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VERBS, AUXILIARY. Be in the plural and for euphony

Be is much more common with the plural than the singular. Probably only this fact, and euphony, can account for

“When blood is nipp'd and ways be foul.
”

In

“When he sees reason of fears, as we do, his fears out of
doubt be of the same relish as ours,
”

the be may partly be explained as not stating an independent fact, but a future event, dependent on the clause "when," &c. Partly, perhaps, "out of doubt" is treated like "there is no doubt that," and be follows in a kind of dependent clause.

Be is also used to refer to a number of persons, considered not individually, but as a kind or class.

“O, there be players that I have seen play, and heard others
praise, and that highly, that, &c.
”

; ib. 44.

“There be some sports are painful.
”

But it cannot be denied that the desire of euphony or variety seems sometimes the only reason for the use of be or are.

“Where is thy husband now? Where be thy brothers?
Where are thy children?
”

A Shakespearean Grammar. Edwin Abbott Abbott. London and New York. Macmillan and Company. 1870.

NSF, NEH: Digital Libraries Initiative, Phase 2 provided support for entering this text.

This text was converted to electronic form by professional data entry and has been proofread to a medium level of accuracy.

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