Hence we say, that _cease_ governs the
mood of the verb _do_. Similar remarks may be applied to the words
_talent_, _eager_, _preparing_, and _him_, in the respective examples
under the rule.
Many respectable grammarians refer the government of this mood
invariably to the preposition _to_ prefixed, which word they do not, of
course, consider a part of the verb. Others contend, and with some
plausibility, that this mood is not governed by any particular word. If
we reject the idea of government, as applied to the verb in this mood,
the following rule, if substituted for the foregoing, might, perhaps,
answer all practical purposes.
RULE.
A verb in the infinitive mood, refers to some noun or pronoun, as its
subject or actor.
ILLUSTRATION of the examples under Rule XXIII. "To do" refers to _thou_
understood for its agent; "to be improved" refers to _talent_; "to
learn," to _she_; "to go," to _they_; and "to do," refers to _him_.
NOTE 1. The infinitive mood absolute stands independent of the rest
of the sentence; as, "_To confess_ the truth, I was in fault."
2. The infinitive mood is sometimes governed by conjunctions or
adverbs; as, "An object so high _as to be_ invisible;" "He is wise
_enough to deceive_;" "The army is _about to march_.
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