Owen — Bevision of Pronouns. 33 



Also, if there be in the letter an ^'T," it is uncertain whom it in- 

 tends, until I read at the letter's end, ^'Respectfully yours, H. C. 

 Bro^^Ti." It is possible, therefore, in this case, to rank the "I" 

 as vicarious and of the anticipative type. ^'ITe,'' ^'she," and 

 •^^it,'^ as also "we," "you" and "they," are almost always vica- 

 rious, as in the frequent illustrations already given. The ex- 

 ■ceptions are treated in the appendices. 



The vicarious use of so-called demonstratives has been, I 

 think, sufficiently indicated. That words regarded by Grammar 

 as indefinite pronouns may serve in fact as proxies appears in 

 the following sentence : "A sower went out to sow his seed, and 

 as he sowed, some fell by the way-side." That the reflexive is 

 always vicarious has been already argued. That the usually 

 relative word may be vicariously employed is apparent in th-e 



sentence: "lis chercherent , qui d'un cote, qui d'un 



autre" (Balzac). That even the interrogative may be in part, 

 at least, vicarious Avill probably be conceded in "Here are two 

 apples. Which will you have ?" 



The following sentences exhibit a cluster of words, whose 

 powers, though distinctly vicarious, are more or less in danger 

 •of being overlooked. "Brown and Smith can't agree. The 

 former dislikes the latter. Each distrusts the other. Neither 

 has reason. I would trust either. Both deserve confidence, 

 one as much as the other.^^ Speaking, again, of a larger group 

 of persons, I might remark: ^^All are my acquaintances. 

 Many are my friends. Few dislike me. None are my enemies." 



The vicarious symbol is also readily overlooked, when dis- 

 ,^ised, as often happens, in a compound. Thus : "Brown gave 

 me a hooh. Therewith (= with it) I was greatly pleased. 

 Therefrom I have learned much. Thereto my thoughts recur. 

 ^ Therefor I have thanked him." The differentiation of these 

 words being a lexical matter, involving no fundamental principle 

 of idea-presentation, may be neglected. 



Much deeper suggestion is offered by the frequent vicarious 

 use of "such." To illustrate, mv bookseller writes: "You ask 

 for novels. I send you a dozen such." In this example the 

 vicarious action of "such" is of the ordinary, simple type. On 

 the other hand, in the phrase. Soldiers, sailors and such," the 

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