RULE XV.-The pronoun it often refers to nouns or pronouns of any number, gender, or person, and even to a part of a sentence; as, It is I; it is thou; it is he; it is we, &c.

(1) The plural pronoun you is often applied to a single person; as, You yourself said so.

Some grammarians therefore call it singular when thus used. But it seems absurd to ascribe a plural idea (out of respect) to a single person, and then call it singular because we have thus ascribed it. If you" is to be called singular when applied to a single person, why not call we singular when applied by a singular person?

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(2) "Thou" is now seldom used, except to the Divine Being, in very earnest appeals, or in very familiar language.

(3) "Ye" is the old nominative plural of thou. But sometimes ye is used as the objective; thus, "As if it fed ye." This use of ye is to be avoided.

EXERCISE.

Point out the nouns, pronouns, or clauses for which the pronoun IT is used :—

A light broke in upon my brain,-it was the carol of a bird. It was my intention to be present. It was the Apostle John who used to say, "Little children, love one another." It is they who live noble lives that need not fear to die. It is a little soul that cannot forgive. It must be so- —Plato, thou reasonest well.

Say not my art is fraud-all live by seeming.
The beggar begs with it, and the gay courtier
Gains land and title, rank and rule, by seeming :
The clergy scorn it not, and the bold soldier
Will eke with it his service.-All admit it,
All practise it; and he who is content

With showing what he is, shall have small credit
In church, or camp, or state.

So wags the world.

Where THOU and YE occur, change them into YOU; and where YOU occurs, change it into YE or THOU (change the verb with THOU):

O Cassius and Brutus! ye have murdered your country's friend. Didst thou not tell me, Griffith, that the great child of honour, Cardinal Wolsey, was dead? O father abbot, an old man is come to lay his weary bones among ye. O my offended king, will you forgive me? Whence and what art thou, execrable shape! Well have ye judged, synod of gods!

COMPOSITION.

It. Thou. Ye. You. They. I. Ours. Yours. Theirs.

RULE XVI.-Relative pronouns agree in number, gender, and person with their antecedents; as, Thou who couldst conquer cities, canst not conquer thyself.

Note. The relative should be placed next its antecedent, or as near to it as possible, to prevent ambiguity.

(1) When which is used as an interrogative, it is sometimes applied to persons; as, Which of you will go?

(2) When there is no noun (or pronoun) between the relative and the verb, the relative is in the nominative case; as, The man who sings is here.

(3) When there is a noun between the relative and the verb, that noun is the nominative of the verb, and the relative is in the objective case; as, The man whom virtue has ennobled is rich.

(4) Sometimes the antecedent is understood; as, Who lives to nature rarely can be poor.

EXERCISE.

Point out the relatives and tell their cases, as well as their antecedents:

I never knew a man that was bad, fit for service that was good. And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer before all temples the upright heart and pure. The most authentic witnesses of any man's character are those who know him in his own family. Who buys without discretion buys to sell. Beware of him whom idleness has corrupted. He whom wisdom has made sparing of his words is generally trusted when he does speak. Who lives to fancy never can be rich.

I would not enter on my list of friends,

(Though graced with polished manners and fine sense,
Yet wanting sensibility), the man

Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.

Supply appropriate relatives :—

He kills a man kills a reasonable creature; but he () destroys a good book, kills reason itself. Winter is a season in () we should feel gratitude for our comforts. I love to see a landscape() is whitened with snow. Pray for those () death has bereaved. () I most hated living, thou hast made me now in his ashes honour. Art thou he() first broke peace in heaven?

COMPOSITION.

Who. Who? (interrogatively). Whom. Which (objectively). Whose. That.

RULE XVII.-When the relative is preceded by two antecedents of different persons, it and the verb may agree with either according to the sense; as, Thou art the man that has done it. I am the Lord that have spoken it.

Explanation. In the first example the relative that agrees with the second antecedent man; but in the second example it agrees with the first antecedent 7. (1) Instead of who or which, that is used after the superlative degree,* and the interrogative who; as, It was the best measure that could be got. Who that has learnt grammar can slight its importance?

(2) That is also used instead of who or which, when one of the antecedents would require who, and the other which; as, Men and measures, that are entirely distinct, are often confounded.

(3) After same and all, that is generally used, but not always, even by the best writers and speakers.

EXERCISE.

Point out the antecedents with which the relatives and verbs agree:

Thou art the man that has plunged the country into war. Thou art a man who possesses indomitable perseverance, and who has succeeded admirably. Newton was one of the greatest philosophers that ever lived. Trafalgar was the engagement in which Nelson was killed.

An inadvertent step may crush the snail
That crawls at evening in the public path;
But he that has humanity, forewarn'd

Will tread aside, and let the reptile live.

Supply appropriate antecedents :

I am () that liveth, and was dead. I am the () who have called thee in righteousness, and who will hold thine hand. Thou art() that hath brought us into a good land, and that hath led us by a right way. Come, therefore, O() that hast the seven stars in thy right hand, appoint thy chosen priests according to their orders and courses of old.

COMPOSITION.

Use the following as antecedents :

Man. Boy. Girl. Person. Thou. He. Ladies. World. Year. Night.

Good writers do not always observe this; as, "The highest eulogy which can be pronounced."-Macaulay.

RULE XVIII.-Compound pronouns may be used instead of the relatives and their antecedents; as, Whoever said so was mistaken.

Explanation.-Here whoever is equal to he who or she who.

Note.-Whoever, whichever, whatever are now preferred to whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever. The last two when used before a noun are often divided by the interposition of that noun; thus, "In what place soever ye enter into an house," &c. (Mark vi. 10).

(1) The word as is sometimes used like the compound what; as, "His words were as follow."

Observation.-Some grammarians (as Lindley Murray, Dr. Angus, and others) maintain that the above sentence should be, "His words were as follows." We prefer the former, with Addison, Steele, Morell, Lennie, Allen and Cornwell, &c.

EXERCISE.

Instead of the relatives and their antecedents, use compound pronouns; and instead of the latter, use the former :

:

He who is idle is not happy. That which is worth doing is worth doing well. That which is crooked cannot be made straight. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. What I have said I will do. The particulars were as follow. What thou bidd'st me, unargued I obey.

Life's more than breath and the quick round of blood;

'Tis a great spirit and a busy heart.

We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths;
In feelings, not in figures on a dial.

We should count time by heart-throbs.

He most lives

Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best.

Supply appropriate compound pronouns :—

I believe () you have stated. () is ashamed of work is not manly. We ought to dispise () is mean and base. () shuns danger when duty calls is a coward. Do unto others ( you would like them to do to you. She hath done ( ) she could. ()thy hand finds to do, do it with thy might. His depositions were () follow. ( ) I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.

COMPOSITION.

Whoever. Whichever. what). Which... soever.

What. As (used like

Whatever.
What... soever.

RULE XIX.-The objective case is governed by transitive or active verbs and prepositions; as, We love him. In me ye have life.

Explanation. In the first example the objective him is governed by the active verb love; and in the second, the objective me is governed by the preposition in.

Note.-Pronouns are the only words, in English, that are inflected or changed for case.

(1) A few passive verbs govern the objective case; as, She was shown him by the hostess. It was promised her by her father.*

(2) Some intransitive verbs, denoting time and space, take nouns after them in the objective case; as, He stayed three hours. They walked all the way. (3) Than may be regarded as a preposition when it comes before the objective case of the relative; as, Newton, than whom a greater astronomer never lived.

(4) The indirect object (or dative case) denotes an object more or less remotely affected by an action, or by an attribute; as, He gave me an apple. Here me is the indirect object, apple being direct.

EXERCISE.

Point out the objective cases and the words which govern them :— About him exercised heroic games the unarmed youth of heaven. The most unimaginative man must understand the Iliad. Homer gives him no choice, and requires from him no exertion. High on a throne of royal state, Satan exalted sat, by merit raised to that bad eminence. Father, thy word is past, man shall find grace. Satan, than whom none higher sat.

No might nor greatness in mortality

Can censure 'scape; back-wounding Calumny
The whitest virtue strikes.

Supply objective cases :

Take the traitor and hang ( ). O chief delight. In ( we live and He is the freeman () the truth open to the laws; let ( ), not you

COMPOSITION.

Him. Her. Us. You. Them. Whom. Heaven.

* Some grammarians consider that the objective case is governed in such cases, not by the passive verb, but by the preposition understood; as, She was shown to him by the hostess. It was promised to her by her father.