Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON-SID'ER-ING, ppr.

Fixing the mind on; meditating on; pondering; viewing with care and attention; deliberating on. Note. We have a peculiar use of this word, which may be a corruption for considered, or which may be a deviation from analogy by an insensible change in the structure of the phrase. “It is not possible for us to act otherwise, considering the weakness of our nature.” As a participle, this word must here refer to us, or the sentence can not be resolved by any rule of English syntax. It would be correct to say, “It is not possible for us to act otherwise, the weakness of our nature being considered;” or “We, considering the weakness of our nature, can not act otherwise.” But the latter phrase is better grammar, than it is sense. We use other participles in like manner; as, “Allowing for tare, the weight could not be more than a hundred pounds.” These and similar phrases are anomalous. But considering is no more a kind of conjunction, in such a phrase, than it is a noun.