Hi, Anton!  Recently you wrote in a message to Alexander Koryagin:   
      
    AK>  Do you think it would be more logical if we use them   
    AK>  vice versa? ;=)   
      
      
    AS>  Since the apodosis is in the subjunctive   
                   |AKA the main clause or consequent clause   
                    of a conditional sentence   
      
    AS>  ("would" is the past tense of "will"),   
      
    AS>  the protais must be in the past tense ("used").   
             |protasis   
             |AKA the subordinate clause or clause expressing   
              the condition in a conditional sentence   
      
      
              I've added notes for the benefit of readers who are unfamiliar with   
   the terminology used in the 19th century.   
      
              Another example:  "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."  :-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)