This phraseology I have already examined. In answer to Mr. Baker’s reason for condemning the phrase “than whom,” Story’s observations betray, as I conceive, extreme ignorance, and require correction. “The English,” says he, “is strictly good; for the relative whom is not in the same case with sluice, (which is the nominative to the verb blots,) but referring to its antecedent, the king of dykes, is very properly in the objective case, even though the personal pronoun he, if substituted in its place, would be in the nominative.”
If Mr. Story conceives that the relative must agree with its antecedent in case, he labours under an egregious mistake. Every page of English evinces the contrary. Yet, such must be his opinion, or his argument means nothing; for the only reason, which he offers for whom, is, that its antecedent is in the objective case. Besides, if than whom be admissible, nay proper, he will have difficulty in assigning a good reason, why it should not be also than him. But Mr. Story should have known, that, when two nouns are coupled by a conjunction, the latter term is not governed by the conjunction, but is either the nominative to the verb, or is governed by it, or by the preposition understood. The sentence proceeds thus, “no sluice of mud blots with deeper sable, than he or who blots.”
“It is no wonder if such a man did not shine at the court of Queen Elizabeth, who was but another name for prudence and economy.”—Hume. The word Elizabeth, as represented in the latter clause, is here a mere word, nuda vox, and not the sign of a person; for it is said to be another name for prudence and economy. Not the person, but the word, is said to be significant of this quality. The pronoun, therefore, should be which, not who. The sentence, however, even thus corrected, would be inelegant. Better thus, “Queen Elizabeth, whose name was but another word for prudence and economy.”
“Be not diverted from thy duty by any idle reflections the silly world may make upon you.” Consistency requires either “your duty,” or “upon thee.” Thy and your, a singular and a plural pronoun, each addressed to the same individual, are incongruous.
A similar error occurs in the following passage: “I pray you, tarry all night, lodge here, that thy heart may be merry.”—Bible.
“It is more good to fall among crows than flatterers, for these only devour the dead, those the living.” The pronoun this always refers to the nearer object, that to the more remote. This distinction is here reversed. It should be, “those (crows) devour the dead; these (flatterers) the living.” I observe also, in passing, that those adjectives, whose mode of comparison is irregular, are not compared by more and most. It ought to be, “it is better.”
“It is surprising, that this people, so happy in invention, have never penetrated beyond the elements of geometry.” It should be has, this people being in the singular number. We may say, “people have,” the noun being collective, but not “this people have.”
“I and you love reading.” This is a Latinism, and not accordant with our mode of arrangement. Wolsey was right, when he said, “Ego, et rex meus;” but in English we reverse the order. It should be, “you and I.” We say also, “he and I,” “they and I.” You always precedes.
“Each of the sexes should keep within its proper bounds, and content themselves with the advantages of their particular districts.”—Addison. Here the pronoun does not agree with the word to which it refers, the word each being singular; whereas themselves and their are plural. It should be, itself and its.