How to parse. ...

Par. 390-392.] THE INFINITIVE.

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390 III. Infinitive with "to."
(1) "I was given to understand by him."
The Active form is(2) " Ie gave me to understand,"
where " me " is the Indirect Object, and " to understand" the Direct Object, of "gave." Consequently
the correct Passive form would be(3) " To understand was given me."
But "give to understand" being looseiy treated
as a Compound Verb, " me," in (2), has been taken
as the Direct Object of the Active; and therefore
the same Person, "I" in (1), has been made the
Subject of the Passive.
39I This may be illustrated by(4) " So am I given in charge."
The modern meaning of " I am given in charge"
would be "I am placed in custody." But, in the
foregoing example, "to give-in-charge " is treated
as a Compound Verb meaning " to charge," "to
commission," so that the sentence means, in Shakspeare, "I am charged, or instructed."
392 " To" follows naturally after "come," but expresses not a purpose, but a result, in(5) " How came you to be left behind "
(6) " It came to pass."
1 2 Henry VI. ii. 4, 80.