Note 2.—Two or more substantives in concordance, and forming one complex name, or a name and title, have the plural termination annexed to the last only, as, “the two Miss Louisa Howards, the two Miss Thomsons.” Analogy, Dr. Priestley observes, would plead in favour of another construction, and lead us to say, the two Misses Thomson, the two Misses Louisa Howard; for if the ellipsis were supplied, we should say, “the two young ladies of the name of Thomson,” and this construction he adds, he has somewhere met with.
The latter form of expression, it is true, occasionally occurs; but, general usage, and, I am rather inclined to think, analogy likewise, decide in favour of the former; for, with a few exceptions, and these not parallel to the examples now given[124], we almost uniformly, in complex names, confine the inflexion to the last substantive. Some proofs of this we shall afterwards have an opportunity of offering. I would also observe, in passing, that ellipsis and analogy are different principles, and should be carefully distinguished.
Rule VIII.—One substantive governs another, signifying a different thing, in the genitive, as,
| The tyrant’s rage. | The apostle’s feet. |
Note 1.—This rule takes place when property, possession, or the general relation, by which one thing appertains to another, is implied.
Note 2.—It may be considered as violated in such examples as these, “Longinus his Treatise on the Sublime.”—Addison. “Christ his sake.”—Common Prayer.
Note 3.—Substantives govern not only nouns, but likewise pronouns, as, “its strength,” “his reward.”
Note 4.—This case is generally resolvable into the objective with the preposition of, as, “the king’s sceptre,” or “the sceptre of the king;” “his head,” or “the head of him.” I have said generally, for it is not always thus resolvable. For example, the Christian sabbath is sometimes named, “the Lord’s day;” but “the day of the Lord” conveys a different idea, and denotes “the day of judgment.”
Note 5.—The latter or governing substantive is frequently understood, as, “the king will come to St. James’s to-morrow,” that is, “St. James’s palace.” “I found him at the stationer’s,” that is, “the stationer’s shop,” or “the stationer’s house.”