Remarks.-1. The modifying nominative is called the predicate-nominative. 2. In such peculiar constructions as "He was taught grammar" verbs in the passive voice are modified by objectives. (See Rule V, Remark 11.)

3. The rule for the predicate-nominative is generally given in some such form as this: "Intransitive and passive verbs take the same case after them as before them when both words refer to the same thing." But participles, gerunds, and infinitives in their ordinary use, though they have no subjects, are modified in

among illiterate or careless persons is not of the right kind. It is "common" in some parts of England to say, "It is good enough for he;" "The horses will not stand; hold they." It is not possible that Dr. Latham was so ignorant as to believe that the form it is me is "common" among good writers; for the mere tyro in literature knows better. A good writer may happen to use this form, just as a well-educated person may happen to say, "I expect he has gone;" but it is only in a moment of carelessness that he will do so. Dr. Latham's defense of it is me is simply an etymological freak, or an instance of what Mr. Marsh expressively calls 'philological coxcombry."

Even in the statement which he makes the foundation of his argument for it is me Dr L. is in error, for I and me do "stand in etymological relation to each other." The Anglo-Saxon accusative mec, from which comes me, and the AngloSaxon nominative ic, from which comes I, are cases derived from the same root. Restore the m, which originally belonged to the root, and ic would become mic. Compare with ic and mec the German ich and mich.

Dean Alford in that pretentious work, "The Queen's English," regards Dr. Latham when maintaining the correctness of it is me as "a real grammarian;" but he seems to regard him as no better than one of the "grammarians of the smaller order" when he condemns it is him, it is her. The Dean also asserts the correctness of thee in Thomson's line, "The nations not so blest as thee." He is followed by Mr. Bain, Professor of Logic in the University of Aberdeen, who defends the use of such expressions as "He is taller than me," by quoting from Shakespeare "No mightier than thyself or me." This is only an accidental slip of Shakespeare's. To give such a slip as a sample of Shakespeare's style is like giving a stumble as a sample of a man's walk. Shakespeare's rule is to use the nominative in all the forms mentioned above. Let us examine the play, "Julius Cæsar," which contains the passage quoted, and see if he gives countenance to Latham and the improvers on Latham. "In awe of such a thing as I myself." "Endure the winter's cold as well as he." "Cæsar is more dangerous than he." "That I am he." "Is not that he that lies upon the ground?". Is not that he?" "No, this was he." The advocates of the objective forms have quoted from "King Lear" the Fool's expression, "And yet I would not be thee, nuncle." Let us see how much support the rest of the play gives to these objective forms. "Be as well neighbored, pitied, and relieved as thou." "Tis they have put him on the old man's death." "It is both he and she." "Tis he. ""T was he." "Alack! 'tis he." "O! this is he." Let us take another play at random, "As You Like It." "Are as much bound to him as I." "I think of as many matters as he." "Such a one as she." "T is he." "Are you he?" "T was I, but 't is not I." "For I am he." "I'll have no father, if you be not he." "I'll have no husband, if you be not he." "Nor ne'er wed woman, if you be not she." Look at a single act of another play, "Othello." ""Tis he." "Signior Lodovico? He, sir." "Even he, sir." "He, he, 'tis he." "As I." "It was not I." "You heard her say herself it was not I." "Twas I that killed her." "Ay, 't was he that told me first." 'That's he that was Othello."

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To show the absurdity of this "philological coxcombry," let us suppose changes made to suit it, such as the following: "In awe of such a thing as me myself." "Endure the winter's cold as well as him." "Cæsar is more dangerous than him." "That I am him." "Is not that him ?" ""Tis them have put him on the old man's death." "I think of as many matters as him." "Are you him?" "Him, him, 't is him." "T was me that killed her." "You heard her say herself it was not me." "That's him that was Othello." Imagine Hamlet exclaiming, "This is me, Hamlet the Dane!" as he leaps into Ophelia's grave!

From Anglo-Saxon times down to the present it is the nominative that has been used in such constructions, and it is as incorrect to use the objective as it would be to say in English, "John struck I," or to say in Latin, "Cicero est oratorem"

Among Milton's "classic affectations" may sometimes be found the objective after than, because in Latin the ablative is used after the comparative.

exactly the same way as verbs that have subjects; as, "It is said to be he;" “I have no doubt of its being he." The rule therefore should be so expressed as to include these verbal forms.

4. When the infinitive has a subject in the objective the noun in the predicate is in the objective; as, "He took her to be me.'

5. The verbs most frequently modified by the predicate-nominative are be, become, continue, appear, look, and the passive of the verbs call, name, make, render, appoint, elect, constitute, esteem, reckon, etc.

6. An infinitive, a gerund, or a proposition may be employed as predicatenominative; as, "To know her is to love her;" "Seeing is believing;" "The truth is that he is dishonest.

7. The predicate-nominative is usually placed after the verb, but it is sometimes placed before the verb, particularly when it is or is modified by an interrogative or an indefinite pronoun; as, "Who is he?" "Tell me whose son he is;" "The dog it was that died;" "He is not the same man that he was."

8. "Several of our journals hazard conjectures as to whom this correspondent was." If the subject and predicate were in the usual order, the subordinate proposition would be, "This correspondent was whom." Whom should be who, a nominative modifying the intransitive verb was.

"That depends partly on whom the woman may be and partly on whom the man may be."-A. Trollope. "The woman may be whom," "The man may be whom."

To use some other word struction of such sentences. I am he?"

instead of whom will help us to understand the con"Whom do men say that I am?" "Do men say that

9. The number and person of the predicate-nominative may be different from those of the subject; as, "Thou art he;" "Words are wind."

10. When the pronoun it is used before any part of the verb to be the predicatenominative may be in either number and of any person or gender; as, "It was I;" "It is he;" "It was the dog that died;" "It is men that are coming."

In such sentences as the two last the adjective-proposition really modifies the subject-"It that died was the dog;" but the verb takes the person and number of the predicate-nominative, as if it were the predicate-nominative that is modified"It that are coming is men.'

11. The form of the verb is not affected by the predicate-nominative; whatever affects the form of the verb is regarded as the subject; as, "His pavilion were dark waters and thick clouds of the sky"-" Dark waters and thick clouds of the sky were his pavilion."

But such forms as "His pavilion were" are harsh, and it is better to express the idea in a different way; as, "His pavilion was formed of dark waters."

"The wages of sin is death." Here wages is used as singular, as it is in the following passage: "He that earneth wages earneth wages to put it in a bag with holes."-English Bible.

EXERCISES.

1. Point out the predicate-nominative in each of the following sentences: She walks a queen. He is an orator. He is considered a poet. Procrastination is the thief of time.-Young. I am he.

She is a queen.

What besides finite verbs may have pred- |
icate-nominatives?
When the infinitive has a subject in
what case is the noun in the pred.?
Mention the verbs most frequently mod-
ified by predicate-nominatives.

What besides nouns may be employed
as predicate-nominative?

Where is the pred.-nom. placed?
What is said of the number and person
of the predicate-nominative?
What is said of such sentences as "It is I"?

Are you the agent? That tree is an oak. Washington was elected President of the United States. He was elected consul. The child is father of the man.- -Wordsworth. Thy word is truth. Stephen died a martyr. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.-English Bible. I come no enemy.-Milton. His youngest child is a daughter. And he returned a friend who came a foe.—Pope. He reigned absolute monarch. He seems the best man for the place. It was the owl that shrieked. Some Scottish statesmen who were zealous for the king's prerogative had been bred Presbyterians.—Macaulay. It is I that perceive, I that imagine, I that attend, I that compare, I that feel, I that will, I that am conscious.—Sir William Hamilton. Art thou that traitor angel? Art thou he who first broke peace in heaven?— Milton.

[Remark 3.] He was unwilling to be chairman. He was averse to being chairman. I wish to be your friend. He hopes to be elected governor. There was a certain man called Cornelius. Have you heard of his having been taken prisoner? There is no doubt of his being a statesman. To become a grammarian requires study. He is in danger of becoming a coxcomb. He must think of turning tutor again.— Macaulay. Being a prudent man, he would not take that course. I have some recollection of his father's being a judge. To be the slave of passion is of all slavery the most wretched. I have no objection to his being umpire. He affects to be a lord.

am.

[Remark 7.] Who art thou? Who am I? I will tell thee who I Who is he? Whose daughter is she? Tell me whose daughter she is. Whose house is that? She is not the same woman that she The woman it is that suffers. Night it must be ere Friedland's star will beam.—Carlyle. A man he was to all the country dear.— Goldsmith.

was.

2. Correct the errors:

It was not me that broke the chair. It was not her; it was him. It is me that must read it. It was us that saw him fall. If I were him, I would not do that. It is me that he means. Is it him that has written this letter? It is them we are to hold accountable. So long as there was any body, no matter whom [it was], within reach of the sound of his voice.-Wilkie Collins. My conductor answered that it was him. [Remark 3.] I am not sure of its being him. It is said to be him that did it. It is supposed to be her. Its being me must make no difference.

[Remark 4.] I took it to be she. Who do you take me to be? I believed it to be he. He had taken Oliver to be he.-Dickens. Who did you suppose it to be? I know it to be they.

RULE III.

A noun used independently or absolutely must be in the nominative case.

A noun is said to be used independently—

1. When in a direct address it stands without a verb; as, “James, did you see him?"

2. In mere exclamations; as, "O the times! O the manners!"

3. When the attention is called to an object before an affirmation is made respecting it; as, "My friends, where are they?"

Nouns used in any of these ways are said to be in the nominative case independent.

A noun is said to be used absolutely when that noun and a participle are used instead of a subordinate proposition; as, "Honor being lost, all is lost." "Honor being lost"=" When honor is lost."

A noun used in this way is said to be in the nominative case absolute. Remarks.-1. Being and having been are sometimes omitted; as,

"Her wheel at rest, the matron thrills no more,

With treasured tales and legendary lore."-Rogers.

2. Some words of very general signification, such as men, we, you, they, are often omitted before the participle; as, "Every thing was comfortless and forlorn, [we] excepting a crew of very hard-drinking ducks."-Irving. "Ancient Germany, [we] excluding from its independent limits the provinces westward of the Rhine, extended itself over a third part of Europe."-Gibbon. (See Remark 9, p. 124.) The same construction may be seen in the following passages: "His conduct, viewing it in the most favorable light, was discreditable;" "Regarding the matter in this light, he seems to have been very badly treated;" "There were twenty men, including the officers;" "Her reading, generally speaking, was excellent;" "Seeing that he is so obstinate, let us leave him;" "Considering that he has had so little time, he has made great progress;" "Granting he had the right, he was very rash;" "Admitting his veracity, his testimony is not conclusive;" "Allowing the truth of this statement, is he to be released?"

3. Some words generally regarded as prepositions, conjunctions, or adverbs are really participles belonging to nouns in the nominative absolute; as, “During his life, he was persecuted;" "Pending the suit, he held the property;" "Notwithstanding his denial, I believe him guilty." (See Remarks 10, 11, p. 125.) "None shall mistress be of it save I alone."-Shakespeare. I is the nominative absolute with save. (See Remark 13, p. 126.)

Ago is the participle agone, from which the sound of n has been dropped. "Three days agone I fell sick.”—English Bible. "He's drunk, Sir Toby, an hour agone."-Shakespeare. (See Remark 13, p. 134.) In these passages days and hour are in the nominative case absolute with the participle agone. "Ten years ago he

What is the rule for a noun used inde- | What nouns are often omitted before pendently or absolutely?

When is a noun said to be used independently? Absolutely?

What participles are sometimes omitted?

participles? Give examples. Explain" During his life. Pending the suit." "Notwithstanding his denial." "Save I alone." "Two days ago."

NOMINATIVE INDEPENDENT AND ABSOLUTE.

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was a prosperous man." Years is in the nominative case absolute with the participle ago.

4. A noun-proposition may be used like a noun in the nominative absolute; as, "That he is of age being admitted;" "Admitted that he is of age." The nounproposition, that he is of age, is here regarded as a noun (a unit) in the nominative absolute with the participle. "Being that I flow in grief, the smallest twine may lead me."--Shakespeare. The noun-proposition, that I flow in grief, is used as a noun in the nominative absolute with the participle being-that I flow in grief being. (See Remark 4, p. 140.)

The following are examples of the same construction: "Granted that he has the ability, yet he has not the energy;" "Admitted he could have written it, we wish to know whether he did write it;" "He had no advantage over his opponent, except that he was favored by the general;" "And so we will, provided that he win her;" "It has happened as I would have it, save that he comes not along with her;" "He will accept the office, notwithstanding he dislikes it." Such sentences may be either with or without that.*

5. The objective should not be used for the nominative absolute. "I overthrown," not "Me overthrown."t

EXERCISES.

1. Point out the nouns in the nominative case independent: Plato, thou reasonest well.-Addison. O thou that rollest above, whence are thy beams, O sun!-Ossian. Come, rest in this bosom, my own stricken deer.-Moore. Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended. Mother, you have my father much offended.-Shakespeare.

The sky is changed-and such a change! O night

And storm and darkness! ye are wondrous strong.-Byron. O the perversity of human nature! O the misery I have suffered! The foe! they come, they come!- Byron. Silence how deep, and darkness how profound!-Young.

The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day,

Had he thy.reason, would he skip and play?—Pope.

My friends, do they now and then send

A wish or a thought after me?-Cowper.

To treat the participles in such sentences as what they are, participles, simplifies analysis and parsing; while to treat them as what they are not, conjunctions, often makes a disagreeable jumble. "And so we will, provided he win her." Here provided is said to be a conjunction connecting the two propositions; but we may insert that, which is also said to be a conjunction, and what does that connect? "And so we will, if that he win her."-" And so we will, given that he win her." To regard if in such forms as if that he win her as a participle renders the construction simple and intelligible; while to regard if and that as conjunctions serves only to perplex. To regard if as the imperative makes the construction equally simple; the proposition following if being in that case the object of if. (See Remark 6, p. 140.)

"Milton's me overthrown is classic affectation."-March's Anglo-Saxon Grammar, p. 148. In the Anglo-Saxon language the dative is the case absolute; but Milton did not use the form me overthrown in imitation of the Anglo-Saxon dative, but in imitation of the Latin ablative absolute.

How may noun-propositions be used?

What is said of "Me overthrown"?