“For this reason” (that is, because the verb is impersonal), he proceeds to observe, “analogy as well as usage favour this mode of expression, The conditions of the agreement were as follows, and not as follow.”
How analogy favours this mode of expression, I am utterly at a loss to conceive. The general rule surely is, that to every verb there shall be a nominative, and that this nominative shall be expressed, unless its presence in some preceding clause shall render the repetition of it unnecessary. But how is it consonant with analogy, that no nominative shall appear; or that the supposed nominative shall not be found in any part of the sentence? This surely is repugnant to analogy.
“A few late writers,” he observes, “have inconsiderately adopted this last form (as follow) through a mistake of the construction.” But, if the verb be not impersonal, the error is his, not theirs. I must observe, likewise, that from the manner in which the author expresses himself, one would naturally infer, that a few writers, either contemporary, or immediately preceding his own time, had inconsiderately introduced a solecism into our language. When he offered this observation, he surely was not aware that Steele and Addison, nearly seventy years before the publication of “The Philosophy of Rhetoric,” used the plural form. “The most eminent of the kennel,” says Steele, “are blood-hounds, which lead the van, and are as follow.”—Tatler, No. 62. “The words were as follow.”—Ibid. No. 104. “The words are as follow.”—Addison, Spectator, No. 513.
“For the same reason,” continues he, still presuming the verb to be impersonal, “we ought to say, I shall consider his censures so far only, as concerns my friend’s conduct, not concern. It is manifest,” he observes, “that the word conditions in the first case, and censures in the second, cannot serve as nominatives.” This observation demonstrates that the author’s argument is founded in his ignorance of the real character of the word as. The most extraordinary part of his reasoning follows. “But,” says he, “if we give either sentence another turn, and instead of as, say such as, the verb is no longer impersonal. The pronoun such is the nominative, whose number is determined by its antecedent. Thus we must say, they were such as follow; such of his censures only as concern my friend.” This is truly an extraordinary assertion. The antecedent correlative term such can have no connexion whatever with the subsequent verb, but must agree with the principal subject of discourse. Not only does analogy require this, but the usage of every language with which I am acquainted. If we say, Perseverantia fuit tanta, quantus erat furor. Is est, quem dicimus. Talis est, qualem esse creditis. Illæ erant conditiones, quæ sequuntur,—the antecedent correlative terms tanta, is, talis, illæ,—have no connexion whatever with the verbs in the subsequent clause, erat, dicimus, creditis, sequuntur. The truth of this observation must be sufficiently obvious to every classical scholar.
But to illustrate the extreme inaccuracy of the learned author’s opinion, let us change the correlative terms, and say, “I will consider those censures only, which concern my friend.” In this sentence it will not be questioned that those and censures are in the objective case, under the government of the verb. And can it be doubted, if we say, “I will consider such censures,” that censures with its concordant adjective are in the same case? It is impossible, I conceive, to make this plainer; but we shall suppose, for the sake of illustration, if this should yet be deemed necessary, the example in question to be thus rendered in Latin, eas tantum reprehensiones perpendam, quæ ad amicum meum attinent. Now, what should we think of his classical attainments who should contend that eas or reprehensiones is the nominative to the verb? If we revert, then, to the original terms, and say, “I will consider such of his censures as concern my friend,” by what rule of grammar, by what principle of analysis, can we suppose such to be the nominative to the verb? For let me ask, what is he to consider? Is it not such censures? And are we, contrary to every principle of English grammar, to represent the object or subject after an active verb, as in the nominative case? The absurdity is too monstrous for a moment’s consideration. The very argument, therefore, by which the author defends his doctrine is founded in error, and involves an absurdity. Murray, as usual, adopts the opinion of Campbell.
If it should be inquired how as, an adverb or a conjunctive particle, can be the nominative to a verb, it may be answered, that to whatever order of words we reduce this term, it was evidently at first what we denominate a pronoun; and that it still so far retains its primitive character as to supply the place of a nominative. It is of little moment by what designation it be called, if its character and real import are well understood, any more than it can be of consequence whether we call that a conjunction or a pronoun, provided we know, that it is truly and essentially the same word in the same meaning wherever it occurs. I would observe, also, though my limits will not permit me to illustrate the principle, that those, who disapprove the verb singular in the examples in question, may notwithstanding admit it in such expressions as so far as, so long as, and all similar phraseologies.
“To illustrate, and often to correct him, I have meditated Tacitus, examined Suetonius, and consulted the following moderns.”—Gibbon. To meditate, when a regimen is assigned to it, as here, means to plot, to contrive, as, “he meditated designs against the state.” When it signifies to ponder, or to reflect seriously, it should be followed by the preposition on, as, “he meditates on the law of God day and night.”
IMPROPRIETY.
“They form a procession to proceed the palanquin of the ambassador.”—Anderson’s Embassy to China. Here the verb to proceed, or go forward, is improperly used for to precede, or to go before.