Now, with regard to the first instance furnished by MR. HALLIWELL of the
use of the passive for the active participle, if I were sure that the
delinquent were well out of hearing, and not likely "to rise again and
push us from our stools," I should be disposed to repeat the charge of
impertinence against the editor who altered "professed" to "professing".
The word _professed_ is one of common use, and in the present instance
perfectly intelligible. "To your bosom, _professed_ to entertain so much
love and care for our father, I commit him," seems to express the sense
of the passage: a doubt is implied by the expression, but there is a
directness of insult in the term _professing_ quite inconsistent with
the character of Cordelia.

"Becomed love" is love suited or fitted to the occasion. The use of the
passive participle is every way more appropriate than that of the
active, though the latter is more common now.

In the next instance, I have to observe that there is no such verb as
_to guile_. _Guile_ is a noun; and "guiled shore" is _guile-covered_, or
_charactered shore_. According to this rule, the modern word _talented_,
that is, _talent-endowed_, has been formed, it not having been
considered that licences are allowed in poetry that are unsuited to
ordinary language.

The passage next referred to is conditional, and I regard the use of the
passive participle here, too, as correct.

I have thus reduced MR. HALLIWELL'S list to that number which usually
forms the exception rather than the rule; and if accident, misprint,
error in copying, or other special circumstance be not held sufficient