Bain says that "the clearness of composition depends more upon the use of he, she, it, and they, than upon any other single matter coming within the scope of grammar."

Cobbett says, "The word it is the greatest troubler that I know of in the language. It is so small, and so convenient, that few are careful enough in using it. Whenever they are at a loss for either a nominative or an adjective to their sentence, they, without any ceremony, clap in an it."

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The same author, in another place says, When a mar. gets to his its, I tremble for him."

Dean Alford, in his "Plea for the Queen's English," has this sentence: "While treating of the pronunciation of those who minister in public, two other words occur to me which are very commonly mangled by our clergy. One of these1 is covetous, and its substantive covetousness. I hope some who read these lines will be induced to leave off pronouncing them2 covetious and covetiousness. I can assure them3 that when they do thus call them, one at least of their hearers has his appreciation of their teaching disturbed."

Commenting on the above sentence, Moon says, "I fancy that many a one who reads these lines will have his appreciation of your teaching disturbed, as far as it relates to the Queen's English. But now for the changes which may be rung on these bells, as I have called them. The first of them (1) may apply either to words or to our clergy. One of these is covetous. I am sorry to say that the general belief is that there are more than one; but perhaps you know one in particular. However my remarks interrupt the bell-ringing, and we want to count the changes, so I will say no more, but will at once demonstrate that we can ring 10,240 changes on your peal of bells! In other words, that your paragraph of less than ten lines, is so ambiguously worded that, without any alteration of its grammar or syntax, it may be read in 10,240 different ways! and only one of all that number shall be the right way to express your meaning.

Mary asked her mother if she would bring her workbasket along, as she wished to make something for her mother.

"We nowhere meet with a more glorious and pleasing show in nature, than what appears at the rising and setting of the sun, which (sun, rising and setting, or show?) is wholly made up of those different stains of light, that show themselves in clouds of different situation."-Addison.

To correct this, say, "than that which appears at the rising and setting of the sun, and which—

"His servant being ill, he had consented to allow his brother, a timid youth from the country, to take his place for a short time, and for that short time, he was a constant source of annoyance.”—Life of C. J. Matthews.

'They (those historians) who have talents want industry or virtue; they (those) who have industry want talents."-Southey.

'Lisias promised to his father never to abandon his friends."-Quoted by Campbell.

The war then exciting attention to the American Colonies as one of the chief points in dispute, they came out in two volumes octavo."-Prior, in Life of Burke.

"The correspondence alone which I have to conduct is at once extensive and demanding thoughtful attention, but I never have, nor ever will, allow literary work to interfere with pastoral." Upon this quotation Mr. Moon comments as follows: "You never have allow that, doctor, the magistrate means, Mr. Editor, and he hopes, too, that you never will allowed it, never no more.' Literary work, indeed!"

Harry eyed her with such a rapture as the first lover is described as having by Milton."—Thackeray.

(Which probably means, as the first lover is described by Milton as having eyed his mistress with.")

Bain says that "the clearness of composition depends more upon the use of he, she, it, and they, than upon any other single matter coming within the scope of grammar."

Cobbett says,

The word it is the greatest troubler that I know of in the language. It is so small, and so convenient, that few are careful enough in using it. Whenever they are at a loss for either a nominative or an adjective to their sentence, they, without any ceremony, clap in an it.”

66

The same author, in another place says, When a mar. gets to his its, I tremble for him."

Dean Alford, in his "Plea for the Queen's English," has this sentence: "While treating of the pronunciation of those who minister in public, two other words occur to me which are very commonly mangled by our clergy. One of these1 is covetous, and its substantive covetousness. I hope some who read these lines will be induced to leave off pronouncing them covetious and covetiousness. I can assure them3 that when they do thus call them,5 one at least of their hearers has his appreciation of their teaching disturbed."

Commenting on the above sentence, Moon says, "I fancy that many a one who reads these lines will have his appreciation of your teaching disturbed, as far as it relates to the Queen's English. But now for the changes which may be rung on these bells, as I have called them. The first of them (1) may apply either to words or to our clergy. One of these is covetous. I am sorry to say that the general belief is that there are more than one; but perhaps you know one in particular. However my remarks interrupt the bell-ringing, and we want to count the changes, so I will say no more, but will at once demonstrate that we can ring 10,240 changes on your peal of bells! In other words, that your paragraph of less than ten lines, is so ambiguously worded that, without any alteration of its grammar or syntax, it may be read in 10,240 different ways! and only one of all that number shall be the right way to express your meaning.

The foregoing examples are probably sufficient to convince the reader that carelessness in the use of pronouns is liable to create misunderstanding. There are many other ways in which even celebrated authors sometimes fail to make their meaning clear; and we shall continue these inquiries into the Architecture of Expression, elucidating principles, and citing examples where an author has put some of his thought-timber in wrong way around, or left it out altogether.