An English Grammar

Chapter 89

_Every one_ must judge of _their_ own feelings.--BYRON.

Had the doctor been contented to take my dining tables, as _anybody_ in _their_ senses would have done.--AUSTEN.

If the part deserve any comment, every considering _Christian_ will make it _themselves_ as they go.--DEFOE.

_Every person"s_ happiness depends in part upon the respect _they_ meet in the world.--PALEY.

_Every nation_ have _their_ refinements--STERNE.

_Neither_ gave vent to _their_ feelings in words.--SCOTT.

_Each_ of the nations acted according to _their_ national custom.--PALGRAVE.

The sun, which pleases _everybody_ with it and with _themselves_.--RUSKIN.

Urging _every one_ within reach of your influence to be neat, and giving _them_ means of being so.--_Id._

_Everybody_ will become of use in _their_ own fittest way.--_Id._

_Everybody_ said _they_ thought it was the newest thing there.--WENDELL PHILLIPS.

Struggling for life, _each_ almost bursting _their_ sinews to force the other off.--PAULDING.

_Whosoever_ hath any gold, let _them_ break it off.--_Bible._

_n.o.body_ knows what it is to lose a friend, till _they_ have lost him.--FIELDING.

Where she was gone, or what was become of her, _no one_ could take upon _them_ to say.--SHERIDAN.

I do not mean that I think _any one_ to blame for taking due care of _their_ health.--ADDISON.

Exercise.--In the above sentences, _unless both genders are implied_, change the p.r.o.noun to agree with its antecedent.

RELATIVE p.r.o.nOUNS.

I. RESTRICTIVE AND UNRESTRICTIVE RELATIVES.

[Sidenote: _What these terms mean._]

412. As to their conjunctive use, the definite relatives who, which, and that may be coordinating or restrictive.

A relative, when coordinating, or unrestrictive, is equivalent to a conjunction (_and_, _but_, _because_, etc.) and a personal p.r.o.noun.

It adds a new statement to what precedes, that being considered already clear; as, "I gave it to the beggar, _who_ went away." This means, "I gave it to the beggar [we know which one], _and he_ went away."

A relative, when restrictive, introduces a clause to limit and make clear some preceding word. The clause is restricted to the antecedent, and does not add a new statement; it merely couples a thought necessary to define the antecedent: as, "I gave it to a beggar _who_ stood at the gate." It defines _beggar_.

413. It is sometimes contended that who and which should always be coordinating, and that always restrictive; but, according to the practice of every modern writer, the usage must be stated as follows:--

[Sidenote: _A loose rule the only one to be formulated._]

Who and which are either coordinating or restrictive, the taste of the writer and regard for euphony being the guide.

That is in most cases restrictive, the coordinating use not being often found among careful writers.

Exercise.

In the following examples, tell whether _who_, _which_, and _that_ are restrictive or not, in each instance:--

[Sidenote: Who.]

1. "Here he is now!" cried those who stood near Ernest.--HAWTHORNE.

2. He could overhear the remarks of various individuals, who were comparing the features with the face on the mountain side.--_Id._

3. The particular recording angel who heard it pretended not to understand, or it might have gone hard with the tutor.--HOLMES.

4. Yet how many are there who up, down, and over England are saying, etc.--H.W. BEECHER

5. A grizzly-looking man appeared, whom we took to be sixty or seventy years old.--Th.o.r.eAU.

[Sidenote: Which.]

6. The volume which I am just about terminating is almost as much English history as Dutch.--MOTLEY.

7. On hearing their plan, which was to go over the Cordilleras, she agreed to join the party.--DE QUINCEY.

8. Even the wild story of the incident which had immediately occasioned the explosion of this madness fell in with the universal prostration of mind.--_Id._

9. Their colloquies are all gone to the fire except this first, which Mr. Hare has printed.--CARLYLE.

10. There is a particular science which takes these matters in hand, and it is called logic.--NEWMAN.

[Sidenote: That.]

11. So different from the wild, hard-mouthed horses at Westport, that were often vicious.--DE QUINCEY.

12. He was often tempted to pluck the flowers that rose everywhere about him in the greatest variety.--ADDISON.

13. He felt a gale of perfumes breathing upon him, that grew stronger and sweeter in proportion as he advanced.--_Id._

14. With narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, hands that dangled a mile out of his sleeves.--IRVING.

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