what author, to look for aid; or in which class of adjective pronouns to place these nondescript words, belonging at once to two parts of speech, and finding no quarters with either. We know not who can explain, nor to whom to refer, where all are silent; in which contingency we have no guide but common sense, and the obvious principles of language.

144. 2d. If who, which, and what are called interrogative pronouns, because they ask questions; by what neglect has it happened that why, when, and how, are not called interrogative adverbs, for the same reason? It is known, to every person conversant with language, that almost any term in the whole vocabulary may be made the emphatic word in a question. Why, in that case, are they not all "interrogatives?"

145, 3. Again, when the words who, which, and what, are contained in an interrogation, it does not necessarily follow that they are the words

on which the question turns. "Will you tell me which book of the two you like best?" Here the whole force of the question is contained in the first four words, and the adjective which has no other kind of meaning but that which relates to the assertive identity of the book. The true "interrogative" in this question, is the verb will: but all attempts to classify words on principles like these, are only calculated to mislead.

145. 4. Again, we are presented with the words who and which, in a particular manner, inseparably connected, in all explanations upon them, as "adjective pronouns," relative and interrogative; but we are not told why it happens, with

these grammatical twins, that one always preserves its distinct forms and relations, as subject and object, and the other never; that one always "stands for a noun," and cannot be used with one; and the other is always used with direct and specific reference to a noun, and never as its substitute: or, in plain English, what oversight has thus kept together two words, which, without exception, as unequivocally belong to different parts of speech, as any two words in Johnson's Dictionary?

147. Who is equivalent to which or what, and its personal noun; as, Who was there? that is, what man, what woman, which person, was there? So who can always be substituted for which or what man, woman or person, and convey the same sense. The same reciprocal substitution will also apply in the plural number.

Any pronoun is equal to a specifying adjective and a noun; for pronouns must necessarily be specific words. They stand for nouns whose number, gender, case, and identity are understood: else these substitutes themselves would be constantly liable to be misemployed.

Describing adjectives refer to pronouns, in the same manner as to the nouns for which they stand. Thus we may say, "the man is good, or he is good. We can say that, this, or the man; but not this, that, or the he: for pronouns being substituted only for words or ideas already specifically understood, the specifying word is redundant, and, as we are totally unaccustomed to the association, it strikes us as particularly awkward.

148. The word which is always used as an adjective, without the least mixture of any other character; serving the purpose of identical speci

fication, always having direct reference to a following noun, which (following noun) must be expressed, if it is not necessarily understood.

EXAMPLES.

"Which thing I also did in Jerusalem." "Unto which promise our twelve tribes hope to come." “For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews." Acts xxvi. Early in the morning Cyrus made a sacrifice, during which time his army took some refreshment.”—Translation of Rollin.

By which degrees men myght climben from the neytherest letter to the upperest."-Boecius, Boke 1. Folium 221.

"All which things succeeded to his desire." "The falseness of which pretence manifestly appeared.” “Which thing, though he had ever desired, and at last acted, yet he did not lay aside his mask, &c."—Lord Bacon, Character of Cesar. P. 5.

"Which doctrine also the lordes, bothe spirituall and temporall, with the nether house of our parliament, have bothe sene and lyke very wel." A necessary doctrine and erudition for any Christen man: set furthe by the Kynges Maiestie of Englande.—1543.

149. The language of legal proceedings, where words are multiplied beyond what is allowable in elegant literature, furnishes very numerous examples of this subsequent, "foregoing word, called the antecedent;" As, "I, John Doe, am held and firmly bound unto Richard Roe, in the full and just sum of one thousand dollars, for which sum, well and truly to be paid, I hereby bind myself," &c.-Form of a Bond.

"A. B. bought a farm, for which farm he agreed to pay ten thousand dollars, and which said sum he has not paid." So in the declaration by the bailiffs or occupants of a toll bridge, against Mr. C. D. "For divers tolls and duties, due, and of right payable, by the said C. D. to the said bailiffs, for the passage of divers loaded wagons, and

loaded carts, of the said C. D. before that time, drawn over a certain bridge, situated &c. which said bridge the said bailiffs and their predecessors," &c.

Every tolerable scholar can supply the omitted word, or there is a want of perspicuity in the construction of the sentence: as,

"Beware of false prophets, which [prophets] come to you in sheep's clothing." "For so persecuted they the prophets which [prophets] were before you." "Thy disciples do that [thing] which [thing] it is not lawful to do on the sabbath day.” "I will utter things which [things] have been kept secret from the foundation of the world."

It will be observed, in all these examples, and in every other of similar structure, throughout the language, that where persons are spoken of, the pronoun who may be substituted for the specifying adjective and the noun; as, Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing; and, except for the sake of variety, this is decidedly the best expression.

150. The words called relative pronouns, while they always specify as adjectives, answer also the purpose of connecting words. The reasons of their origin and use, in this latter character, are obvious.

In the early and restricted forms of language, sentences are commonly limited to single propositions. Among a rude people the expression is, "I took corn: I pounded corn in the mortar : I made bread of corn." This is the form of construction used by deaf mutes, in their essays at composition. So children talk. So all people speak, in a language with which they are not familiar. But when literature has made considerable progress, and men by practice grow expert in the combinations of words, various methods

are adopted to connect propositions into compound sentences, so as at once to lessen the prolixity and obviate the stiff monotony, which prevail in the earlier forms of speech. The words called relative pronouns are one of the contrivances of language for this purpose. They are duplicate adjectives, specifying the identity of things. Their effect is to add a new member of a sentence, by connecting its beginning with the ending of the old. In an improved state of language, the form of expression, instead of three sentences, as given above, is, We procured some corn, which [corn] we carried to the mill, and of which [corn] we made bread.

"Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed."

Tribulation worketh patience, which [patience] worketh experience, which [experience] worketh hope, which [hope] maketh not ashamed.

It is to be observed that except in writings where great formality is required, the words in brackets are to be omitted as being necessarily understood.

151. The difference between and and which, as . conjunctive words is this--and connects in a general manner, and which with identical limitation.

"Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience:" that is, patience, in general, worketh experience.

"Tribulation worketh patience, which worketh experience," &c. the meaning of this is, that the same or identical patience, which tribulation produces, worketh experience.

As a word answering this double purpose of