RELATIVE PRONOUNS.

 

I. RESTRICTIVE AND UNRESTRICTIVE RELATIVES.

What these terms mean.

 

412. As to their conjunctive use, the definite relatives who, which, and that may be coördinating or restrictive.

 

A relative, when coördinating, or unrestrictive, is equivalent to a conjunction (and, but, because, etc.) and a personal pronoun. It adds a new statement to what precedes, that being considered already clear; as, "I gave it to the beggar, who went away." This means, "I gave it to the beggar [we know which one], and he went away."

 

A relative, when restrictive, introduces a clause to limit and make clear some preceding word. The clause is restricted to the antecedent, and does not add a new statement; it merely couples a thought necessary to define the antecedent: as, "I gave it to a beggar who stood at the gate." It defines beggar.

 

413. It is sometimes contended that who and which should always be coördinating, and that always restrictive; but, according to the practice of every modern writer, the usage must be stated as follows:—

A loose rule the only one to be formulated.

 

Who and which are either coördinating or restrictive, the taste of the writer and regard for euphony being the guide.

 

That is in most cases restrictive, the coördinating use not being often found among careful writers.

Exercise.

 

In the following examples, tell whether who, which, and that are restrictive or not, in each instance:—

Who.

 

1. "Here he is now!" cried those who stood near Ernest.—Hawthorne.

 

2. He could overhear the remarks of various individuals, who were comparing the features with the face on the mountain side.—Id.

 

3. The particular recording angel who heard it pretended not to understand, or it might have gone hard with the tutor.—Holmes.

 

4. Yet how many are there who up, down, and over England are saying, etc.—H. W. Beecher

 

5. A grizzly-looking man appeared, whom we took to be sixty or seventy years old.—Thoreau.

 

Which.

 

6. The volume which I am just about terminating is almost as much English history as Dutch.—Motley.

 

7. On hearing their plan, which was to go over the Cordilleras, she agreed to join the party.—De Quincey.

 

8. Even the wild story of the incident which had immediately occasioned the explosion of this madness fell in with the universal prostration of mind.—Id.

 

9. Their colloquies are all gone to the fire except this first, which Mr. Hare has printed.—Carlyle.

 

10. There is a particular science which takes these matters in hand, and it is called logic.—Newman.

 

That.

 

11. So different from the wild, hard-mouthed horses at Westport, that were often vicious.—De Quincey.

 

12. He was often tempted to pluck the flowers that rose everywhere about him in the greatest variety.—Addison.

 

13. He felt a gale of perfumes breathing upon him, that grew stronger and sweeter in proportion as he advanced.—Id.

 

14. With narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, hands that dangled a mile out of his sleeves.—Irving.

 

II. RELATIVE AND ANTECEDENT.

 

The rule.

 

414. The general rule is, that the relative pronoun agrees with its antecedent in person and number.

In what sense true.

 

This cannot be true as to the form of the pronoun, as that does not vary for person or number. We say I, you, he, they, etc., who; these or that which, etc. However, the relative carries over the agreement from the antecedent before to the verb following, so far as the verb has forms to show its agreement with a substantive. For example, in the sentence, "He that writes to himself writes to an eternal public," that is invariable as to person and number, but, because of its antecedent, it makes the verb third person singular.

 

Notice the agreement in the following sentences:—

 

There is not one of the company, but myself, who rarely speak at all, but speaks of him as that sort, etc.—Addison.

 

O Time! who know'st a lenient hand to lay Softest on sorrow's wound.—Bowles.

 

Let us be of good cheer, remembering that the misfortunes hardest to bear are those which never come.—Lowell.

A disputed point.

 

415. This prepares the way for the consideration of one of the vexed questions,—whether we should say, "one of the finest books that has been published," or, "one of the finest books that have been published."

One of ... [plural] that who, or which ... [singular or plural.]

 

Both constructions are frequently found, the reason being a difference of opinion as to the antecedent. Some consider it to be one [book] of the finest books, with one as the principal word, the true antecedent; others regard books as the antecedent, and write the verb in the plural. The latter is rather more frequent, but the former has good authority.

 

The following quotations show both sides:—

 

Plural.

 

He was one of the very few commanders who appear to have shown equal skill in directing a campaign, in winning a battle, and in improving a victory.—Lecky.

 

He was one of the most distinguished scientists who have ever lived.—J. T. Morse, Jr., Franklin.

 

It is one of those periods which shine with an unnatural and delusive splendor.—Macaulay.

 

A very little encouragement brought back one of those overflows which make one more ashamed, etc.—Holmes.

 

I am one of those who believe that the real will never find an irremovable basis till it rests on the ideal.—Lowell.

 

French literature of the eighteenth century, one of the most powerful agencies that have ever existed.—M. Arnold.

 

What man's life is not overtaken by one or more of those tornadoes that send us out of our course?—Thackeray.

 

He is one of those that deserve very well.—Addison.

Singular.

 

The fiery youth ... struck down one of those who was pressing hardest.—Scott.

 

He appeared to me one of the noblest creatures that ever was, when he derided the shams of society.—Howells.

 

A rare Roundabout performance,—one of the very best that has ever appeared in this series.—Thackeray.

 

Valancourt was the hero of one of the most famous romances which ever was published in this country.—Id.

 

It is one of the errors which has been diligently propagated by designing writers.—Irving.

 

"I am going to breakfast with one of these fellows who is at the Piazza Hotel."—Dickens.

 

The "Economy of the Animal Kingdom" is one of those books which is an honor to the human race.—Emerson.

 

Tom Puzzle is one of the most eminent immethodical disputants of any that has fallen under my observation.—Addison.

 

The richly canopied monument of one of the most earnest souls that ever gave itself to the arts.—Ruskin.