least, always admits, the preposition _to_
before the following infinitive; as, "They _need_ not _to_ be specially
indicated."--_Adams's Rhet._, i, 302. "We _need_ only _to_ remark."--_Ib._,
ii, 224. "A young man _needed_ only _to_ ask himself," &c.--_Ib._, i, 117.
"Nor is it conceivable to me, that the lightning of a Demosthenes _could
need to_ be sped upon the wings of a semiquaver."--_Ib._, ii, 226. "But
these people _need to_ be informed."--_Campbell's Rhet._, p. 220. "No man
_needed_ less _to_ be informed."--_Ib._, p. 175. "We _need_ only _to_
mention the difficulty that arises."--_Kames, El. of Crit._, ii, 362.
"_Can_ there _need to_ be argument to prove so plain a point?"--_Graham's
Lect_. "Moral instruction _needs to_ have a more prominent place."--_Dr.
Weeks_. "Pride, ambition, and selfishness, _need to_ be restrained."--_Id._
"Articles are sometimes omitted, where they _need to_ be used."--_Sanborn's
Gram._, p. 197. "Whose power _needs_ not _to_ be dreaded."--_Wilson's
Hebrew Gram._, p. 93. "A workman that _needeth_ not _to_ be ashamed."--_2
Tim._, ii, 15. "The small boys _may have needed to_ be managed according to
the school system."--_T. D. Woolsey_. "The difficulty of making variety
consistent, _needs_ not _to_ disturb him."--_Rambler_, No. 122. "A more
cogent proof _needs_ not _to_ be introduced."--_Wright's Gram._, p. 66. "No
person _needs to_ be informed, that _you_ is used in addressing a single
person."--_Wilcox's Gram._, p. 19. "I hope I _need_ not _to_ advise you
further."--_Shak., All's Well_.

"Nor me, nor other god, thou _needst to_ fear,
For thou to all the heavenly host art dear."--_Congreve_.

OBS. 13.--If _need_ is ever an auxiliary, the essential difference between
an auxiliary and a principal verb, will very well account for the otherwise
puzzling fact, that good writers sometimes inflect this verb, and sometimes
do not; and that they sometimes use _to_ after it, and sometimes do not.
Nor do I see in what other way a grammarian can treat it, without
condemning as bad English a great number of very common phrases which he
cannot change for the better. On this principle, such examples as, "He
_need_ not _proceed_," and "He _needs_ not _to_ proceed," may be perfectly
right in either form; though Murray, Crombie,[416] Fisk, Ingersoll, Smith,
C. Adams, and many others, pronounce both these forms to be wrong; and
unanimously, (though contrary to what is perhaps the best usage,) prefer,
"H