p. 70. "_May not_, was formerly
used for _must not_; as, 'Graces for which we _may not_ cease to sue.'
Hooker."--_Ib._, p. 91. "_May_ frequently expresses doubt of the fact; as,
'I _may_ have the book in my library, but I think I have not.' It is used
also, to express doubt, or a consequence, with a future signification; as,
'I _may_ recover the use of my limbs, but I see little probability of
it.'--'That they _may_ receive me into their houses.' _Luke_, xvi,
4."--_Churchill's Gram._, p. 247. In these latter instances, the potential
present is akin to the subjunctive. Hence Lowth and others improperly call
"I _may love_," &c. the subjunctive mood. Others, for the same reason, and
with as little propriety, deny that we have any subjunctive mood; alleging
an ellipsis in every thing that bears that name: as, "'If it (_may_) _be_
possible, live peaceably with all men.' Scriptures."--_W. Allen's Gram._,
p. 61. _May_ is also a sign of wishing, and consequently occurs often in
prayer: as, "_May_ it be thy good pleasure;"--"O that it _may_ please
thee;"--"_Mayst_ thou be pleased." Hence the potential is akin also to the
imperative: the phrases, "Thy will be done,"--"_May_ thy will be
done,"--"Be thy will done,"--"_Let_ thy will be done,"--are alike in
meaning, but not in mood or construction.

OBS. 14.--_Can_, to be able, is etymologically the same as the regular
verbs _ken_, to see, and _con_, to learn; all of them being derived from
the Saxon _connan_ or _cunnan_, to know: whence also the adjective cunning,
which was formerly a participle. In the following example _will_ and _can_
are principal verbs: "In evil, the best condition is, not to _will_; the
second, not to _can_."--_Ld. Bacon_. "That a verb which signifies
knowledge, may also signify power, appears from these examples: _Je ne
saurois, I should not know how_, (i. e. _could_ not.) [Greek: Asphalisasthe
hos oidate], Strengthen it as you _know how_, (i. e. as you _can_.)
_Nescio_ mentiri, I _know not how to_ (i.e. _I cannot_) lie."--_W. Allen's
Gram._, p. 71. _Shall_, Saxon _sceal_, originally signified to _owe_; for
which reason _should_ literally means _ought_. In the following example
from Chaucer, _shall_ is a principal verb, with its original meaning:

"For, by the faith I _shall_ to God, I wene,
Was neuer straungir none in hir degre."--_W. Allen's Gram._, p. 64.

OBS. 15.--_Do_ and _did_ are auxiliary only to the present infinitive, or
the radical verb;