something to come hereafter. We say a future state, a future contingency; there is none but God to whom future things are present.

Future Tense, in grammar, denotes an inflexion of verbs, whereby they denote, that a thing will be in some time yet to come. See Grammar.

The G is found instead of C on several medals: Vaillant, Num. Imperat. tom. i. p. 39.

M. Beger produces a medal of the Familia Ogulnia, where Gar is read instead of Car, which is on those of M. Patin. But the C is more frequently seen on medals in lieu of G; as, Augustalis Callaecia Cartacinensis, &c. for Augustalis, &c. Not that the pronunciation of those words was altered, but only that the G was wantonly or negligently cut by the workmen: as is the case in divers inscriptions of the eastern empire; where auc, aucc, auccc, are frequently found for aug, &c.

The northern people frequently change the G into V or W; as in Gallus, Wallus; Gallia, Wallia, Vallia, &c. For in this instance it must not be said that the French have changed the W into G; because they wrote Gallus long before Wallus or Wallia was known, as appears from all the ancient Roman and Greek writers. And yet it is equally true, that the French change the W of the northern nations, and V consonant, into G; as, Willielmus, "William," into Guillaume; Wulphilas into Gulphilas; Vafco into Gafcon, &c.

The letter G is of the mute kind, and cannot be any way founded without the help of a vowel. It is formed by the reflexion of the air against the palate, made by the tongue as the air passes out of the throat; which Martianus Capella expresses thus, G spiritus cum palato; so that G is a palatal letter.

The modern G takes its form from that of the Latins. In English it has two sounds, one from the Greek r, and the Latin, which is called that of the hard G, because it is formed by a pressure somewhat hard on the fore-part of the tongue against the upper gum; which which found it retains before \(a\), \(o\), \(u\), \(l\), \(r\); as gate, go, gull.

At the end of a word it is always hard, as ring, sing, &c.

The other sound, called that of the soft \(G\), resembles that of \(j\); and is commonly, though not always, found before \(e\) and \(i\), as in gelature, giant, &c. To this rule, however, there are many exceptions; \(G\) is often hard before \(i\), as give, &c. and sometimes before \(e\), as get, &c. It is also hard in derivatives from words ending in \(g\), as finging, fingerer, &c. and generally before \(cr\), at the end of words, as finger. \(G\) is mute before \(n\), as gnaws, sign. \(Gb\) has the sound of the hard \(G\) in the beginning of a word, as glibly; in the middle, and sometimes at the end, it is quite silent, as right, though.

At the end of a word \(Gb\) has often the sound of \(f\), as laugh, rough, tough.

As a numeral, \(G\) was anciently used to denote 400; and with a dash over it thus \(G\), 40,000.

As an abbreviation, \(G.\) stands for Gaius, Colline, gens, genius, &c. \(G.\) G. for gemina, gellit, gesserunt, &c. \(G.\) C. for genio civitatis or Caesaris. \(G.\) L. for Gaius libertur, or genio loci. \(G.\) V. S. for genio urbis sacrum. \(G.\) B. for genio bono. And \(G.\) T. for genio tutelari.

In music, \(G\) is the character or mark of the treble clef; and from its being placed at the head, or marking the first found in Guido's scale, the whole scale took the name gamut.