alytical practical grammar - Toronto Public Library

64 ENGLISH GRAMMAR.
337. Hence it is manifest that will expresses the purpose, resolution,
promise, &c., of the aubject of th" verb. Thus:
I will go, } {M.!f resolution, &c.
Thou wilt go, expresses 1'hy resolution, &0.
He will go,
His rosolution, &c.
338. Fixed purpose or determination, however, is expl'essed in a more
positive and absolute manner in the first person by shall than by will,
becan~e in tbis way, the person, as it were, divests himself of will, and puts
him~elf entirely at the disposal of another. Thus, a person may say," I
shall go, though much agdiust my inclination."
For this reason, 8!tall is more polite and respectful in a promise, and
more offensive in a threat, than will.
IlIif'l',·ogatit'ely.
339. In asking questions, these auxiliaries in this sense, are used with
reference to the will of the second per,,,n, to whom a question is always
suppose(1 to be addreased, and hence are used as in the second of the above
forms; thus-
Shall I write I Will you write 1 Shall he write I-Equivalent to-
Is it your purpose that I shall write ?-you will write I-he shall write?
SIJALL and WILL expressing Fl"TURITY.
340. In regard to simple futurity, the use of shrIll and will is directly
the reverse of what it is in the expression of resolution: that is, will takes
the place of shall, and .hall takes the place of will. In other words, when
a person in reference to himself foretells what is future, shall is used i and
in reference to others, will is used, Thus-
FIRST FOUI.-I tbin); that I shall go-that thou wilt go-thnt he will
go. Or, without a preceding clause: I shalt go-thou wilt gohe
will go.
SECOND FORM.-Y ou think that I will go-that you sl,all go-that he
will go.
THIRD FCRM.-He thinks that I 'rill go-that you will go-tbat he (biro"
self) shall go-that he (another) will go.
341. But when the thing foretold is regarded, either as plea,iug. or
repugnant .• sf/all is med wi Ih reference to the fil st person, even when
others are represented as foretelling; as-
You seem to think t that
He seems to fear f
I s/tall recover.
I shall not recover.
Illterrogatit'eiy 1'especiillg the jlltltre.
342. Shall i~ used interrogatively in the first and the second person,
and will in the third; ns. "Shall I arrive in time ?"-" Shalt you be at
home to·morrow 1"-" lI'ili your brotber be thel'e 1"
343. Shall is used, instead of will, after the conjunctions if, provided,
tllOugf" unles3, &c.-the adverbs when, wllile, untIl, after, before, d:c.­
and also after w"o.~oever, or a relative pronoun in a restrictivll clause
(261-2); as, "If they shall enter into my rest"-" When he 8hall ap"