Chapter IV: Part 4

The Relative placed before the Antecedent: Example; “The bodies, which we daily handle, make us perceive, that whilst they remain between _them_, they do by an insurmountable force hinder the approach of our _hands_ that press them.” Locke, Essay, B. 2. C. 4. §. 1. Here the sense is suspended, and the sentence is unintelligible, till you get to the end of it: there is no Antecedent, to which the Relative _them_ can be referred, but _bodies_; but, “whilst the bodies remain between the bodies,” makes no sense at all. When you get to _hands_, the difficulty is cleared up, the sense helping out the Construction: yet there still remains an ambiguity in the Relatives _they_, _them_, which in number and gender are equally applicable to _bodies_ or _hands_; this, tho’ it may not here be the occasion of much obscurity, which is commonly the effect of it, yet is always disagreeable and inelegant: as in the following examples.

“Men look with an evil eye upon the good that is in others; and think, that _their_ reputation obscures _them_; and that _their_ commendable qualities do stand in _their_ light: and therefore _they_ do what _they_ can to cast a cloud over _them_, that the bright shining of _their_ virtues may not obscure _them_.” Tillotson, Vol. I. Serm. 42.

“The Earl of Falmouth and Mr. Coventry were rivals _who_ should have most influence with the Duke, _who_ loved the Earl best, but thought the other the wiser man, _who_ supported Pen, _who_ disobliged all the Courtiers, even against the Earl, _who_ contemned Pen as a fellow of no sense.” Clarendon, Cont. p. 264.

But the following Sentence cannot possibly be understood without a careful recollection of circumstances through some pages preceding.

“All which, with the King’s and Queen’s so ample promises to _him_ [the Treasurer] so few hours before the conferring the place on another, and the Duke of York’s manner of receiving _him_ [the Treasurer,] after _he_ [the Chancellor] had been shut up with _him_ [the Duke,] as _he_ [the Treasurer] was informed, might very well excuse _him_ [the Treasurer] for thinking _he_ [the Chancellor] had some share in the affront _he_ [the Treasurer] had undergone.” Clarendon, Cont. p. 296.

“Breaking a Constitution by the very same errors, _that_ so many have been _broke_ before.” Swift, Contests and Dissensions, &c. Chap. 5. Here the Relative is employed not only to represent the Antecedent Noun _the errors_, but likewise the Preposition _by_ prefixed to it. It ought to be, “the same errors, _by which_ so many have been _broken_ before.”

Again: “⸺An Undertaking; _which_, although it has failed, (partly &c, and partly &c,) is no objection at all to an Enterprize so well concerted, and with such fair probability of success.” Swift, Conduct of the Allies. That is, “Which Undertaking is no objection to an Enterprize so well concerted;” that is, “to itself:” he means, “_the failing of which_ is no objection at all to it.”

[74] In the following instances the Conjunction _that_ seems to be improperly accompanied with the Subjunctive Mode: “I cannot but bewail, _that_ no famous modern _have_ ever yet attempted⸺.” Swift, Tale of a Tub, Sect. v.

“So much she fears for William’s life,
_That_ Mary’s fate she _dare_ not mourn.”

Prior.

[75] “You are a much greater loser than _me_ by his death.” Swift to Pope, Letter 63.

“And tho’ by heav’n’s severe decree
She suffers hourly more than _me_.”

Swift to Stella.

“We contributed a third more than the Dutch, who were obliged to the same proportion more than _us_.” Swift, Conduct of the Allies.

“King Charles, and more than _him_, the Duke, and the Popish Faction, were at liberty to form new schemes.” Lord Bolingbroke, Diss. on Parties, Letter 3.

“A Poem, which is good in itself, cannot lose any thing of its real value, though it should appear not to be the work of so eminent an author, as _him_, to whom it was first imputed.” Congreve, Pref. to Homer’s Hymn to Venus.

“If the King give us leave, you or I may as lawfully preach, as _them_ that do.” Hobbes, Hist. of Civil Wars, p. 62.

“The sun upon the calmest sea
Appears not half so bright as _Thee_.”

Prior.

“Then finish dear Chloe this Pastoral war,
And let us like Horace and Lydia agree:
For thou art a Girl as much brighter than _her_,
As he was a Poet sublimer than _me_.”

Prior.

In these passages it ought to be, _I_, _We_, _He_, _They_, _Thou_, _She_, reflectively. Perhaps the following example may admit of a doubt, whether it be properly expressed or not:

“The Lover got a woman of greater fortune than _her_ he had miss’d.” Addison, Guardian Nᵒ 9. Let us try it by the Rule given above; and see, whether some correction will not be necessary, when the parts of the Sentence, which are understood, come to be supplied: “The lover got a woman of a greater fortune, than _She_ [_was_, _whom_] he had miss’d.”

“Nor hope to be myself less miserable
By what I seek, but others to make such
As _I_.”

Milton, P. L. ix. 126.

“The Syntax, says Dr. Bentley, requires, make such as _me_.” On the contrary, the Syntax necessarily requires, “make such as _I_:” for it is not, “I hope to make others such, as to make _me_:” the Pronoun is not governed by the Verb _make_, but is the Nominative Case to the Verb _am_ understood: “to make others such as _I am_.”

[76] “But it is reason, the memory of their virtues remaine to their posterity.” Bacon, Essay xiv. In this, and many the like Phrases, the Conjunction were much better inserted: “_that_ the memory, &c.”

[77] _Never so_⸺This Phrase, says Mr. Johnson, is justly accused of Solecism. It should be, _ever_ so wisely; that is, _how_ wisely _soever_.

[78] I have been the more particular in noting the proper uses of these Conjunctions, because they occur very frequently, and, as it was observed before of Connective words in general, are of great importance with respect to the clearness and beauty of style. I may add too, because mistakes in the use of them are very common; as it will appear by the following Examples.

_Neither_ is sometimes supposed to be included in its correspondent _nor_:

“Simois, _nor_ Xanthus shall be wanting there.”

Dryden.

⸺ “That all the application he could make, _nor_ the King’s own interposition, could prevail with Her Majesty.” Clarendon, Hist. Vol. III. p. 179. Sometimes to be supplied by a subsequent Negative: “His rule holdeth still, that nature, _nor_ the engagement of words, are _not_ so forcible as custom.” Bacon, Essay xxxix. “The King _nor_ the Queen were _not_ at all deceived.” Clarendon, Hist. Vol. II. p. 363. These forms of expression seem both of them equally improper.

_So_ ⸺, _as_, was used by the Writers of the last Century, to express a Consequence, instead of _So_ ⸺, _that_: Examples; “The relations are _so_ uncertain, _as_ [that] they require a great deal of examination.” Bacon, Nat. Hist. “_So as_ [that] it is a hard calumny to affirm, ⸺.” Temple. “This computation being _so_ easy and trivial, _as_ [that] it is a shame to mention it.” Swift, Conduct of the Allies. “That the Spaniards were _so_ violently affected to the House of Austria, _as_ [that] the whole kingdom would revolt.” Ibid. Swift, I believe, is the last of our good Writers, who has frequently used this manner of expression: it seems improper, and is deservedly grown obsolete.

_As_ instead of _that_, in another manner: “If a man have that penetration of judgement, _as_ [that] he can discern what things are to be laid open.” Bacon, Essay vi. “It is the nature of extreme self-lovers, _as_ [that] they will set an house on fire, _and_ it were but to roast their eggs.” Id. Essay xxiii. “They would have given him such satisfaction in other particulars, _as_ [that] a full and happy peace must have ensued.” Clarendon, Vol. III. p. 214. “We should sufficiently weigh the objects of our hope; whether they be such, _as_ [that] we may reasonably expect from them what they propose in their fruition; and whether they are such, as we are pretty sure of attaining.” Addison, Spect. Nᵒ 535. “France was then disposed to conclude a peace upon such conditions, _as_ [that] it was not worth the life of a granadier to refuse them.” Swift, Four last years of the Queen, B. ii.

_As_ instead of the Relative _that_, or _which_: “The Duke had not behaved with that loyalty, _as_ [which] he ought to have done.” Clarendon, Hist. Vol. II. p. 460. “⸺ With those thoughts _as_ [which] might contribute to their honour.” Ibid. p. 565. “In the order, _as_ they lie in his Preface.” Middleton, Works Vol. III p. 8. It ought to be, either, “_in order_, as they lie;” or, “in the order, _in which_ they lie.” “Securing to yourselves a succession of able and worthy men, _as_ [which] may adorn this place.” Atterbury, Sermons, Vol. IV. 12.

The Relative _that_ instead of _as_: “Such sharp replies, _that_ [as] cost him his life in few months after.” Clarendon, Hist. Vol. III. p. 179.

The Relative _who_ ⸺, instead of _as_: “There was no man _so_ sanguine, _who did not apprehend_ some ill consequence from the late change.” Swift, Examiner Nᵒ 24. It ought to be, either, “_so_ sanguine, _as not to apprehend_, ⸺” or, “There was no man, _how_ sanguine _soever_, _who_ did not apprehend.”

_As_ improperly omitted: “They are _so_ bold [as] to pronounce ⸺.” Swift, Tale of a Tub, Sect. vii.

_Too_ ⸺, _that_, improperly used as Correspondent Conjunctions: “Whose Characters are _too_ profligate, _that_ the managing of them should be of any consequence.” Swift, Examiner Nᵒ 24. And, _too_ ⸺, _than_: “You that are a step higher than a Philosopher, a Divine; yet have _too_ much grace and wit _than_ to be a Bishop.” Pope to Swift, Letter 80. _So_ ⸺, _but_: “If the appointing and apportioning of penalties to crimes be not _so_ properly a consideration of justice, _but rather_ [as] of prudence in the Lawgiver.” Tillotson, Vol. I. Serm. 35. And to conclude with an example, in which, whatever may be thought of the accuracy of the expression, the justness of the observation will be acknowledged; which may serve also as an apology for this and many of the preceding Notes: “No errors are _so_ trivial, _but_ they deserve to be mended.” Pope to Steele, Letter 6.

[79] “Ah me!” seems to be a phrase of the same nature with “Wo is me!”; for the resolution of which see above p. 132. Note.

ERRATA.

P. 59. l. 11. _read_: _Have_, through its several Modes and Times, is placed only before the Perfect Participle; and _be_, in like manner, before the Present and Passive Participles: the rest⸺

P. 88. l. 1. _r._ _drank_. l. 2. _r._ _drunk_.

Transcriber’s Note

The above errata have been corrected. The original text for the first erratum read “_Have_ and _be_ through their several Modes and Times are placed only before the Perfect and Passive Participles respectively; the rest⸺”, and for the second, the two words were transposed. In addition, the following changes were made to the text to correct apparent printing errors:

Page 41, “is” changed to “it” (When it is expressed)
Page 47, “it” changed to “is” (when it is expressed)
Page 158, “Sembrief” changed to “Semibrief” (the Semibrief, the Minim,
the Crotchet)
Page 176, “Partiple” changed to “Participle” (the Present Participle of
the Verb Active)
Footnote 20, “Times” changed to “Time” (constitutes the Perfect Time)

Errors in punctuation have been corrected without note.