Some writers have classed the interrogatives as a separate kind of pronouns : but they are too nearly related to the relative pronouns, both in nature and form, to render such a division proper. They do not, in fact, loose the character of relatives, when they become interrogatives. The only difference is, that without an interrogation, the relatives have reference to a subject which is antecedent, definite, and known; with an interrogation, to a subject which is subsequent, indefinite, and unknown, and which it is expected that the answer should express and ascertain. SECT. 3. Of the Adjective Pronouns.

(Adjective Pronouns are of a mixed nature, participating the properties both of pronouns and adjectives. The adjective pronouns may be subdivided into four sorts, namely, the possessive, the distributive, the demonstrative, and the indefinite.

1. The possessive are those which relate to possession or property. There are seven of them; viz. my, thy, his, her, our, your, their.

Mine and thine, instead of my and thy, were formerly used before a substantive, or adjective, beginning with a vowel, or a silent h : as, “Blot out all mine ini

quities.')

The possessives, his, mine, thine, may be accounted either possessive pronouns, or the possessive cases of their respective personal pronouns.

When the possessive pronouns are perfixed to substantives, or are parted from them only by an adjective, they admit of no variation, whatever be the number or case of the noun as, My young cousin, is here, he knows my parents; her merit is great; she lives with her relations; our books are torn, we own our faults; their situation is miserable, I admire their noble virtues.

When they are separated from the noun by a verb, or when the noun is understood, all of them except hie, vary their terminations as, This hat is mine, and the other is thine; those trinkets are hers: this house is ours, and that is yours; theirs is more commodious than ours.

F

But

these variations are in fact the possessive cases of the personal pronouns.

The two words own and self, are used in conjunction Own is added to possessives, both singu

with pronouns.

It

lar and plural: as," My own hand our own house.' is emphatical, and implies a silent contrariety or opposition: as, "I live in my own house," that is, not in a hired house." Self is added to possessives: as, myself, yourselves; and sometimes to personal pronouns: as, himself, itself, themselves. It then, like own, expresses emphasis and opposition: as, "I did this myself," that is," not another;" or it forms a reciprocal pronoun: as, 46 hurt ourselves by vain rage.'

e

Himself, themselves, are now used in the nominative case, instead of hisself, theirselves: as, "He came himself," "He himself shall do this;" "They performed it themselves."

per

24 The distributive are those which denote the sons or things that make up a number, as taken separately and singly. They are each, every, either: as, "Each of his brothers is in a favourable situation ;" 46 Every man must account for himself;" "I have not seen either of them"

Each relates to two or more persons or things, and signifies either of the two, or every one of any number, taken separately.

Every relates to several persons or things, and signifies each one of them all taken separately. This pronoun was formerly used apart from its noun, but it is now constantly annexed to it, except in legal proceedings: as, in the phrase "all and every of them."

Either relates to two persons or things taken separately, and signifies the one or the other. To say, "either of the three," is therefore improper.

Neither imports "not either;" that is, not one nor the other; as, "Neither of my friends was there."

3.The demonstrative are those which precisely point out the subjects to which they relate this and that,

:

these and those, are of this class: as, "This is true charity; that is only its image."

This refers to the nearest person or thing, and that to the most distant: as, "This man is more intelligent than that." This indicates the latter or last mentioned; that, the former or first mentioned: as, "Both wealth and poverty are temptations; that, tends to excite pride, this, discontent."

Perhaps the words former and latter may be properly ranked amongst the demonstrative pronouns, especially in many of their applications. The following sentence may serve as an example: "It was happy for the state, that Fabius continued in the command with Minucius : the former's phlegm was a check upon the latter's vivacity.

The indefinite are those which express their subjects in an indefinite or general manner. The following are of this kind: some, other, any, one, all such, c.

Of these pronouns, only the words one and other are varied. One has a possessive case, which it forms in the same manner as substantives: as, one, one's. This word has a general signification, meaning people at large; and sometimes also a peculiar reference to the person who is speaking: as, "One ought to pity the distresses of mankind." "One is apt to love one's self." This word is often used, by good writers, in the plural number: as, great ones of the world;" "The boy wounded the old bird, and stole the young ones;" "My wife and the little ones are in good health."

Other is declined in the following manner :

"The

Nom.

Poss.

Obj.

The plural others is only used when apart from the noun to which it refers, whether expressed or understood : as, "When you have perused these papers, I will send you the others." "He pleases some, but he disgusts others," When this pronoun is joined to nouns, either

singular or plural, it has no variation; as, "the other men."

"the other man,"

The following phrases may serve to exemplify the indefinite pronouns. "Some of you are wise and good;" "A few of them were idle, the others industrious; "Neither is there any that is unexceptionable;" "One ought

to know one's own mind;""They were all present;" "Such is the state of man, that he is never at rest;" "Some are happy, while others are miserable.”

The word another is composed of the indefinite article prefixed to the word other.

None is used in both numbers: as, "None is so deaf as he that will not hear;" "None of those are equal to these." It seems originally to have signified, according to its derivation, not one, and therefore to have had no plural; but there is good authority for the use of it in the plural number: as, "None that go unto her return again.” Prov. ii. 19. "Terms of peace were none vouchsafd." MILTON. "None of them are varied to express the gender." "None of them have different endings for the numbers." LowTH's Introduction. "None of their productions are extant."

BLAIR.

We have endeavoured to distinguish, and explain the nature of the adjective pronouns; but it is difficult to divide them in an exact and unexceptionable manner. Some of them, in particular applications, might have been differently classed; but it is presumed that, in general, the distribution is tolerably correct. All the pronouns, except the personal and relative, may indeed, in a general view of them, be considered as definitive pronouns, because they define or ascertain the extent of the common name, or general term, to which they refer, or are joined; but as cach class of them does this, more or less exactly, or in a manner peculiar to itself, a division adapted to this circumstance appears to be suitable to the nature of things, and the understanding of learners.

It is the opinion of some respectable grammarians, that the words this, that, any, some, such, his, their, our, &c. are pronouns, when they are used separately from the nouns to which they relate; but that, when they are joined to those nouns, they are not to be considered as belonging to this

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species of words; because, in this association, they rather ascertain a substantive, than supply the place of one. They assert that, in the phrases, give me that," "this is John's," and " such were some of you," the words in italics are pronouns; but that, in the following phrases, they are not pronouns ; "this book is instructive," "some boys are ingenious," my health is declining,' "our hearts are deceitful," &c. Other grammarians think, that none of these forms of speech can properly be called pronouns ; as the genuine pronoun stands by itself, without the aid of a noun expressed or understood. They are of opinion, that in the expressions, "Give me that;""This is John's,' &c. the noun is always understood, and must be supplied in the mind of the reader: as, "Give me that book;" "this book is John's ;" and such persons were some persons amongst you."

Some writers are of opinion that the pronouns should be classed into substantive and adjective pronouns. Under the former, they include the personal and the relative; under the latter, all the others. But this division, though a neat one, does not appear to be accurate. All the relative pronouns will not range under the substantive head.We have distributed these parts of speech, in the mode which we think most correct and intelligible: but, for the information of students, and to direct their enquiries on the subject, we state the different opinions of several judicious writers on Grammar.

CHAPTER VI.

Of Verbs.

SECT. 1. Of the nature of Verbs in general.

A VERB is a word which signifies to BE, to Do, or to SUFFER; as, "I am, I rule, I am ruled."

Verbs are of three kinds; ACTIVE, PASSIVE, and NEUTER. They are also divided into REGULAR, IRREGULAR, and DEFECTIVE.

A Verb active expresses an action, and necessarily implies an agent, and an object acted upon: as, to love; "I love Penelope."