal part is the infinitive phrase to leave me.
| 2. | Paul was now about to open his mouth. |
Explanation.— But is here a preposition.
Explanation.— For introduces the subject phrase; the principal part of the entire phrase is us to know our faults; the principal word is us, which is modified by the phrase to know our faults.
Introducing another set of stilts is to my mind superfluous. The subject would seem as easily to include the connector: for us to know our faults. The relationship to the infinitive of purpose seems natural enough and the relationship of the infinitive to us remains the same.
Explanation.— The principal term of the phrase for man to mend is not man, but man to mend.
| 6. | For a man to be proud of his learning is the greatest ignorance. |
Explanation.— The infinitive phrase to find fault explains the subject it. Read the sentence without it, and you will see the real nature of the phrase. This use of it as a substitute for the real subject is a very common idiom of our language. It allows the real subject to follow the verb, and thus gives the sentence balance of parts.
| 8. | It is not the way to argue down a vice to tell lies about it. |
| 9. | It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. |
| 10. | It is not all of life to live. |
| 11. | This task, to teach the young, may become delightful. |
Explanation.— The infinitive wait (here used without to) completes made and relates to me. He made-wait me = He detained me.
See “Introductory Hints,” Lesson 31, and participles used as objective complements, Lesson 37. Compare I saw him do it with I saw him doing it. Compare also He made the stick bend — equaling He made-bend (= bent) the stick — with He made the stick straight — equaling He made-straight (= straightened) the stick.
The relation of these objective complements to me, him, and stick may be more clearly seen by changing the form of the verb, thus: I was made to wait; He was seen to do it, He was seen doing it; The stick was made to bend; The stick was made straight.
| We found the report to be true.* |
| *Some prefer to treat the report to be true as an object clause because it is equivalent to the clause that the report is true. But many expressions logically equivalent are entirely different in grammatical construction; as, I desire his promotion; I desire him to be promoted; I desire that he should be promoted. Besides, to teach that him is the subject, and to be promoted the predicate, of a cluse would certainly be confusing. |
| He commanded the bridge to be lowered.* |
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*Notice the difference in construction between this sentence and the sentence He commanded him to lower the bridge.
Him represents the one to whom the command is given, and to lower the bridge is the object complement.
This last sentence = He commanded him that he should lower the bridge.
Compare He told me to go with He told (to) me a story; also He taught (to) me reading. In such sentences as (56) and (57) it may not always be expedient to demand that the pupil shall trace the exact relations of the infinitive phrase to the preceding noun and to the predicate verb. If preferred, in such cases, the infinitive and its assumed subject may be treated as a kind of phrase object, equivalent to a clause. This construction is similar to the Latin “accusative with the infinitive.” |
| I saw the leaves stir.* |
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*See pages 68 and 69, foot-note. (Here see under sentence No. 37.) |
Explanation.— Stir is an infinitive without the to.
| 16. | Being persuaded by Poppæa, Nero caused his mother, Agrippina, to be assassinated. |
