OBS. 31.—­It would be easy to fill a page with instances of these two cases, the objective and the possessive, used, as I may say, indiscriminately; nor is there any other principle by which we can determine which of them is right, or which preferable, than that the leading word in sense ought not to be made the adjunct in the construction, and that the participle, if it remain such, ought rather to relate to its noun, as being the adjunct, than to govern it in the possessive, as being the principal term.  To what extent either of these cases may properly be used before the participle, or in what instances either of them may be preferable to the other, it is not very easy to determine.  Both are used a great deal too often, filling with blemishes the style of many authors:  the possessive, because the participle is not the name of any thing that can be possessed; the objective, because no construction can be right in which the relation of the terms is not formed according to the sense.  The former usage I have already criticised to a great extent.  Let one example suffice here:  “There can be no objection to a syllable’s being long, on the ground of its not being so long, or so much protracted, as some other long syllables are.”—­Murray’s Gram., 8vo, p. 242.  Some would here prefer syllable to syllable’s, but none would be apt to put it for its, without some other change.  The sentence may be amended thus:  “There can be no objection to a syllable as being long, on the ground that it is not so long as some other syllables.”

OBS. 32.—­It should be observed, that the use of as between the participle and the noun is very often better than either the adoption of the possessive sign, or the immediate connexion of the two words; as, “Another point constantly brought into the investigation now, is that of military success as forming a claim to civil position.”—­Boston Daily Advertiser.  Concerning examples like the following, it may be questioned, whether the objective is proper or not; whether the possessive would be preferable or not; or whether a better construction than either may not be found:  “There is scarce an instance of any one being chosen for a pattern.”—­Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. ii, p. 338.  “Instead of its authenticity being shaken, it has been rendered more sure than ever.”—­ West’s Letters, p. 197.  “When there is no longer a possibility of a proper candidate being nominated by either party.”—­Liberator, Vol. x. p. 9.  “On the first stone being thrown, it was returned by a fire of musketry.”—­Ib., p. 16.  “To raise a cry about an innocent person being circumvented by bribery.”—­Blair’s Rhet., p. 276.  “Whose principles forbid them taking part in the administration of the government.”—­ Liberator, Vol. x, p. 15.  “It can have no other ground than some such imagination, as that of our gross bodies