OBS. 30.--The most common rule now in use for the construction of the possessive case, is a shred from the old code of Latin grammar: "One substantive governs _another_, signifying a different thing, _in_ the possessive or genitive case."--_L. Murray"s Rule X_. This canon not only leaves occasion for an additional one respecting p.r.o.nouns of the possessive case, but it is also obscure in its phraseology, and too negligent of the various modes in which nouns may come together in English. All nouns used adjectively, and many that are compounded together, seem to form exceptions to it. But who can limit or enumerate these _exceptions?_ Different combinations of nouns have so often little or no difference of meaning, or of relation to each other, and so frequently is the very same vocal expression written variously by our best scholars, and ablest lexicographers, that in many ordinary instances it seems scarcely possible to determine who or what is right. Thus, on the authority of Johnson, one might write, _a stone"s cast_, or _stone"s throw_; but Webster has it, _stones-cast_, or _stones-throw_; Maunder, _stonecast, stonethrow_; Chalmers, _stonescast_; Worcester, _stone"s-cast_. So Johnson and Chalmers write _stonesmickle_, a bird; Webster has it, _stone"s-mickle_; yet, all three refer to Ainsworth as their authority, and his word is _stone-smickle_: Littleton has it _stone-smich_. Johnson and Chalmers write, _popeseye_ and _sheep"s eye_; Walker, Maunder, and Worcester, _popeseye_ and _sheep"s-eye_; Scott has _pope"s-eye_ and _sheepseye_; Webster, _pope"s-eye_ and _sheep"s-eye, bird-eye_, and _birds-eye._ Ainsworth has _goats beard_, for the name of a plant; Johnson, _goatbeard_; Webster, _goat-beard_ and _goats-beard._ Ainsworth has _prince"s feather_, for the amaranth; Johnson, Chalmers, Walker, and Maunder, write it _princes-feather_; Webster and Worcester, _princes"-feather_; Bolles has it _princesfeather_: and here they are all wrong, for the word should be _prince"s-feather._ There are hundreds more of such terms; all as uncertain in their orthography as these.
OBS. 31.--While discrepances like the foregoing abound in our best dictionaries, none of our grammars supply any hints tending to show which of these various forms we ought to prefer. Perhaps the following suggestions, together with the six Rules for the Figure of Words, in Part First, may enable the reader to decide these questions with sufficient accuracy. (1.) Two short radical nouns are apt to unite in a permanent compound, when the former, taking the sole accent, expresses the main purpose or chief characteristic of the thing named by the latter; as, _teacup, sunbeam, daystar, horseman, sheepfold, houndfish, hourgla.s.s._ (2.) Temporary compounds of a like nature may be formed with the hyphen, when there remain two accented syllables; as, _castle-wall, bosom-friend, fellow-servant, horse-chestnut, goat-marjoram, marsh-marigold._ (3.) The former of two nouns, if it be not plural, may be taken adjectively, in any relation that differs from apposition and from possession; as, "The _silver_ cup,"--"The _parent_ birds,"--"My _pilgrim_ feet,"--"Thy _hermit_ cell,"--"Two _brother_ sergeants." (4.) The possessive case and its governing noun, combining to form a literal name, may be joined together without either hyphen or apostrophe: as, _tradesman, ratsbane, doomsday, kinswoman, craftsmaster._ (5.) The possessive case and its governing noun, combining to form a _metaphorical_ name, should be written with both apostrophe and hyphen; as, _Job"s-tears, Jew"s-ear, bear"s-foot, colts-tooth, sheep"s-head, crane"s-bill, crab"s-eyes, hound"s-tongue, king"s-spear, lady"s-slipper, lady"s-bedstraw_, &c. (6.) The possessive case and its governing noun, combining to form an adjective, whether literal or metaphorical, should generally be written with both apostrophe and hyphen; as, "_Neats-foot_ oil,"--"_Calfs-foot_ jelly,"--"A _carp"s-tongue_ drill,"--"A _bird"s-eye_ view,"--"The _states"-rights"_ party,"--"A _camel"s-hair_ shawl." But a triple compound noun may be formed with one hyphen only: as, "In doomsday-book;" (--_Joh. Dict._;) "An _armsend-lift._" Cardell, who will have all possessives to be adjectives, writes an example thus: "John"s camel"s hair girdle."--_Elements of Eng.
Gram._, p. 39. That is as if John"s camel had a hair girdle! (7.) When the possessive case and its governing noun merely help to form a regular phrase, the compounding of them in any fashion may be reckoned improper; thus the phrases, _a day"s work, at death"s door, on New Year"s Day, a new year"s gift, All Souls" Day, All Saints" Day, All Fools" Day, the saints"
bell, the heart"s blood, for dog"s meat_, though often written otherwise, may best stand as they do here.
OBS. 32.--The existence of a permanent compound of any two words, does not necessarily preclude the use of the possessive relation between the same words. Thus, we may speak of _a horse"s shoe_ or _a goat"s skin_, notwithstanding there are such words as horseshoe and goatskin. E.g., "That preach ye upon the _housetops._"--ALGER"S BIBLE: _Matt._, x, 27. "Unpeg the basket on the _house"s top._"--_Beauties of Shak._, p. 238. Webster defines _frostnail_, (which, under the word _cork_, he erroneously writes _frost nail_,) "A nail driven into a _horse-shoe_, to prevent _the horse_ from slipping on ice." Worcester has it, "A nail driven into a _horse"s shoe_, to prevent _his slipping on the ice._" Johnson, "A nail with a _prominent head driven_ into the _horse"s shoes_, that it may pierce the ice."
Maunder, "A nail with a _sharp head driven_ into the _horses" shoes_ in frosty weather." None of these descriptions is very well written. Say rather, "A _spur-headed_ nail driven into a _horse"s shoe_ to prevent _him from_ slipping." There is commonly some difference, and sometimes a very great one, between the compound noun and the possessive relation, and also between the radical compound and that of the possessive. Thus a _harelip_ is not a _hare"s lip_, nor is a _headman_ a _headsman_, or _heart-ease heart"s-ease._ So, according to the books, a _cat-head_, a _cat"s-head_, and a _cat"s head_, are three very different things; yet what Webster writes, _cat-tail_, Johnson, _cats-tail_, Walker and others, _cats-tail_, means but the same thing, though not a _cat"s tail._ Johnson"s "_kingspear, Jews-ear, lady-mantle, and lady-bedstraw_," are no more proper, than Webster"s "_bear"s-wort, lion"s foot, lady"s mantle, and lady"s bed-straw._" All these are wrong.
OBS. 33.--Particular examples, both of proper distinction, and of blind irregularity, under all the heads above suggested, may be quoted and multiplied indefinitely, even from our highest literary authorities; but, since nothing can be settled but by the force of _principles_, he who would be accurate, must resort to rules,--must consider what is a.n.a.logical, and, in all doubtful cases, give this the preference. But, in grammar, particular a.n.a.logies are to be respected, as well as those which are more general. For example, the noun _side_, in that relation which should seem to require the preceding noun to be in the possessive case, is usually compounded with it, the hyphen being used where the compound has more than two syllables, but not with two only; as, _bedside, hillside, roadside, wayside, seaside, river-side, water-side, mountain-side._ Some instances of the separate construction occur, but they are rare: as, "And her maidens walked along by the _river"s side._"--_Exodus_, ii, 5. After this noun also, the possessive preposition _of_ is sometimes omitted; as, "On this _side_ the river;"(--_Bible_;) "On this _side_ Trent."--_Cowell_. Better, "On this _side of_ the river," &c. "Blind Bartimeus sat by the _highway side_, begging."--_Mark_, x, 46. Here Alger more properly writes "_highway-side._" In Rev., xiv, 20th, we have the unusual compound, "_horse-bridles._" The text ought to have been rendered, "even unto the _horses" bridles._" Latin, "usque ad fraenos equorum." Greek, "[Greek: achri ton chalinon ton hippon]."
OBS. 34.--Correlatives, as father and son, husband and wife, naturally possess each other; hence such combinations as _father"s son_, and _son"s father_, though correct enough in thought, are redundant in expression. The whole and a part are a sort of correlatives, but the whole seems to possess its parts, more properly than any of the parts, the whole. Yet we seldom put the whole in the possessive case before its part, or parts, but rather express the relation by _of_; as, "a quarter _of_ a dollar," rather than, "a _dollar"s_ quarter." After the noun _half_, we usually suppress this preposition, if an article intervene; as, "_half a dollar_," rather than, "half _of_ a dollar," or "a _dollar"s_ half." So we may say, "_half the way_," for "half _of_ the way;" but we cannot say, "_half us_" for "half _of_ us." In the phrase, "_a half dollar_," the word _half_ is an adjective, and a very different meaning is conveyed. Yet the compounds _half-pint_ and _half-penny_ are sometimes used to signify, the _quant.i.ty_ of _half a pint_, the _value_ of _half a penny_. In weight, measure, or time, the part is sometimes made possessive of the whole; as, "a _pound"s_ weight, a _yard"s_ length, an _hour"s_ time." On the contrary, we do not say, "_weight"s_ pound, _length"s_ yard, or _time"s_ hour;" nor yet, "a pound _of_ weight, a yard _of_ length;" and rarely do we say, "an hour _of_ time." _Pound_ and _yard_ having other uses, we sometimes say, "a pound _in_ weight, a yard _in_ length;" though scarcely, "an hour _in_ time."
OBS. 35.--Between a portion of time and its correlative action, pa.s.sion, or being, the possessive relation is interchangeable; so that either term may be the princ.i.p.al, and either, the adjunct: as, "_Three years"_ hard work,"
or, "Three years _of hard work_." Sometimes we may even put either term in either form; as, "During the _ten years"_ war,"--"During the ten years _of war_,"--"During the war _of ten years_,"--"During the _war"s_ ten years."
Hence some writers, not perceiving why either word should make the other its governed adjunct, place both upon a par, as if they were in apposition; as, "Three _days time_."--_Brown"s Estimate_, Vol. ii, p. 156. "By a few _years preparation_."--_Blair"s Rhet._, p. 341. "Of forty _years planting_."--_Wm. Penn_. "An account, of five _years standing_." If these phrases were correct, it would also be correct to say, "_one day time_,"--"_one year preparation_,"--"_one year planting_,"--"_of one year standing_;" but all these are manifestly bad English; and, by a.n.a.logy, so are the others.
OBS. 36.--Any noun of weight, measure, or time, put immediately before an other, if it be not in the possessive case, will naturally be understood _adjectively_; as, "No person can, by words only, give to an other an adequate idea of a _pound weight_, or [a] _foot rule_."--_Gregory"s Dict._ This phraseology can, with propriety, refer only to the weight or the rule with which we weigh or measure; it cannot signify _a pound in weight_, or _a foot in length_, though it is very probable that the author intended the latter. When the noun _times_ is used before an other noun by way of multiplication, there may be supposed an ellipsis of the preposition _of_ between the two, just as when we divide by the word _half_; as, "An hour is sixty _times the length_ of a minute."--_Murray"s Gram._, p. 48. "Thirty seconds are _half the length_ of a minute." That is,--"half _of_ the length,"--"sixty times _of_ the length."
NOTES TO RULE IV.
NOTE I.--In the syntax of the possessive case, its appropriate form, singular or plural, should be observed, agreeably to the sense and declension of the word. Thus, write _John"s, men"s, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs_; and not, _Johns, mens", her"s, it"s, our"s, your"s, their"s_.
NOTE II.--When nouns of the possessive case are connected by conjunctions or put in apposition, the sign of possession must always be annexed to such, and such only, as immediately precede the governing noun, expressed or understood; as, "_John_ and _Eliza"s_ teacher is a man of more learning than _James"s_ or _Andrew"s_"--"For _David_ my _servant"s_ sake."--_Bible_.
"For my sake and the _gospel"s_."--_Ib._ "Lost in _love"s_ and _friendship"s_ smile."--_Scott_.
NOTE III.--The relation of property may also be expressed by the preposition _of_ and the objective; as, "_The will of man_," for "_man"s will_." Of these forms, we should adopt that which will render the sentence the most perspicuous and agreeable; and, by the use of both, avoid an unpleasant repet.i.tion of either.
NOTE IV.--A noun governing the possessive plural, should not, by a forced agreement, be made plural, when its own sense does not require it; as, "For _our parts_,"--"Were I in _your places_:" for we may with propriety say, "_Our part, your place_, or _your condition_;" as well as, "_Our desire, your intention, their resignation_."--_L. Murray"s Gram._, p. 169. A noun taken figuratively may also be singular, when the literal meaning would require the plural: such expressions as, "_their face_,"--"_their neck_,"--"_their hand_,"--"_their head_,"--"_their heart_,"--"_our mouth_,"--"_our life_,"--are frequent in the Scriptures, and not improper.
NOTE V.--The possessive case should not be needlessly used before a participle that is not taken in other respects as a noun. The following phrase is therefore wrong: "Adopted by the Goths in _their_ p.r.o.nouncing the Greek."--_Walker"s Key_, p. 17. Expunge _their_. Again: "Here we speak of _their_ becoming both in form and signification pa.s.sive."--_Campbell"s Rhet._, p. 226. Say rather, "Here we speak of _them as becoming pa.s.sive_, both in form and signification."
IMPROPRIETIES FOR CORRECTION. FALSE SYNTAX UNDER RULE IV.
EXAMPLES UNDER NOTE I.--THE POSSESSIVE FORM.
"Mans chief good is an upright mind." See _Brown"s Inst.i.tutes of E. Gram._, p. 179.
[FORMULE.--Not proper, because the noun _mans_, which is intended for the possessive singular of _man_, has _not_ the appropriate form of that case and number. But, according to Note 1st under Rule 4th, "In the syntax ef the possessive case, its appropriate form, singular or plural, should be observed, agreeably to the sense and declension of the word." Therefore, _mans_ should be maris, with the apostrophe before the _s_; thus, "_Man"s_ chief good is an upright mind."]
"The translator of Mallets History has the following note,"--_Webster"s Essays_, p. 263. "The act, while it gave five years full pay to the officers, allowed but one year"s pay to the privates."--_Ib._, p. 184. "For the study of English is preceded by several years attention to Latin and Greek."--_Ib._, p. 7. "The first, the Court Baron, is the freeholders or freemens court."--_c.o.ke, Litt._, p. 74. "I affirm, that Vaugelas"
definition labours under an essential defect."--_Campbell"s Rhet._, p. 163.
"I affirm, that Vangelas"s definition labours under an essential defect."--_Murray"s Octavo Gram._, Fourth Amer. Ed., Vol. ii, p. 360.[351]
"There is a chorus in Aristophane"s plays."--_Blair"s Rhet._, p. 480. "It denotes the same perception in my mind as in their"s."--_Duncan"s Logic_, p. 65. "This afterwards enabled him to read Hicke"s Saxon Grammar."--_Life of Dr. Murray_, p. 76. "I will not do it for tens sake."--_Dr. Ash"s Gram._, p. 56. "I arose, and asked if those charming infants were her"s."--_Werter_, p. 21. "They divide their time between milliners shops and taverns."--_Brown"s Estimate_, Vol. i, p. 65. "The angels adoring of Adam is also mentioned in the Talmud."--_Sale"s Koran_, p. 6. "Quarrels arose from the winners insulting of those who lost."--_Ib._, p. 171. "The vacancy, occasioned by Mr. Adams" resignation."--_Adams"s Rhet._, Vol. i, p. vii. "Read for instance Junius" address, commonly called his letter to the king."--_Ib._, i, 225. "A perpetual struggle against the tide of Hortensius" influence."--_Ib._, ii, 23. "Which, for distinction sake, I shall put down severally."--_Johnson"s Gram. Com._, p. 302. "The fifth case is in a clause signifying the matter of ones fear."--_Ib._, p. 312. "And they took counsel, and bought with them the potters" field."--ALGER"S BIBLE: _Matt._, xxvii, 7. "Arise for thy servant"s help, and redeem them for thy mercy"s sake."--_Jenks"s Prayers_, p. 265. "Shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of their"s be ours?"--SCOTT"S BIBLE: _Gen._, x.x.xiv, 23. "And every beast of their"s, be our"s?"--FRIENDS" BIBLE: _ib._ "It"s regular plural, _bullaces_, is used by Bacon."--_Churchill"s Gram._, p. 213. "Mordecai walked every day before the court of the womens house."--SCOTT"S BIBLE: _Esther_, ii, 11. "Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in king"s houses."--IB. and FRIENDS" BIBLE: _Matt._, xi, 8: also _Webster"s Imp. Gram._, p. 173. "Then Jethro, Moses" father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses" wife, and her two sons; and Jethro, Moses"
father-in-law, came, with his sons and his wife, unto Moses."--ALGER"S BIBLE, and THE FRIENDS": _Exod._, xviii, 2--6. "King James" translators merely revised former translations."--_Rev. B. Frazee"s Gram._, p. 137.
"May they be like corn on houses tops."--_White, on the English Verb._, p.
160.
"And for his Maker"s image sake exempt."
--_Par. Lost_, B. xi, l. 514.
"By all the fame acquir"d in ten years war."
--_Rowe"s Lucan_, B. i, l. 674.
"Nor glad vile poets with true critics gore."
--_Pope"s Dunicad_, [sic--KTH] p. 175.
"Man only of a softer mold is made, Not for his fellow"s ruin, but their aid."
--_Dryden"s Poems_, p. 92.
UNDER NOTE II.--POSSESSIVES CONNECTED.
"It was necessary to have both the physician, and the surgeon"s advice."--_Cooper"s Pl. and Pr. Gram._, p. 140. "This out-side fashionableness of the Taylor on Tire-woman"s making."--_Locke, on Education_, p. 49. "Some pretending to be of Paul"s party, others of Apollos, others of Cephas, and others, pretending yet higher, to be of Christ"s."--_Woods Dict., w. Apollos_. "Nor is it less certain that Spenser"s and Milton"s spelling agrees better with our p.r.o.nunciation."-- _Philol. Museum_, i, 661. "Law"s, Edwards", and Watts" surveys of the Divine Dispensations."--_Burgh"s Dignity_, Vol. i, p. 193. "And who was Enoch"s Saviour, and the Prophets?"--_Bayly"s Works_, p. 600. "Without any impediment but his own, or his parents or guardians will."--_Literary Convention_, p. 145. "James relieves neither the boy[352] nor the girl"s distress."--_Nixon"s Pa.r.s.er_, p. 116. "John regards neither the master nor the pupil"s advantage."--_Ib._, p. 117. "You reward neither the man nor the woman"s labours."--_Ib._ "She examines neither James nor John"s conduct."-- _Ib._ "Thou pitiest neither the servant nor the master"s injuries."--_Ib._ "We promote England or Ireland"s happiness."--_Ib._ "Were Cain and Abel"s occupation the same?"--_Brown"s Inst._, p. 179. "Were Cain"s and Abel"s occupations the same?"--_Ib._ "What was Simon"s and Andrew"s employment?"-- _Author_. "Till he can read himself Sanctii Minerva with Scioppius and Perizonius"s Notes."--_Locke, on Education_, p. 295.
"And love"s and friendship"s finely--pointed dart Falls blunted from each indurated heart."--_Goldsmith_.
UNDER NOTE III.--CHOICE OF FORMS.
"But some degree of trouble is all men"s portion."--_Murray"s Key_, p. 218; _Merchant"s_, 197. "With his father"s and mother"s names upon the blank leaf."--_Corner-Stone_, p. 144. "The general, in the army"s name, published a declaration."--HUME: in _Priestley"s Gram._, p. 69. "The Commons"
vote."--_Id, ib._ "The Lords" house."--_Id., ib._ "A collection of writers faults."--SWIFT: _ib._, p. 68. "After ten years wars."--_Id., ib._ "Professing his detestation of such practices as his predecessors."--_Notes to the Dunciad_. "By that time I shall have ended my years office."--_Walker"s Particles_, p. 104. "For Herodias" sake, his brother Philip"s wife."--_Mark_, vi, 17. "For Herodias"s sake, his brother Philip"s wife."--_Murray"s Key_, p. 194. "I endure all things for the elect"s sakes, that they may also obtain salvation."--FRIENDS" BIBLE: _2 Tim._, ii, 10.
"For the elects" sakes."--SCOTT"S BIBLE. "For the elect"s sake."--ALGER"S BIBLE, and BRUCE"S. "He was Louis the Sixteenth"s son"s heir."--_W. Allen"s Exercises, Gram._, p. 329. "The throne we honour is the choice of the people."--"An account of the proceedings of the court of Alexander."--"An excellent tutor of a person of fashion"s child!"--_Gil Bias_, Vol. 1, p.
20. "It is curious enough, that this sentence of the Bishop is, itself, ungrammatical!"--_Cobbett"s E. Gram._, -- 201. "The troops broke into Leopold the emperor"s palace."--_Nixon"s Pa.r.s.er_, p. 59. "The meeting was called by Eldon the judge"s desire."--_Ibid._ "Peter"s, John"s, and Andrew"s occupation was that of fishermen."--_Brace"s Gram._, p. 79. "The venerable president of the Royal Academy"s debility has lately increased."--_Maunder"s Gram._, p. 12.
UNDER NOTE IV.--NOUNS WITH POSSESSIVES PLURAL.
"G.o.d hath not given us our reasons to no purpose."--_Barclay"s Works_, Vol.
i, p. 496. "For our sakes, no doubt, this is written."--_1 Cor._, ix, 10.
"Are not health and strength of body desirable for their own sakes?"--_Hermes_, p. 296; _Murray"s Gram._, 289. "Some sailors who were boiling their dinners upon the sh.o.r.e."--_Day"s Sandford and Merton_, p. 99.
"And they in their turns were subdued by others."--_Pinnock"s Geography_, p. 12. "Industry on our parts is not superseded by G.o.d"s grace."--_Arrowsmith_. "Their Healths perhaps may be pretty well secur"d."--_Locke, on Education_, p. 51. "Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor."--_Murray"s Gram._, p. 211. "It were to be wished, his correctors had been as wise on their parbs."--_Harris"s Hermes_, p. 60.
"The Arabs are commended by the ancients for being most exact to their words, and respectful to their kindred."--_Sale"s Koran_. "That is, as a reward of some exertion on our parts."--_Gurney"s Evidences_, p. 86. "So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes."--_Psalms_, cvi, 32. "All liars shall have their parts in the burning lake."--_Watts_, p. 33. "For our own sakes as well as for thine."--_Pref. to Waller"s Poems_, p. 3. "By discover- ing their abilities to detect and amend errors."--_Murray"s Gram._, Vol. 11, p. iv.
"This world I do renounce; and, in your sights, Shake patiently my great affliction off."--_Beauties of Shak._, p. 286 "If your relenting angers yield to treat, Pompey and thou, in safety, here may meet."--_Rowe"s Lucan_, B. iii, l. 500.
UNDER NOTE Y.--POSSESSIVES WITH PARTICIPLES.
"This will encourage him to proceed without his acquiring the prejudice."--_Smith"s Gram._, p. 5. "And the notice which they give of an action"s being completed or not completed."--_L. Murray"s Gram._, p. 72; _Alger"s_, 30. "Some obstacle or impediment that prevents its taking place."--_Priestley"s Gram._, p. 38; _Alex. Murray"s_, 37. "They have apostolical authority for their so frequently urging the seeking of the Spirit."--_The Friend_, Vol. xii, p. 54. "Here then is a wide field for reason"s exerting its powers in relation to the objects of taste."-- _Blair"s Rhet._, p. 18. "Now this they derive altogether from their having a greater capacity of imitation and description."--_Ib._, p. 51. "This is one clear reason of their paying a greater attention to that construction."
--_Ib._, p. 123. "The dialogue part had also a modulation of its own, which was capable of its being set to notes."--_Ib._, p. 471. "What is the reason of our being often so frigid and unpersuasive in public discourse?"--_Ib._, p. 334. "Which is only a preparation for his leading his forces directly upon us."--_Ib._, p. 264. "The nonsense about _which"s_ relating to things only, and having no declension, needs no refutation."--_Fowle"s True E.
Gram._, p. 18. "Who, upon his breaking it open, found nothing but the following inscription."--_Rollin_, Vol. ii, p. 33. "A prince will quickly have reason to repent his having exalted one person so high."--_Id._, ii, 116. "Notwithstanding it"s being the immediate subject of his discourse."-- _Churchill"s Gram._, p. 294. "With our definition of its being synonymous with time."--_Booth"s Introd._, p. 29. "It will considerably increase the danger of our being deceived."--_Campbell"s Rhet._, p. 293. "His beauties can never be mentioned without their suggesting his blemishes also."-- _Blair"s Rhet._, p. 442. "No example has ever been adduced of a man"s conscientiously approving of an action, because of its badness."--_Gurney"s Evidences_, p. 90. "The last episode of the angel"s shewing Adam the fate of his posterity, is happily imagined."--_Blair"s Rhet._, p. 452. "And the news came to my son, of his and the bride being in Dublin."--_Castle Rackrent_, p. 44. "There is no room for the mind"s exerting any great effort."--_Blair"s Rhet._, p. 32. "One would imagine, that these criticks never so much as heard of Homer"s having written first."--_Pope"s Preface to Homer_. "Condemn the book, for its not being a geography."--_O. B.
Peirce"s Gram._, p. 317. "There will be in many words a transition from their being the figurative to their being the proper signs of certain ideas."--_Campbell"s Rhet._, p. 322. "The doctrine of the Pope"s being the only source of ecclesiastical power."--_Religious World_, ii, 290. "This has been the more expedient from the work"s being designed for the benefit of private learners."--_Murray"s Exercises, Introd._, p. v. "This was occasioned by the Grammar"s having been _set up_, and not admitting of enlargement."--_Ib., Advertis.e.m.e.nt_, p. ix.
RULE V.--OBJECTIVES.