berland so good, But William may count with him kin and blood (Scott, L. Minstr. IV, 26).

b. "But that".

It occurs in the same cases as »but«; only it is not found without a subject. It is however met with much more rarely.

Instead of >but that we sometimes find >> but what<, a peculiarity which we have met with already in the later stage of O. E. in the conditional sentence. Also in other cases. >> but what<< has stolen into the language instead of »but that«. >> But that« in conditional sentences: I have not much importuned you; Nor now I had, but that I am bound to Persia (Sh. C. of Err. IV, 1, 3). I would never have fled But that they left me 'midst my ennemies (Sh. 1 Henry VI. I, 2, 23). Nor would I employ you upon the present commission, but that I know no one so trustworthy as yourself (Ainsw. Saint James's II, 3). That gold should not redeem! It had not now redeem'd a single hour; But that I know him fetter'd, in my power (Byron, Corsair III, 5). It shall go hard but what I shall find something to suit you (Bulwer, van Dal.).

In the meaning of »quin«: No man can go into another man's howse . . . but that he is endammaged to the Statute of treason (Spenser, a view ect.). So that no time nor reason could arize, But that the same could one of theese comprize (Spenser, F. Q. II, 9, 49). He never liked man, woman, or beast, but what she was sure to be jealous of it (Thackeray, van Dal.). No one ever withstood him, but what some mischance fell upon him (James, van Dal.). Not a day, indeed passed but what he held long conversations with my father (Bulwer, ib.).

>>But that is not found without a subject; »but what« however, when used instead of »but that« occurs occasio

nally without one. I hope there is no dissatisfied person, but what is content (Scheridan, Rivals V, 3). There is no question whatsoever but what has some defenders and protectors (Baskerv.). With omission of the verb in the principal sentence: He observed that no virtue was able to resist his arts and assiduity, and that scarcely a farmer's daughter within ten miles, but what had found him successful and faithless (Goldsm. Vic. III).

>> But that<< referring to »so«: They were not so clensed, but that they had noe pure drop of Spanish bloud no more of Romayne, noe of Scythyan (Spenser, a view ect.). I am not yet so low but that my nails can reach unto thine eyes (Sh. Mids. III, 2, 298). Fiction cannot move so much, but that the attention may be easily transferred (Johnson, Hr. 267). Contempt had not so kept my anger to my husband, but that hatred rose again on this occasion (Fielding, Hr. Gr.). The walls were not so completely destroyed but that Dolph could distinguish some traces of the scene of his childhood (Irv., Koch, Engl. Gr.). The fog was not so thick but that I could see the lofty tower in the distance (Baskerv.). I was not so young when my father died but that I perfectly remember him (Byron, Convers.). Nothing could be so pure or so heroic but that it became foul and ignoble by transfusion through those foul and ignoble minds (Schmidt E. Gr.). Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event, but that he of business (Dickens, Chr. Car. I). that is used after such« in the following passage: Iones had not such implicit faith in his guides, but that on their arrival at a village he enquired whether they were on the road to Bristol (Fielding, Hr. Gr.).

was an excellent man

In the same way >>but

For denying the effect of the negative degree »but that« is in modern writers far more frequently found than »but«,

which, predominating at the earlier stage of Mod. E., is now almost obsolete.

»But what«: I am myself not so dull to beauty but what in earlier youth I may have employed philters and potions in my own behalf (Bulwer, Hr. Gr.). Her needle is not so absolutely perfect, but what my superintendence is advisable (Scott, Kenilw. VI). The postboy is not so weary but what he can wistle (Brown 1).

3. Interrogative principal sentence expecting an answer in the negative. Here we only find »but«.

As for but in pure conditional sentences, no example has occurred to me.

>>But<< = quin: Can you not hate me, but you must join in souls to mock me too? (Sh. Mids. III, 2, 250). For who lived king but I could dig his grave? (Sh. 3 Henry VI. V, 2, 21). Who sees his true love in her naked bed but his other agents aim at like delight? (Sh. Ven. and Adon. 399). Can I not mountain-maiden spy, But she must bear the Douglas-eye? Can I not view a Highland - brand But it must match the Douglas-hand? Can I not frame a fever'd dream, But still the Douglas is the theme (Scott, Hr. 402).

The subject after but is wanting: Whe finds the heifer dead and bleeding fresh And sees fast by a butcher with an axe, But will suspect 'twas he that made the slaughter? Who finds the partridge in the puttock's nest, But may imagine how the bird was dead...? (Sh. 2 Henry VI. III, 2, 188). At the same time omission of >>to be in the principal sentence: Which of you but is four Volsces? (Sh. Coriol. I, 6, 78). Who but felt of late, With what compulsion and laborious flight We sunk thus

1) Brown, The Grammar of English Grammars.

low? (Milton, P. L. II). Who but rather turns To Heav'n's broad fire his unconstrained view, Than to the glimm'ring of a waxen flame? (Akenside, Hr. 317). Who but would deem their bosoms burnt anew with thy unquenched beam, lost Liberty? (Byron, Hr. Gr.). And who that recollects young years and loves but would much rather sigh like his son, than cough like his grandfather? (Byron, ib.).

The object after »but« is omitted: What should he see but mightily he noted? (Sh. Lucr. 414). What should it be that he respects in her But I can make respective in myself? (Sh. Gentl. IV, 4, 199). What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye? (Sh. Gentl. V, 4, 114). At the same time omission of >to be« in the principal sentence: What towns of any moment but we have? (Sh. 1 Henry VI. I, 2, 6).

>>But referring to »so«: Where's the distance throws

boldly speak? (Otway, Ven. >>to be« in the principal senomission of the subject after

me back so far, but I may pres. I, 1). Omission of tence and at the same time »>but«: For what so strong, But, wanting rest, will also want of might? (Spenser, F. Q. I, 1, 32). What wax so frozen but dissolves with tempering and yields at last to every light impression? (Sh. Ven, and Adon. 565).

b. The elliptical use of "but".

1. Affirmative principal sentence.

»But<< is to be regarded as conjunction and not as preposition in the following instances: I do not think, So fair an outward and such stuff within, Endows a man but he (Sh. Cymb. I, 1, 22); »he« is here used emphatically instead of him (Delius); likewise in: That I kiss aught but he (ib. II, 3, 153). As for the »studied ambiguity<< in Sh. Haml. II, 2, 287 cf. Abbott, Shakespearian Grammar

§ 127. I'm sure (he) would wish to see me married to anybody but himself (Goldsm. She stoops I).

We here have to mention the peculiar use of »but« in the following passage: I should sin to think but nobly of my grandmother (Sh. Temp. I, 2, 119), where »but<< does not mean »only, as it would seem at first sight, but as it results from the context, »otherwise than«, and is to be explained by the omission of something as in any

manner«.

Efficacious as conjunction » but« is also to be considered in the phrase »all but«, turned almost into a formula; likewise when »but<< is followed by the preposition >for and (seldom) »from«. As for all but«< we must discriminate between its ancient and its modern meaning; for in the earlier stage of M. E. it had another meaning than that of our own time; f. i. That Henry's death, my lovely Edward's death, this kingdom's loss could (Delius: should) all but answer for that peevish brat (Sh. Rich. III. I, 3, 194); this means: That Henry's death ect. could do every thing, except they could not answer for ect.; that means: could not however. Another example: Let what is here contain❜d (in a letter) relish of love, Of my lord's health, of his content, . . . of his content, all but in that! (Sh. Cymb. III, 2, 30). Here the matter is somewhat different, »all<< being used here adverbially, meaning << in every respect<; the use is not unlike the Latin >>accusativus graecus« or so called »adverbial accusative«. In our time however »all but« has passed into the meaning of »almost«; f. i. The fine arts were all but proscribed (Mac. I, 80); this means: the fine arts were despised, disdained, suppressed ect., in short all you can imagine, except that they were not directly proscribed; thence the sense »almost«.

When breath was all but flown (Scott, Waterl. VII).