Persons who are in doubt as to which form of the p.r.o.noun to use often try to avoid the difficulty by using one of the p.r.o.nouns ending in "-self"--p.r.o.nouns which have the same form for both the nominative and the objective case. Thus many persons, uncertain whether to use "I" or "me" in the sentence quoted above, would say instead, "She invited Mrs. R. and _myself_ to go driving." This is no better than "Mrs. R. and _I_," or "her and _I_." The p.r.o.nouns in "-self" are properly used only for emphasis or in a reflexive sense.[49] It is right to say: "I will go _myself_"; "Carrie _herself_ went to the door"; "G.o.d helps those who help _themselves_." It would be wrong to say, "Harry and _myself_ have bought a horse together."
When a p.r.o.noun in "-self" is used reflexively, it refers to the subject of the clause in which it stands.
In sentences like "This advice is free to _whoever_ will take it," the word ending in "-ever" is the subject of the verb "will take," not the object of the preposition "to." The right form, therefore, is "whoever,"
not "whomever." The object or, better, the "base" of the preposition "to"
is the whole clause, "whoever will take it."
[47] Ibid., pp. 61-62.
[48] I omit _ye, you,_ because they are used interchangeably. I omit also compounds of _who, whom._ [49] "Foundations," p. 64.
EXERCISE XXVII.
_Insert the proper form of p.r.o.noun in each blank, and give the reason for your choice:--_
I
I, ME, MYSELF.
1. Taking a carriage, my brother and--drove to the east end of Cape Elizabeth.
2. Mr. C. and--walked around the lake by moonlight.
3. The walk gave pleasure to both Mr. C. and--.
4. Between you and--, affairs look dark.
5. The _Star_ contains a paper on "Our Streets," which was written by--. > 6. He is taller than--.[50]
7. There is, you remember, an old agreement between you and-- 8. May John and--go to the ball-game?
9. Please let John and--go to the ball-game.
10. They met Robert and--in the village.
11. Who is there? Only--.
12. To send--away, and for a whole year, too,--, who had never been away from home, was not easy for mother.
13. Will you let Brown and--have your boat?
14. Dr. Holmes shook hands with the girls,--among the rest.
15. Next month my brother and--are going to Bar Harbor.
16. It was--who called to you.
17. I was beside--.
18. Would you go, if you were--?
19. Father bought brother and--tickets for the concert.
20. He said he would bring some flowers to Frances and--.
21. You suffer from headache more than--.
22. We shall soon see which is the better boxer, you or--.
23. Who rang the bell?--.
24. The taller man was supposed to be--.
25. Every one has gone except you and--.
26. The world will rest content with such poor things as you and--.
27. He was a sublimer poet than--.
28. Was it--that you saw?
29. How can you thus address me,--, who am your friend?
30. Let you and--go for berries alone, if he will not go with us.
31. There is no one here but you and--.
32. Is it--you wish to see?
33. He said that you and--might ao.
34. Oh, no; it couldn"t have been--.
35. Harry left word for you and--to come to his room.
36. Other girls have books as well as--.
37. Its being--should make no difference.
38. Young Macdonald and--went to New York last Thursday.
39. She knew it to be--by my gait.
[50] In sentences like this the correct form will become evident if the speaker mentally completes the sentence thus: He is taller than--_am._ The greater part of the clause after "than" or "as" is generally omitted.
II.
We, us, ourselves.
1. Our friends and--are going out to-night.
2. He has come to take our friends and--driving.
3. They are wiser than--, since they are older.
4. They will lose more than--by the failure of the bank.
5. The Germans are better plodders than--.
6. It may have been--who (whom) you saw.
7.--boys are having a fine time.
8. Have you seen the picture of--three girls in a boat, taken by Mr. B.?
9. There are five hundred miles between father and--.
10. They know that as well as--.
11. They don"t succeed any better than--.
12. They as well as--were disappointed.
13. --ought not to get angry when others criticise--for faults which--freely acknowledge.
14. "It is not fit for such as -- To sit with rulers of the land."
III.
Thou, thee, thyself.
1. I will not learn my duty from such as ----.
2. If they rob only such as ----, I hold them right honest folk.
3. Love ---- last.
4. "The nations not so blest as ---- Must in their turn to tyrants fall."
5. "Wife, dost ---- know that all the world seems queer except ---- and me; and sometimes I think even ---- art a little queer?"
6. "Hail to ----, blithe spirit; Bird ---- never wert."
IV.
He, him, himself.
1. There is a difference between an employer and--who (whom) he employs.
2. John ---- wrote that letter.
3. You are nearly as tall as ----.
4. All wore dress suits except Charles and--.
5. I know that it was ----.
6. I knew it to be ----.