The general likeness of pronominal forms in E.I. and M.E. is made evident by the table. But while the words remain, their uses have, in many instances, been changed. The words 'mine' and 'thine' are still used as pronouns (or instead of nouns), but only to denote possession. The words 'like thine' now mean 'like something belonging to thee,' as when we say 'kindness like thine.' But in E.I. the words pîn gelica like thee,' or 'like thyself.'

In M.E. the words 'my,' 'thy,' 'her,' 'our,' and 'their' are always used with nouns (or as adjectives), and for possessive pronouns the words 'mine,' 'hers,' 'ours,' and 'theirs' are substituted.

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In M.E. who is used in asking questions; but it is also used as a relative pronoun, and often takes the place of the older word pe (=that'), which in E.I. served as a demonstrative pronoun, and also to supply the want of a distinct relative form.

Variations of uses in Pronouns have arisen from the vague nature of the words so named. While they are used as substitutes for nouns, they serve also to some extent to define nouns, though not with respect to quality. Pronouns, like nouns, denote persons and things. But words used as

Pronouns (such as 'this' and 'that') are to some extent like adjectives, and serve to define or point out nouns.

The position of some Pronouns, thus placed between two other parts of speech, has given rise to the name 'ADJECTIVEPRONOUNS,' which has been employed to indicate, at once, the original forms and the modern uses of such words as 'my,' 'your,' and 'their.'

Some Pronouns have become more and more like nouns; others have been virtually transferred to the class of adjectives. The general result of the process is that several wordssuch as my,' 'thy,' 'her,' 'our,' 'your,' and 'their '—may still be called pronouns,' if we are speaking of their origin and their forms. But the same words, when considered with reference to their uses, in the construction of sentences, must be called Adjectives; for they are always connected with nouns, and serve to make more definite the meanings of nouns. In the words 'your book,' 'your' tells nothing of any quality belonging to the book, but serves, nevertheless, to define or limit the meaning of the word 'book.' • Your is, with respect to origin, a pronoun, but in M.E. is always used as an adjective.

PRONOUNS are divided into six classes:

Personal Pronouns are used instead of names of persons. Ex.: 'he,' 'you,' 'they.'

Possessive Pronouns are used instead of names of owners. Ex.: ours,' 'yours,'' theirs.'

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Demonstrative Pronouns point out persons, etc. Ex.: this,'' that,' these,'' those.'

Interrogative Pronouns are used in asking questions. Ex.: who?' which ?'' what?'

Relative Pronouns define preceding nouns and connect sentences. Ex.: 'who,' which,'' that.'

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Indefinite Pronouns are more correctly described as comparatively indefinite. Nearly all the words of this class are used sometimes instead of nouns and sometimes with nouns following. Ex.: some,' 'few,' each,' either," 'neither.'

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PERSONAL PRONOUNS have forms appropriate to the First Person-the person who is speaking of himself alone, or of himself as one of two or more:-' I‚' ‘me,’ 'us,' 'myself,'' ourselves.'

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The forms for the Second Person are appropriate to the person or the persons spoken to:- thou,' thee,' 'ye,' 'you,' 'thyself,'' yourselves.'

The forms for the Third Person are respectively used in speaking of a person, or of two or more persons, or in speaking of any object, or of several objects: he,' him,' ‘she,' ‘her,' ‘it,' 'they,' 'them,' himself,' 'herself,' 'itself,' themselves.'

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It may for a moment seem incorrect to place 'it' with personal pronouns; but 'it' is often used to denote persons. Ex.: 'It is I.' The uses of this pronoun (it') are extensive, as will be shown in Syntax. 'It' often denotes an unnamed agent, or agency, as when we say 'It rains,' or' It was freezing last night.' In many sentences the pronoun 'it' serves to introduce a noun. Ex.: It is the rain that makes the grass grow.'

The compound personal pronouns-'myself,'' thyself,' 'himself are formed by adding 'self' (an adjective in E.I.) to a pronoun, in order to give more force to its meaning, or to denote that the act expressed by a verb takes effect on the agent. Ex.: He himself stepped forward, and he defended himself.'

noun.

The word 'self' is frequently and correctly used as a Ex.: To thine own self be true!' (SHAKESPEARE.) POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS have some forms (a) always used instead of nouns, and others (b) sometimes used instead of nouns.

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Ex. (a): hers,' 'ours,' 'yours,' theirs,' are used instead of nouns.

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Ex. (b): mine,' 'thine,' his,' are sometimes used instead of nouns, and are sometimes used with nouns. The words my,' 'thy,' 'her,' 'our,' your,' their,' are all modern forms of E.I. pronouns, but are now always used with nouns. Any one of these words may be followed by the adjective'own,' which gives emphasis to the word denoting possession. The word its' (which did not exist in E.I.) is here classified with the forms "my,' 'thy,' 'our,' etc.

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS have the forms this,' 'that," 'these,' those,' which are used sometimes with nouns and sometimes instead of nouns.

'Yon' and 'yonder' are used as adjectives (mostly by writers of verse). 'Yonder may be used as an adverb. In E.I. the form geond (= 'there' or 'through') served as an adverb, and as a preposition; but in E.II. the forms 'yone and yond' are employed as adjectives, as 'yon and 'yonder' are still used by modern authors, but mostly in

verse.

INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS have forms used instead of nouns, and others that may be used with nouns.

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Ex. (a): who?' whom?' whoever ??

Ex. (b): 'whose?'' which ?''what?'

Whether' (which of two) is obsolete as an adjective, but serves as a pronoun. [See MATTH. xxi. 31; xxiii. 19, and AcTs i. 24.]

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RELATIVE PRONOUNS have the forms 'who,' 'whose,' 'whom,' 'which,' that,' 'what.' The words 'as' and 'but' are sometimes used with a relative meaning.

'Who.' The extensive use of this relative pronoun is modern. The oldest relative pronoun is 'that.' In M.E. 'who' refers to persons; which' to animals and inanimate objects; that' to both personal and impersonal names. These distinct uses are modern.

'Whose,' the possessive form of 'who,' is followed by a noun; but is found without a noun following in the BIBLE. (Rom. ix. 5.)

The rule, that whose' must refer to persons, is not old, and is not observed in poetry.

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Ex.: groves, whose shadows.' (SHAKESPEARE.)

Which' in E.II. is freely employed with reference to persons, and is often preceded by the adjective 'the.'

'That,' serving often as a relative pronoun, has not yet lost its original demonstrative meaning, but has often a definitive and restrictive use, by which it is made distinct from 'who' and from which.'

Ex. (a): 'Here comes the man that will tell us the truth.'

Ex. (b): 'Here comes a native, who may give us aid.' Ex. (c) 'Here comes a native, and he may give us aid.' In any sentence where the words and he' may without

:

loss of meaning take the place of the relative pronoun, the definitive use of that' is not required.

The

E.I. had no distinct forms for relative pronouns. want was supplied in four ways:-1. By using with a relative meaning the demonstrative pronoun se, seó, pat (= 'that'). 2. By using alone the pronoun pe (= 'that'). 3. By placing pe before a personal pronoun. 4. By placing pe after a demonstrative pronoun.

'As,' when it follows the word 'such,' may have the use of a relative pronoun. Ex.: such reading as was never read.'

(POPE.)

But' is sometimes used as in meaning equivalent to

'that'

Ex.:

'not.'

'There's not the smallest orb

But, in his motion, like an angel sings.'-SHAKESPEARE.
Here the construction 'but

not sing.'

sings'

= 'that does

What' is, in meaning, equivalent to 'that which.'

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS.-The following words, called 'indefinite pronouns,' are used sometimes instead of nouns, and sometimes with nouns following. In the latter case, these words should be called adjectives.

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All,' another,' 'any,' each,' either,' neither,' 'enough,' 'few,' 'many,' one,'' several,' 'some,' such."

Other is mostly used as an adjective; but others' may take the place of a noun.

'Each other' and 'one another' are the forms placed after verbs intended to denote reciprocal acts, or those acts in which the agent and the object change places.

The following words, sometimes classed with indefinite pronouns,' are used as nouns, or instead of nouns :aught' (or 'ought'), 'naught' (or 'nought'), 'none,' 'nobody,'' nothing.'

10. ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives are words used to define Nouns with respect. to quality, quantity, number, order, identity, and possession.