In some of our poets we find the pronoun his loses its two first letters after any word that ends in a vowel; as to's, by's, &c., for to his, by his, &c.; or after many words that end in a consonant, after which the letter s can be pronounced; as in's, for's, for in his, for his, &c. This is frequent in Cowley, who often takes too great liberty in his contractions; as t'your for to your, t'which for to which, and many others; in which we must be cautious in following his example, but the contracting of the pronoun his in the manner I mentioned is not wholly to be condemned.
We sometimes find the word who contracted before words that begin with a vowel; as,
"Wh' expose to Scorn and Hate both them and it."—Cowley.
And the preposition in like manner; as,
"B' unequal Fate and Providence's Crime."—Dryden.
"Well did he know how Palms b' Oppression speed."—Cowley.
And the pronouns personal, he, she, they, we; as,
"Timely h' obeys her wise Advice, and strait
To unjust Force sh' opposes just Deceit."—Cowley.
"Themselves at first against themselves th' excite."—Cowley.