reasonably call a man very eloquent, without comparing his eloquence with the eloquence of other men.

The comparative may be so employed, as to express the same pre-eminence or inferiority as the superlative; Thus, the sentence, "Of all acquirements, virtue is the most valuable," conveys the same sentiment as the following: "Virtue is more valuable than every other acquirement."

As there are some qualities which admit of comparison, so there are others which admit of none. Such, for example, are those which denote that quality of bodies arising from their figure; as when we say, "A circular table; a quadrangular court; a conical piece of metal," &c. The reason is, that a million of things participating the same figure, participate it equally, if they do it at all. To say, therefore, that while A and B are both quadrangular, A is more or less quadrangular than B, is absurd. The same holds true in all attributives denoting definite Quantities, of whatever nature. Thus the two-foot rule C cannot be more a two-foot rule, than any other of the same length. For as there can be no comparison without intension or remission, and as there can be no intension or remission in things always definite, these attributives can admit of no comparison. By the same method of reasoning, we discover the cause why no substantive is susceptible of these degrees of comparison. A mountain cannot be said more to be, or to exist, than a molehill; but the more or less must be sought for in their quantities.

G

CHAPTER V.

OF PRONOUNS.

A PRONOUN is a word used instead of a noun, to avoid the too frequent repetition of the same word: as, "The man is happy; he is benevolent; he is useful*."

There are three kinds of pronouns, viz. the PERSONAL, the RELATIVE, and the ADJECTIVE PRONOUNS.

Section I.

Of the Personal Pronouns.

There are five Personal Pronouns, viz. I, thou, he, she, it; with their plurals, we, ye or you, they. Personal pronouns admit of person, number, gender, and case.

The persons of pronouns are three in each number, viz.

The pronoun is also used to represent an adjective, a sentence, a part of a sentence, and sometimes even a series of propositions: as, "They supposed him to be innocent, which he certainly was not." "His friend bore the abuse very patiently; which served to increase his rudeness: it produced, at length, contempt and rudeness."

THIS account of persons will be very intelligible, when We reflect, that there are three persons who may be the subject of any discourse: first, the person who speaks, may speak of himself; secondly, he may speak of the person to whom he addresses himself; thirdly, he may speak of some other person: and as the speakers, the persons spoken to, and the other persons spoken of, may be many, so each of these persons must have the plural number.

The Numbers of pronouns, like those of substantives, are two, the singular and the plural: as, I, thou, he; we, ye or you, they.

Gender has respect only to the third person singular of the pronouns, he, she, it. He is masculine; she is feminine; it is neuter.

The persons speaking and spoken to, being at the same time the subjects of the discourse, are supposed to be present; from which, and other circumstances, their sex is commonly known, and needs not to be marked by a distinction of gender in the pronouns: but the third person or thing spoken of, being absent, and in many respects unknown, it is necessary that it should be marked by a distinction of gender; at least, when some particular person or thing is spoken of, that ought to be more distinctly marked: accordingly, the pronoun singular of the third person has the three genders, he, she, it.

Pronouns have three cases; the nominative, the possessive, and the objective.

The objective case of a pronoun has, in general, a form different from that of the nominative, or the possessive

case.

THE propriety of admitting his, hers, ours, yours, &c. as possessive cases of the personal pronouns, has been disputed by some respectable critics, though the nature and meaning of these words, and the concurrent practice of our first grammarians, have assigned them this rank and denomination. The critics allege, in support of their objection, that these supposed possessives are actually used in the nominative and objective cases; and that therefore our classification must be erroneous. The instances which they offer, in proof of their allegation, are such as the following: "My pleasures are past; hers and yours are to come:" "They applauded his conduct, but condemned hers and yours." A little reflection will, how

ever, show that these pronouns, in the examples produced, are not in the nominative and objective cases, but in the possessive case. The following appears to be the true construction of these sentences: "My pleasures are past; the pleasures of her and of you are to come:" "They applauded his conduct, but condemned the conduct of her and of you." That this is the right construction will more clearly appear, if we substitute nouns for the pronouns :

My pleasures are past; Mary's and Ann's are to come:" "They applauded his conduct, but condemned Mary's and Ann's:" that is, "Mary's and Ann's pleasures; Mary's and Ann's conduct."

The objection too of our critics, that the phrase, "An acquaintance of yours," supposes the same word to admit of two different signs of the case, seems to be of no validity. Instances of a double genitive, as it is called, are not uncommon in our language, and they are far from implying any absurdity. We properly say, "An acquaintance of Peter's;" " A soldier of the king's."—See Rule x. Note 6.

The possessives under consideration, like other parts of grammar, may indeed have some properties peculiar to themselves; and may not, in their present form, be readily accommodated to every circumstance belonging to the possessive cases of nouns: but they should not, on this slight pretence, be dispossessed of the right and privilege, which, from time immemorial, they have enjoyed.

Section 2.

Of the Relative Pronouns.

Relative Pronouns are such as relate, in

gene

ral, to some word or phrase going before, which is thence called the antecedent: they are, who,