.1)92. nn the pirsonal pfbnouns. 119 



addrefses to the deity, or as announcing commands i 

 and in common conversation between man and man» 

 the plural you is made to stand in place of a singu- 

 lar. 



On the other hand, with a view to give a certain 

 elevation of tone to majesty, in many languages the 

 king, in the singular number, makes use of the plural 

 pronouns, and says, in Englifh, we, instead of simple 

 /. On some occasions, rejecting the plural, the king 

 uses the simple pronoun singular, with the addition 

 of his distinctive epithet, as in Spain, yo il re, I the 

 king. 



Formerly we had in Englifh an indefinite pro- 

 noun, exprefsive of general respect from an inferior 

 to a superior, which has now fallen into disuse. The 

 phrase was, your honour. But though this indefinite 

 respectful pronoun be now obsolete, we still retain 

 many other pronouns, definite, of the same clafs, as 

 your lord/bipy jonr grace, yoMX excellency, your royal 

 highnefs, your holinefs, your serene highnefs, your 

 majesty, &.c. And the vaoid friend, as denoting kind- 

 nefs from a superior to an inferior, is still in use, 

 though we have no pronoun that can become its sub- 

 stitute exprefsive of the same idea. 



In the Spanifh language they have proceeded a 

 step farther than we have done in this respect. It 

 is only in speaking to inferiors they make use of the 

 plain pronoun vos or os. In addrtfsing equals whom 

 .they wi(h to treat with respect, they make use of the 

 word usted ; and the periphrastic phrase, vuestra 



VOL. 21. R. • f 



