Owen—Hybrid Parts of Speech. 
249 
there is only money enough available to pay existing debts the 
firmness to say no.” While not commending this expression 
as a model of clearness, I regard it as comparing favorably 
with the following, effected by the aid of the participle—or 
say another form of the verbal adjective—which is second best 
in power of marshaling details: “I hardly know a man ^ hav¬ 
ing been pressed by his wife for money to buy an Easter bon¬ 
net though keenly realizing that there is only money enough 
available to pay existing debts having the firmness to say no.” 
That, in the last expression, I have given the substituted 
“having 9 the advantage of the most effective position, perhaps 
will be conceded, if the “having” be moved for instance to the 
position marked by either caret. Yet, even as the expression 
stands, you run some risk of going for the moment wide of the 
mark at the first “having” (as if it were I who had been 
“pressed”), at “though” (as if I intended “pressed though he 
realizes”), and, for at least an instant, at the final “having” 
(as if “having” belonged with “debts”). 
Per contra, in spite of the antagonism offered by certain 
purists', I prefer “Students desiring to continue Erench will 
notify the registrar” to “Students who desire, etc.”—partly on 
account of its compactness, and partly because it does not tend 
to exhibit a second relative clause, as coordinate with the clause 
of desire; e. g. “Students desiring to continue Erench, whose 
standing is inadequate (or, “to whom the appointed hour is 
unavailable”) will notify the registrar.” Of verba! adjectives, 
I therefore hold that, as the case may be, a greater clearness 
or a greater compactness commonly determines the use of one 
or the other available form. 
To the influence of expressional expediency it may be ob¬ 
jected that it does not always operate. Thus I may say 
“I hope that you find your purse;” but I may not say “I 
hope you to find your purse,” or “I hope your finding of your 
purse.” Such objections do not however seem to me to weaken 
the principle advanced. It cannot fairly be accused of weak¬ 
ness because it fails to explain what doesn’t happen. The lin- 
