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, lose the character of relatives, when they become interrogatives. The only difference is, that without interrogation, the relatives have reference to a subject which is antecedent, definite, and known; wit an interrogation, to a subject which is subsequent, indefinite and unknown, and which it is expected that the answer should express and ascertain.

SECTION III.

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 iniquities.'

The pronouns, his, mine, thine, have the same form, whether they are possessive pronouns, or the possessive cases of their respective personal pronouns. See Syntax, Rule x.

A few examples will probably assist the learner, to distinguish the possessive pronouns from the genitive cases of their correspondent personal pronouns.

The following sentences exemplify the possessive pronouns, -"My lesson is finished; Thy books are defaced; He loves his studies; She performs her duty; We own our faults; Your situation is distressing; I admire their virtues."

The following are examples of the possessive cases of the personal pronouns. "This desk is mine; the other is thine; These trinkets are his; those are hers; This house is ours, and that is yours; Theirs is very commodious."

Some grammarians consider its as a possessive pronoun.

The two words own and self, are used in conjunction with

pronouns. Own is added to possessives, both singular and plural: as, "My own hand, our own house." It 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, "We hurt ourselves by vain rage."

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."

2. The distributive are those which denote the persons 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;""Every man must account for himself;" «I have not seen either of them."

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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. It should be, "any of the three."

Neither imports "not either :" that is, not one nor the other: as, "Neither of my friends was there." If more than two are alluded to, it should be, "None 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.

THE words former and latter may, at the first view, appear to have the nature of demonstrative pronouns; as in the following 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." But these words are to be considered as adjectives: and, in the example just given, as adjectives substantively used.

4. 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.

Or 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, "The 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 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 man," "the other men."

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 VOL. I.

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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 vouchsaf'd." 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 explain the nature of the adjective pronouns, and to distinguish and arrange them intelligibly: but it is difficult, perhaps impracticable, to define and divide them in a manner perfectly unexceptionable. Some of them, in particular, may seem to require a different arrangement. We presume, however, that, for every useful purpose, the present classification is sufficiently correct. All the pronouns, except the personal and relative, may indeed, in a general view of them, be considered as definite pronouns, because they define or ascertain the extent of the common name, or general term, to which they refer, or are joined; but as each 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 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 all these words are pure adjectives, and that none of them 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 bock;" "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 grammar, in the mode which we think most correct and intelligible: but, for the information of students, and to direct their inquiries on the subject, we state the different opinions of several judicious writers on Grammar.

Some grammarians have considered the articles, and all the adjective pronouns, as pure adjectives. Others have proceeded so far as to class even the relative pronouns, or some of them, among the adjectives. Others again have placed the pronouns, this, that, other, some, any, &c. in the rank of articles. It would, indeed, be difficult to state, within a moderate compass, the various opinions, and the ingenious discussions in support of them, which grammarians have exhibited, respecting these parts of speech, and their occasional conformity with each other. But arrangements of this kind, are not likely to be of any use, or to meet with general approbation. An adherence to the established terms and arrangement, produces many advantages, and occasions no material inconvenience. It is easy to advance plausible objections against almost every definition, rule, and arrangement of grammar. But in most cases of this nature, it is certainly much better, to supply the defects and abridge superfluities, to correct errors, and suggest improvements, by occasional notes and observations, than by disorganizing, or altering a system which has been so long esta blished, and so generally approved.*-See pages 29, 30, and Chapter xi. Section I. On "Derivation.""

CHAPTER VI

OF VERBS.

SECTION 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

It is probable, that any attempt to establish a different classification of the parts of speech, from that which is commonly received, will be found of little utility, either in practice or in speculation-Encyclopædia Britannica.