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RULE IV.

A NOUN of multitude, or signifying many, may have a verb or pronoun agreeing with it, either of the singular or plural number; yet not without regard to the import of the word, as conveying unity or plurality of idea: as, "The meeting was large;" "The parliament is dissolved;" "The nation is powerful;" "My people do not consider: they have not known me;" "The multitude eagerly pursue pleasure, as their chief good;" "The council were divided in their sentiments."

We ought to consider whether the term immediately suggests the idea of the number it represents, or whether it exhibits to the mind the idea of the whole as one thing. In the former case, the verb ought to be plural; in the latter, it ought to be singular. Thus, it seems improper to say, "The peasantry goes barefoot, and the middle sort makes use of wooden shoes." It would be better to say, "The peasantry go barefoot, and the middle sort make use," &c. because the idea in both these cases, is that of a number. On the contrary, there is a harshness in the following sentences, in which nouns of number have verbs plural; because the ideas they represent seem not to be sufficiently divided in the mind. "The court of Rome were not without solicitude." "The house of commons were of small weight." "The house of lords were so much influenced by these reasons." Stephen's party were entirely broken up by the captivity of their leader." "An army of twenty-four thou"What reason have the church of

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sand were assembled."

Rome for proceeding in this manner?" "There is in

deed no constitution so tame and careless of their own defence." "All the virtues of mankind are to be counted upon a few fingers, but his follies and vices are innumerable." Is not mankind in this place a noun of multitude, and such as squires the pronoun referring to it, be in the plural nuinber, their?

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When a noun of multitude is preceded by a definitive word, which clearly limits the sense to an aggregate with an idea of unity, it requires a verb and pronoun to agree with it in the singular number: as, "A company of troops was detached; a troop of cavalry was raised; this people is become a great nation; that assembly was nu

inerous.".

On many occasions, where a noun of multitude is used, it is very difficult to decide, whether the verb should be in the singular, or in the plural number: and this difficulty has induced some grammarians to cut the knot at once, and to assert, that every noun of multitude, as it constitutes one aggregate of many particulars, must always be considered as conveying the idea of unity; and that, consequently, the verb and pronoun agreeing with it, cannot, with propriety, be ever used in the plural number. This opinion appears to be not well considered; it is contrary to the established practice of the best writers of the language, and against the rules of the most respectable grammarians. Some nouns of multitude certainly convey to the mind an idea of plurality, others, that of a whole as one thing, and others again, sometimes that of unity, and sometimes that of plurality. On this ground, it is warrantable, and consistent with the nature of things, to apply a plural verb and pronoun to the one class, and a singular verb and pronoun, to the other. We shall immediately perceive the impropriety of the following constructions: "The clergy has withdrawn itself from the temporal courts;" "The nobility, exclusive of its capacity as hereditary counsellor of the crown, forms the

pillar to support the throne;""The commonalty is divided into several degrees;" "The people of England is possessed of super-eminent privileges;" "The multitude was clamorous for the object of its affections;" "The assembly was divided in its opinion;" Vi The fleet was all dispersed, and some of it was taken."—In all these instances, as well as in many others, the plural verb and pronoun should be used: and if the reader will apply them, as he looks over the sentences a second time, he will perceive the propriety and effect of a change in the construction.

Rule V.

PRONOUNS must always agree with their antecedents, and the nouns for which they stand, in gender and number: as, "This is the friend whom I love;" "That is the vice which I hate;" "The king and the queen had put on their robes;" "The moon appears, and she shines, but the light is not her own."

The relative is of the same person as the antecedent, and the verb agrees with it accordingly: as, "Thou who latest wisdom;" "I who speak from experience."

Of this rule there are many violations to be met with; a few of which may be sufficient to put the learner on his guard."Each of the sexes should keep within its particular bounds, and content themselves with the advantages of their particular districts:" better thus: "The sexes should keep within their particular bounds," &c. ❝ Can any one, on their entrance into the world, be fully secure that they shall not be deceived?" "on his entrance," and

" that he shall." "One should not think too favourably of ourselves;"" of one's self." " He had one acquaintance which poisened his principles," "who poisoned."

Every relative must have an antecedent to which it refers, either expressed or implied: as, "Who is fatal to others, is so to himself;" that is, "the man who is fatal to others."

Who, which, what, and the relative that, though in the objective case, are always placed before the verb; as are also their compounds, whoever, whosoever, &c.: as, "He whom ye seek;" "This is what, or the thing which, or that, you want;" "Whomsoever you please to appoint."

What is sometimes applied, in a manner which appears to be exceptionable: as, "All fevers, except what are called nervous," &c. It would be better to say, "except those which are called nervous."

What is very frequently used as the representative of two cases; one, the objective after a verb or preposition, and the other, the nominative to a subsequent verb: as, "I heard what was said." "He related what was seen." "According to what was proposed." "We do not constantly love what has done us good."—This peculiar construction may be explained, by resolving what into its principles that which: as, "I heard that which was said:" &c.

In a few instances, the relative is introduced as the nominative to a verb, before the sentence or clause which it represents: as, "There was therefore, which is all that we assert, a course of life pursued by them, different from that which they before led." Here, the relative which is the representative of the whole of the last part of the sentence; and its natural position is after that clause.

Whatever relative is used, in one of a series of clauses, relating to the same antecedent, the same relative ought generally to be used in them all. In the following sen

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tence, this rule is violated:" It is remarkable, that Holland, against which the war was undertaken, and that, in the very beginning, was reduced to the brink of destruction, lost nothing." The clause ought to have been, "and which in the very beginning."

I. Personal pronouns being used to supply the place of the noun, are not employed in the same part of a sentence as the noun which they represent; for it would be improper to say, "The king he is just ;" "I saw her the queen;""The men they were there;" "Many words they darken speech;" "My banks they are furnished with bees." These personals are superfluous, as there is not the least occasion for a substitute in the same part where the principal word is present. The nominative case they, in the following sentence, is also superfluous: "Who, instead of going about doing good, they are perpetually intent upon doing mischief."

This rule is often infringed, by the case absolute's not being properly distinguished from certain forms of expression apparently similar to it. In this sentence, "The candidate being chosen, the people carried him in triumph," the word candidate is in the absolute case. But in the following sentence, "The candidate being chosen, was carried in triumph by the people," candidate is the nominative to the verb was carried; and therefore it is not in the case absolute: Many writers, however, apprehending the nominative in this latter sentence, as well as in the former, to be put absolutely, often insert another nominative to the verb, and say, " The candidate being chosen, he was carried in triumph by the people;" "The general approving the plan, he put it in execution." The error in each of these two sentences, is, that there are two nominatives used, where one would have been sufficient, and consequently that he is redundant.

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