Note 58 — SENTENCES.
Reading edition
“By this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.” Ezra, iv. 16. “It renders us careless of approving ourselves to God by religious duties, and by that means securing the continuance of his goodness.” Atterbury, Sermons. Ought it not to be, by these means, by those means? or by this mean, by that mean, in the singular number? as it is used by Hooker, Sidney, Shakespear, &c. “I have not wept this forty years.” Dryden. “I am not recommending these kind of sufferings to your liking.” Bishop Sherlock, Disc. Vol. II. p. 267. So the Pronoun must agree with its Noun: in which respect let the following example be considered. “It is an unanswerable argument of a very refined age, the wonderful Civilities that have passed between the nation of authors and those of readers.” Swift, Tale of a Tub, Sect. x. As to these wonderful Civilities, one might say, that “they are an unanswerable argument, &c.” but as the Sentence stands at present it is not easy to reconcile it to any grammatical propriety. “A person whom all the world allows to be so much your betters.” Swift, Battle of Books. And the Phrase which occurs in the following examples, tho’ pretty common and authorised by Custom, yet seems to be somewhat defective in the same way:
“’Tis these that early taint the female soul.” Pope.
“’Tis they that give the great Atrides’ spoils; ’Tis they that still renew Ulysses’ toils.” Prior.