English Grammar in Familiar Lectures Part 42

_Note_ 2. This is Campbell's the poet's production.

The silk was purchased at Brown's, the mercer's and haberdasher's.

_Note_ 4. Much will depend on the pupil composing frequently.

Much depends on this rule being observed.

The measure failed in consequence of the president neglecting to lay it before the council.

RULE XIII.

Personal p.r.o.nouns must agree with the nouns for which they stand, in _gender_ and _number_; as, "_John_ writes, and _he_ will soon write well."

NOTE. You, though frequently employed to represent a singular noun, is always _plural in form_; therefore the verb connected with it should be plural; as, "My friend, you _were_ mistaken." See pages and

FALSE SYNTAX

Every man will be rewarded according to their works.

Incorrect, because the p.r.o.noun _their_ does not agree in gender or number with the noun "man," for which it stands; consequently Rule 13, is violated. _Their_ should be _his_; and then the p.r.o.noun would be of the masculine gender, singular number, agreeing with _man_, according to Rule 13. (Repeat the Rule.)

An orator's tongue should be agreeable to the ear of their audience.

Rebecca took goodly raiment, and put them on Jacob.

Take handfuls of ashes, and let Moses sprinkle it towards heaven, in the sight of Pharaoh, and it shall become small dust.

No one should incur censure for being tender of their reputation.

_Note_. Horace, you was blamed; and I think you was worthy of censure.

Witness, where was you standing during the transaction? How far was you from the defendant?

RULE XIV.

Relative p.r.o.nouns agree with their antecedents, in _gender_, _person_, and _number_; as, "Thou _who lovest_ wisdom;" "I _who speak_ from experience."

NOTE. When a relative p.r.o.noun is preceded by two antecedents of different persons, the relative and the verb may agree in person with either, but not without regard to the sense; as, "I am the man _who command_ you;" or, "I am the man _who commands_ you." The meaning of the first of these examples will more obviously appear, if we render it thus: "I who command you, am the _man_."

When the agreement of the relative has been fixed with either of the preceding antecedents, it must be preserved throughout the sentence; as, "I am the _Lord, that maketh_ all things; _that stretcheth_ forth the heavens alone; _that spreadeth_ abroad the earth by myself," &c.

FALSE SYNTAX.

Thou who has been a witness of the fact, canst state it.

The wheel killed another man, which make the sixth which have lost their lives by this means.

Thou great First Cause, least understood!

Who all my sense confined.

_Note, 2d part_. Thou art the Lord, who didst choose Abraham, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees.

RULE XV.

The relative is the nominative case to the verb, when no nominative comes between it and the verb; as, "The master _who_ taught us, was eminent."

FALSE SYNTAX.

If he will not hear his best friend, whom shall be sent to admonish him.

This is the man whom, he informed me, was my benefactor.

RULE XVI.

When a nominative comes between the relative and the verb, the relative is governed by the following verb, or by some other word in its own member of the sentence; as, "He _whom_ I _serve_, is eternal."

NOTE 1. _Who, which, what_, the relative _that_, and their compounds, _whomever, whomsoever_, &c., though in the objective case, are always placed before the verb; as, "He _whom_ ye _seek_, has gone hence."

2. Every relative must have an antecedent to which it relates, either expressed or implied; as, "_Who_ steals my purse, steals trash;" that is, _he_ who.

3. The p.r.o.nouns _whichsoever, whatsoever_, and the like, are sometimes elegantly divided by the interposition of the corresponding nouns; as, "On _which_ side _soever_ the _king_ cast his eyes," &c.

4. The p.r.o.noun _what_ is sometimes improperly used instead of the conjunction _that;_ as, "He would not believe but _what_ I was in fault." It should be "but _that_," &c.

FALSE SYNTAX.

That is the friend who I sincerely esteem.

Not proper, because _who_, which is the object of the action expressed by the transitive verb "esteem," is in the nominative case. It ought to be _whom_, in the objective; and then it would be governed by esteem, according to Rule 16. (Repeat the Rule:)--and, also, according to Rule 20. "That is the friend _whom_ I sincerely esteem."

They who much is given to, will have much to answer for.

From the character of those who you a.s.sociate with, your own will be estimated.

He is a man who I greatly respect.

Our benefactors and tutors are the persons who we ought to love, and who we ought to be grateful to.

They who conscience and virtue support, may smile at the caprices of fortune.

Who did you walk with?

Who did you see there?

Who did you give the book to?

RULE XVII.